Heads Up: Image Comics Previews – May 2012

Being a comic fan can be tough. With so many publishers printing more and more books, canceling titles and starting new ones, it can be daunting when you head to the comic book shop on a Wednesday to know exactly what’s coming out.

The current system of presenting and ordering comics three months ahead of their release as set forth by the sole comics distributor, Diamond Comics, doesn’t make it any easier either. We’re not a fan of that system, we think it’s slowly strangling comics to death, but we realize it’s a harsh reality of how the industry works and we definitely don’t want you to miss out on any of the cool comics being published.

And so, as opposed to regurgitating the list of comics solicited in Previews each month, we present to you some of the highlights of things you probably won’t want to miss out on.

SPOILER WARNING in order to get people to order comics, the publishers have a funny habit of revealing what’s happening in the books. If you don’t want anything at all to be spoiled, then you’ll probably want to skip this post and take your chances with your pre-orders and/or your shopping.


Dead, Not Gone

Get on the ground floor of the year’s coolest mystery. And ghost story. And thriller. And subway drama.

MIND THE GAP #1
story JIM McCANN
art / cover RODIN ESQUEJO & SONIA OBACK
variant cover RODIN ESQUEJO & SONIA OBACK

MAY 2
48 PAGES / FC / T+
$2.99

After Elle Peterssen is mysteriously attacked on a Manhattan subway platform, she is left in a coma, the only clues to her attacker trapped inside her mind. No one knows the identity of the person behind this brutal beating or where they will strike next.  In this ALL-NEW ONGOING series, everyone is suspect, and no one is innocent. USAToday calls it an “anxiously anticipated modern thriller…Whodunit? McCann’s done it again.”

From the Writer of…Black Swan?

A few months ago, I sat with Ron at the NYCC 2011 Image Comics panel. We saw and heard some strange, alluring things. Then somebody said the guy who wrote Black Swan had a crazy Youngblood story. And our minds melted. What kind of comic is that? What bizarre confluence of things is that? It’s this. My curiosity is through the roof.

YOUNGBLOOD #71
story JOHN McLAUGHLIN
art JON MALIN & ROB LIEFELD
cover ROB LIEFELD
variant cover RYAN OTTLEY

MAY 23
32 PAGES / FC / T+
$2.99

It’s the 20th anniversary of the comic book that launched the Image Revolution in 1992! ROB LIEFELD’s YOUNGBLOOD returns bigger and better than ever with an all-new look at the next generation of superheroes, courtesy of screenwriter JOHN McLAUGHLIN (Black Swan, Parker), up-and-coming artist JON MALIN and YOUNGBLOOD creator and Image founder ROB LIEFELD!

In this first issue, a young reporter is embedded in the Youngblood team.  Her assignment is to gather enough information for a humiliating puff piece, but she quickly discovers Shaft, Vogue, Lady Photon, Die Hard and Cougar are a team to be reckoned with.   Badrock would be part of the group too… if he wasn’t in a coma with wounds that have nearly pulverized his otherwise rock-hard hide.

 

Sometimes…You Just Gotta Dance.

The assassin/ballerina buddy adventure genre is well-trodden, to be sure but…wait…what?

DANCER #1
story NATHAN EDMONDSON
art / cover NIC KLEIN

MAY 16
32 PAGES / FC / T+
$3.50

“OUVERTURE”
Retired assassin Alan Fisher and his ballerina companion must escape a ruthless sniper who stalks them through the streets of Milan. To survive and protect the love of his life, Alan will unravel the tapestry of the past he’s kept hidden and discover the killer’s impossible identity. From the writer of WHO IS JAKE ELLIS? and the artist of VIKING comes a spy thriller with a 21st Century twist.

Leap and the Net Shall Appear…Maybe.

Three words: Gory. Romantic. Comedy.

GRIM LEAPER #1 (OF 4)
story KURTIS J. WIEBE
art /cover ALUISIO SANTOS

MAY 30
32 PAGES / FC / M
$3.50

A brand new series from the mind of critically acclaimed writer KURTIS J. WIEBE (GREEN WAKE, PETER PANZERFAUST), GRIM LEAPER is a gory romantic comedy. Lou Collins is caught in a cyclical curse of violent, gruesome deaths and new beginnings in the bodies of strangers. With no clue why, Lou desperately searches for a way to break the curse and cross over peacefully to the other side. Then equally doomed Ella comes along. It’s a love story to die for.

Never Forget.

Science-fiction with tusks.

ELEPHANTMEN, VOL. 0: ARMED FORCES TP
atory RICHARD STARKINGS
artwork MORITAT, BOO COOK, AXEL MEDELLIN, ROB STEEN & LADRÖNN
cover BOO COOK

MAY 30
312 PAGES / FC / M
$24.99

Collecting the sold out WAR TOYS trade paperback, now in full color for the first time, and the sequel, ENEMY SPECIES, this highly anticipated ELEPHANTMEN VOL. 0 is packed with extras, including Moritat and Boo Cook sketchbooks and work by LADRÖNN , MARIAN CHURCHLAND, ROB STEEN and a new prologue by Axel Medellin!

Collects ELEPHANTMEN: WAR TOYS, VOL. 1: NO SURRENDER; ELEPHANTMEN: YVETTE ONE SHOT and ELEPHANTMEN #34-35

Mahfood for Thought

Tattoo this one on your calendar. A fascinating artist opens a vein and lets us take a look at what pours out.

