Image Comics has announced Content, a new graphic novel from Curt Pires (Lost Fantasy, Indigo Children) and Ryan Quackenbush (Junior Baker the Righteous Faker). Content follows Tripp Cruise, a streaming service executive, after an experimental AI helmet meant to extract stories straight from the mind traps him in cyberspace. This new sci-fi thriller, inspired by Pires’ own time working in Hollywood, will release in trade paperback, in February 2027.
Pires’ previously published work includes one of the newest Image universes, Lost Fantasy, and its sister title, Fireborn. Pires’ upcoming title, Creature Corp, also features an accompanying card game, which Pires sat down to talk about with The Beat Staff. Quackenbush previously collaborated with Joe Casey on Junior Baker the Righteous Faker which was released in 2023. The graphic novel also features lettering from Micah Myers. Their newest book, Content, is said to be, “the perfect read for fans of Severance, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and The Social Network,” according to the press release.
In a near-future ruled by streaming services, Trip Cruise is the most valuable mind in entertainment and the visionary architect behind the world’s biggest platform: Content. But when an experimental AI helmet meant to extract stories straight from his brain malfunctions, Trip becomes trapped inside the system he built: forced to navigate an endless hellscape of shows and fragmented memories.
His only shot at escape? Margot, his junior programmer and the only person with a strong enough human to him to take a shot at saving him. Together they’ll have to outsmart the machine designed to replace them or risk getting permanently deleted from existence.
Pires had this to say about the announcement, “This has been an intense labour of love for both of us, in development for years after initially discussing the idea with Eric Stephenson all the way back at SDCC 2024 and I’m ecstatic to finally bring Ryan and I’s creative vision to the masses in early 2027. I think fans will be blown away by my most experimental and personal writing in ages—and Ryan’s lush painted artwork that evokes the brilliance of Dave [McKean] and Bill [Sienkiewicz] in equal measure.”
Quackenbush added, “I am very proud of this book that Curt and I have put together. His writing and story is sharp and wild but personal and I’m very grateful that he had me draw it. I think you can tell that it’s coming from a big place in both of us. This has been a labor of love and I’m very excited to put this out in the world and hopefully it shows that we did this one for us.”
Pires’ and Quackenbush’s new original graphic novel, Content, will be released in comic shops on February 17, 2027 with the book market release to follow on March 16, 2027. Content will also be available digitally through the usual digital marketplaces, including the newly launched Sweet Shop.
