Hello Darkness #25 — Tini Howard’s Marian Heretic Returns to the Anthology

The quarter-century mark of Boom! Studios' celebrated horror anthology arrives with a special Marian Heretic crossover and two new, deeply unsettling tales. Tini Howard and a fresh roster of talent bring the dread to Hello Darkness #25.

There is a particular kind of comfort in the familiar, and then there is the thrill of seeing a favorite character step back into a world they left behind. Hello Darkness has built a reputation as one of the sharpest, most consistently terrifying anthologies in the business, and hitting issue twenty-five is a milestone that deserves a celebration. This isn't just another collection of scary stories; it's a gathering of voices that know how to make the skin crawl in the best possible way.

The centerpiece of this drop is a welcome return for Marian Heretic. If you’ve followed her recent adventures, you know the divine nunsploitation series carved out a unique niche, and now she’s bringing that same chaotic energy back to the Hello Darkness fold. Tini Howard’s four-part arc sees Marian dole out judgment to a fresh batch of supernatural opponents. It’s the perfect way to bridge the gap between the two series, letting long-time fans catch up on where the heathen nun stands now.

But the spotlight isn't just on Marian. The rest of the book is a masterclass in variety, proving why this anthology remains such a strong pickup. Robert Menegus and Jonathan Marks team up for 'The Hole,' a story that follows a father’s twisted journey to cope with the loss of his son. It’s a grounded, emotional horror that asks difficult questions about grief and the lengths we go to when the world feels empty. Then there’s 'The Forensic Reliquologist' by Alejandro Arbona and Giorgio Pontrelli, where a relic expert inspects the remains of a fifth-century saint in a sleepy Italian hamlet, only to find something decidedly non-human about the count.

Rebeca Puebla’s cover for this issue sets the tone perfectly—beautiful, dark, and inviting you right in. Savanna Mayer’s interior art keeps that momentum going, handling the anthology’s shifting tones with a confidence that makes each story feel vital. This is the kind of book where you can read the Marian arc and then slip into the forensic thriller, and both feel essential.

If you’re looking to dive in, this is the moment. The Marian story is a great hook, but the supporting tales are where the anthology’s range truly shines. Keep an eye on the variant market, too—Puebla’s work is usually sought after, and these tend to move quickly once they hit the shelf.