Exclusive: Cullen Bunn's medieval tale of terror and time-travel in Knights Temporal

Derived from the bloody deeds of the infamous Knights Templar religious order during the Middle Ages, a challenging new horror series charges into stores next month via AfterShock Comics, backed by the prolific pen of Southern-based creator Cullen Bunn.

Written by Bunn (Harrow County, Dark Ark, Monsters Unleashed) and matched with atmospheric art by Fran Galan (Tales From the Suicide Forest) and letters via Simon Bowland, Knights Temporal #1's time-twisting tale of swords and sorcery arrives on July 31 — and SYFY WIRE has an exclusive look inside the debut issue alongside illuminating comments from its indefatigable architect.

The riveting storyline follows the harrowing exploits of a scarred Crusader knight, Auguste de Riviere, in the aftermath of his return from the red-drenched battlefields of the Holy Land. He's now a shattered man seeking redemption, ashamed and horrified by the unforgivable things he's done. Wishing to reclaim his darkened soul, he's pledged all his resources to rooting out evil wherever it lurks in the world.

While hunting down a sinister sorcerer in a foreboding haunted forest, Auguste's life is upended as he steps through an interdimensional portal and emerges into the modern realm. The sullen warrior is joined by the enigmatic Jane Fool, and the unlikely pair track the wicked necromancer while attempting to piece together the mysterious circumstances of his existence.

Bunn believes Knights Temporal is a book that defies immediate definition.

"On the surface, it looks like the story of a knight who travels through time. And that’s correct ... but only to a certain degree," Bunn tells SYFY WIRE. "Auguste De Rivière is a knight in the Middle Ages who enters a forbidden forest, and emerges in the modern era. But he also emerges in countless other eras throughout time. And in all those times and places, he has an important mission—save all of reality from collapsing."

While Bunn classifies this as a fast-paced action/adventure book, he admits there are also cool elements of cosmic horror and interesting mysteries to be found in its pages.

"There are plenty of readily apparent sources of inspiration for this book: Highlander. Terminator. Moorcock’s Eternal Champion," he adds. "I didn’t see it at first, but editor Christina Harrington pointed out that I might have been inspired to some degree by DOCTOR WHO, and I don’t think I could argue. I was also inspired by several legends of the Middle Ages. That’s where Auguste, his companion Jane Foole, and the forbidden forest all come from."

Hurtle into our exclusive six-page preview of AfterShock Comics' Knights Temporal #1 in the gallery below, including both variants and a hypnotic lenticular cover by Mike Rooth with letters by Dave Sharpe, then tell us if you'll join the epic quest when the debut issue drops July 31.