Tom Morello’s music tends to pack some punch, whether it’s his work with Rage Against the Machine or Audioslave or his recent solo recordings as The Nightwatchman.

The same can be said of Morello’s new graphic comic series, Orchid, which he unveiled Wednesday night at the San Diego Comic Con.

“It’s like ‘Lord of the Rings’ meets ‘Battle of Algiers,’ ” Morello says. “I wanted to craft a story that has the same visceral impact and political clout as the music I’ve been involved in.”

Orchid’s protagonist is a 16-year-old prostitute who discovers there’s a greater purpose in her life. Dark Horse Comics will release the first of Orchid’s 12 issues on Oct. 12.

Morello has also written a score for Orchid. Each song from the soundtrack will be available free with the purchase of each issue.

Speaking of music, Morello’s next Nightwatchman album, ‘World Wide Rebel Songs,’ is slated for an Aug. 30 release on New West Records. While past Nightwatchman releases were mostly stripped-down acoustic efforts, the new 12-song album finds Morello working with a full band and playing electric guitar.

“The same guy who nervously yet bravely stepped up to the open mic nights with an acoustic guitar is definitely there,” Morello says. “But I felt fine with bringing out the heavy artillery when needed. Sometimes big message need a big sound.”

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