New Titles From IDW — Including G.I. JOE, ROCKETEER
IDW Publishing has sent out a number of press releases announcing a raft of new titles, including the return of some classics, a twist on some favorites, and some unexpected cross-over material.
GORGO RETURNS
The giant lizard monster Gorgo rises once again to terrorize a woefully unprepared populace!
IDW Publishing and Yoe Books are thrilled to announce DITKO MONSTERS: GORGO! The first in a series, to be followed by DITKO MONSTERS: KONGA!, this volume collects the complete run of Ditko’s Gorgo: over 200 pages of explosive, destructive Gorgo action. This hardcover volume is absolutely packed with towering monster art by the inimitable comics legend STEVE DITKO!
Drawn at the same time Ditko was doing landmark work on Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, Gorgo was ripped from the reels of its cinematic origins and thrust into the pulpy comics spotlight. Seemingly unstoppable, Gorgo takes all comers as he stomps across the globe in adventures penned by fan-favorite writer Joe Gill with book design and an introduction by Eisner Award-winner, Craig Yoe.
DITKO MONSTERS: GORGO! (FC, 224 pages, $34.99) is in stores 1/30/13.
>>>>>
ROCKETEER TO THE RESCUE!
The next in the series starring Dave Stevens’ pulp hero: THE ROCKETEER: HOLLYWOOD HORROR! Written by Eisner and Harvey Award winner Roger Langridge (Thor, Popeye, Snarked!) and illustrated by Eisner nominee J. Bone (Batman/The Spirit), Hollywood Horror is another action-packed chapter in the saga of comics’ favorite flyboy! As an added bonus, legendary comics superstar Walter Simonson has signed on as cover artist!
“You can count the really great superheroes created since the 1960s without taking your shoes and socks off, and The Rocketeer would have to be somewhere near the top of that very short list, so it’s a great privilege to be writing his adventures,” said Langridge.
Always caught in the middle, it’s a pulp thrill ride when Cliff finds himself embroiled in a dark mystery in the seemingly picturesque heart of Hollywood’s golden age! He may be neck-deep in mystery and mayhem, but it wouldn’t be a Cliff Secord caper if his sweetheart, the stunning Betty, weren’t steamed at him!
Also flying onto shelves in February is the hardcover collection of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee’s THE ROCKETEER: CARGO OF DOOM! Deadly creatures from lost lands find their way to California’s shores and create some awfully hot water for Cliff and friends in this rollicking four-issue series, collected in a beautiful hardcover volume.
THE ROCKETEER: HOLLYWOOD HORROR #1 (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores 2/27/13. Diamond order code: DEC12 0420.
THE ROCKETEER: CARGO OF DOOM HC (FC, 104 pages, $21.99) in stores 2/20/13. Diamond order code: DEC12 0424.
>>>>>
YO, JOE!
It’s a relaunch, just in time for the movie (if they don’t change the release date again…)
Beginning in February with G.I. JOE #1, the anti-terrorist titans will be up against a new threat: publicity! With their formerly secret identities compromised, Duke must lead his squad of Real American Heroes up against the legendarily evil COBRA in the public eye. Written by Fred Van Lente (The Comic Book History of Comics, The Incredible Hercules) with art by Steve Kurth (Ultimate Iron Man, Avengers Vs. X-Men: Consequences), the all-new G.I. JOE is an explosive turning point for those following the Joes ongoing adventures and a perfect jumping-on point for new fans to join the action.
“As a longtime G.I. JOE fan it’s very exciting to be able to launch the series in a bold new direction, with a new status quo that develops organically from events in the current ongoing series,” said Van Lente. “In the first arc, Homefront, the G.I. JOE team gets a new (but familiar) commanding officer, a new (and unfamiliar) public role — and discover that Cobra has brought their war to America in a major way for the first time. We hit the ground running with all-out combat on U.S. soil,” he continued.
covers by Juan Doe, Steve Kurth, and Jamal Igle, and a special G.I. JOE “comics history” cover byVan Lente’s The Comic Book History of Comics co-conspirator Ryan Dunlavey! This relaunch also comes with a special treat for the G.I. JOE super fans in the form of a suitably bombastic subscription variant cover by legendary artist Arthur Adams!
G.I. JOE #1 (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores 2/13/13.
