Pretty Hate Machine #1

by Ryan O'Nan, Roman Stevens (Colorist), Paolo Armitano (Illustrator)

Thomas is in so much pain. As if high school wasn’t hard enough, when his father is killed in a freak accident, and his mother begins to take refuge in the company of his uncle, Thomas is visited by a ghoulish kid named Luther with knives for hands and rows of teeth like an ancient shark who tells Thomas his father was murdered and that anything his mother and uncle tell him is a lie. Thomas doesn’t know who or what to believe. Does he believe his friends, teachers, and mother, who tell him grief isn’t for the faint of heart, but it will pass? Or does he believe the demented Luther who pulls Thomas through a bloody whirlwind of conspiracies, vengeance, and slaughter, showing him the lies and corruption that surround him? Thomas must fight to discover the truth behind his father’s death, while struggling to keep his new friend from leaving a massacre in his wake. But that “truth” might be far more sinister than Thomas is prepared for…

Kindle Edition

Published April 8, 2026

Reviews

[Machiavelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty Hate Machine #1 is a bloody, violent gore fest—and I had a lot of fun with it.

This leans hard into the brutality, but it’s not just shock value. There’s enough mystery and character work underneath to keep me interested in where it’s going next.

Great start that balances chaos with intrigue. Definitely in for more.

[L0bbyMusic · Rating 4 out of 5]

8.5/10 | Super solid first entry. Love the artwork here. It’s beautiful, dark, and rich. Sets up the story well while leaving many questions to be answered in the following entries. The big one being who exactly is Luther??? What I know for sure is that his design is incredible and I’m excited to see more of it.

[josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Danii Savage · Rating 4 out of 5]

brutal af