Tag: Image Comics

COMPASS sets new comics adventure, history, and more for this summer

Image comics recently announced an all-new, five issue miniseries by acclaimed writer/creator Greg Rucka (The Old Guard), writers Robert Mackenzie and Dave Walker (Lazarus Sourcebook) with artist Justin Greenwood (Stumptown, The Fuse, The Last Siege) “to take readers on a breathless journey” in the forthcoming Compass, starting in June.

In Compass, readers meet Shahidah El-Amin, a main character who is many things: scholar, cartographer, astronomer, mathematician, scientist, explorer, adventurer, and—when need be—two-fisted fighter. Setting out from Baghdad’s legendary House of Wisdom during the Islamic Golden Age, Shahi’s quest brings her to 13th-century Britain…where the Welsh are whispered to possess the secret of eternal life. But Shahi’s not the only one after it…

“Compass was born out of our desire to tell a story of discovery without colonialism, of adventure without exploitation—something with the verve and energy of the pulps, but with a perspective that hadn’t been seen much in that genre,” said Mackenzie in a recent press release. “Getting there was its own process of discovery, and it’s been a joy to work with co-creators who have the talent to truly unearth Shahidah‘s quest. I’m so pleased to be able to share Compass with the world.”

“This story has been with Robert and I since our earliest days writing together. We wanted to step into a world that felt definably real—but still with the thrills of haunted ruins, ancient wonders, deadly rivals,” said Walker. “Justin found that world immediately and brought it to life, and Daniela, Simon and Greg have all added their inimitable touches to truly make it something special.”

Greenwood added: “Compass has just the kind of energy and fun that I’d been looking for in a new project. The sense of adventure is palpable in every issue and Shahi is one of the most engaging characters I’ve ever gotten to draw. Compass being a teen book is also a big bonus for me creatively, as my kids are finally getting old enough to read comics too. I’ve always enjoyed this type of pulpy action comic but being able to share it with my family is a new and gratifying experience. Very excited to share what this talented creative team has been cooking up.”

“I fell in love with Dave and Robert’s idea the moment they shared it with me. I love stories rooted in historical truth, in facts that have somehow been overlooked or—more frequently, I think—ignored in favor of another, more ‘traditional’ narrative,” said Rucka. “As much as Compass is an action-adventure with all of those wonderful pulp elements I adore, its engine is personal and intimate, ultimately about the friendship between two very impressive, very capable women from two very different backgrounds. As soon as I realized that, I knew Justin was the only artist who could deliver what Dave and Robert were after. I’m very proud to claim a very small part in making this book come to life.”

Compass #1)will be available at comic book shops and digitally across many digital platforms, on Wednesday, June 16th.

Here’s a four page preview in the meantime:

Thanks to Image Comics for the preview, visit imagecomics.com for more!.

Lady Mechanika returns to comic stores and, and raise steampunk brows

Recently announced, the fan-favorite steampunk adventure series by comic artist and storyteller Joe Benitez, Lady Mechanika will return with in 2021 with a new publisher, Image Comics. The adventure begins anew with a special Free Comic Book Day 2021 edition of her first appearance for participating comic shops on Saturday, August 14. Then, a new Lady Mechanika story series launching this September, also from Image Comics.

Lady Mechanika follows the story of a young woman during the Victorian Era who is desperately in search of the secrets to her past—a past that left her with extraordinary, but unnatural, mechanical limbs. Lady Mechanika publishing run began in 2010, carried on with multiple mini series, all then self published by its creator Joe Benitez.

The entire backlist of Lady Mechanika will be made available from Image Comics too, beginning this August with the long anticipated reprints of the volume one trade paperback and hardcover editions. These reprints will join a total of seven trade paperbacks and five hardcover editions of the beloved series.

“I’m very excited that Lady Mechanika is moving to Image!” said Benitez in a recent press release from Image Comics. “We hope this move will provide an opportunity to share the series with a new, wider audience, and also give us more time to focus on our creative strengths while letting the experts at Image handle publishing and marketing. We have so many stories to tell, hopefully this will help us get more of them out faster. The next story arc we’re calling ‘The Monster of the Ministry of Hell-th’ will deal with a piece of Lady Mechanika’s haunted past. Check out a preview of the new book in our FCBD issue!”

Eric Stephenson, Publisher & Chief Creative Officer at Image Comics also added: “We’re pleased to welcome Joe back to Image. Joe got his start at Image, as part of Marc Silvestri’s Top Cow Productions, and he has grown into a phenomenal talent over the years. What he has built for himself with Lady Mechanika is truly impressive, and it’s exciting to be part of what comes next for this incredible series.”

