Monday, April 22, 2002

IMAGE COMICS FOR JULY

Following are Image Comics' solicitations for July, with information coming from the company.

ALONE IN THE DARK

Written by Randy and Jean-Marc Lofficier, art by Matt Haley and Aleksi Briclot.

An ancient artifact of great power known as the Crown of Ghengis lies at the heart of a hidden temple in the mountains of Nepal, and a group of adventurers are on a quest to find it - not all of them for the same reason. After a long hard journey filled with natural dangers and giant bigfoot-like creatures, the adventurers find out that reaching the temple is only the beginning. What follows is a journey to the heart of the Earth and a showdown with a dark force so evil that it boggles the mind beyond comprehension.

48 pages, $5.95 in stores on July 24.

BATTLE OF THE PLANETS #1

Written by Munier Shurief, art by Alex Ross and Wilson Tortosa, colored by Shane Law and Udon Studios.

Banded together to protect the earth, G-Force is a team of five highly trained teenagers who keep the world safe from all manner of evil threats. Using an array of advanced weapons and even-more-advanced vehicles, the team best known for their 1970's cartoon series is set to be taken into the 21st Century by some of the top talents in comics. Join Mark, Jason, Tiny, Keyop, and Princess on all their adventures to save the earth from the evil Zoltar and the forces of Spectra. Note: Battle of the Planets #1 will be released with four different covers shipping in an equal ratio by artists J. Scott Campbell, Michael Turner, Marc Silvestri andAlex Ross.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 17. (Alex Ross Holofoil Edition, $5.95).

CREED: UTOPIATE #4

Written by Trent Kaniuga & Christina Z., art by Trent Kaniuga.

The smoking gun in a young boys hand -- murder takes the life of the dream warrior. Trucker Lowe turns out to be a dead man from Mark's past, come back to do more than just haunt him. Lendershin reveals his true form, and assimilates Mark's abilities -- and not even dream magic can save him now. Can Mark rescue Lori from herself before his own demise? Can Lori break Lendershin's spell and free CJ from his bondage? Will CJ be able to save Mark from fading into oblivion? Can a bullet kill a dream? The "Death of Creed", the final issue of Creed: Utopiate.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 17.

FUSED! #3

Written by Steve Niles, art by Paul Lee.

"Canned Heat"- Part Three. Word has spread that Agent Mortis is out of control in Los Angeles and the Big Guns have been called in to stop him and the "killer robot" wanted for the murders of Mark Haggerty and Dr. Fard. Enter: The Implementers, a small band of government sanctioned superheroes, DOA, Kid Crash and Sliver. Their mission: Stop Mortis, stop Cy-Bot and figure out what the hell is going on.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 24.

G.I. JOE #8

Written by Josh Blaylock, penciled by Steve Kurth, inked by John Larter, cover by Mike Zeck.

Destro and Cobra Commander hammer things out, as Destro decides what to do concerning his son Alexander's abuse of the Cobra throne. The question is, will Cobra Commander listen to what the arms dealer has to say, or will he unleash the full wrath of Cobra upon him? Meanwhile, Storm Shadow continues his infiltration of the Joe HQ, while Beach Head gives the troops the most grueling training sessions of their lives.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 10.

GUARDIAN ANGEL #2

Written by Jonathan Peterson, penciled by Aron Wiesenfeld, inked by Art Thibert, cover by Wiesenfeld.

It's all-out action as Guardian Angel's mansion falls under attack by scorpion demons. Yet even while the insect horde ransacks the grounds to uncover a long buried secret, it's also the debut of Dominique Dubois, the martial arts beauty whose fate is forever tied to Guardian's. But is she his salvation or doom? Meanwhile, this issue also unveils Guardian Angel's jaw-dropping hideaway as he receives his battle armor and learns his true purpose on Earth.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 10.

LEAVE IT TO CHANCE #13

Written by James Robinson, art by Paul Smith.

"Reunion." Chance returns, and she's brought along all of the old favorites as well as a hoard of new ones. After the death of her father in issue #12, Chance is wondering if continuing in his footsteps will bring her to the same fate. But when a mysterious man named Milo Otway decides to resurrect local 1950's singing sensation Drake Dargo, Chance has little time to ponder her future! Old friends, zombies, and unexpected twists abound in the long awaited return of Leave it to Chance, taking her into a brand new era for returning fans and giving new readers a perfect point to jump on and see what they've been missing.

48 pages, $4.95, in stores on July 31.

LIBERTY MEADOWS COLLECTION BOOK #1: EDEN

By Frank Cho.

This book collects the first 9 issues of the award winning and totally uncensored Liberty Meadows for the first time in a massive volume. Come and meet Dean, Ralph, Leslie, and Khan and rest of the gang at Liberty Meadows. See Frank the vet's first encounter with Brandy, the lovely animal psychiatrist and watch as he falls madly in love with her. This collection includes a cover gallery and sketch gallery of unpublished Liberty Meadows art.

