Spencer and Locke

In 2017, Action Lab Comics launched Spencer and Locke, a four-issue crime series from writer David Pepose and artist Jorge Santiago Jr. that reimagines a classic comic strip premise as a gritty, hard-boiled detective story. The series follows a troubled detective and his imaginary panther partner as they investigate a brutal murder in a decaying city, blending noir sensibilities with surreal, childhood-inspired imagery. Its inventive fusion of dark police procedural and nostalgic iconography earned it a cult following for its fresh, emotionally resonant take on familiar archetypes.