Image Comics

Top Cow and Minotaur Press present new original graphic novel

As announced at Emerald City Comic Comicon, Image Comics and Top Cow Productions will release the first original graphic novel from the Minotaur Press imprint, SUNSET, in July 2012.

SUNSET, written by CHRISTOS GAGE (Avengers Academy, GI Joe: Cobra) and artist JORGE LUCAS (THE DARKNESS) is a self-contained, black-and-white hardcover graphic novel published in the signature Minotaur Press digest format. The publisher will also offer fans an opportunity to sample the story in a low cost, full-color First Look earlier that month. SUNSET: FIRST LOOK (MAY120527) will be available for comic book stores to order or for fans to pick up at San Diego Comic-Con.

In the noir tradition of Chandler and Spillane, comes a two-fisted tale of revenge and redemption. On the surface, Nick Bellamy looks like any other veteran retiree left behind by a modern world. In reality, Nick is a former enforcer, who stole a fortune and years of freedom from his former mob boss. Now, in the twilight of his life, Nick will lose everything except two things: revenge… and the chance to die with his guns blazing.

“I couldn't be more excited or honored to be part of the very first original graphic novel from Top Cow and Minotaur Press. And their release of the $1.00 preview book containing the first chapter ensures everyone can sample it for a bargain price,” explained writer Christos Gage. “Once people see Jorge Lucas' hard-hitting art and witness Nick Bellamy snarl hipsters into submission - not to mention kill three armed mobsters with a lightbulb, a paint can and some drain cleaner - I hope they won't be able to resist reading the rest of the story!”

“I was proud to work on Sunset, and thrilled that the epic story of Nick Bellamy will be seen at last! I hope all readers will enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed drawing it,” added artist Jorge Lucas. “Christos Gage is an amazing writer, who has built a real thriller in the spirit of film noir and the great road movies.”

Fans who want to get an advanced look at the original graphic novel will have a chance to do so with SUNSET: FIRST LOOK, coming out July 4th, 2012. Collecting the first 22 pages of the hard-hitting noir tale and priced at only $1.00, SUNSET: FIRST LOOK is a perfect low risk way to sample Minotaur Press’s first original graphic novel.

SUNSET HC (MAY120526), a 160-page black-and-white hardcover graphic novel, will be in stores July, 18th, 2012.

GRIM LEAPER, new series from PETER PANZERFAUST creator in May

At the beginning of the new Image Comics series GRIM LEAPER, Lou Collins has died thirteen times, and he can be sure that grisly death #14 is just around the corner. This may seem like a weird way to find romance, but that's just what Kurtis J. Wiebe (PETER PANZERFAUST, GREEN WAKE) has in store for Lou in his new series debuting in May, drawn by Aluisio Santos.

Every time he dies, Lou jumps into a stranger's body, and just as he's learning something about his new host, another gruesome accident sends him leaping to the next one. Lou wants to escape the violent cycle and find eternal rest — that is, until he meets another "leaper" named Ella.

"This is the gory love story you've been waiting for, a buckets of blood romantic comedy for the ages," said writer Wiebe.

"Grim Leaper is a story about that person you've always wanted to date but never had the chance to," added Santos. "Except now your bad luck is a killer."

GRIM LEAPER #1 (MAR120418), published under Image Comics Shadowline imprint, will be in stores on May 30. It's a full-color comic book for $3.50. It is available for pre-order now in the March issue of Previews.
 

Top Cow invites readers to discover Artifacts of the digital age

Image Comics and Top Cow Productions, Inc. are excited to reveal that ARTIFACTS will be serialized as a new feature on the front page of topcow.com absolutely free for fans as announced at Emerald City Comicon 2012.

Beginning Tuesday, April 17th, 2012, fans will be able to go to Top Cow’s homepage and read one page per week for free. During the debut week, there will be three new pages of ARTIFACTS for fans to read. A new page will be posted every subsequent Tuesday.

From Top Cow Universe architect RON MARZ (WITCHBLADE, SHINKU) and Top Cow superstar artist MICHAEL BROUSSARD (THE DARKNESS) comes the event series that shook the Top Cow Universe to its foundation.

"Given my very vocal feelings about online piracy of comics, maybe people will be surprised to hear that I absolutely love the idea of giving away content,” commented writer Marz. “Artifacts #1 was written to be a ground-floor read, asking only curiosity from the audience, not requiring any knowledge of the Top Cow Universe or characters. You learn everything you need to know in the story. I absolutely believe a big part of comics' future is digital, so this is another step toward that future. All I've ever asked is that the people who own and/or create content be the ones who decide whether or not to give away their content. It's great that a publisher is choosing to do just that."

