Hey friends! It’s time to check in on the titles Image has in store for us. The month of February is filled with love, murder, robots, monsters, and poets. So all things considered, a good time to be reading comics. It’s a busy month for Image, with most of their biggest series seeing some new entries, and some old favorites returning.
There are in fact, too many cool comics to list here, but you can see the full Image solicits on their website.
10. My heart’s twisted up in knots
Valentine’s Day. A time for romance. More importantly, a time for romance comics. This miniseries has a tremendous creative team, led by Alex de Campi, and every issue sounds like something different. There was a time when romance was one of the main genres in comics. Now, when a new series comes out, it’s an event.
TWISTED ROMANCE #1 (OF 4)
STORY: ALEX DE CAMPI, SARAH HORROCKS, MAGEN CUBED
ART: SARAH HORROCKS, MAGEN CUBED, KATIE SKELLY
COVER: KATIE SKELLY
FEBRUARY 07 / 48 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99Critically acclaimed writer ALEX de CAMPI teams up with some of comics’ hottest artists to create tales of love gone wrong, right, and everywhere in between. ISSUE ONE: “OLD FLAMES” In New York City in 1978, there are thousands of ways for people to get together. There’s only one agency dedicated to tearing them apart: Heartbreak Incorporated. But who is the handsome seducer who runs the agency, and what is the secret he’s hiding? Drawn by KATIE SKELLY (My Pretty Vampire). Backup comics story by SARAH HORROCKS (Goro, The Leopard) and prose story by MAGEN CUBED (Crashers).
9. Show’s just getting started motherf***rs
For you lovers of foul mouthed superheroes and flying viscera, I present not one, but two new “Kick-Ass” series. The first is a miniseries about a boy in a green diving suit- but its not Dave Lizewski. The second is the start of a new series about everyone’s favorite murderous tween, but this time she’s sticking around. The “Hit-Girl” series is planned as an ongoing, the first that Mark Millar has put out in a long while.
KICK-ASS #1
STORY: MARK MILLAR
ART / COVER: JOHN ROMITA, JR.
VARIANT COVER: JOHN ROMITA, JR., FRANK QUITELY
FEBRUARY 14 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99KICK-ASS IS BACK—ready to wipe out the city’s criminal lowlives, destroy its gangs, and save its communities from decay. But there’s a new face beneath the old mask, a new figure wearing that famous green and yellow spandex. Who is this new vigilante superhero? Who can fill Dave Lizewski’s shoes? WHO IS THE NEW KICK-ASS? Find out in the first issue of this new, ongoing monthly series. Comic book legends MARK MILLAR and JOHN ROMITA, JR. reunite for the next chapter of the greatest superhero comic of all time.
HIT-GIRL #1
STORY: MARK MILLAR
ART: RICARDO LOPEZ ORTIZ
COVER: AMY REEDER
VARIANT COVER: AMY REEDER, KIM JUNG GI, RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
FEBRUARY 21 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99HIT-GIRL IS BACK! The pint-sized Punisher-meets-Polly-Pocket has left America behind and set off to serve justice around the world. First stop: Colombia. A mother seeking vengeance for the murder of her child enlists Hit-Girl to destroy his killer, but Mindy has bigger plans for Colombia’s most feared hitman. MARK MILLAR and RICARDO LOPEZ ORTIZ join forces for the first chapter of Hit-Girl’s world tour in this new, ongoing monthly series.
8. Someone needs to roll a healer
I was ready to give up on “Rat Queens,” but the first issue of the new arc wowed me. Owen Gieni’s art has gotten me very excited about this series again, and I’m totally ready to open my heart to Hannah, Dee, Violet, Betty, and Braga. ‘The Colossal Magic Nothing’ feels like “Rat Queens” meets Star Trek, and if you’re the kind of person reading up on Image Comics solicits, that probably should excite you.
Continued belowRAT QUEENS VOL. 2 #8
STORY: KURTIS J WIEBE
ART / COVER: OWEN GIENI
VARIANT COVER: MINDY LEE
FEBRUARY 21 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99“THE COLOSSAL MAGIC NOTHING,” Part Three
A mysterious reality wizard continues to wreak havoc in Palisade, and even a thorough stabbing won’t slow him down. Good thing a deadly adventure has taken the Rat Queens far from town.
7. Sword-slingin’ gals
This is one that’s worth keeping an eye out for the creative team alone. Sarah Vaughn can turn any old idea fresh, and Leila Del Duca is one of those artists with an imagination so vast, it eclipses your coolest ideas. And the two of them are teaming up for a sword-swinging fairy tale? Yes please.
SLEEPLESS #3
STORY: SARAH VAUGHN
ART / COVER: LEILA DEL DUCA, ALISSA SALLAH
VARIANT COVER: EMI LENOX
FEBRUARY 14 / 32 PAGES / FC / T / $3.99Poppy makes a decision at the king’s tournament that backfires on her. Meanwhile, Cyrenic begins to struggle with side effects of his Sleeplessness.
6. This means war
A new comic drawn by Esad Ribic is enough to draw my attention, but this is the kind of madness that I love. It sounds like a combination between Metal Gear Solid and The Hunger Games. I’m not as familiar with the work of Ivan Brandon, but I’m completely on board for a military sci-fi reality show comic.