LOS ANGELES INK STAINS, VOL. 1 TP
story & art JIM MAHFOOD

MAY 23
144 PAGES/ BW / M MATURE
$16.99

At last! Cult favorite Jim Mahfood’s mega-popular gonzo-style autobio web comic is collected in print, for the first time ever!! Relive the action, the late night destruction, the traveling, the comic cons, the dance parties, the art-makin’ and the love-takin’ all in this ridiculously handsome volume. Plus, exclusive new strips created just for this book and a snazzy photo section, too!

Suey! Suuuuuuuey!

If you don’t pick this up, you’re a pinko. If you do…well, you’re a pinko too. Might as well just enjoy the continuing saga of sleepers awakened. In this arc? A reverse prison break. You heard me. They want in.

PIGS, VOL. 2: SAN QUENTIN BLUES TP
story NATE COSBY & BEN McCOOL
art BRENO TAMURA & WILL SLINEY
cover DAVE GIBBONS

MAY 2
112 PAGES / FC / M
$12.99

The second-generation KGB Cuban sleeper cell saga continues. The Pigs break into San Quentin Penitentiary to kill a criminal, but find an entire army of neo-Nazis waiting for them.
Collects PIGS #5-8

Best Solicit Text Ever?

New arc! But seriously. Read that solicit text. Got your salivary glands goin’, yeah?

CHEW #26
story JOHN LAYMAN
art & cover ROB GUILLORY

MAY 16
32 PAGES / FC / M
$2.99

“Space Cakes,” Part One
“Open the door, sir. I’m Toni Chu, Agent of NASA. I’m here to lick your paintings.”

Alan Moore? Thrilled.

Erik Larsen is very cool about sacred cows though, so it’ll probably be okay though. Right?

SUPREME #64
story ERIK LARSEN
art ERIK LARSEN & CORY HAMSCHER
cover ERIK LARSEN

MAY 2
32 PAGES / FC / T – TEEN
$2.99

“STORMING HEAVEN”
Following ALAN MOORE’s final SUPREME tale, legendary writer/artist ERIK LARSEN takes up where he left off. Supreme’s most hated nemesis, Darius Dax, has rallied a thousand versions of himself to face the Ivory Icon! Against such odds, Supreme turns to the Supremacy for aid – and ultimately the deadliest Supreme of them all! Is the world ready for the return of ROB LIEFELD’s Supreme? A shocker!

For the full list of Image Comics solicitations for the month of May, head on over to Comic Book Resources.

Comments

  1. The solicit text for Chew definitely is good, but not nearly as good as the solicit text for the whole Atomic Robo Ghost of Station X arc.

  2. Jesus christ…I better start dropping some of those lackluster Marvel titles I’ve been keeping around, because I want to read ALL of these.

  3. Image is on fire these days!

  4. Pigs is good stuff, folks. I highly recommend it. Chew kind of makes me sad I wait for the Omnivore Editions. It’s so good, and I want it now now now, but I wait anyway. Definitely going to give Grim Leaper and Dancer a shot. I am TOTALLY sold on Wiebe now, and I’ve enjoyed The Activity by Edmondson.

  5. I am definitely in for Mind The Gap, Leaper, and Dancer. Already reading Chew in trades and Pigs in issues.

    So can anyone recommend Elephantmen? What is it like? I flipped through one or two and it look interesting.

    The cover for Leaper is amazing! What an excellent use for a fun house mirror shot.

    • On second look, that Dancer cover is awesome too!

    • yeah i’ve always wondered about Elephantman…its been around for a while, but i don’t hear a lot of buzz on this site.

    • i read an issue that I bought off Richard Starkings NYCC a few years ago. I can’t say it did much for me but it had amazing art. I’ve consistently heard good things about it and Starkings always manages to snag some awesome artists to work with so ive been inclined to give it another chance.

    • Elephantmen is a sci-fi goodness. Focuses on genetically enhanced animals that were used as weapons in a war, but now, just try to survive the harsh jungles of the city. I haven’t read it recently, but the first 2 big HCS/trades collect the meat of the series. When I was reading it I really dug it a lot. I left when the tone of the book changed. I think he was doing an arch that got away from the characters and I lost interest. Starkings does produce a great lookin’ book though.

  6. I wish Mahfood would revisit Grrl Scouts or even better Zombie Kid. That would be cool.

  7. Image is quickly becoming one of my go-to publishers, and I used to read nothing from them. but I’m on board with a couple of series already and I definitely want to check out both Mind the Gap and Dancer. Keep up the great new ideas! Comics need more fresh stuff like this!

    • yeah i agree. I’m a superhero guy at heart, but i’m getting burned out on the same old stuff, so i find myself turning to image more.

    • I grew up a Marvel reader. But Marvel has spent the last few years deciding all of the heoes I grew up loving have to be as miserable and unlikable as possible, so I find myself reading less Marvel and more indy books. And DC, too.

  8. Thanks to everyone who’s checking out MIND THE GAP! This is probably the most excited I’ve been about anything I’ve written.

    If you missed it, iFanboy has the 12 pg digital prologue here on the site. Give it a read! 🙂

    Stay cool, iFanboys & iFangirls!!!!
    Jim

    • Hi Jim,
      I really enjoyed the prologue and it definitely primed me for more. I’ll be interested to see what happens in this book.

      Anyone remember the Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight story “The Sleeping”? Bruce Wayne winds up in a coma and finds himself in another realm where he meets other coma victims. Really good if I recall correctly.

  9. Con: It looks like only two issues of Chew are coming out in the next three months.

    Pro: Look at that cover and solict! Can’t wait.

  10. I’m excited for Dancer. A great up-and-coming writer with a great artist will surely get my dollars.

  11. Dancer, Mind The Gap, and Grim Leaper are definitely must buys for me!

  12. Definitely goons try mind the gap.
    Grim jumper looks interesting as well.