Mike Costa To Amaze and Astonish with SMOKE & MIRRORS

Mike Costa has something up his sleeve, and it’s not a dryer sheet.

The G.I. JOE COBRA and Blackhawks writer brings a life-long fascination with magic to IDW’s Smoke & Mirrors, a five-issue limited series set to debut in March. Costa’s very first creator owned project is drawn by Ryan Browne. Preeminent sleight-of-hand artist Jon Armstrong lends his experience to the project, enhancing the tale of stage magician Terry Ward with actual prestidigitation. The final product will not only walk and talk like a seasoned magician, but engage readers with interactive illusions and “mentalism principles.”

Here’s more from IDW:

Armstrong, Browne and Costa revolutionize the comics experience by using magic as a storytelling technique in SMOKE AND MIRRORS. SMOKE AND MIRRORS is the story of stage magician Terry Ward, who finds himself transported to a world where Magic is real and he must use trickery and illusions to survive.

Armstrong adds: “As a life-long comic fan, I’ve always wanted to create in this medium. Being able to apply my unique skill set to comics and working with creators I admire was just way too exciting to pass up. Because of how I related to our magician and protagonist Terry Ward, I wanted an especially innovative way to use magic as more than a gimmick. Magic is an essential component of propelling Terry’s story forward, while allowing the reader to have the same engaging and amazing experiences our characters are having. I’m trilled to that IDW is letting me play in the world that we are creating.”

It’s a fascinating concept, fortified by the involvement of a working magician and consulting imagineer for Disney Entertainment. We’re not sure exactly how the magic and illusion elements will function within the comic, but we’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this project and any opportunities for a demonstration.

Smoke & Mirrors #1 appears before your very eyes in March 2012.