frostbiteSM (1)

Looks like DC’s Vertigo line is still alive and kicking and even announcing some new titles from exclusive creators. Joshua Williamson, sometimes known as “The man in the hoodie” has just gone exclusive with DC. In addition to writing the rebirthed adve

ntures of The Flash he’s writing Frostbite, a six issue mini series from VErtigo with are by Jason Shawn Alexander (Batman: Arkham City, The Empty Zone).

FROSTBITE follows Keaton, a South American woman and a “coyote,” a human trafficker specializing in no-questions-asked transportation of people across dangerous landscapes. Decades earlier, the world entered a new ice age; though the remaining populace has survived and adapted to the frozen environment using new technology, the weather is not their biggest danger. A new disease nicknamed “Frostbite” is making its way across the remaining communities. It literally turns people into ice, slowly freezing the moisture in their cells. Keaton and her crew are tasked with transporting two scientists from Mexico to a science lab on Alcatraz where they are working on a cure. It should be easy; after all, it’s only an elderly man and his adult daughter. But when the transport is attacked Keaton finds out that the scientist and his daughter have a bounty on their heads, and this simple transport job becomes very, very complicated.

 Williamson praised the opportunity as “a dream come true” in a statement, adding “There aren’t too many people that get the chance to not only write The Flash, one of my all-time favorite characters, but also work with Vertigo; a publisher that’s been a huge influence on my writing style.”

Jim Lee praised Williamson as having “a knack for telling stories that really grab hold of readers, and it comes through whether he’s writing epic superhero fiction, or more edgy and darker tales.”

 

The announcement is the first since Shelly Bond’s position as head of Vertigo was eliminated, and giving a DCU exclusive writer a Vertigo book may be a sign that the imprint is opening up t a wider variety of creators.

Since the Vertigo realignment I’ve heard from many sources that DC is very concerned about Image’s supremacy in the creator driven arena and is set on trying to win back some of that market. While  past DC exclusives allowed creators to basically work on “anything but Marvel” the new contracts can preclude working at Image as well.

With the avergage Image Comics #1 sales far surpassing where Vertigo’ recent sales have ended up, it’s no wonder the race is on.

Williamson’s Falsh launches in June with a Flash:REbirth special issue and continues on twice a month with Carmine DiGiandomenico and Neil Googe on art. 

Talent_WonderCon2012_JoshuaWilliamson.jpg