Earlier this week, I took an in depth look at the claims The Wake illustrator Sean Murphy made in an interview with David Harper of SKTCHD. Currently, Vertigo only has seven ongoing titles including the rapidly concluding Sandman: Overture. No new titles have been announced in a year, and although their CMYK and Strange Sports anthologies have shown promise, it seemed as though Vertigo’s star was diminishing.
And then, tonight, as though in response to such claims, Vertigo has gone supernova, announcing the launch of twelve new #1s coming this fall. This unprecedented move features new work from prolific creators such as Darwyn Cooke, Mike Allred, and Gail Simone; it also features work from some relative newcomers to comics like Supernatural creator Eric Kripke, South African novelist Lauren Beukes, and Bodies writer Si Spencer. Notably, writer Holly Black and artist Lee Garbett will be launching a Lucifer comics series to coincide with the new NBC TV show.
Beginning in October, one new #1 will be released each week, forming the basis for a newly revived Vertigo line. Executive Editor Shelly Bond said that the titles “represent the imprint at its core: smart and irreverent stories that will take you someplace stranger. I can’t be more excited about the diversity of projects and creative teams we have lined up, from Vertigo veterans to a powerhouse of new voices and rising art stars.”
The fall lineup will also include American Vampire, Astro City, and Suiciders. Curiously absent from this list is Simon Oliver’s and Robbi Roderiguez’s FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics and Caitlin Kittredge’s and Inaki Miranda’s Coffin Hill. Roderiguez is hard at work on Spider-Gwen while Kittredge recently announced a new Image series called Throwaways. Are these books on indefinite hiatus? Cancelled? Time will tell.
All in all though, I think Vertigo’s looked better than it has in a very long time. Perhaps an old dog can learn new tricks.
Check out a bevy of preview images below.
OCTOBER
The Twilight Children #1 (Gilbert Hernandez, Darwyn Cooke)
Survivors’ Club #1 (Lauren Beukes,Dale Halvorsen, Ryan Kelly)
Clean Room #1 (Gail Simone, JonDavis-Hunt)
Art Ops #1 (Shaun Simon, Michael Allred)
NOVEMBER
Unfollow #1 (Rob Williams, Mike Dowling)
Slash and Burn #1 (Si Spencer, Max Dunbar, Ande Parks)
Red Thorn #1 (David Baillie, Meghan Hetrick)
Jacked #1 (Eric Kripke, John Higgins)
DECEMBER
Sheriff of Baghdad #1 (Tom King, Mitch Gerads)
New Romancer #1 (Peter Milligan, Brett Parson)
Lucifer #1 (Holly Black, Lee Garbett)
Last Gang in Town #1 (Simon Oliver, Rufus Dayglo)
Cool, I’m going to have to keep an eye out for more detail on these!
Glad to hear Astro City’s sticking around! I’m not sure about Coffin Hill, but the latest round of solicitations listed the final issue of FBP. At least they seem to have had enough time to wrap things up more naturally than Hinterkind — I really liked that series, but the ending felt very rushed.
From what I gather about Hinterkind, it sounds like they pulled an Evangelion towards the end.
Coffin Hill ends with issue #21 in August. FBP ends with issue #24 in September.
The launch of Vertigo in the early ’90s kept me reading comics at a time when I was getting tired of superheroes, so this is good news. I wonder if DC changed the contract to make it more creator-friendly?
I will be watching for the previews solicitations for these to see if any catch my interest.
I’m definitely in for Twilight Children and Clean Room, from two of my favorite creators… but from the people I’m less familiar with, Art Ops seems like it could be a blast. Right up my alley.
What’s the deal with “New Romancer?” Some play on “Neuromancer?” Cyberpunk love story? Color me intrigued…
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