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Image Comics Announces the Return of “Ant”

By | March 8th, 2021
Posted in News | % Comments
Cover by Erik Larsen

Image Comics have announced “Ant” #12, a final one-shot by writer/artist Erik Larsen, that will conclude the superhero’s journey seventeen years after it started, and plans for the character’s subsequent return.

“Ant” originally followed the 8-year-old Hannah Washington writing about her superhero counterpart, Ant, in her diaries, as a form of escapism from her father being arrested on suspicion of armed robbery, and her school life being dominated by bullies.

The series was created by Mario Gully, and was first published by Arcana Studio in 2004. The second volume started at Image Comics in 2005, which made the character part of the Image Universe, and ran for 11 issues. A third volume, this time at Big City Comics, started in 2008, but was canceled three issues into its six-part run. In 2012, Gully sold the series to Larsen.

The finale of the Image Comics run was never published due to “several unfortunate circumstances along the way — including lost files.” Larsen said in the press release, “I just couldn’t leave it as an unfinished work. I felt compelled to write, pencil, ink and even color the story.” When he started working on the finale, though, he “found there was a lot I wanted to say and a lot that I wanted to do. I started digging in on an origin story and it just kept expanding and expanding,” leading to plans for a new “Ant” series in the works.

“Ant” #12 is scheduled for release on June 9.

The original cover for “Ant” #12 and the full press release are as follows.

Cover by Mario Gully

LONG ANTICIPATED ANT #12 WRAPS UP STORY ARC, INSPIRES UPCOMING ANT ADVENTURES

PORTLAND, Ore. 03/08/2021 — Fourteen years after its previous issue was published, Image Comics partner and CFO Erik Larsen returns to Ant to provide fans with volume one’s awe-inspiring conclusion and the promise of more Ant adventures to come. The story arc finale one-shot, Ant #12, will hit shelves this June from Image Comics.

“Back when I was the publisher I brought Mario Gully’s Ant over to Image and Mario and I talked at great length as to how the book could be retooled in order to be integrated into the Image Universe. I ended up putting a lot of thought into the character and concept,” explained Larsen. “I saw the character’s potential from the very start.”

Larsen worked with the original Ant creator on a story which was to wrap up the series but several unfortunate circumstances along the way—including lost files—prevented the final issue from ever coming together. The story was lingered in limbo for a number of years with its fate left unresolved. Gully had moved on and pursued other goals but Larsen wouldn’t let it go.

“At some point Mario offered to sell me his creation. He knew how much thought I’d put into her. Hell, I’d laid out a full-length story for him—and I couldn’t resist,” said Larsen.

Following Larsen’s acquisition, Ant appeared in Spawn and Savage Dragon. But that unfinished story taunted him. “I just couldn’t leave it as an unfinished work. I felt compelled to write, pencil, ink and even color the story.”

But Ant #12 wasn’t the end Larsen had thought it would be. “Finishing this story got me into the groove. I was experimenting with a new art style. I was playing with color. I was having a blast and I didn’t want to stop.”

Larsen didn’t want to just wrap up the story anymore, he wanted to breathe new life into the character and expand her place in the Image Universe. In both the story itself—and in reality—Ant was still searching for her identity and Larsen was committed to giving her a new direction and a new lease on life. “I found there was a lot I wanted to say and a lot that I wanted to do. I started digging in on an origin story and it just kept expanding and expanding. Pretty soon I had all kinds of plots dancing around in my head and numerous directions the book could go. Work has begun on a new ongoing Ant book. But first—the concluding chapter of the old one—at long last.”

Ant #12 both wraps up the story already begun by Gully and serves as a completely self-contained introduction to Ant by superstar creator Larsen. Hannah Washington has spent years looking for answers, and finally her quest comes to its epic conclusion! Guest-starring the Dynamic Daredevil!

Ant #12 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, June 9.

Ant #12 will also be available for purchase across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.


Luke Cornelius

Luke is an English and American Literature and Creative Writing graduate. He likes spending his time reading comics (obviously), going out on long walks and watching films/TV series.

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