The FCBD 2021 edition of Lady Mechanika will include the stand-alone short story “The Demon of Satan’s Alley,” which first introduced Lady Mechanika and her steampunk world (Lady Mechanika #0)—plus a preview of “The Monster of the Ministry of Hell-th,” the newest story by series creator Joe Benitez which will debut this year at Image Comics.

Contact your local FCBD participating comic shop to learn more about these exciting freebies and more and don’t miss out on the opportunity to participate in FCBD 2021 on Saturday, August 14!

Made in Korea sci-fi comics series explores AI and identity, this Spring

This May of 2021, Image Comics plans to release a new science fiction story six-issue monthly series to comic store shelves, Made In Korea, by writer Jeremy Holt (Virtually Yours, Before Houdini) and artist George Schall (Planet of the Apes, Chasing Echoes).

Made In Korea follows Jesse, the world’s first true A.I. system, on an exciting exploration of what it means to be a family in an age when biological parenthood is no longer a reality.

“As an identical triplet and Korean adoptee, I wanted to explore my own self-exploration of identity through the lens of science-fiction,” said Holt in a recent press release. “I think anyone that is looking for a new take on an artificial intelligence story will thoroughly enjoy what George and I have crafted.”

Schall added: “In a genre that often feels old because of how fast our world evolves, Jeremy has managed to write a story that feels both very personal and relevant to this day. Doesn’t matter if you’re a sci-fi fan or not, there’s something everyone will be able to relate to in this comic.”

Made In Korea #1 is scheduled to hit shelves in time for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and will be available at comic book shops and popular digital apps on Wednesday, May 26.

In the meantime, here’s a five -page early preview (thanks to Image Comics, visit imagecomics.com):

The Old Guard returns to comic shelves with a new Tales anthology

The creative work of writer Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández’s critically-acclaimed comic book (and adapted into a Netflix original series) work The Old Guard returns in 2021 with an an anthology arc in The Old Guard: Tales Through Time. This six-issue series from Image Comics is now set for this April.

This new anthology will feature an array of top industry talent with new stories from series co-creators Rucka and Fernández, joined by such contributors as: Vita Ayala, Brian Michael Bendis, Kelly Sue Deconnick, Matt Fraction, David F. Walker, Horacio Altuna, Rick Burchett, Valentine De Landro, Justin Greenwood, Kano, Nicola Scott, and more.

“I’m always a little stunned when people want to come and play with our toys, to be honest,” said Rucka, in an exclusive feature at Polygon. “It helps me with my own writing. It’s easy to get set onto a track with a character or an idea—having someone come in from outside for a visit, so to speak, allows a fresh perspective, and pushes me to rethink my own assumptions and conclusions about these characters.”

Andromache the Scythian—a warrior over six thousand years old, who has fought more battles than she cares to remember—has kept one constant companion through her long lifetime of combat…her labrys. Andy’s battle axe takes many forms, and many lives, in its centuries at her side, a story told by The Old Guard creators Greg Rucka & Leandro Fernández.

Meanwhile, Nicolo “Nicky” di Genova and Yusuf “Joe” al-Kaysani, lovers since they tried (and failed) to kill each other in the First Crusade, spend an evening at Berlin’s famed Eldorado nightclub in the twilight era of 1932, sharing drinks with drag queens and fistfighting Nazis in an all-new story by writer Andrew Wheeler (Another Castle: Grimoire) and Jacopo Camagni (Nomen Omen)!

Fernández told Polygon: “It’s amazing, and a beautiful exercise, to see how other minds conceive, understand and even suggest something over what we’ve done from scratch. This opens a new way to understand how these characters could be seen from other eyes. All of a sudden, they have a life, a voice of their own.”

The Old Guard: Tales Through Time #1 will feature 3 multiple covers with cover A (above) by Fernández, cover B (see below) by Jacopo Camagni, and cover C (see below) interconnecting “Battlefield” Variant by Leandro Fernández will be available at comic book shops and popular digital platforms on Wednesday, April 21.

[NEWS]The Old Guard comic series returns with a new Tales Through Time Anthology, coming this Spring

Special thanks to Image Comics for providing the awesome covers. Visit imagecomics.com!

Jim Morrison Lives?! An upcoming graphic novel story reveals a new mystery…

Image Comics released announced a new graphic novel following its the release of Paul Is Dead, the critically acclaimed work of writer Paolo Baron and artist Ernesto Carbonetti. This time its Jim Lives: the Mystery of the Lead Singer of The Doors and the 27 Club, an all new original graphic novel that builds upon a theory that famed musician Jim Morrison never died. This is the second standalone graphic novel in a trilogy set ahead from Image Comics, this June 2021.

