Matt Lesniewski Unleashes a Stunning New Sci-Fi Nightmare in FACELESS AND THE FAMILY: MAZE OF THE MECHANICAL ALIENS #1
The Eisner-nominated visionary behind Crimson Flower and The Freak returns this July with a bold new Oni Press chapter packed with alien chaos, mechanical terror, and breathtaking imagination.
Oni Press is gearing up to melt comic fans’ brains in the best possible way this summer with FACELESS AND THE FAMILY: MAZE OF THE MECHANICAL ALIENS #1, the first chapter in a brand-new four-issue arc from the wildly inventive mind of Matt Lesniewski. If you like your comics strange, bold, emotional, and visually unlike anything else on the shelf, then family… this one’s about to have your name all over it.
Lesniewski, the Eisner Award-nominated creator behind Crimson Flower and The Freak, is diving back into the weird and wondrous world of Faceless and the Family, delivering a new self-contained story that continues the saga of one of comics’ most unique sci-fi creations. This next chapter lands in shops on July 1st, and it looks ready to hit readers with a fresh dose of cosmic anxiety, bizarre beauty, and raw artistic power.
Picking up after the events of 2024’s Faceless and the Family, this new installment throws readers right back into the chaotic life of Faceless, the alien outcast turned space-faring rogue, and his ragtag crew of fellow adventurers. But this time, the stakes get even stranger. While roaming the rough, class-divided edges of the Hand Planet, Faceless finds himself trapped in a terrifying new nightmare after becoming bonded to a living suit of extraterrestrial armor that refuses to release him. Yeah… that’s not exactly the kind of wardrobe upgrade you want.
What follows sounds like the kind of sci-fi fever dream only Lesniewski could deliver: a labyrinth of impossible logic, eerie wonder, and full-on nightmare fuel, as Faceless and his found family fight to save him from something that may be stronger than all of them combined. It’s weird. It’s dangerous. It’s imaginative as hell. In other words, it’s exactly the kind of madness we want.
Lesniewski himself made it clear that while this story picks up where the first volume ended, it’s also a great jumping-on point for new readers. He teased fresh characters, a brand-new obstacle, and more of the beautifully chaotic energy that has already helped define this universe. And honestly, that’s part of what makes this series so exciting—there’s a sense that anything can happen, and probably will.
Oni Press President and Publisher Hunter Gorinson didn’t hold back when talking about Lesniewski’s talent, praising his ability to craft some of the most engrossing and visually arresting comics of his generation. And that tracks. Lesniewski’s art doesn’t just tell a story—it crawls into your brain, kicks the furniture around, and leaves you staring at the page like, “Yo… what did I just witness?” His work is rich with meticulous detail, loaded with alien atmosphere, and packed with emotion even when the world around the characters feels absolutely surreal.
That’s been the magic of Faceless and the Family from the jump. Beneath all the cosmic weirdness, crosshatched madness, and dreamlike environments, there’s still heart. There’s still pain. There’s still connection. Faceless may be navigating bizarre outer-world dangers, but the emotional pull of family, belonging, struggle, and survival is what gives this book its soul.
And let’s talk visuals for a second, because this issue is coming in swinging with some killer cover talent too. Alongside Lesniewski’s own work with Dave Stewart, the issue will also feature covers from Kelley Jones with José Villarrubiá, plus Noah Bailey. That’s a stacked lineup, plain and simple. Oni clearly knows this book isn’t just another release—it’s an event for fans who crave comics that dare to look and feel different.
The praise for Lesniewski’s work has already been loud for a reason. Critics have called his art bizarre, fascinating, and a marvel of black-and-white storytelling, while others have noted how he keeps pushing his style to the absolute limit. That spirit is exactly why this new chapter feels like such a big deal. In an industry full of familiar beats and safe swings, Faceless and the Family: Maze of the Mechanical Aliens looks ready to remind readers that comics can still be gloriously unpredictable.
So yeah, mark this one down. July 1st is the day the weird gets weirder, the danger gets deadlier, and Matt Lesniewski opens the door to another unforgettable descent into the unknown. If you’ve already been riding with Faceless, you know the family reunion is about to get real messed up. And if you’re new? This might be the perfect time to step onto the Hand Planet and see what all the beautiful madness is about.
FACELESS AND THE FAMILY: MAZE OF THE MECHANICAL ALIENS #1 is coming for your eyeballs, your imagination, and probably your dreams too. You’ve been warned. Wepa.
For more updates on Oni Press, visit them on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Author Profile
- I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!
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