Image Comics

"With LOST VEGAS, Jim McCann and Janet K. Lee go from Dapper Men to a scruffy outer-space gambler in a series with roulette wheels and aliens a plenty that's part Star Wars, part Ocean's Eleven and all intergalactically awesome. Just go ahead and beam me up now." – Brian Truitt, USA Today

Here aboard the luxury space station Lost Vegas, only the highest rollers in the galaxy are allowed.  No bet is too high, and no game off-limits. But be careful — while you could win a fortune if you go all in, a much darker fate awaits if you get too far in debt here, and in casinos and back-room gambling halls in every planet around. Once you’re over your head, you lose the last thing available: your freedom, something a con-man gambler Roland learned the hard way.

In LOST VEGAS, a new four-issue Image Comics miniseries by acclaimed creative team Jim McCann and Janet Lee (Return of the Dapper Men), Roland, now enslaved to the casino, has a plan to steal back his freedom. In just 24 hours, he must pull off the heist of the millennium.

"The system of "working off debt" is rigged in the houses' favor, like most things," writer McCann explained in an interview at PreviewsWorld. "It'll never happen. For him, there's only one option: ...cheat the system, get enough money to get a ship, and escape the cruiser with a new life."

Roland’s caper and sense of adventure puts him in a category of dashing scoundrels that includes Han Solo, Danny Ocean, and Eddie Felson. And like any proper leading man, he has a strong-willed foil, the beautiful Kaylex, whose role on the luxury cruiser is a mystery to guests and workers on the Lost Vegas alike, one that can help or hinder Roland and his tight band of trusted allies.

Artist Janet Lee says of the book, “Artistically, Lost Vegas is the alien love child of The Hustler and The Wizard of Oz. It's filled with alien opulence, every type of creature I can imagine, fabulous costumes, scoundrels, thieves, and hard-hitting grit — you know, exactly like the real Las Vegas.”

With colorful aliens, splendidly-attired elites, and astounding attractions, all set in the gorgeous backdrop of the most luxurious pleasure-ship this side of the Titanic, LOST VEGAS is a feast for the eyes from the Eisner Award-winning team.

The first, 32-page issue of the full color miniseries will be in stores on March 6 and is available for pre-order now from the January issue of Previews. LOST VEGAS #1 features a wraparound "A" cover by series artist Janet Lee (JAN130473), a "B" cover by Dan McDaid (JERSEY GODS) (JAN130474), and a 1:10 incentive cover by Francesco Francavilla (Black Beetle) (JAN130475).

Richards is best known for co-founding iFanboy.com, one of the leading comic book websites, in 2001. For over 11 years, he has covered the comics industry with news, reviews, and podcasts. In addition to his time at iFanboy, Richards spent years in the technology industry, most recently at Graphicly, helping to pioneer and innovate eBook publishing and distribution. In 2012, he also co-organized MorrisonCon, the successful comic conference.

“The opportunity to work at Image Comics, the source of such talented people creating amazing comics, is truly an honor,” said Richards. “By melding together my knowledge of the comic book industry with years of business and technology experience, I hope to contribute and continue the tremendous success they’ve had and help propel Image to even greater heights.”

“I've worked with Ron for years in a variety of roles, and it's a real pleasure to finally be working with him here at Image,” said Eric Stephenson, publisher of Image Comics. “For everyone who was impressed by what Image accomplished over the last few years, I'm not exaggerating at all when I say you haven't seen anything yet. We're adding some much needed depth to our bullpen, and 2013 is going to be nothing short of amazing as a result.”

In the position of Director of Business Development, Richards will be working closely with publisher Eric Stephenson and PR and Marketing Director Jennifer de Guzman on strategies to broaden the awareness and availability of Image Comics releases via Diamond Distribution, retail stores, digital initiatives and other sales and marketing programs.

This April, Image Comics invites readers to keep jumping on board action and adventure with a big ol’ adjective shuffle in – THE MIGHTY SKULLKICKERS!

“After twenty issues of critically-acclaimed bone-busting adventure, we felt it was important to re-remind retailers and readers that Skullkickers is the most enjoyable adventure series in the whole crazy comic industry,” said Image PR and Marketing Director Jennifer de Guzman. “And when you need people to take notice, you reboot that $#%@ just like the big boys do.”

MIGHTY SKULLKICKERS #1, written by commercial sell-out Jim Zub and drawn by the young and impressionable Edwin Huang, continues the epic six-arc SKULLKICKERS storyline. It’s good stuff. Really good. Tell your friends.

