“There will be lots of blood and guts spilled on these pages…” — THE ACCESSORIES Interview with Leah Kilpatrick & David Dastmalchian

I’ve been eagerly awaiting David Dastmalchian and Leah Kilpatrick’s The Accessories since first learning about it at San Diego Comic-Con last year. Focusing on the characters that have been “loyal minions” of literary and cinema’s iconic monsters, the new horror comic book series sees Igor, Renfield, and Mrs. Hyde break free of their toxic relationships and follows what happens next! Thanks to PANICK Entertainment and Rocketship Entertainment, it was just announced that the first issue will arrive in comic book shops on August 5th (with a pre-order cutoff on June 29th). Ahead of the release, I caught up with David and Leah to learn about the inspirations behind the series, their creative process, collaborating with artist Patrick Piazzalunga, and much more! We have a look at the first issue’s covers and preview pages from the issue that Daily Dead readers can check out right now!

I understand that the idea for The Accessories came from Leah. Could you talk about the story’s origin and what excited you both about turning it into a comic book series?

David Dastmalchian: Leah and I have been geeking out over monsters (and classic monsters) for as long as we’ve known one another. We talk about monsters constantly and it was like a lightning bolt when Leah started talking about this initial idea for a story where the monster’s loyal minions decided to break free from their toxic dependency upon their masters. As is often the case in our creative collaborations, once the ball started rolling, we just tried to keep up!

Leah Kilpatrick: Universal Studios and its monsters have been part of my DNA for as long as I can remember. The more I immersed myself in those worlds, the more I saw the same headliners taking the stage: Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, the Wolf Man. Even The Bride and The Creature, characters I’ve always loved, seemed to linger in their shadows. But beyond them, I kept asking: who’s really doing the dirty work? That’s where I found the heartbreaking, relatable truth: the unseen ones working tirelessly and losing pieces of their own identities along the way. What excited David and me about turning that into a comic book series was the chance to pull these characters into the center of the frame and build a story where they were no longer just supporting someone else’s legend.

How did you decide on Igor, Renfield, and Mrs. Hyde as your trio? How does their toxic relationship with their former employers drive the story?

David Dastmalchian: We were looking for the most iconic hench-people possible and narrative figures for whom we had a lot of strong feelings. Mrs. Hyde, an invention of Leah’s diabolical imagination, is the wholly original creation of our story. She is actually NOT a minion to Dr. Jeckyll but still fits perfectly into the thematic engine of The Accessories. Many more characters will appear, but for our origin volume, this felt like the perfect balance of personalities, where each member of the “team” has a specific set of strengths and weaknesses that complement the others. I have personally struggled in my life with so many of the elements at play in The Accessories; addiction, codependency, compulsive control disorder, and emotional volatility. These are all obstacles that the heroes of our tale and their monster masters will face.

The Accessories is being published by Panick Entertainment. What has that collaborative process been like and why were they the perfect home for the series?

David Dastmalchian: They said “yes”. It’s always a joy and a privilege when someone believes in your ideas and wants to help them journey from concept to reality. Joining a company in its infancy has been interesting and a good learning experience.

Leah Kilpatrick: What we really appreciated about Panick was that they saw the potential in this idea from the beginning. Their excitement for the series has been there from the start, and we’re grateful they wanted to help bring these characters and their world to the page.

Can you share details about your own collaborative creative process? How do you two typically work through story ideas and the comic book scripts?

David Dastmalchian: Well, we talk. A LOT. I probably talk Leah into madness sometimes. I love just going for walks and discussing ideas. We are also surrounded by so much inspiration with the coven of fiends with whom we spend time playing games and talking about monsters and horror. Once we latch onto an idea, we start to play with form. I love dialogue and narrative arc. I love to think about beginnings, middles, and ends. I excel at sculpting stories from an overall perspective, whereas Leah thrives in the details, nuance, and beats. Once we get going, we often pass a script back and forth as we write. Other times, we will just plow through a script alone and then send it to the other for thoughts and revisions. There’s a good amount of discussion but I feel really lucky to be collaborating with someone so talented and dedicated who usually likes my ideas!

Leah Kilpatrick: David and I are deeply aligned – when we dive into an idea, we give it everything. In The Accessories, we’d sometimes brace for debate only to immediately hear, “Absolutely, let’s do that!” What might feel like a fight elsewhere becomes a playground for us, where we riff and push each other’s ideas further. David’s knack for big-picture world-building lets me dig (often way too deeply) into niche details. In the end, it’s that shared care for the story and for ensuring every idea feels heard is what keeps our collaboration strong.

What was it like working with Patrick Piazzalunga? What about his art style made him perfect for this world?