>>>>>
WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Nope, not them…
The Ghostbusters are gone, spirited away by some dastardly demons from another dimension! But spectral shenanigans haven’t ceased in the city that never sleeps, meaning a new group will need to step up and don the proton packs. IDW Publishing and Sony Pictures Consumer Products are pleased to announce the launch of an all-new GHOSTBUSTERS ongoing comic series, picking up where the first mega-hit ongoing volume left off. The Ghostbusters creative super-team of Erik Burnham and Dan Schoening (along with series colorist-extraordinaire Luis Antonio Delgado) return to bust out more ectoplasmic excitement in this second ongoing volume.
“We’ve seen the Ghostbusters deal with a newly minted servant of Gozer, a child-possessing demon, the Spirit of Death, a cross-country road trip and sloppy business rivals,” explained writer Burnham. “But we’ve never seen what might happen if something got the jump on them. This story takes a look at what might happen if the Ghostbusters were abducted. The city still needs paranormal exterminators, after all.”
GHOSTBUSTERS #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in February 2013.
>>>>>
SPUMCO RETURNS FOR THE FIRST TIME
IDW and Yoe Books are pleased to announce the publication of JOHN K PRESENTS SPUMCO COMIC BOOK, a raucous collection of early comics by the illustrious John Kricfalusi and the explosively entertaining animation studio he founded, Spumco!
Long out of print and rendered hideously expensive, the insanity of these comics by the creators of Ren & Stimpy and Sody Pop are being collected into a beautiful, deluxe, full color hardback for the first time! That’s right, folks, 160 pages of metaphorically unglued, off-the-wall, kinda-filthy-but-that’s-ok-by-us comics goodness featuring the adventures of beloved characters like George Liquor and Jimmy! This collection even has a never-before-published story! This will be the first time Jimmy the Drooling Numbskull in nutty the Friendly Dump has ever been printed!
JOHN K PRESENTS SPUMCO COMIC BOOK HC: (FC, $34.99, 160 pgs.) in stores 2/27/13
>>>>>
NEW COMIC GETS VITRIOLIC
VITRIOL THE HUNTER, an all-new comic book series co-written by Good Charlotte guitarist Billy Martin and Brent Allen, featuring interior art by Martin.
“This book has traveled everywhere I have on tour over the last few years,” Martin said. “I’ve had a light table and art supplies set up on countless buses and hotel rooms across the world.”
n this gothic sci-fi adventure, Martin and Allen bring a new grisly horror to life. Set in the fictional city of Basilika in 2127, this six-issue series narrates the journey of Basilika City’s last great hope, Vitriol, as he stands as the only force that can stop Lord Barthus and his heinous vampire regime from overtaking the city.
Martin is producing a soundtrack inspired by VITRIOL THE HUNTER. Under the name Villain, Martin has been creating remixes, as well as writing and producing music for other artists. This will be his first official release of original music as Villain, showcasing his dynamic mix of electronic music with traditional film score. The special soundtrack for VITRIOL will be available for free download inside the comic.
VITRIOL THE HUNTER #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in February 2013.
>>>>>
TAKING THE HIGH WAY
Continuing their ongoing partnership with legendary comics creator John Byrne, IDW Publishing is beyond pleased to announce THE HIGH WAYS, a brand-new, starbound adventure series written and drawn by Byrne!
THE HIGH WAYS follows the exploits of a spirited young man named Eddie Wallace. Hungry for the brand of wild adventure only available off-planet, Eddie joins up with a crew of a rock-hopping freighter, eager to see what lies beyond the clouds. As these things tend to go, however, everything in these early days of interstellar travel isn’t quite what it seems as intrigue and mystery abound.
“This evolved into something a bit more like Dan Dare, the British sci-fi strip so beloved from my childhood and early teens. I liked the idea of playing in that “old time sci-fi” kind of milieu, where all the adventures took place within the Solar System, and where life — even intelligent, humanoid life — was to be found everywhere,” said Byrne before adding an extra tidbit for his fans. “I decided this takes place in the Next Men “universe” — though in the altered timeline our heroes created when they wiped out Project Next Men. The time is eighty or ninety years in the Future, roughly, and a central character of the first arc is Eddie Wallace, who appeared briefly in the previous series.”
THE HIGH WAYS #1 (of 4) (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores 1/16/13.
>>>>>
OVER THE RIDGE
It’s a unique new miniseries by writer Mike Heimos and artist Nick Runge (Judge Dredd, Ghostbusters), taking readers back to World War II and to the oft-unseen locales explored by the 6th Infantry Division of the 6th Army. FEVER RIDGE is an 8-part series, a historical fiction inspired by real soldiers and their incredible experiences.
