Thanks to the good people over at DC Comics and their imprint Vertigo Comics, we have the high honor of bringing you an exclusive preview of pages from the first issue of their upcoming series The Sheriff of Babylon. From writer, Tom King, who wowed comic readers with books like Grayson and Omega Men, and Punisher artist Mitch Gerads, The Sheriff of Babylon is a taut crime thriller set in war-torn Iraq during the height of America’s War on Terror. Take a look at the official synopsis for the book from Vertigo.

“Baghdad, 2003. Florida Police officer-turned-military contractor, Chris Henry is tasked with training a new Iraqi police force. When one of his trainees ends up dead, Chris is forced to team up with Nassir, the last remaining cop in Baghdad. Pulling the strings to bring them together is the mysterious Sofia, an American-educated Iraqi who has returned to take control of the city’s criminal underworld. This miniseries is a thrilling wartime crime drama told amid one of the most tumultuous times in modern history.”

One of the most interesting aspects of the book is its personal connection to King. Before he was writing about superheroes and spies in comics, Tom King worked as part of a counter-terror operation for the CIA in Iraq. Many aspects of Babylon’s story are pulled from his personal experience in-country at that time. Take a look at all of the artwork, as well as the cover for the first issue, in the gallery below, and be sure to let us know what you think of the images in the comments.

The Sheriff of Babylon #1 is published by Vertigo Comics, and goes on sale December 2nd.

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All images belong to Vertigo Comics/DC Comics