Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games and creative force behind iconic titles like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, is branching out with exciting new ventures. Besides preparing to launch his book, ‘A Better Paradise Volume One: An Aftermath,’ he’s also debuting a brand-new comic book series titled ‘American Caper.’ The highly anticipated first issue drops on November 12th, offering readers a thrilling narrative about a Mormon hitman, a high-stakes gambling lawyer, and a captivating Mexican beauty queen whose destinies intertwine when a real estate deal takes a dark turn.
Joining Houser on ‘American Caper’ is Grand Theft Auto veteran Lazlow, who will contribute additional writing to the series. This initial storyline is set to unfold over 12 issues, brought to life by a seasoned team of artists. This includes the Eisner Award-winning talent David Lapham, known for ‘Stray Bullets,’ alongside skilled colorist Chris Anderson of ‘Lost Angels,’ Lee Loughridge (‘GI Joe’), and letterer Nate Piekos (‘The Umbrella Academy’). Houser describes the series as a darkly comedic exploration of corrupt business, dysfunctional politics, bumbling crime, peculiar leisure wear, and self-righteous justice. He’s promised a vibrant cast of characters, from a Wall Street billionaire turned cowboy to a revenge-driven ‘maniac’.
Speaking at a panel at LA Comic-Con this month, Houser shared his passion for crime comedy: ‘I love doing crime comedy and having done lots of stories about carjackers, or people that have to be tough, living in this moment right now. I wanted to tell a story about some degenerate criminals from a completely different perspective, in a completely different part of the world, that you could never make a GTA game in.’ He added, ‘Men getting confused between reality and the fantasy in their heads is something a lot of stories are about, and is something I find very interesting. America, particularly the rural west, in this moment right now is something I found interesting, and thought was an interesting place to set a dark comedy.’
Beyond ‘American Caper,’ Houser’s other major project, ‘A Better Paradise,’ is scheduled for release on October 14th. This novel will be available in both ebook and audiobook formats. It’s an adaptation of an audio fiction series that first aired in 2024, set in the near future within a video game company. The story centers on Daisy’s Ark, an advanced virtual world created by the tech startup Tyburn Industria, which was ultimately shut down due to ‘unexpected and disturbing results’ impacting all involved. A decade later, development on this mysterious project resumes.
While the original 12-episode audio series is freely accessible on various podcast platforms, the upcoming book aims to offer deeper insights into the nascent stages of Daisy’s Ark. ‘American Caper’ and ‘A Better Paradise’ are just a couple of the innovative projects Houser is currently spearheading at Absurd Ventures. This new endeavor follows his distinguished career at Rockstar Games, where he served as head writer and creative director for the acclaimed Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption franchises. After his departure from Rockstar Games, Houser established Absurd Ventures with the ambition of creating a diverse range of multimedia projects, including animation, video games, graphic novels, and audio fiction.