By Steve Henricksen

Terminal Press and Nuclear Blast Records have teamed up for their next comics/metal crossover with “Exodus: Death Begets Death.” Utilizing the lyrical, artistic and musical concepts from the Bay Area Thrash legends, Terminal Press plans to bring the world of Exodus alive in a big way.

Set in a ruined America of the near future, the story follows two war generals who rule over military fiefdoms the size of time zones. General Scraw controls the West Coast, while his twin brother General Scraggg reigns from a seat in Las Vegas. The twins amuse themselves by sending the military’s toughest war toys, the Shovel Headed Kill Machines, into the deserts of the MidWaste to exterminate the human rabble that scrabbles for survival there. But when General Scraw learns that his military has been wiped out by a supernatural being calling herself the Earth Mother, he sends five crazed men who may or may not be the members of Exodus from the bowels of his own prison to stop her. Many people will die before the strange woman gets what she wants, and the twin generals will learn the price of their own misdeeds.

“Exodus: Death Begets Death” is a one-shot apocalyptic horror comic loaded with over-the-top violence and a dark sense of humor. Incorporating themes and imagery from Exodus’ entire body of work, focusing specifically on Bonded By Blood, Tempo of the Damned, Shovel Headed Kill Machine and The Atrocity Exhibition – Exhibit A, this book promises to teach you a moral lesson — while kicking your f**king ass.

“As many things as we get to do as a band, traveling the world, getting paid to drink and play thrash metal, I don’t think anything can touch being immortalized in our own comic book!” says Exodus’ Gary Holt.

“Exodus is the living embodiment of Thrash Metal…To say getting to work on this project is an honor would be an understatement. It is our responsibility to make sure this book slays and we happily take that challenge on,” says Terminal Press publisher and “Dimmu Borgir: Dark Fortress” writer Brian Ferrara.

“Exodus: Death Begets Death” is written by Keith McCleary (Killing Tree Quarterly, Deep Throat), with art by Russ Manning nominee Rolo Ledesma (Debbie Does Dallas) and colors by Narek Gevorgian (Silent Assassin, Dimmu Borgir: Dark Fortress).

“Exodus: Death Begets Death” will be available inearly 2010. Visit www.terminalpress.com for updates and the Terminal Press Facebook Fan Page www.facebook.com/pages/Terminal-Press/110121042984) for a look at some “Exodus: Death Begets Death” concept art.