Dance of Death: a supernatural horror graphic novel inspired by the Dancing Plague of 1518
Inspired by the bizarre historical events of the Dancing Plague of 1518, where hundreds danced uncontrollably for days, Steven Xuereb Haber’s 200-page epic reinterprets the phenomenon through a lens of supernatural horror. Written and drawn by Xuereb Haber, illustrated by Hassan Hameed Tabrizi and story edited by Astrid Thorvaldsen, the book follows Magdalena Troffea, the daughter of the woman who sparked the contagion, as she navigates a city gripped by oppression, superstition, and a literal mental contagion.
Steven Xuereb Haber – Writer & Artist Biography
Steven is a London-based Maltese film & TV art director, illustrator, and former architect. He has worked on projects like Wake Up Dead Man, Poor Things, Gladiator II, Dune: Prophecy, Napoleon and others. He has also production designed a number of short films such as ‘The Door’, ‘Gimcrack’, ‘Shoal’, ‘If You Can Believe it’ and stop-motion animation ‘The Song of a Lost Boy’ which earned a shortlist BAFTA nomination and an Royal Television Society award for production design. Steven wrote the story and drew the pages for Dance of Death, his debut graphic novel.
Hassan Hameed Tabrizi – Illustrator Biography
Hassan Hameed Tabrizi (based in France) is a visual artist and comic illustrator with a background in concept art and character design for video games. He has collaborated with studios such as Keos Masons (Canada), Xilam Animation (France), PUBG Corporation, West Studio (USA), and CMON Productions (Singapore). His work explores dark narratives, historical themes, and surreal storytelling. He was drawn to this project for its layered narrative and emotional intensity, as well as the opportunity to interpret themes of faith, chaos, and transformation through a strong and evolving visual language.
Astrid Thorvaldsen – Story Editor Biography
Based in the UK, award-winning Norwegian director Astrid is a National Film and Television School graduate. Currently developing feature projects with Pulse Films and SF Studios, her short films have screened at Encounters, Flickerfest, and Leuven. Her RTS Award-winning graduation film, Who Goes There?, was shortlisted for a Student BAFTA LA and is now being developed into a feature. A horror enthusiast, Astrid brings her genre expertise to Dance of Death.