At its “Jim Lee and Friends” panel at New York Comic Con on Saturday afternoon, DC announced a new, five-issue series taking place between Peacemaker Seasons 1 and 2.
Peacemaker: The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature! debuts in March, with writer Tim Seeley and artist Mitch Gerads behind the Vigilante story alongside letterer Pat Brosseau, and writer Rex Ogle, artist Matteo Lolli, colorist John Kalisz, and Brosseau on the Eagly story. DC Studios CEO James Gunn will serve as story consultant on the series.
Each story picks up where Peacemaker Season 1 left off, with the titular character missing. In the Eagly story, Christopher is seen getting some fresh air in Alaska with his true best bird-friend, Eagly…
Per the announcement from DC:
On their small-plane trip, they and the other passengers are gassed and knocked out. When they wake up, they find themselves being hunted for sport by a dangerous group of Super-Villains…a far cry from the peaceful vacation Chris had in mind! But little do the hunters know they’ve bitten off more than they can chew…
“When [DC editor] Katie Kubert asked me to do a short for DC’s Strange Love Adventures, I was stoked to write a Peacemaker story,” said writer Rex Ogle on the Eagly (and Peacemaker) half of the double feature. “So getting to dive back in and play with this iconic antihero again (and in a miniseries this time!) is a total dream.
“Part of what makes him so great is that at his core, Peacemaker is a hopeless optimist. He wants the world to be a better place, not just for himself, but for others. He doesn’t always go about achieving peace in the right way, but he brings an incredible levity to the violence that is already ever-present in our world,” Ogle continued. “And sometimes we need to laugh at the bad—so we don’t break down and cry.”
Artist Matteo Lolli said, “Bringing Peacemaker and Eagly to life in a comic is like unleashing chaos and heart on every page. Rex was able to both capture their funny bond and make for a perfect mix of action and humor. Drawing Peacemaker is obviously a blast, but capturing a character that doesn’t speak? Not easy. And what if this character happens to be a bird to whom nature gave by default a stern and angry look? That’s a whole other challenge, and I wasn’t sure I could deliver it without the right kind of script. Luckily for me, Rex did a fantastic job with it. It’s pure fun to see their unpredictable dynamic unleashed in this new adventure.”
“I write a ton of books and graphic novels for middle grade and young adult readers, which I love,” continued Ogle, “but there’s nothing quite like returning to my comic book roots to work on something where I can unleash my inner creative beast. Writing Christopher Smith lets me do just that—go buck wild—not just with some good ol’ fashioned violence, but with humor and unnecessary nudity. Peacemaker lets me live the dream of writing stories I wanted to read as a kid.”
Meanwhile, in the Vigilante story, Adrian visits Peacemaker’s house for a drink and some casual explosions, but Christopher and Eagly are gone. He assumes they’ve been kidnapped and suits up to take vengeance on the local crime syndicate, none the wiser that he simply hasn’t been invited on a trip to the great outdoors in Alaska.
“I’m in my Vigilante era,” said artist Mitch Gerads. “I have 100 Taylor Swift friendship bracelets to trade—they’re in Vigilante colors and say ‘Vigilante Shit.’ Come find me at NYCC and join the fun.”
“Awkward. Clueless. Possibly psychotic. Obsessed with destroying furniture. That’s Mitch Gerads,” said writer Tim Seeley. “Oh…wait? You mean you want me to describe Adrian Chase, Vigilante? Oh, sure. He’s the coolest dude ever and he smashes so many chicks. Also, he’s a great friend, and definitely not a serial-killing busboy. Peacemaker is lucky to call him ‘bro,’ and Mitch and I are lucky to continue his horrifically violent adventures at DC Comics.”
Peacemaker Presents: The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature! begins publishing in March with DC’s Ages 17+ content descriptor. It will be available at your local comic shop and digitally.
Stay tuned for more NYCC ’24 coverage from The Beat.