FEVER RIDGE puts readers in country with “The Sightseein’ Sixth” and the Alamo Scouts, their jungle commandos. This is a look at the world’s greatest war from another angle. Exploring General Douglas MacArthur’s campaigns deep in the jungles of New Guinea and the Philippines, this is a story that will explore exotic characters, events, and locales and will unearth a few secrets along the way.
“I am thrilled to be teaming up with IDW to tell this story of ‘The Sightseers’,” said Heimos. “It is one that involves subject matter that has received too little attention in general; almost none in historical fiction and I don’t think any in graphic novels/comics” he continued.
>>>>>
IDW UNDER ATTACK
IDW Publishing regrets to inform you that this January, many of your most beloved characters are coming under attack. Vicious, bloodthirsty Martians have descended from the skies and crossed through infinite panels and dimensions seeking total comic book conquest! Batten down the hatches and assemble your militia, because 2013 is kicking off with MARS ATTACKS IDW!
January 2, when MARS ATTACKS POPEYE. Martin Powell, Terry Beatty, and Tom Ziuko will team up to chronicle the Martians pulling into a port of pain to take on the spinach-enhanced sailorman. Fans can be certain it’ll be all hands on deck with a high wave advisory with the MARS ATTACKS POPEYE cover by Ray Dillon—all of Dillon’s covers will mimic the look of worn out trading cards, complete with back-cover text just like an old Mars Attacks card set—and retailer incentive covers of MARS ATTACKS MISS FURY by J. Bone and MARS ATTACKS OPUS by Berkeley Breathed!
[by the way, did you see our interview with Beatty about his work on The Phantom?]
January 9, the battlefront expands across time and space to the same 1970s New York City when MARS ATTACKS KISS, a twisted retelling of the very first Kiss comic book! Will the Martians’ hunger for otherworldly destruction be a match for the sheer force of rock n’ roll? Only Chris Ryall, Alan Robinson, and Tom Ziuko will have the answer!
Featuring a cover by Ray Dillon and incentive covers of MARS ATTACKS JUDGE DREDD by Greg Staples and MARS ATTACKS THE STARSLAMMERS by Walter Simonson! The mighty leaders of the KISS Army are calling in the cavalry, and something tells us it’s not Doctor Love!
January 16, the Martian menace takes the fight to the world’s pre-eminent poltergeist punishers when MARS ATTACKS THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS! When Martians invade, Erik Burnham and Jose Holder know just who they’re gonna call! Everyone knows Venkman, Stantz, Spengler, and Zeddemore ain’t afraid of no ghosts, but what about aliens? With a cover by Ray Dillon and incentive covers of MARS ATTACKS MADMAN by Michael and Laura Allred and MARS ATTACKS CHEW by Rob Guillory, the streams of comic book awesomeness are sure to be crossed!
January 23, the drums of war begin beating double-time when the Martian armada clashes with Cybertron’s finest when MARS ATTACKS THE TRANSFORMERS! Daring to take on Optimus Prime’s fearsome army, this epic battle of Martian versus machine will be chronicled by Shane McCarthy and Matt Frank with a cover by Ray Dillon!
If that daring incursion wasn’t enough, this one-shot will also feature incentive covers of MARS ATTACKS STRANGERS IN PARADISE by Terry Moore and everyone’s favorite vampire antihero sharpening his teeth for MARS ATTACKS SPIKE by Franco Urru! That’s right, Angel fans, you get one last look at IDW’s version of Spike, thereby proving all the rules are meant to be broken in this insane weekly event!
January 30, just when the brawl for it all seems like it can’t get any bigger, MARS ATTACKS ZOMBIES VS. ROBOTS! Chris Ryall, Andy Kuhn, and John Rauch will be there to chronicle the titanic terror when the three battle-hardened armies collide! As the final blows for galactic supremacy are struck, they’ll be accompanied by a cover from Ray Dillon and incentive covers of MARS ATTACKS ROG-2000 by John Byrne and MARS ATTACKS CEREBUS, by Dave Sim!
MARS ATTACKS POPEYE (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores January 2, 2013.
Diamond Code: NOV12 0321.
MARS ATTACKS KISS (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores January 9, 2013.
Diamond Code: NOV12 0324.
MARS ATTACKS THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores January 16, 2013.
Diamond Code: NOV12 0327.
MARS ATTACKS THE TRANSFORMERS (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores January 23, 2013.
Diamond Code: NOV12 0330.
MARS ATTACKS ZOMBIES VS. ROBOTS (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores January 30, 2013.
Diamond Code: NOV12 0333.
