Earlier in the week we posted up a teaser Image was passing around (and made a bunch of The Offspring jokes), and now we know what it is for: a new ongoing series from Jim Zub and Steve Cummings entitled “Wayward.”
Described as Buffy the Vampire Slayer for a new generation, the book stars Rori Lane, a young girl who moves to Tokyo with her mother and begins to see strange symbols and patterns of a mystical nature. Soon she ends up banding together with a group of likeminded teens, and together they seek to figure out both what their new powers are about and kick some monster ass. And, despite what the cover may show us, it is unknown at time of this writing whether or not she talks softly in addition to carry two big sticks. Because, wow, look at those bruisers.
Personally, I just like that there are the cats on the cover. Like, a lot of cats. It’s as if they’re marketing it to me directly!
In addition to a press release sent out by Image, Jim Zub sent out the finally note expressing his excitement for this new series (his first big new creator-owned series since “Skullkickers”):
I can’t properly express to you how proud I am to finally reveal WAYWARD, my new creator-owned comic series being published by Image Comics starting in August.
This is the first new creator-owned project I’ve launched since Skullkickers in 2010. So much has changed in the past four years and I’m incredibly excited about showing readers a whole new side to my storytelling.
Artist Steve Cummings, colorist John Rauch, and I are working really hard to create an engaging and bombastic supernatural series about myth, magic, and finding friends who will stand by you against all odds.
Needless to say, I want to build up interest in Wayward! Please let me know if I can set up an interview with you/your team over the next few weeks so we can let your readers know about all the good things we have cooking.
With everything else whirling all around me and convention season well under way, I’m electrified and nervous. It’s a great time to launch a new creator-owned comic.
The first issue will launch August 27th, and comes with variant covers by Alina Urusov, Jeff Cruz and Adam Warren (which is all kinds of awesome). For the full press release from Image Comics, please see below.
Image Comics Press Release
Writer Jim Zub (SKULLKICKERS, Samurai Jack) teams up with penciler Steve Cummings (Legends of the Dark Knight, Deadshot) and color artist John Rauch (INVINCIBLE) to create a Buffy the Vampire Slayer for a new generation in WAYWARD, coming from Image Comics in August.
Rori Lane is an outsider by nature, but moving to Tokyo to live with her single Mom has only exacerbated her weirdness. She’s feeling out of sorts, worried about fitting in and, as if that wasn’t enough, strange things are beginning to happen. Glowing symbols and patterns are starting to appear before her eyes… and she’s the only one who seems to notice.
“Wayward is a coming-of-age story filled with mystery and emotion. It’s also an ass-kicking joy ride with teenagers beating the hell out of Japanese mythological monsters,” said Zub. “Steve and I built this series from the ground up to play to both our strengths. I can’t wait for people to see what we have planned.”
In WAYWARD a group of teens living in Tokyo find a common bond in manifesting strange, supernatural abilities. As they begin to unravel the mystery behind their powers and their common source they’re drawn into a war with the vestiges of Japan’s monstrous mythic past.
WAYWARD #1 arrives in stores on 8/27, and will be available for $3.50 with special variant covers by Alina Urusov (Birds of Prey), Jeff “Chamba” Cruz (Street Fighter), and Adam Warren (Empowered).
