System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan plans to release an original comic book that he says includes betrayal as one of its thematic components. The upcoming publication, entitled Ascencia, arrives next month according to a radio interview with the musician that was recently picked up by Blabbermouth.

Disloyalty doesn't appear to be the overarching aspect of the soon-to-be-released serial, however. As the drummer described it, the central theme of Ascencia confronts the main character's options once they've attained the ability to live forever. But with immortality on the table, a potential path of treachery emerges, the musician indicated.

"It's about the choices one would make if given the opportunity to live in a place that keeps you immortal," Dolmayan explained. "Like, who would you betray? Who would you screw over? It would test your moral fiber and it tests who you are as a person, make you question everything about yourself. It's a sci-fi epic that I'm putting out as a monthly series. I'm self-publishing it, so I'm very proud of it."

The longtime System of a Down member is known to be a comic book lover. In 2017, the drummer opened a high-end comic book shop in Las Vegas, as KTNV-TV reported at the time. In a 2014 Loudwire interview surrounding Dolymayan's side project, These Grey Men, the musician posited how he would potentially use his "comic book spending money" growing up.

Last month, These Grey Men enlisted Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello and Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows for a little help with some well-known cover songs. Meanwhile, Dolmayan's main act will hit multiple festivals this summer and mount a couple of concerts with Korn and Faith No More.

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