From: [m c mahan] at [celo.cs.unca.edu] (Scott McMahan -- Genesis mailing list owner)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.info
Subject: Image FAQ <updated>
Date: 19 Dec 1993 05:58:19 GMT
[ I posted this on Saturday, but it doesn't seem to have made it. Sorry
about all of this. We've just had a brand new news server installed here
at Dartmouth. -mod]
<>
|\/| <F> requently
| |
| | <A> sked
| |
|__| M A G E <Q> uestions
by Scott McMahan, author of the Cyber Reviews Usenet review column;
additional contributions by Greg McElhatton, and additional
information verification by Drew Harris (who wrote the "Image: The
Next Generation" article for WIZARD)
Last update: Dec 17, 1993 <- Oct 27, 1993
12-17-93: New updates include Wildstar, a Youngblood chronology, and
Ripclaw information. 'Deathmate Red' entry deleted.
One time only update: The Cyberforce Trade Paperback, solicited for
September release, is now planned for Dec 28th release. This is not
firm and may be pushed back a week or three.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions answered in this document...
I heard that Image had cancelled titles! What is the story?
What is the story behind Brigade #4?
Youngblood chronology
Has <fill in blank> been released? Did I miss it?
Is Dale Keown <insert rumor here>
Danglers: series that didn't materialize...
(Darker Image, Bluudwuulff, Doom's IV, ad infinitum)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. I heard that Image had cancelled titles! What is the story?
A. Image has cancelled several titles due to several reasons. Some
Image claim were in breach of contract because Image had hired them to
produce on-time monthly comics for the Image banner. Some for low
sales (they claim). The exact reasons behind this mass cancellation
were never really put forth. Since all Image projects affected were
creator owned (creators own trademarks and copyrights to the
characters), they may be published by the creators under any imprint.
This is the list of the statuses of the various affected titles:
Shaman's Tears: Image said this was cancelled after issue #5. Since #5
was going to be the beginning of a new story cycle (and feature
Grell's own character Jon Sable Freelance), Mike Grell said that ST
was going to be over with #4. But, since then, hurricane Andrew hit
Grell's colorists' house -- making #3 late, and Image cancelled it
outright. Grell is going to continue the series: it will be from
Malibu's new imprint for creator-owned comics (which debuts in January
1994) called Bravura. Grell also has plans for Bar Sinister, a
spin-off book featuring the animal-human creatures in Shaman's Tears.
There are also plans to make a new Jon Sable title.
Stupid: This series by Hilary Barta was cancelled outright. Since it
was a parody of Image, it will not be picked up by another publisher.
Barta is a close friend of Marc Silvestri and his name appears in the
thanks-yous for Cyberforce. Apparently that wasn't enough to help him.
Trencher: Cancelled after #5. This book will be picked up by Blackball
comics, the old Atomeka Comics with a new name. A Christmas Special is
planned for December. Giffen also continues to work for Image: he is
currently doing a 3 issue run of Images of Shadowhawk (the story arc
in #1-#3), and Rob Liefeld's Bloodstrike. Giffen is also slated to do
a Cosmic Image future title with Jim Valentino.
Tribe: Image said that this book would be cancelled after #5. Stroman
and Johnson, however, cancelled the series after #1. From #2 onward,
it will be published by Axis Comics, the new label founded by Stroman
and Johnson to publish Tribe. #1 is the only issue of tribe released
by Image. #2 has been published by Axis. (This story is clear as mud:
Image press releases show that *Image* cancelled Tribe after #1.
Stroman and Johnson believed they could publish #2 and #3 under
Image's banner, and solicited Tribe #4 as the first Axis issue, but
then the axe fell so that Tribe #2, not #4, was the first Axis issue.)