VS #1
STORY: IVAN BRANDON
ART / COVER: ESAD RIBIC
VARIANT COVER: ESAD RIBIC, TOM MULLER
FEBRUARY 07 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99War has become a spectator sport. Privately funded armies of superstar soldiers march into battle for fame, profit, and the glory of their sponsor nations. When a new generation of soldiers arrive, top gladiator Satta Flynn is about to discover how fleeting the limelight can be. From writer IVAN BRANDON (BLACK CLOUD, DRIFTER) and superstar artist ESAD RIBIĆ (Secret Wars, Uncanny X-Force) in his creator-owned Image debut, with painted color by NIC KLEIN (DRIFTER, VIKING) and graphic design by TOM MULLER, VS delivers spectacular action, darkly humorous satire, and explores our hunger for fame and our penchant for self-destruction.
5. Nothing will ever be the same. Really.
Comics with a singular writer/artist come around far too rarely, and they usually aren’t as gorgeous as “Extremity.” Most of the comics world is on the far end of the spectrum of whimsy vs dourness, but “Extremity” manages to exist somewhere in the middle. It’s full of wonder, but isn’t afraid to shove its characters face first into the muck. Issue #11 promises that “nothing will ever be the same” and from any other series, I’d be rolling my eyes, but I can’t wait to see what epic turns Daniel Warren Johnson has for the Roto clan.
EXTREMITY #11
STORY: DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON
ART / COVER: DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON, MIKE SPICER
FEBRUARY 07 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.99The beacon is lit, the final battle has started, and no matter the outcome, nothing will ever be the same for Thea of the Roto clan.
4. A sky full of dead gods
I confess that I’ve fallen a little bit behind in “Monstress,” but that’s only because I’m overwhelmed by how much the book excites me. It’s never the right time to read it. The panels are so packed with detail, am I ready to be as attentive as I should? The story features a rich and complex mythology, am I ready to commit? Also, almost every supporting background player, from peasants to prison guards, are female, which is just badass. Don’t make the same mistake that I did, keep up with Monstress every month.
MONSTRESS #14
STORY: MARJORIE LIU
ART / COVER: SANA TAKEDA
FEBRUARY 21 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99Maika’s careless actions endanger an entire city—elsewhere, the Mother Superior and her allies begin to plot—and Kippa receives some life-changing information.
3. You’re all fake news
Have you heard the good word of “Saga?” It’s this comic, it’s really good, it won some awards. It’s pretty much the most reliably quality comic on the stands. #49 is a return from hiatus, which is already pretty exciting, but it looks like it’s going to be a contemporary political commentary. That’s familiar territory for Brian K. Vaughan (remember “Ex Machina?”), but something tells me that a TV-headed robot spreading #FakeNews is either going to be edgy satire or completely tone deaf. One thing it won’t be is boring.
Continued belowSAGA #49
STORY: BRIAN K. VAUGHAN
ART / COVER: FIONA STAPLES
FEBRUARY 28 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99The multiple Eisner Award-winning series returns with a spacefaring adventure about fake news and genuine terror. Get ready for the most shocking, most impactful chapters of SAGA yet.
2. #TeamMargaret
“Curse Words” is my favorite new Image series in years, and the breakout character is clearly Margaret the rat/koala/platypus sidekick of our main magician Wizord. So separating the two seems like exactly what we needed to see next. Something tells me this is going to be like that episode of Avatar:the Last Airbender where Appa goes missing and Aang drops everything to find him. But with more magical cookouts hosted by despots. The more time spent in this kooky world, the better, and this looks like the arc that’s really going to crank up the world building. That’s a good thing.
CURSE WORDS #11
STORY: CHARLES SOULE
ART / COVER: RYAN BROWNE
VARIANT COVER: TULA LOTAY
FEBRUARY 14 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99“THE HOLE DAMNED WORLD,” Part One The third arc of CURSE WORDS starts here! Wizord has won a mighty victory, but he’s too busy to celebrate—his little pal Margaret has gone missing, and he’s gotta find her before it’s too late! Meanwhile, a deep dive into the history of the strange, savage Hole World begins, with the evil demon Sizzajee as your tour guide.
1. Miles to go before I sleep
WicDiv specials have ranged from utterly beautiful (The Romantics) to utterly impenetrable (Rome), but 1923 looks like it’s going to be something really neat. It’s the closest to the contemporary timeline we’ve been in any of the flashbacks, and it’s the only other time period we’ve seen in the series proper. And it’s a murder mystery? If you can get into a comics/prose hybrid, this looks like it’s going to be up there with the Magazine special as the coolest Wicked + Divine special.
THE WICKED + THE DIVINE: 1923
STORY: KIERON GILLEN
ART / VARIANT COVER: AUD KOCH
COVER: JAMIE MCKELVIE, MATT WILSON
FEBRUARY 07 / 56 PAGES / FC / M / $4.99Basically, a bunch of 1920s gods based on major modernist figures stuck in the middle of an Agatha Christie murder mystery, done in a comics-prose hybrid that’s clearly trying to start a fight with JONATHAN HICKMAN. (Yeah, you heard, Jon. Come at us, bro.) It’s high art versus lo art, with the most beautiful AUD KOCH artwork the world has ever seen. We’re so excited, we may have to have a lie down.
As always, you can see the full Image solicits on their website.