Perfect for fans of conspiracy theory and speculative thrillers, Jim Lives follows the story of a man searching for his son—a correspondent for a popular American newspaper—who vanished into thin air after sending one last, enigmatic message: Jim Morrison isn’t dead, he’s hiding out here in Italy, I saw him with my own eyes.

“I wrote Jim Lives by continuously listening to The Doors vinyl records while I was in the small village where I set the story,” said Baron in a recent press release from Image Comics. “At one point I really saw him. I mean Jim.”

Join the creators of Paul Is Dead as they reveal the second chapter in their “conspiracy trilogy”: a new, fascinating vision of the most mysterious legend in the history of rock that envisions what happened “When the Music’s Over.”

Carbonetti added: “I love to draw the small towns of the Italian province made of stone walls and roads that line the sea. While I was working on Jim Lives I felt there.”

Jim Lives original graphic novel will be available on Wednesday, June 16 and in bookstores on Tuesday, June 22. Also on many popular digital book platforms.

Paul Is Dead original graphic novel is still available at your local comic book shops and large retail shops and online stores everywhere!

Skyward’s Joe Henderson and Lee Garbett return in 2021 for Shadecraft horror series

Image Comics recently announced a new upcoming teen horror series, Shadecraft, with writer and Lucifer showrunner Joe Henderson teaming up with Captain Marvel artist Lee Garbett to bring some scary freshness for 2021. The creative duo was recently known for the Eisner nominated and awesome series (and personal favorite) Skyward, which ended in 2019. Now, on to something new…

In Shadecraft, readers meet Zadie Lu. She’s afraid of her own shadow. She’s also a teenager, so she really should have grown out of it by now… But something weird is happening in her small town—it’s as if the shadows are actually coming to life. Watching her. Maybe even trying to kill her. But how do you fight something you can’t even touch? And why is she the target they’re after?

“To me, shadows are the perfect mixture of horror and fun. One minute, they seem to come to dangerous life out of the corner of my eye. The next, I’m making silly shadow puppets with my son,” Henderson told Comic Book Resources in an exclusive scoop of the announcement. “I love that cocktail of genuine scares and playful adventure, and we’ve infused it into this book. I’ve been wanting to tell a story with shadows coming to life for years, but it took finding the right emotional heart—finding Zadie’s story—for it to finally come together. Welcome to Shadecraft—let’s hope Zadie Lu survives the experience…”

Garbett also told Comic Book Resources: “With Shadecraft we get to play with a darker, more ominous tone than Skyward without losing that vital heart and warmth that’s so important to us. This book presented a whole new set of artistic challenges in bringing the shadows to life. I tried to keep things as organic as possible, letting the ink move and grow on the paper to find its own form. I can’t wait for everyone to check it out.”

Shadecraft #1 will be available at comic book shops, and also across digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, ComiXology, and Google Play, on Wednesday, March 31

Here’s a little preview provided by Image Comics in the meantime…

Home Sick Pilots adds new punks and horror to comic stores this Fall

Recently announced by Image Comics, Home Sick Pilots, a new ongoing horror comic from bestselling writer Dan Watters (Coffin Bound, Lucifer) and artist Caspar Wijngaard (Star Wars, Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt) is set for launch this December.

In Home Sick Pilots, in the summer of 1994, a haunted house walks across California. Inside is Ami, lead singer of a high school punk band—who’s been missing for weeks. How did she get there, and what do these ghosts want? Expect three-chord songs and big bloody action that’s Power Rangers meets The Shining (!!).

Home Sick Pilots mars the reunification of writer/artist team of Watters and Wijngaard since their work debut at Image with their critically acclaimed, day-glo drenched miniseries Limbo, back in 2015.

“They say write what you know—well what I know is a teenage hellscape filled with pitfalls and secret etiquettes and beautiful broken people,” Watters told The Hollywood Reporter in an exclusive feature. “We’re about to send the Home Sick Pilots—the power trio of Ami, Buzz and Rip—out of that same hellscape into another, and hope that they survive.”

“We’ve all had at least one unforgettable summer as teens, late nights, parties, gigs, stolen booze, heartbreak and most importantly friendships. Except in this instance the teens are causing chaos in ectoplasmic power suits whilst haunted houses are fist fighting on the horizon,” added Wijngaard in the THR piece.

