Author, musician and occasional illustrator Gerard Way (The Umbrella Academy) is finally getting a chance to take on comics in a bigger role than ever before with DC’s Young Animal imprint. The line includes the following titles: Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye written by Way and Jon Rivera with art from Michael Avon Oeming (Powers), Mother Panic written by Jody Hoser (Faith) and Way with art from Tommy Lee Edwards (Turf), and Shade, the Changing Girl written by Cecil Castellucci (Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure) with covers from Becky Cloonan (Southern Cross) and art from Marley Zarcone (Madame Xanadu). Way himself is getting a chance to take 0n a title he originally pitched to DC with Cloonan, Doom Patrol this time with artist Nick Derington (Catwoman).
While we already had one new update on the title past the initial Emerald City Comic-Con reveal, a few days ago Way shared some additional art from the ongoings slated for the fall. Way starts the press release by assuring readers that scripts have been written and reviewed and that now each artist is well into drawing interiors for the books. The writer even clarified that he isn’t going to pick letterers or colorist until after he’s seen interiors and inkers.
“What is emerging from each book is the difference in tone- they are all doing their own thing, and it is wonderful. I grow more excited as I see them come together, watching the collective vision of the teams come to life. I feel like the Young Animal books each have something for everyone, though there is a thread of strangeness and experimentation that ties them all together. These are books with a strong identity, and something feels very new about them—taking readers to places they possibly haven’t been before.”
Way showed off a drawn and inked panel from his and Derington’s Doom Patrol #1:
Previously we’ve seen the cover and this quick blurb about the new Doom Patrol which seem to include some favorites like Cliff Steele and Flex Mentallo with new heroes:
DOOM PATROL – This September, in the spirit of Grant Morrison’s legendary run on the series, along with other classic incarnations of the characters, writer Gerard Way and artist Nick Derington will put their unique stamp on the world’s strangest heroes taking on the universe’s strangest villains.
The writer showed off pencils and panel detail from Shade, The Changing Girl #1 drawn by Zarcone:
Here’s the blurb and cover: SHADE, THE CHANGING GIRL – An alien takes over the body of a 16-year-old bully and must face the challenges of being a stranger in a foreign land, plus the consequences of a life she didn’t live. Star Wars’ Moving Target writer Cecil Castellucci and artist Marley Zarcone explore themes of madness, alienation, and the bizarre in this sci-fi thriller, with covers by Becky Cloonan. The new series hits shelves in October.
Way showed off inks and pencils from Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #1:
Cover and blurb: CAVE CARSON HAS A CYBERNETIC EYE – Writers Gerard Way and Jon Rivera, along with artist Michael Avon Oeming take readers on a strange adventure with DC Comics’ Silver Age character Cave Carson, his cybernetic eye and his college–age daughter as they travel to dark places deep in the earth and mind. Catch this new series in October.
Way showed off another piece of concept for Mother Panic from Edwards:
Blurb and other concept art shown: MOTHER PANIC – Meet Violet Paige, a celebrity heiress by day and brutal vigilante by night as she takes on the underbelly of Gotham City’s high society. Hitting shelves in November, the series is written by Gerard Way and Jody Houser with art by Tommy Lee Edwards.
At the end of the blog post, Way shared a link to a Pinterest board that saw Castellucci collecting all the fan art he’s seen from the upcoming Shade, the Changing Girl series. Doom Patrol is the first Young Animal title that will see print, slated for a September release. Shade, the Changing Girl and Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye are shipping in October while Mother Panic launches in November.
