GRYMSTONE: SOIL & ASH BRINGS POSSESSED ’80s TOY HORROR TO KICKSTARTER

Crusaders, somebody looked at an innocent little ’80s action figure and said, “You know what this needs? An ancient woodland spirit, generational trauma, violent impulses and a Kickstarter campaign.” And honestly? That is exactly the kind of weird comic-book energy I am here for.

GRYMSTONE: SOIL & ASH is the new five-part folk-horror series from Summit Comics, written, colored and lettered by Scott Alan Gregory with art by Thiago Motta. Gregory came out of Summit’s 2025 Writer Talent Search, and instead of playing it safe with his first big swing, he built a villain-centered horror story around a seven-inch action figure possessed by something ancient, ugly and very interested in ruining lives.

The hook is nasty in the best way. GrymStone’s influence connects three troubled families across three different eras, while a Chicago man tries to help his brother, who is convinced the talking toy hidden in his basement is pushing him toward violence. That is not “haunted doll” horror. That is “why is the toy talking to me and why am I listening?” horror.

What makes the concept hit harder is the ’90s Vertigo DNA running through it. Summit is openly leaning into the psychologically warped, tragicomic space occupied by books like Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Doom Patrol and Shade, the Changing Man. That means this thing is not just chasing jump scares. It is digging into inherited damage, mental illness, hidden motives, ritual, guilt and the kind of personal baggage that keeps showing up whether you invite it or not.

Gregory described the project as weird, personal and uncomfortable, which is exactly what a folk-horror book should be. He and Motta are building around the collision of human failure and something older and darker lurking underneath it all. In other words, the monster may be real, but the people around it are absolutely capable of making everything worse.

The campaign also has collector bait all over it. Cover A is by Scott Alan Gregory, Cover B by Damian Connelly, Cover C by Pete Collins and Cover D by Juan Angel. Backers can also grab signed scripts, original sketch cards and covers, plus higher-tier opportunities to actually appear in the comic. There is even a limited reward where a backer can become the star of a custom two-page GrymStone story for Summit Comics’ Substack.

That is smart crowdfunding. You are not just buying a book. Summit is making the campaign feel like entry into the world of the series, which is exactly how indie comics should use Kickstarter when they want readers invested beyond issue one.

GRYMSTONE: SOIL & ASH #1 is live on Kickstarter now and the campaign runs through October 8, 2026. If you like your horror strange, psychological, a little grimy and willing to get uncomfortable, this one deserves a look.

Back GRYMSTONE: SOIL & ASH on Kickstarter and visit Summit Comics for more.

Bottom line, mi gente: possessed toys are creepy. Possessed toys carrying decades of family damage across generations? That is a whole different level of “do not bring that thing into my house.”