I still feel guilty. On Heavy, it becomes even more dangerous. Currently available on Kickstarter, the 28-page first issue by Trevor Fernandez-Lenkiewicz and artist Ryan Best, with lettering and design by Matthias Zanetti, centers on Andrew Atlas, a cook who is forced to investigate the supernatural disappearance of his younger brother, whom he abandoned in foster care 16 years ago. As the world’s collective guilt reaches a breaking point and people begin to disappear, Atlas must confront the weight of his past.
Blending existential dread and raw emotional introspection, Heavy asks who really bears the burden of shame and whether guilt is a sign of weakness or the ability to change. The Beat reached out to Trevor Fernandez-Lenkiewicz to talk about the comic and what really led him to create such a deeply personal story.
Diego Higuera: The first thing readers see on the project page for Heavy is “an existential horror story about a dirtbag investigating the supernatural disappearance of the brother he abandoned 16 years ago.” Could you please elaborate on that?
Trevor Fernandez-Lenkiewicz: The book begins with the idea that when the weight of sin in the world reaches a breaking point, people begin to disappear. One of the missing is Andrew Atlas’ younger brother, who he left in foster care when he ran away 16 years ago.
Atlas believed that he could not take care of him. They didn’t come from a good family, so he left without risking failure. Now, faced with his brother’s disappearance, he is forced to make a choice.
He had a box of letters his brother had sent him over the years, too scared to open, but too guilty to throw away. Those letters become footprints, a way for Atlas to understand who his brother has become and where he has gone. As he gets closer to the truth, he begins to feel the fascination of the mysterious forces behind these disappearances.
Higurashi: It seems like you’re attracted to characters who aren’t necessarily good people. What are you interested in about it?
Lenkiewicz: This is probably the most emotionally raw book I’ve written. Although I was raised Catholic and am no longer religious, the guilt remained. The feeling of having made a mistake and having to redo what didn’t work is still very much present.
I’ve done good things in my life, but it’s the failures that stick with me the most. What does it mean to say that some people feel this weight and others don’t? Often, those who seem to be the most successful feel untethered by guilt, while those who are trying to live decently feel burdened by it.
Horror felt like the perfect place to explore that. It robs you of your performance and forces you to face uncomfortable truths. You can be emotionally honest without apologizing.
Higuera: In this book, people disappear when their collective guilt reaches a breaking point. So what makes a good person? Is it someone who pursues their goals unapologetically, or is it someone who is plagued by guilt?
Lenkiewicz: There is a difference between social value and personal value. Some of the most compassionate people I know struggle with shame and self-reflection. On the other hand, we see those in power succeed regardless of who they harm.
However, guilt alone does not make you a good person. Some people are so overwhelmed by it that they never change. I think the best among us are those who are able to look honestly at our guilt, understand what it is telling us, and grow from it.
Higuera: You’ve explored emotional themes before, but here you’ve added a supernatural layer. Do you think genre elements help readers engage with heavy emotional content?
Lenkiewicz: That’s the best genre novel. Use fantasy to open the door to real conversations. Paranormal phenomena will be the hook, but ideally it will make you think about your role in the theme being explored.
It’s not about manipulation. It’s about creating something interesting that will give your readers something to enjoy afterwards.
Higuera: The jacket alone suggests emotional depth, layers, clarity, and symbolism. How does the art in Heavy support the theme?
Lenkiewicz: The art is textured, raw, and intentional. Ryan can do clean, beautiful work, but here we wanted something less polished and more emotionally honest.
We focused on abstraction, texture and form. The brush, the roughness, the way the shadows shift, all reflect emotional instability. The main character was designed to be someone who appears to be strong on the surface, but is vulnerable underneath.
He is a chef who cares about feeding others, but when he gets home he takes care of himself. That contradiction is central. Art amplifies that internal shame and how it shapes our bodies, our posture, and how we occupy space.
The cover was revised many times in order to express the overflowing emotions beyond containment. It’s about how shame distorts perception.
Higuera: There’s a strong body horror influence here. Can you talk about that?
LENKIEWICZ: I’m definitely inspired by creators like Junji Ito. We use shapes and physical distortions to express emotional states. If Rise is about clean lines and precision, Heavy is about shape and movement, how bodies and spaces can reflect the turmoil within.
It’s visually offensive in a way that reflects how guilt and shame work. They don’t sit quietly. they echo.
Higurashi: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about this work?
LENKIEWICZ: I can just say this is the most emotionally honest project I’ve ever done. After writing successful superhero books, I decided to completely change direction and tell existential horror stories about the things that make us feel lame as people.
It’s personal. It’s unpleasant. But it’s true. If the reader is trying to say something serious, something meaningful, I encourage them to give it a try.
Check out a preview of the project below.
There are only a few days left, so if you are interested, please check out this project! If you are interested in a more detailed interview, check out this page!
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