Earlier this year, Vault announced “Heist, or How to Steal a Planet,” a series that was briefly described as “Star Wars meets Ocean’s Eleven.” Here is what writer Paul Tobin told The Beat about the book when it was announced:
“I did not grow reading stories about space. Science-fiction, true science-fiction, was rarely represented in the stacks of reading material next to my bed. Looking back, I honestly can’t tell you why this is,” said Tobin in a statement. “The vast majority of what I read in my youth was garnered from the boxes upon boxes of various garage and estate sale ‘treasures’ my grandma Steinberg would haul back to her farm in upper Iowa. I’d sort through those boxes or delve deep into the precarious stacks in the rooms of her house, or the various barns and other out-buildings, sometimes batting away wasp nests in my quest for Mad Magazines, superhero comics, Harvey comics, Creepy and Eerie magazines, and endless novels with buff men clutching swords while lissome women posed provocatively. But… there was little in the way of books about space. There were other worlds, to be sure, but they were all in the class of fantasy worlds, like those of John Carter romping his way across Mars. It seems that the Iowans of my day, or at least the Iowans who held garage sales, did not buy science fiction books.
“Maybe it was Star Wars that changed the public mindset, but I never really got into Star Wars, and Star Trek was only amusing, and so as I grew up to be a writer I never planted my character’s feet on foreign planets. It just wasn’t in my nature. But things change. The Triton stories by Daniel Torres entered my conscious. As did the world of Blade Runner. And then, finally, I was asked to help write a huge crossover combining Prometheus, Aliens, and Predator. And so my characters finally put their feet on alien soil. Okay, make that ‘my’ characters, but… still. The point is; it was FUN. And I was playing Mass Effect. And IT was fun, too.
“Space was just a background where any type of story could take place. Romance. Adventure. And, of course, stories about con men. Let’s go big. Let’s pull a BIG con. Let’s steal a PLANET.”
We’ve got an exclusive first look at the first issue, which drops on November 6.
Written by Paul TobinCover by Arjuna Susini
Illustrated by Arjuna Susini
Colored by Vittorio Astone
Lettered by Saida Temofonte
Designed by Tim DanielSynopsis: Welcome to planet Heist! It’s the cutthroat capital of the entire Nehring System, home to billions of the worst men and women in the galaxy. The Pan-Galactic government has no idea what to do with the planet, but conman Glane Breld and his band of thieves know exactly what to do with Heist-they’re going to steal it. It’s Ocean’s Eleven in space, brought to you by writer Paul Tobin (Colder and Bandette) and Arjuna Susini (The Replacer)-the only minds crazy enough to steal an entire world.
Thanks to Vault for the preview, and make sure to pick up the issue in November!
