AWA preview: ‘Pickle’s Mommy Is a Murderer!’ puts a pet psychic on the trail of a serial killer

Who's a good girl? Apparently, not Pickle's mommy.

AWA Studios is bringing a particularly unusual murder mystery to comic shops this January with Pickle's Mommy Is a Murderer!, a 56-page one-shot from writer Sarah H. Cho (Red Light, Camgirl) and artist C.P. Smith (Camgirl, Wolverine Noir). Arriving January 20, 2027, the mature-rated thriller combines serial killers, pet psychics, and a Chihuahua whose devotion to her owner might be getting in the way of the truth.

Set in Portland in 1997, the story follows Klarisse, a pet psychic who makes her living helping people understand their animals. Whether it's an anxious corgi or a particularly demanding pug, Klarisse has heard it all. That changes when a Chihuahua named Pickle begins revealing disturbing details about her owner, Melanie.

Could Pickle's beloved mommy be a murderer? Possibly even a serial killer?

With suspicions mounting, Klarisse recruits Louis, a retired K9 police dog looking for a new purpose. Together, the unlikely investigators use Klarisse's ability to communicate with animals and Louis's police instincts to pursue a killer who may be hiding in plain sight.

Described as a combination of The Silence of the Lambs and Doctor Dolittle, the comic mixes gruesome crime with offbeat humor while exploring the sometimes questionable limits of unconditional love.

By David Brooke, AIPT Comics

"After Red Light and Camgirl, I wanted to explore a different kind of relationship, one built on unconditional love, even when that love might be dangerously misplaced," Cho said. "There's something both hilarious and heartbreaking about a tiny Chihuahua who thinks her mommy can do no wrong, even when the evidence suggests otherwise."

Cho added that the story continues her interest in complicated relationships and the darker corners of human behavior.

"Beneath all the absurdity and bloodshed, it's really a story about the lengths we'll go to for the ones we're most loyal to."

The one-shot marks Cho's third project with AWA following Red Light in 2023 and Camgirl in 2025. It also reunites her with Smith, who illustrated Camgirl, a psychological thriller about a cam girl confronting a dangerous cyberstalker.

AWA Chief Creative Officer Axel Alonso offered his own colorful description of the new comic.

"Sarah and C.P. have crafted a thoroughly original serial killer-slash-buddy cop-slash-romantic comedy featuring the most human canines you've ever met," Alonso said. "If Clint Eastwood were a dog, he'd be Louis, the retired K9 police dog who teams up with a pet psychic and an annoying Chihuahua named Pickle - to hunt down a most unusual serial killer. You will forget they're dogs."

Pickle's Mommy Is a Murderer! features lettering by Steve Wands, a main cover by Rahzzah, and a variant cover by Keron Grant.

The 56-page, mature-rated one-shot arrives in comic shops and digital retailers on January 20, 2027.