The Patron #1 Cover C Anand RK Signed 1:20

All great artists have one thing in common … they're dead. As a true patron of the fine arts, Mr. Cherish has devoted his life to discovering and nurturing emerging talent, lifting countless unknowns out of obscurity and into industry stardom. But the secret to his success is a dark one: the premature deaths of his protégés. Nothing makes a work of art more desirable to collectors than the demise of its creator – and Cherish has perfected the art of staging spectacular tragedies without leaving a trace, then selling the works of his dead protégés for enormous profits.

Painter Matty Barnes is next on the list – but when the script is flipped on this latest murder, a posthumous twist throws the artist's fate and legacy into question and puts the patron's empire in the crosshairs of law enforcement and a ruthless third-party connoisseur. Writer Christian Ward (Batman: City of Madness, Event Horizon) and artist John J. Pearson (The Department of Truth, The Infernals) deliver a high-class thriller at the bloody intersection of art and commerce. Both creators contribute a full set of variant covers, plus a special incentive cover for #1 by Eisner Award winner Anand RK (Deicidium, The Beauty).