Thirteen mystical Artifacts, including the Witchblade, the Darkness and others, guide the fate of the Top Cow Universe. For centuries, it's been whispered that bringing together all 13 Artifacts would herald mankind's destruction. But a mysterious figure has been manipulating events, laying plans to put Armageddon into motion. The final phase begins here, with the abduction of Hope, the daughter of Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado. What ensues will remake the entirety of the Top Cow Universe, from the Witchblade and the Darkness, to the Angelus, Magdalena, and even Cyberforce.

ARTIFACTS will debut on the front page of topcow.com on Tuesday, April 17th, 2012.

Robert Kirkman's latest series gets multiple reprints
 
THIEF OF THIEVES #3, published by Skybound/Image Comics, has sold out at the distributor level just like the second issue. The first issue sold out on the first day of release. A second printing (MAR128105) will be in stores on May 5, the same day as THIEF OF THIEVES #4.
 
More and more readers are snatching up this action-packed crime noir, so the first issue has also been returned to print yet again. The third printing of THIEF OF THIEVES #1 (MAR128105) is available for order immediately and will also be stores in stores on May 5.
 
"We are bringing heist stories to readers with a new twist by showing the humanity of all of the characters, including the criminals," said THIEF OF THIEVES creator/writer Robert Kirkman, "and we couldn't be happier that people seem to be enjoying it as much as we are."
 
The new ongoing series, written by Robert Kirkman and Nick Spencer with art by Shawn Martinbrough, is a runaway hit, requiring multiple reprints for every issue thus far. Following the announcement last week that AMC will be adapting the series for TV with Kirkman and David Alpert in their same capacity as Executive Producers on THE WALKING DEAD,  and Chic (DEXTER, THE SHIELD) Eglee as Executive Producer and showrunner, orders and anticipation are expected to continue to rise even higher.
 
THIEF OF THIEVES is about a master thief who leaves behind his life in the high-stakes world of crime to try to return to being a family man. Each 32-page full-color issue is available for purchase and reorder in comic book stores and on multiple digital platforms.

Jonathan Ross & Bryan Hitch's new series gets 2nd printing

The first issue of Image Comics' AMERICA'S GOT POWERS, by TV personality and comic book scribe Jonathan Ross (TURF) and the legendary artist Bryan Hitch (The Authority, The Ultimates), has sold out at the distributor level.

The first issue of this colorful new hit series that combines the entertainment world's make-or-break reality show zeitgeist with the colorful, action-packed superhero genre is already being reprinted to meet demand. The second printing (FEB128169) will be on shelves May 9th, with AMERICA'S GOT POWERS #2 following just one week after on May 16th.

"AMERICA'S GOT POWERS marks a huge turning point for me as my first creator owned series," Hitch commented. "The response has been overwhelming and there are so many other people to thank for helping to make the book such a success. I'm truly grateful to be telling the stories I'm passionate about and immensely proud that AGP has been greeted so warmly and so many have responded so kindly to Tommy and his fellow powered teens. Believe me, in this series and beyond, the best is still to come!"

AMERICA'S GOT POWERS is the story of the most successful TV show on Earth, a reality show of super-powered proportions. In AMERICA'S GOT POWERS, a generation of super-powered teens struggle to prove their worth while the whole world watches.

New series by Manhattan Projects creator gets 2nd printing

The first issue of SECRET, Jonathan Hickman's second creator-owned series published by Image Comics this year, has sold out at the distributor level. SECRET #1, which is drawn by Ryan Bodenheim, will be in stores on April 11. The second printing (FEB128171) will be on the shelves the same day as SECRET #2, May 9.

"Well, I couldn't be happier for Ryan. He's worked extremely hard on this project, and together we think we've delivered an extremely interesting, and timely, tale," explained Hickman. "That retailers and fans are as excited for the book as we are, only makes the entire experience more rewarding."

A complex tale of private security firms, government corruption, and conspiracy, SECRET comes out a month after Hickman's new series with Nick Pitarra THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS sold out of its first issue.

Hickman and Bodenheim previously collaborated on the superhero series RED MASS FOR MARS.

