STIMULUS: its official
My next OGN officially announced and given a birth date
For the past 10 years I’ve slowly been amassing a story collection as cause to collaborate with some of the finest illustrators in the world. I originally started the collection under the title Stimulus as a compilation of stories about drug experiences based on, surprise, my drug experiences. But that petered out and as I moved on from that stage on my life, I left the stories behind too. Until we were all forced to habituate in pandemic isolation and I found myself needing to interact with people and wanting to make comics so I kicked the project back into overdrive. Albeit no long drug inspired. Then in 2024 I realized I had a dozen stories and that felt like a good number to gather up into a book. And come April 28th, 2026, you’ll finally be able to read them.
For fans of Kali, this is where you’ll find Robert Sammelin and my’s next piece, a 22 page one shot called Race Masters about cryogenically frozen super soldiers reanimated in a far future to race to death in converted fighter jets. It’s a spectacle to be it mildly.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
DANIEL FREEDMAN’S ORIGINAL STORIES COLLECTED IN “STIMULUS”
Dark Horse presents a collection of 12 sci-fi stories from “Birdking” creator for fans of hard action, high adventure and humungous thrills.
MILWAUKIE, Ore., (October 21, 2025)—Creator of the original graphic novels Birdking, Kali, and Raiders and the upcoming Witcher: Bloodstone, Daniel Freedman partners with Dark Horse Books to present Stimulus, a collection of science fiction stories featuring a roster of esteemed international artists for an exploration of loyalty, dominion, and worth across 12 interconnected stories.
This collection of stories features artists Robert Sammelin (Kali), Tomm Coker (Black Monday Murders), Filya Bratukhin (Nature’s Labyrinth), Amilcar Pinna (Galactic), Dilraj Mann (Dalstron Monsterzz), Lorenzo Nuti (Dragonero/Conan), Arianna Farricella (College Apocalypse), Gavin Dias (PENTHOUSE Comics), Debbie Tsoi (Split Fiction), Stefano Realdini (Captain Gaia), Dan Morison (HELL-BENT), and Henrik Sahlström (Mirror’s Edge: Exordium). The book’s cover art is provided by Sammelin.
In Stimulus:
A blood-soaked briefcase full of cash. A mind reader hellbent on crime. An errant soldier turned hitman. Earthly homunculus. Crystal women. Men made of stars. Deviant frog people. Sorceress succubi. Advanced space-force fighter pilots. Avenging vampires. Sentient sentimental AI constructs. Alien voyeurs. The demigod spawn of heart-broken angels. Cyber enhanced mercenary thieves. Death races. Unfulfilled ancient prophecies. Lost valor. Stolen principles. And the supernatural plant known as “Seafarer” that ties them all together.
“Stimulus is a collection of pure passion and experimentation that I’ve been amassing for almost a decade, mostly as cause to collaborate with some of the finest illustrators in the world. I’m thrilled for readers to finally get their hands on it.” - Daniel Freedman
Explore the interconnected cosmos of Stimulus when the 184-page (6.625x10.1875”) paperback volume arrives in bookstores and comic shops on April 28 and 29, 2026 for $22.99. Pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local bookstore or comic shop. Visit Comic Shop Locator or Bookshop.org for more details and stores near you.
Be sure to follow DarkHorseComics on social media and check our website, www.darkhorse.com for more news, announcements, and updates.
I also have the book up for pre-order on my website if you’d like to pre order a signed copy with goodies that will ship the day of release.
Until then…
I'm good with this