Writer Jonathan Hickman is currently setting the Marvel Comics world on fire with his work on Fantastic Four, Secret Warriors, and the just concluded first volume of S.H.I.E.L.D., but he first attained prominence with a string of innovative and challenging creator owned mini-series published by Image Comics. Books like The Nightly News, Transhuman, and Red Mass From Mars made Hickman a creator to watch and no one was surprised when Marvel Comics scooped him up.
Despite doing high level work at Marvel Comics, fans have continued to clamor for more creator owned work from Hickman, and just about every time we've interviewed Hickman the question of new creator owned projects has come up. For about a year now Hickman has said that he has more creator owned work planned for the future… and the future is now.
A four issue mini-series called The Red Wing will be published by Image Comics. Featuring art by Nick Pitarra, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, and a story by Jonathan Hickman.
The story takes place in a future where the best fighter pilots in the world not only have to master their craft and perfect their skills but also have to learn how to navigate through time. "[It's] the greatest battle in the history of the history of three worlds," Hickman explains. "We're all pretty excited for this one. We believe we not only have a solid concept for an engaging new series, but even at this early stage, The Red Wing has that lightning in a bottle feel to it. I think people are really going to like it."
As the first entry from Hickman's ongoing "PLUS!" project, The Red Wing is just the first creator owned project from Hickman & Pitarra. "Well, I've been promising I'd get to this for over a year, so now it's time," Hickman said. "We'll start with The Red Wing, and then I'll be writing and drawing something called, Feel Better Now, before Nick and I move on to our next exciting project. We have a busy, aggressive slate of exciting stories to tell, and, like I said before, it's time."
The Red Wing #1 is scheduled ot be released on July 6 from Image Comics, and will feature 32 pages of full color comics for $3.50.
Presumably, sometime in the future, Jonathan HIckman will find some time to sleep.
Find us on Facebook
Graphicly - Upload Once. Distribute Everywhere.
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Some rights reserved.
That’s a sweet helmet; I’m there.
Sweet!
Never been disappointed by his creator own stuff. Little shocked that Marvel let him do a story for Image again but whatever. Never heard of the artist though, apparently he did art for two mini’s called ‘Astonishing Tales’.
Anyone ever read that and/or seen his work before?
Yay! I love Hickman’s creator-owned stuff. I am slightly torn about whether to wait for the trade on this, though, as I think that’s how I’ve read all of his other creator-owned stuff, and it tends to be complex enough that it might not be easy to follow monthly (or on whatever schedule this will be released).
Finally! Been waiting very patiently for more creator owned stuff from Hickman.
Superb news! Gotta love Hickman’s Image work!
I love the fact that he can manage time to do one of Marvel’s top tier books, something as mental as Shield and as explosive as Secret Warriors AND find time to do stuff like this.
He’s going to be the guy we look back on in 20 years time and go, “Shit man, wish there were more guys like Hickman around these days”
Yes!
Just read Pax Romana and The Nightly News and loved them both. I can’t wait for more Hickman creator owned work.
Space battles? Fighter pilots? Hickman? Yup… I’m sold
mmmmmmmmmmm
Kinda surprised that he went with Image instead of Icon (that’s the name of the sub-company in Marvel with Millar and Bendis, right)? I am curious as to why it went this way.
Aw yeah!
Never actually read anything by him. Maybe I should start.
Interesting art from Nick Pitarra
http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerydetailsearch.asp?artist=nick+pitarra&gcat=9703&gsub=19954
looking forward to this book!
AWESOME
I love his Marvel work and Nightly News was great, but I’ve not gotten to any of this other creator owned stuff. Which one should I try first: Red Mass for Mars, Pax Romana, or Transhuman?
@king yoda – I would say try Red Mass next. Just because it really is so much different than Nightly News ( less dense, but more cosmic and bodenheim’s art is amazing). But…if you absolutely love the denseness of hickman’s work, go for Pax Romana
Wow! Nick Pitarra’s style looks a lot like Seth Fisher’s style.
I love, love, love the art by Fisher in Batman: Snow and Green Lantern: Willworld. If Pitarra’s art consistantly looks like Fisher’s then I am going to fucking enjoy this comic.
Sounds cool. I just hope they can keep a timely schedule with it. His last few creator owned projects didn’t exactly come out on time. It sounds like they’ve been planning for a while so, that’s a good sign.
@TheNextChampion –i don’t think Marvel has any ability to stop Hickman from doing Creator owned work for Image or anyone else.
@Wally: But….but….he’s an architect!
@TheNextChampion –i imagine him sitting in a white room surrounded by monitors. from here he controls the horizontal and the vertical…just like that dude in the Matrix.