“Some jokes get funnier with time. Some adjectives describe a concept perfectly. When we sat down and discussed the ideas at the heart of Skullkickers, we realized all along it should have been called ‘Mighty’” says series creator Jim Zub. “Also, sales. Dirty, dirty sales.”

If you’re a diehard collector of SKULLKICKERS who’s sad that you won’t have a SKULLKICKERS #21 to add to your collection? Don’t worry, we’ve thought of everything. In addition to the regular “Mighty” cover we’re offering a special “issue #21 variant” B cover to make sure your collector streak is unbroken.

It’s back. It never left. It’s a restart that continues right where it left off. MIGHTY SKULLKICKERS #1 will be available wherever kick-ass comics are sold on April 24! Pre-order it now from the February issue of Previews.

When you're a retired superhero, adrift in the city that you were once sworn to protect, no longer bound by the code of the crime fighter, what do you do? If you're Simon Cooke, you struggle to reintegrate yourself into regular society, and you become drawn to a world you've never known before – of pleasure, abandon, confusion and ... SEX.

SEX, a new Image Comics series, takes a drastic turn from writer Joe Casey's previous work, like BUTCHER BAKER THE RIGHTEOUS MAKER and GØDLAND. In an interview at Comic Book Resources' Robot6, Casey described SEX as a comic that is “experimental in a different way … just not in an obvious way.”

Simon, formerly known as the Saint, Saturn City's greatest hero, discovers what it is like to live not as an icon, but as person.  After years of keeping himself at a distance from society, Simon finds himself ill-equipped for the tasks of a “normal” life, like running a business and navigating relationships – including with women, whom he'd stayed away from in his decade as a costumed vigilante.

And it's not just Simon who has to adjust to the new normalcy. His former enemies, now without a nemesis, have to readjust and reevaluate their lives.
With moody, shadowy art by Polish artist Piotr Kowalksi (Malignant Man), SEX takes readers into the dark underbelly of a city without a hero. In choosing Kowalski to depict this world, Casey had specific criteria that he felt Kowalski fulfilled.

“I wanted to work with Piotr because everything about his art, his storytelling, his approach to comics,  is infused with a cool, European vibe because he lives and works there.” Casey relates. “That vibe fits with how we want to present this story. He doesn't shy away from the sexual content contained in the book, but gives it to you in a very non-gratuitous manner.”

Interviews with Casey about SEX have appeared on Comics Alliance, Comic Book Resources' Robot6, and USA Today. SEX is a new ongoing, full-color comic book series for mature readers. The first issue will be in stores on March 6.

Longtime collaborators on the Image Comics/Top Cow series ARTIFACTS, Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic have taken their creative partnership to a new level — a creator-owned graphic novel series, RAVINE, starting in February 2013. Epic fantasy at its highest with dragons, magic, and political machinations, is set in the kingdom of Palladia, a world that Sejic has been developing for the past eleven years.

"Ravine originated from my desire to make a fantasy comic series that was a full-blooded fantasy tale with rich character development, layered, well-motivated villains, and a deeply detailed world," said Sejic in a December 20 interview with Comic Book Resources.

The world is one where intrigue and power struggles have so dominated the lives of those who rule — royalty and religious leaders alike — that they are blind to the gathering forces that threaten all of them.

While the story, world, and characters are Sejic's, Marz acts as scripter and editor. Both creators cite the nature of an epic fantasy as the reason for releasing the series as graphic novels rather than individual issues.

"This story kind of demands to be told in large chunks," said Marz. "We want this first release to be read as one big story, not serialized, so we're going straight to the collection. It's a bigger risk this way, but I think there's a bigger reward creatively."

RAVINE: VOLUME ONE (DEC120509), a 160-page graphic novel for $14.99, will be released on February 13.

Image Comics has announced the January publication of ZED: A COSMIC TALE from multi-media artist, Michel Gagné (THE SAGA OF REX). ZED, a cute, silly, yet epic science-fiction series, was self-published over a period of eleven years starting in 2001. The new collection of the series features art and writing that has been revised and reworked by Gagné.

"I fell in love with comics at an early age, and recall wanting to be a comic artist as one of my first childhood dreams", said Gagné. "I later became interested in animation and special effects and pursued a career in that field. Despite this new passion, I never wavered in my love of comics and ultimately couldn't shake the festering desire to create my own series. In early 2001, after finishing up a demanding job as Head of Special Effects at Warner Brothers Feature Animation, I took time off to make that dream come true. This is how ZED was born."