Home Sick Pilots #1 will be available at comic book shops, and online via popular and direct digital comic apps on Wednesday, December 9.

Here’s a sweet four-page preview in the meantime, with a huge special thanks to Image Comics!

The Walking Dead comics rises again for a new “Deluxe” color series release

The original Walking Dead comic series is coming back to comic stores as the Walking Dead: Deluxe revival, with more for fans new and old to take, to really appreciate the original work by Robert Kirkman. All issues will remixed in color, with extras and new variant covers, and set for October release from Skybound Entertainment via Image Comics.

Each new Walking Dead: Deluxe issue will be newly, fully colored issues, instead of the original black and white presentations. The coloring will be done by Canadian artist Dave McCaig, who work spans comics and animation for over two decades. Creator Robert Kirkman recently announced the fully colored issues during Skybound Xpo, Skybound’s virtual pop-culture convention.

This deluxe revival of the series will have variant covers—by such artists as David Finch, Tony Moore, Julian Totino Tedesco, and Arthur Adams—commemorating major character introductions and the series’ most memorable twists and turns. Each issue will include a new installment of “The Cutting Room Floor,” featuring Kirkman’s original handwritten plots along with commentary on abandoned storylines and plot points that may have changed along the way.

This definitive presentation of the story will NOT be collected into trade paperback any time soon, so fans and new readers should not trade-wait to experience this fully colored edition of the popular survival horror series. Issue #1 will be available on October 7. Each following month two issues will be released.

Here’s a little preview of the colored pages for the first issue of Walking Dead: Deluxe..

Commanders in Crisis, a new and different superhero comic series coming up

Commanders in Crisis will reach comic shelves this October, a new ongoing superhero series from writer Steve Orlando (Wonder Woman, Doom Patrol: Milk Wars, Martian Manhunter) and artist Davide Tinto (Marvel Action: Spider-Man, 2000 A.D).

Under the Image Comics publishing banner, this new series promises to be “an intense, weird action thriller will remind readers of the importance of compassion and hope in the present moment—all while putting fists to faces along the way!”

The last survivors of the Multiverse live among us under new, superheroic identities, five survivors of doomed worlds…taking a second chance to ensure our world lives on. A new twist on strange superhero comics, with a bleeding-edge eye on the modern moment, Commanders in Crisis follows in the footsteps of Doom Patrol and Thunderbolts as five unexpected heroes come together to solve a murder unlike any other. The victim? Compassion itself…This is ideacide!

“Commanders in Crisis is all the energy and creativity I’ve served for the past five years, now completely unchained!” said Orlando in a recent press release. “No rules, no restraints, the type of strange and passionate ideas that brought me into the medium in the first place. Comics should be bold, comics should be big, and comics should be badass. This is my first freelance launch since 2015, and we’re taking a nuclear shot across the bow. No vanilla vengeance here! This is a fight for comics as they need to be.”

Tinto added: “I am really happy about being onboard for Commanders In Crisis. Steve is a great guy and a fantastic writer and publishing with Image Comics, which put out Invincible, my favorite superhero comic, is a dream come true. I am very thankful for the opportunity.”

Commanders in Crisis #1 will be available in print at comic book shops , and through popular digital comics apps on Wednesday, October 14.

Chip Zdarsky and Ramón K Pérez brings Stillwater, a new horror series to comic shelves

Image Comics with Skybound Entertainment recently announced Stillwater, new comics work from New York Times bestselling, Eisner Award-winning writer Chip Zdarsky (The White Trees, Daredevil, Sex Criminals) and Eisner, Harvey, and Shuster Award-winning artist Ramón K Pérez (Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, Jane). Stillwater will be a new ongoing series that promises a dive into a new world of horror and intrigue.

There is little known about the story, except for this hook:

In the town of Stillwater, nobody dies. That’s not just a promise. It’s a threat.

There’s also a 3-page preview below!

“I’m thrilled people are finally going to see Stillwater! This idea’s been percolating in my for years now, and it’s been fun working with Ramon to build this tiny, strange world! I’ve always wanted to write a horror comic so I can show the world that I’m not JUST creepy, I can also write creepy!” said Zdarsky in a recent press release. “I love getting to explore immortality on a small stage, the idea that you can live forever but just within such a constrained space. It’s been a treat getting to write characters struggling with that terrifying deal.”

Pérez added: “It’s been a joy to step away from the superhero genre and delve into the horror, thriller, and a dash of mystery genre with Chip on Stillwater! I hope readers are as unsettled as I was drawing the book…”

Stillwater #1 will be available at comic book shops and popular digital comics apps on Wednesday, September 16.