FATALE #1 reaches five printings

FATALE #1, the debut issue of the new "horror noir" comic book series by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips is going back to press for an unprecedented fifth printing. The issue first landed on comic book store shelves on January 4, and this latest printing (MAR128079) will be in stores on May 9.

"I couldn't believe it when Eric told me the fourth printing had sold out immediately, because we set that print run thinking it would last for several months," said writer Brubaker. "But it appears many retailers still just can't keep the first issue in stock. So we are back to press one more time, because I want to be sure retailers can sell the other issues in the series."

FATALE's current issue is #4, which went on sale on April 4. Both FATALE #2 and #3 have had second printings.

On April first at Emerald City Comicon, Robert Kirkman and Chris Giarrusso revealed a new project: THE WALKING DEAD for Kids. A panel-by-panel recreation of the original issues using Kirkman's scripts, THE WALKING DEAD for Kids would be drawn in an art style with kid appeal by G-MAN creator Giarrusso.

The project, of course, was yet another April Fool's Day prank on a day that saw a few "announcements" come out of the convention. But the image is part of a series of special limited edition variant covers that Image Comics will be releasing in the upcoming year.

In commemoration of Image's 20th anniversary, Giarrusso will re-create twelve classic first issue covers. First to get the too-cute treatment is YOUNGBLOOD, the very first Image title. The cover will ship in limited quantity as a variant for YOUNGBLOOD #71 (FEB128256), the relaunch of the Rob Liefeld Extreme Studios title written by screenwriter John McLaughlin (The Black Swan, Parker) and drawn by John Malin (AVENGELYNE) and Liefeld. YOUNGBLOOD #71 will be in stores on May 23.

The covers are Giarrusso's tribute to his youthful love of Image Comics. "Twenty years ago, I was eagerly anticipating the launch of Image Comics," said the artist. "Maybe it was partially due to my upcoming high school graduation, but it felt like the whole world was changing. I vividly recall the excitement of seeing the Image books on the shelf for the first time.  It was a new era, and these cover images were instantly iconic. The opportunity to pay tribute to these classic Image covers is an honor and a privilege, and I couldn't be more excited about my role and participation in Image's 20th anniversary celebration."

Look for more Giarrusso tribute covers in the coming months!

Fans of THE DARKNESS responded to the new creative team, David Hine and Jeremy Haun, by quickly snapping up copies of their debut issue, THE DARKNESS #101: The Crack in Everything, Part 1. The issue, which arrived in stores on March 21, has sold out and will be re-printed, with the second printing (JAN128232) arriving in stores on April 18.

Hine and Haun took over the story of Jackie Estacado after the events of ARTIFACTS #13 and in the wake of Top Cow’s REBIRTH initiative. On the surface, Jackie Estacado has everything he ever wanted — control of the Darkness, a successful career, wealth and, most importantly, a happy family life. However, his desire to make his life truly perfect will be his undoing. What happens when all of it begins to slip through the cracks?

THE DARKNESS #102 (FEB120499) will be in stores on April 25.

The Division of Global Surveyors (D.O.G.S.) is on Mars to carry out a terraforming mission, making the red planet habitable for humans. But what the crew of Mars Base Bowie doesn't know is that there was something there before them. In D.O.G.S. OF MARS, a graphic novel coming from Image Comics in May, the intrepid team will discover that there is something on the planet just as deadly as Mars' freezing temperatures and carbon dioxide atmosphere. Something alive.

Written by Johnny Zito, Tony Trov, and Christian Wieser, D.O.G.S OF MARS explore the effects of isolation and fear as the team desperately tries to evade an unrelenting alien life form. Mission captain Zoe must struggle to keep her team together — and alive — as they're pursued by a nocturnal monster that mutilates and transforms its victims, even as forces that aren't alien threaten them from within.

Zito and Trov have collaborated on comics for several years, winning DC Comics' Zuda competition in 2008.  "I think this is the best project we've ever collaborated on," said Trov. "It's heavily inspired by horror films like Alien and Event Horizon, and the actual experiment known as Mars-500."

The unique art style of Paul Maybury, awash in shades of red, helps bring the gruesome story to life. Johnny Zito comments, “Paul's designs are very industrial with Japanese gore splattered about. His vision of the monster is a grotesque, alien twist on the classic werewolf.”

Collecting the four-issue miniseries that was sold digitally on ComiXology, D.O.G.S. OF MARS is a 120-page paperback. It will be available in stores on May 2 and its ISBN is 978-1-60706-550-0.