The Merger | An Alex Priest, Vampire Hunter Novel

The Merger | An Alex Priest, Vampire Hunter Novel

Vampire hunting is hard enough - it's worse when your ex is involved. Follow vampire hunter Alex Priest and magical analyst Janelle Garcia as they try to save the world from corporate demons in this all-new novel!
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🗓 Estimated to ship by June 1, 2027

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This project is part of Book Bazaar Summer Bonanza, running from May 28th – June 30th, 2026. Learn more

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Welcome to the world of Alex Priest


In a world where vampires and demon ilk are very, very real, two agencies work to keep the world safe from the forces of darkness. Demon Eradication and Denial (DEAD LLC) is a corporate entity that charges itself with the training and employment of demon slayers - specialists in combating magical beings. Living Corpses that Bite (LC & B) is a tax-exempt public entity that relies on time-proven traditions to keep humanity safe from vampires. When hunting evil became blue collar work, the evil had to evolve.

Recent evidence suggests vampires have learned to use magic, meaning they're more than just a nightly threat. For the first time since their inception, DEAD LLC and LC & B will have to join forces. Which means, for the first time since their bitter break up, Alexandra Priest and Janelle Garcia will have to face one another - or risk an apocalypse. No pressure.




Praise for Alex Priest


Arledge doesn’t hold back even a little. Jordaan holds you in the palm of their hand the entire time and really, there isn’t much you can do about it, but enjoy the ride.
- Chuck Pineau (Ethereal Publishing)

This first issue of Alex Priest sucked me in immediately with the epic action sequence between Alex and the vampires. Not only are the fighting moments so fantastically done, but I loved the fun comedic moments added throughout.
- The Nerdy Girl Express

Alex Priest is a pure delight, a spiritual sequel to Buffy in an engaging world of surprising depth and detail. It's got action, romance, laughs, monsters, and all the other cool things that make life worth living.
- Travis Holyfield (Street Clothes)

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An All-New Novel

A perfect jumping in point for those new to the world of Alex Priest.



This is a 90,000-word novelization that expands the original five-issue series into a full-length novel.

  • Deeper worldbuilding and lore
  • Expanded character arcs (especially Alex & Janelle 👀)
  • Brand new scenes and storylines
  • More time with the systems behind vampire hunting as a blue-collar industry
  • A closer look at the corporate horror lurking under it all

Plus, the story continues to center queer identity and representation, including:

  • A genderqueer lead
  • Asexual representation
  • A messy, complicated, very real exes-to-partners-to-more? dynamic

What kind of story is this?

  • Blue-collar supernatural horror
  • Corporate apocalypse vibes
  • Queer paranormal romantasy (light to moderate spice)
  • And a whole lot of “we’re saving the world but also unpacking our feelings about it”

Status: Currently being edited. 

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All-new Short Story Collection

More fights. More tender moments between our heroes. More corporate intrigue.



Featuring ten (10) all-new short stories! Dive deeper into the world of Alex Priest. Find out who is running DEAD LLC. Will these crazy kids make it as a couple? 

The short story collection also lays the groundwork for volume two! 

Status: Complete. Ready to go to print.

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The Trade Paperback

Sink your teeth into the comic collection.



200+ pages of comics, including the original five issue mini series, plus bonus mini comics! Available at a discount through this campaign!

Status: Previously published. Ready for reprint.

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For the collectors

These comics are out of print and available for (possibly) the last time.



Read (or collect) Alex Priest in its original form. Featuring cover art by Scott Malin, Jenn St-Onge, Missy Pena, Jeffrey Veregge, and Emmett Hobbes!
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Exclusive Enamel Pin

A tribute to a pivotal moment in the story, this enamel pin is exclusive to this campaign!

Why is that building smoking?
  • Hard enamel
  • Shiny gold finish
  • 1.75" tall
  • Two pin posts
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IMPORTANT!!

Shipping costs will be charged to you SEPARATELY through your BackerKit survey.

Add on items may come with additional shipping costs depending on the final weight of your order.

All orders are shipped through USPS and come with tracking. International backers are responsible for their own country's VAT or import taxes/fees.

When shipping internationally we will make every effort to properly fill out customs forms. We will abide by your country's customs and shipping laws, which means we will denote the package value as the cost of your order, and mark it as merchandise. We are not responsible if your country holds your package and requires extra payment to release it.

Due to the ever-changing tariff landscape, we may experience fulfillment delays. Should this happen, we only ask for your patience as issues resolve. 
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Picture it. Sicily. 1922. Or in our case, small town in Washington state 2016.


Arledge Comics is turning 10 this year! 🎉 We started back in May 2016, and a whole decade of stories, art, ups and downs, we’re still here thanks to you - our backers. To say thank you for all the support over the years, we’re giving returning backers an exclusive collectible trading card with each of our BackerKit campaigns this year - and each card comes with a free digital comic, too! There are nine cards total, all illustrated by the incredible Melissa Capriglione, and when you collect them all, they fit together to form one complete scene.  It’s our little anniversary thank you to the folks who’ve been with us along the way. 💖

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This project is a part of The Book Bazaar! Click the link above to check out the rest of the collection. If you're looking to queer your bookshelf, check out the projects linked below!



Welcome to Book Bazaar Summer Edition, a celebration of all things indie and small press! We're collaborating to help make each creator's dreams come true with their publishing project. The more you back, the more goodies you earn. Here's how you can earn more:



Back more, earn more! Claim your Book Bazaar Summer Edition 2026 sticker sheet today by backing 5 or more projects. Each sticker sheet has all the book covers included! Plus, check out individual creators for special collaborations between projects. 👀

What is The Book Bazaar?

During this event, authors/indie presses run their own crowdfunding campaigns, with hopes of funding their publishing project. All campaigns run at the same time, and each campaign cross-promotes one another. Each campaign runs on an all-or-nothing basis, which means if they don’t meet their minimum goal, they can’t create their projects. 🙁 That’s why we’re hoping to count on you, the lovely reader, to help uplift these publishers and really make this Bazaar something special!

The more projects you back, the more rewards you’ll get. Some Bazaar projects are paired with another project, and by backing both Bazaar projects, you’ll get EXTRA free rewards! Back all Bazaar projects to maximize your rewards!

Best of all: these projects are verified created by humans! You can feel confident that you are supporting real human authors by backing any of our projects. Projects using AI in whole or part are not allowed on the BackerKit platform.

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If you believe that this project is not in compliance with BackerKit’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, you can file a report by sending a message via this link: Report this project

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