The first issue of ZED was self-published in July 2001 and the series concluded with issue 10, published in January 2012. Unfolding over the issues is the story of a cute young alien whose invention makes him the target of a galactic villain. Facing seemingly insurmountable odds, Zed must find the courage to save his home world from destruction.

Doing a comic series after hours, single-handedly, proved to be a more difficult task than Gagné first anticipated. "I planned to tell my tale over a period of ten issues and felt pretty confident, at the time, that I could have the whole thing wrapped up and published within a couple of years," said Gagné. "Little did I know that it would take me eleven years to finally bring the series to fruition. ZED is, first and foremost, a labor of love which I created at my own pace. The comic series became a way for me to build my graphic novel."

ZED reflects Gagné's deep love for golden age science fiction and oddball cartooning. It is influenced by his favorite books and movies, as well as political news, rock concerts and things he has experienced and witnessed throughout his life. With the series wrapped up, Gagné combined all ten issues into a single graphic novel that reads as one uninterrupted story. Because of the time span it took to get the series done, Gagné felt that the writing and art style needed a second pass to make them more consistent.

"The disparity from one issue to the next was less visible when separated into individual comic books, but all strung together in graphic novel form, the inconsistencies became painfully obvious", said Gagné. "When putting the final book together, I didn't treat it as a straight reprint book. I spend several months reworking the art and writing to make it more cohesive. I consider ZED: A Cosmic Tale published by Image Comics to be the definitive version of the story."

ZED: A COSMIC TALE is a 280-page paperback. It will be in stores on January 30, 2013 and is available for pre-order now from the December issue of Previews.

Find out more about ZED: A COSMIC TALE at www.ZEDcomics.com.

This March, Image Comics invites readers to jump on board action and adventure, newly reinvigorated with another very special adjective—THE SAVAGE SKULLKICKERS!

“The response to Uncanny Skullkickers was so tremendous that we knew we couldn't just let something that was working remain unchanged," said Image PR and Marketing Director Jennifer de Guzman. "Relaunching Skullkickers was a total game-changer! For a whole month, it won't be just plain Skullkickers. It'll be Uncanny! And now it's going to be Savage, too? Game. Changer.”

SAVAGE SKULLKICKERS continues the epic SKULLKICKERS storyline and is a perfect jumping-on point for new readers. Even more perfect than last month.

“With over 180 issues released over the past 20 years, Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon is one of the most compelling and consistent creator-owned comics ever made," said creator Jim Zub. "In order to commemorate Erik’s hard work and strident ‘no relaunching, no renumbering’ approach to his series, we thought we’d relaunch and renumber Skullkickers, stealing his precious ‘Savage’ adjective while we're at it. Thanks, Erik!”

And if you’re a diehard collector of SKULLKICKERS sad that you won’t have a SKULLKICKERS #20 to add to your collection? Don’t worry, we’ve thought of everything. In addition to the regular “Savage” cover by series artist (and, remember, adorable elf-man) Edwin Huang and Zub himself, we’re offering a special “issue #20 variant” B cover by Chris Stevens to make sure your collector streak is unbroken.

It’s new. It’s classic. It’s a modern reinterpretation that gets back to the roots of these timeless characters. SAVAGE SKULLKICKERS #1 is available wherever kick ass comics are sold starting this March.

Image Comics and Todd McFarlane Productions are excited to announce that THE ADVENTURES OF SPAWN is now available on the digital comics platform comiXology. Two 48-page issues of THE ADVENTURES OF SPAWN, as well as a collection of both issues with bonus material that never appeared in print, are on sale now.

Kid-friendly in the colorful, action-packed style of Saturday morning cartoons, THE ADVENTURES OF SPAWN was originally a webcomic on Spawn.com and was collected into print trade paperbacks in 2007 and 2008. Filled with pulse-pounding battles, betrayal and revenge, and the clash between the Forces of Light and the Forces of Darkness, THE ADVENTURES OF SPAWN is the title for parents to share their love of SPAWN with their children — and for them to sneak a moment of fun-filled adventure, too.

"It's fun is to see if your characters can fit into different settings, genres, mediums and/or formats - as a means to get your idea in front of more new eyes," said McFarlane. "Unlike the regular title, this one is truly built around the word, 'adventure.' It's a world of Spawn unlike any of the others I've populated."

Todd McFarlane Productions' THE ADVENTURES OF SPAWN features exciting stories by Jon Goff and eye-popping art by Khary Randolph. Bonus character bios drawn by various artists, including Greg Capullo, are available only in the collected edition.