David Dastmalchian: There is a cultural, geographical and language barrier between us, which presents a fascinating challenge. Look at his work. It’s clear that Patrick is wildly talented and has a deep love for monsters and classic horror. He is a true artist and a skilled craftsman. Fortunately, he has a wonderful manager named Enzo who helps us with the translation. I am exceedingly grateful that Patrick takes our thoughts and input. Even if it takes time to go back and forth, he is always eager and willing to pour himself into the work.

Leah Kilpatrick: David and I sent Patrick detailed blurbs and reference images that were less about drawing the characters literally and more about capturing their essence. When he came back with his first designs, especially our sweet Igor, it felt like he had reached into our heads and found exactly who we’d been writing. Emotionally, he nailed it from the start.

Can you talk about balancing the horror and humanity in this story and its characters? Even though the story deals with fantastical characters and worlds, it seems really grounded in personal struggles anyone can relate to.

David Dastmalchian: The great thing about this whole concept is that the emotional and psychological horror throughout the story is part of the fabric of our central storytelling device. These are people who have done bad things in the service of their toxic relationships. They have had enough and are ready for change. They want out! Escaping an addictive and dangerous relationship is like clawing out of quicksand, though, and it can be terrifying if the oppressor refuses to relinquish control. As we ramp up the dramatic tension, the story’s internal horror manifests in gory, shocking and frightening events. There will be lots of blood and guts spilled on these pages and even the most grotesque and stomach-churning moments feel justified and fitting!

Can you give our readers a tease of something you’re excited for them to experience in The Accessories? Do you have plans for more stories within this universe?

David Dastmalchian: I can’t wait for readers to discover what Leah concocted in the world of the Jeckyll/Hyde narrative. It’s so brilliantly original and horrifying. I can’t stop thinking about it.

Leah Kilpatrick: Honestly, I want to tease the entire cast: Igor, Renfield, and Mrs. Hyde. If we aren’t careful, we’d act out the whole series right now. But Mrs. Hyde especially excites me, and she wouldn’t be who she is without David’s care and support for her concept. She’s a reimagining of what a woman’s struggle in the 1930s London might look like through the Jekyll/Hyde mythos. I know it’s risky, and not everyone will love it, but we can’t wait to see how it lands. And do David and I have more stories for The Accessories universe? I’m afraid we have too many!

What are some of your favorite horror movies featuring Igor, Renfield, or Mr/Mrs. Hyde?

David Dastmalchian: I am a sucker for everything that came out before 1945. Just take a look at the library of amazing classic films and especially that pre-Code stuff… I doubt they will ever be topped.

Leah Kilpatrick: It’s hard for me to answer this with just one movie, because for me the answer really is Dwight Frye. His Renfield in Dracula (1931) and Fritz in Frankenstein (1931) helped define what we understand as the devoted, dangerously broken monster assistant. There’s something so nervous, strange, and deeply tragic in his performances that still ripple through every portrayal since.

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Stay tuned for more on The Accessories, including a look at upcoming issues, as we get closer to their release. In the meantime, learn more about the first issue of The Accessories below, and make sure to check out our preview pages!

PANICK Entertainment and Rocketship Entertainment are proud to announce that THE ACCESSORIES #1, the highly anticipated new horror comic series from creators David Dastmalchian and Leah Kilpatrick, will officially hit comic shops on August 5, 2026.

Final Order Cutoff (FOC) for retailers is June 29, 2026. THE ACCESSORIES #1 will be available through Rocketship Entertainment via Lunar Distribution and Universal Distribution.

Blending psychological horror, classic monster mythology, and dark humor, THE ACCESSORIES asks what happens to the forgotten servants of horror’s greatest monsters once they finally decide they’ve had enough.

Igor, Renfield and Mrs. Hyde have aided their masters’ diabolical missions for decades, but today is the day they stop being loyal. Today, the real horror walks out the front door.

The looming question is: what do they do now?

These three discarded servants find each other in the fallout, forming a band of gawky but determined anti-heroes caught between angry villagers, vengeful monster hunters, and furious former employers. Their survival will take more than just guts. Luckily, they know where to procure more.

The debut issue features a slate of collectible covers from acclaimed artists Lukas Ketner, Tim Seeley, Matthew Seaborne, and a special classic monster movie poster homage cover series by Joel Herrera.

THE ACCESSORIES #1

• On Sale: August 5, 2026
• FOC: June 29, 2026
• Available via Rocketship Entertainment through Lunar Distribution and PANICK via Universal Distribution

Cover A: Lukas Ketner

Preview: 

Cover B: Tim Seeley

Cover C: Matthew Seaborne

Cover D: Joel Herrera