A new masked hero is coming to Dark Horse Comics, but he may not be exactly what he seems. The publisher today has announced, exclusively to The Beat, a new four-issue miniseries, The Icon. The crime drama, which debuts in December, is written by Dark Horse founder and president Mike Richardson, illustrated by up-and-coming artist Jordi Armengol, and lettered by Nate Piekos.
Here’s how Dark Horse describes The Icon:
Twenty-five years ago, a genuine masked hero came out of nowhere to declare war on crime. All of America celebrated the exploits of the black-clad vigilante as he took down one lawbreaker after another, until suddenly he vanished. But when down-on-his-luck investigator Jake Stevens is hired to find the long-missing dark avenger, his inquiries threaten to expose the myth behind the mask. In gritty realistic detail, THE ICON shines a bright light into the dark corners of truth, justice, and the American Way.
The Icon is the first collaboration between Mike Richardson and Jordi Armengol, and the first Dark Horse Comics project for the Barcelona-based artist. Armengol’s previous projects include Rogues! volume 6 with writer El Torres for Amigo Comics, and Offworlder with writer Mike Baron, which recently closed a successful Kickstarter for its first issue.
In a statement announcing the new series, Richardson and Armengol expressed their excitement over working together and bringing The Icon to life for readers:
“Jordi and I have had some fun taking super-hero conventions and throwing a little noir into the mix. We think the readers will have fun too.”- Mike Richardson
“Mike’s script is agile, unpredictable. His characters are hard boiled, lurking in the dark. It’s been a while since I had enjoyed my work so much and I hope you’ll notice it. Enjoy!”- Jordi Armengol
Series editor Chris Warner also praised the work both Richardson and Armengol are doing on the series:
“Mike Richardson’s The Icon is right up my alley, a dark tornado of treachery, betrayal, deceit, and murder. It’s as if Orson Welles had written a superhero story. And Jordi Armengol’s gritty, realistic visuals are breathtaking. Such a cool series!”
As a fan of both crime comics and superhero comics, this book sounds like a blast. Look for The Icon #1 (of 4) to arrive in stores and digitally on Wednesday, December 15th.
(Updated 9/6/21 12:00 PM EST with letterer information)
