Absurd Ventures is the brainchild of Dan Houser, best known for his work on Grand Theft Auto V, Red Dead Redemption, and Red Dead Redemption 2. He has teamed up with his longtime collaborator Lazlow Jones for American Caper, a satirical crime drama set in Verona, Wyoming. Joining the team is legendary editor Shelly Bond, whose credits include Sandman and Fables. Together, they have brought a world filled with violence and corruption, with two “normal” families in the middle of it all.
Nerd Reactor spoke with Lazlow and Bond about the comic’s absurd humor, world-building, and why American Caper is shaking up the comic book world.
“One of the things Dan and I love doing is fake ads,” Lazlow tells Nerd Reactor. “We did a lot of that for the in-game radio and TV in all the GTAs. As part of this comic book, we have fake ads. There are no real ads inside, they’re all fake, and they’re tied into story content.”
The fake ads make the world feel alive, and it’s one of the charms of the Grand Theft Auto games and American Caper comics.
“It’s world building, and so you have to do all the same things,” he added. “What does the town look like? What are the advertisements? What are the billboards? What are the brands? What’s the soda pop? What’s the beer? It’s been fun because it’s a different kind of world-building.”
Bond helps bring Houser and Lazlow up to speed in the comic book world, including bringing in talented artists.
“When Dan and Lazlow pitched me the series, it really felt like something that was gonna shake the comic book industry to its core,” Bond said. “And it doesn’t let up. I promise you, issue 12… the double-sized issue… you are gonna be gobsmacked. The idea was so big it demanded a 48-page issue.”
About American Caper
Synopsis: Verona, Wyoming. A small town like any other. A land of hunter and hunted. Apex predators… and regulations just waiting to be broken. Culture has become a war, everyone has everything they need yet are miserable, and American life is still dominated by real estate, violence and snake oil. From the tax-avoiders in the manicured wilderness of Wyoming, to the thought police of Brooklyn, to the confused political battlegrounds of Florida, one thing is certain: This tragedy is someone else’s fault.
The crime-fiction comic book series was created and written by Dan Houser, produced and with additional writing by Lazlow, and edited by Shelly Bond and Daniel Chabon. Artists include David Lapham (story layouts and pencils), Chris Anderson (finishes), Lee Loughridge (colors), Nate Piekos (lettering), Tyler Boss (series covers), and variant covers by Simon Bisley, Martin Simmonds, Joe Quinones, Marguerite Sauvage, and more.
Issues #1-9 are now available, with issue #10 coming on August 19, 2026. Trade paperback collection volume 1 is now available, with volume 2 releasing on October 27th and volume 3 on March 2, 2027.