Wildstar: although the press has reported this series as "cancelled",
it had always been solicited as a 4 issue limited series and will
continue through #4. Image and Gordon/Ordway have hinted at future
Wildstar series published by Image, although this seems highly
unlikely. Originally, way back when, the Wildstar mini-series was
first begun, it was to be a prelude to an ongoing series much like the
Image 7's mini-series. It was going to be about the bounty hunters who
appeared in the mini-series. Post cancellation, Gordon & Ordway have
flip flopped. Ordway now claims that he was too busy to work on a
monthly series anyway. Gordon claims that they never intended to have
Image publish the monthly series. Al Gordon HAS said that he is
currently looking for a NEW publisher to publish other WILDSTAR
mini-series. Ordway won't be drawing it; since he does have a
co-ownership in the characters, he gets to approve everything before
it ever shows up.
UPDATE: as of WildStar #4, the lettercol claims that the ongoing
series it going to come in 1994 and be *published by Image*. Ordway
will not be drawing this, the artist has not been named.
Pitt: this book is a 4 issue mini-series that has not been cancelled.
Despite its lateness, Image claims that Keown was not under contract
to publish a monthly book. And he certainly hasn't.
The Maxx: this title is very confusing, since the press hasn't really
reported anything on it. Apparently Sam Keith has carte blanche to
publish as many issues as he wants. He himself will decide when the
series has ended.
Q. What is the story behind Brigade #4?
A. Issue #4 of the Brigade mini-series was to have as a flip book the
conclusion to the Youngblood mini-series. Due to Rob Liefeld's
lateness, the book was delayed so much that Brigade #1 of the
ongoing series was completed. #1 was published *before* #4, which
among other things meant #4 was completely spoiled by the
references to it in #1. Finally, Liefled got Chap Yeap to draw the
conclusion of Youngblood for him, and #4 was published.
The order in which to read the Youngblood books is:
Youngblood #0 ->
Brigade #0 ->
Youngblood #1-4/Brigade #1-4 both mini-series ->
Brigade #1/Bloodstrike #1
Blood Brothers crossover (Brigade #2-4, Bloodstrike #2-4)
This will give you the basic working knowlege of the
Youngblood universe. The comics were *not* released in this
proper order, but since all are now released, they should be
read this way to get the maximum sense out of the story.
Q. Has <fill in blank> been released? Did I miss it?
A. This applies to any Image comic: How could anyone miss an Image
release? If it were released, don't you think you'd have seen it
somewhere? Image titles are seriously overordered and every comic
shop usually has a surplus of them. Keep in mind that just about
every Image comic is 2 months late (minimum).
Q. Is Dale Keown <insert rumor here>
A. None of the rumors about Keown being on drugs, dying, being
imprisoned or whatever are true. He did use the proceeds from Pitt
#1 to build a recording studio, and is a musician in addition to
being a comic artist.
Q. What titles have never materialized?
A. There've been tons of them. Notable ones include...
Darker Image: The four issue mini-series was called off after #1. The
official reason was that the series was intended to introduce the
three main characters (Maxx, Deathblow, and Bluudwuulff) and once the
Maxx and Deathblow titles were started it was no longer necessary.
This doesn't really hold water as a reason because the story in Darker
Image #1-4 was a prelude to the ongoing titles, and not having read
the story makes the titles hard to follow. (Deathblow, also, has been
scaled back to a quarterly book -- no plans for an ongoing Cybernary
series have been announced, so the fate of the Cybernary may never be
known.)
Bluudwuulff: Rob Liefeld's incredible point-for-point ripoff of DC's
Lobo will apparently never receive its own title.
Gen-X: renamed Gen-13 when faced with lawsuits from Marvel (who seem
to think they have a trademark on the letter X), the title is in
limbo. They plan to release it, but it isn't out! NOW SLATED FOR
FEBRUARY 1994.
Doom's IV: in one of the biggest marketing failures ever, Doom's IV
was advertised only with its logo, not with any details concerning
what the title was about. No one cared, and the title wasn't released.
There are plans for 1994 -- don't hold your breath, however.
Ripclaw: an ever-promised but never released mini-series, it is
delayed until 1994 now. If then! *TWO* Ripclaw mini-series are planned
for 1994.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get the Facts: Don't spread rumors!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Psyche! Say whatever you like.)