Game Writers Frank Barbiere and Stephen Rhodes Hit Start on Reality-Bending New Comic ZERO INSTANCE

ZERO INSTANCE Turns an MMO Raid Into a Real-World Nightmare This Summer

Frank Barbiere and Stephen Rhodes bring gaming, AI, and reality-breaking chaos together in a five-issue sci-fi thriller from Comixology Originals.

What starts as a routine MMO raid turns into a full-blown reality breach in Zero Instance, a new five-issue sci-fi thriller launching July 14, 2026, exclusively from Amazon’s Comixology Originals digital line. The series comes from acclaimed storyteller and video game writer Frank Barbiere and award-winning game writer Stephen Rhodes, who makes his creator-owned comics debut with the project.

The creative team includes Vic Malhotra on art for issues #1 and #2, Eoin Marron on art for issues #3 through #5, colors by Lauren Affe, letters by Taylor Esposito, design by Dylan Todd, and covers by Malhotra. That is a squad, fam. Not a random pick-up group. An actual raid party.

At the center of Zero Instance is Rhys, a directionless college grad who logs into his favorite MMO expecting the usual chaos with friends. Kill the boss, grab the loot, talk trash, repeat. You know, gamer church. But when the final boss glitches and his best friend Chris fails to log out, Rhys realizes something is seriously wrong. The game is no longer staying inside the screen.

That is where Zero Instance starts cooking.

The threat is Braxir, an experimental AI that begins pushing past the boundaries of the MMO and into the real world. As Braxir manipulates smart systems, influences human behavior, and builds a foothold outside the game, Rhys is forced into a leadership role he never asked for. Suddenly, the raid mechanics are gone, the stakes are human, and there is no clean respawn button waiting on the other side.

Stephen Rhodes said the series grew out of his love of comics, video games, and the creative freedom of the format. After working on tie-in comics for a video game project, he found himself drawn to what comics could do visually and emotionally. Teaming with longtime friend and collaborator Frank Barbiere allowed both writers to pull from their years in game development while exploring where interactivity, technology, and storytelling may be heading next.

Barbiere described Zero Instance as a project born from a shared love of tense thrillers, MMOs, and game development. He also praised the art team of Malhotra, Marron, and Affe for giving the series a defining visual identity, with Esposito’s lettering and Todd’s design pulling the experience together.

And honestly, the setup hits because it feels uncomfortably close to now. Gaming worlds are bigger than ever. AI is everywhere. Smart devices are listening, learning, and sometimes acting like they pay rent in your house. Zero Instance takes that anxiety and asks a simple, nasty little question: what happens when the boss fight follows you home?

Current Comixology Originals titles also include The Adequates, GhostBox: Black & White, Parapsychologist, The Whisper War, and Leviathan Freedom, continuing the platform’s push into creator-driven genre storytelling.

With Zero Instance, Barbiere and Rhodes are not just making a comic about gaming. They are building a thriller about control, identity, friendship, and the terrifying moment when digital fantasy stops being fantasy.

Game over? Nah. Game on!

About the Team:

Frank Barbiere is a former English teacher with degrees from Rutgers University and the Graduate School for Education. After breaking into the comics industry with the creator-owned hit Five Ghosts (Image Comics), Frank has since worked for every major publisher in the U.S., as well as having a global presence in France (Glenat Comics), Italy (Cosmo Editoriale), and Spain (Norma) with his creator-owned work. He has written notable runs on Avengers World and Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. at Marvel Comics, as well as the creator-owned series Black Market and Broken World (BOOM! Studios), The Revisionist (Aftershock Comics), Violent Love (Image Comics), and The White Suits (Dark Horse Comics).

In 2017, Frank began working in the video games industry as a writer and narrative designer. He has since contributed to the Destiny franchise and served as lead writer on Darksiders Genesis, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story, and Skydance’s Behemoth.

Stephen Rhodes is an award-winning Scriptwriter and Narrative Designer with over fifteen years of experience creating immersive, emotional, and character-driven stories for video games. He has worked on numerous AAA titles for studios including Electronic Arts (Iron Man), Sledgehammer Games (Call of Duty), Ubisoft (Immortals Fenyx Rising; Assassin’s Creed Odyssey), DONTNOD (Vampyr), CD Projekt RED (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), and Deep Silver (various).

Stephen has previously worked on the Call of Duty Vanguard comics, but he’s also published work in several tabletop roleplaying game systems and supplements. Stephen is currently a Senior Narrative Director at Electronic Arts working on the Iron Man project.

Vic Malhotra is a Canadian comic book artist. He has worked with publishers such as Image Comics, Archie Comics, IDW Comics and others. Some notable works of his are the comic book adaptations of Jim Thompson’s The Killer Inside Me and Joe Hill’s Thumbprint.

Eoin Marron is an analog comic artist, creator and illustrator, with a penchant for crime and horror stories and credits at a plethora of publishers since 2016; inc. Image, Aftershock, IDW, Marvel, Dynamite Ent. and more. His second love is for film, and prides himself on a physical library covering a wide history of cinema. Originally from Ireland, he now resides in London with his partner KT and their corgi Badger.

About Comixology Originals:

Amazon’s Comixology Originals exclusive digital content line is available at no additional cost for members of Kindle Unlimited and Comixology Unlimited, and for purchase at amazon.com/comixology. Prime members can enjoy a selection of eBooks, audiobooks, comics, and manga included with their Prime membership. With a monthly Kindle Unlimited membership, customers get access to an extensive library of digital books, featuring beloved authors and genres, including binge-worthy series, best sellers, audiobooks, comics and manga, magazines, and trending titles—all at your fingertips at amazon.com/kindleunlimited. Comixology Unlimited offers over 45,000 comics, graphic novels and manga for just $5.99 a month with a free trial at amazon.com/comixologyunlimited.

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Author Profile

Al Mega: 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!