128 pages, black and white, $14.95, in stores on July 17.

MUTANT EARTH #2

Written by Stan Winston and Francis Takenaga, art by Philip Tan, covers by Simon Bisley and Tan.

The disease robbing the Pit of its already miserable life is the Zeithian warlord, Gallowz. What remains of humans here are put to work as slaves in the ever-spidering tunnels beneath the desert as the sadistic alien pursues the Helmet for his own ends. In his single-minded quest, he is unaware of the enigmatic Vaquoulis presence nearby, spinning a web of his own. Experience the birth of an immortal, and Trakk's lifelong crusade for the Helmet. Shudder before the blood-tinged horror known as the Crippler. Bonus Feature: Realm of the Claw Paradise would not be paradise without a sinister, darker half as its balancing force For Nakuru, this comes in the form of the cat-god, Sabyr. When the cats are away, the mice will play. But when Sabyr is away, the mice, and everyone else, await the violence and misery he will rain down upon them.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 17.

NOBLE CAUSES #4

Written by Jay Faerber, penciled by Patrick Gleason and Sean Clauretie, inked by John Wycough and Damon Hacker; covers by Gleason and Mike Avon Oeming.

Part 4 of "In Sickness and in Health," a 4-issue story arc. Race's murderer is revealed! Liz is abducted by someone she thought was a friend, and brought to the killer's lair. There, she's reunited with Doc, and the pair learn the killer's true intentions. Meanwhile, Krennick and Zephyr conspire against the rest of the family. Newcomer Sean Clauretie pencils the back-up story, in which we get a look inside the twisted mind of Race's murderer.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 10.

POWERS #23

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Mike Avon Oeming.

Anarchy - part 3. Its anarchy in the streets! The public has turned against its superheroes and the bodies are piling up. Will the superheroes turn on the people and if so, is there any way for the police to stop them.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 17.

THE PRO

Written by Garth Ennis, art by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti.

She Curses, She smokes, she breast feeds, and she blows away the competition. Just when you think Garth Ennis has gone too far -- just when you thought it was safe to walk the streets -- just when you thought no one would go near the idea of the world's first superhero prostitute -- comes the Pro. An intergalactic bet is taken and superpowers are bestowed upon the most unlikely person on Earth. By day, she is a waitress at a local Denny's, but by night...uh, well...she's a chain-smoking hooker who's pissed off at the world and she's got the mouth and the backside to prove it. No need for protection when the League of Honor is on the case. Join Speedo, The Saint, The Squire, The Lime, The Lady, and the Knight Asthey enlist The Pro in their fight against evil.

56 pages, $5.95, in stores on July 31.

SAVAGE DRAGON #101

By Erik Larsen.

As the Savage Dragon settles into his new life, Malcolm Eugene Jackson Dragon takes center stage in his very first adventure. The son of the Savage Dragon and Rapture escapes from his confines in an effort to free his captive friends from the clutches of an evil organization hell bent on World Domination. Can the fighting five-year old hope to hope to triumph over impossible odds? This issue holds the answer and it's not what you might think! Beginning a new story arc.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 24.

SPAWN #124

Written by Brian Holguin and Todd McFarlane, penciled by Angel Medina, inked by Danny Miki, cover by Greg Capullo and Todd McFarlane.

"Salvation Road - Part III." Enjoying a freedom he never knew could be his, Spawn learns to see the world with new eyes, to reconnect with the concept of being mortal. But before he can be truly free, he must first deal with some unfinished business -- business that was left unfinished by the late Al Simmons. Spawn is reminded all too well of the terrible costs that come with being human, that some memories are best left unstirred and some ghosts are best left buried.

32 pages, $2.50, in stores on July 31.

SUPERPATRIOT: AMERICA'S FIGHTING FORCE #1

Written by Robert Kirkman, art by Cory Walker, colored by Hi-Fi design, cover by Cory Walker.

Our star spangled hero finds himself the target of his old Nazi sparring partner from World War II, Baron Blitzkrieg. His encounter with the Baron causes SuperPatriot to have wicked flashbacks of his days in WWII, including his never-before-seen origin. What strange fate does the Baron have in store for ol' flag face? And how do these guys remain so active after all these years?

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on July 3.

SUPERPATRIOT TP: LIBERTY AND JUSTICE

Written by Keith Giffen, Tom Bierbaum and Mary Bierbaum , art and cover by Dave Johnson.

SuperPatriot returns this month in his first all-new miniseries in seven Years. And to celebrate, the miniseries that firmly established Dave Johnson (whose artwork regularly graces the covers of Vertigo's 100 Bullets) is being collected in this trade paperback collecting issues #1 - #4 of the SuperPatriot: Liberty and Justice mini-series. Jam-packed with revelations about SuperPatriot's past and his secret family and featuring the first appearances of two new heroes, Liberty and Justice, SuperPatriot: Liberty & Justice is loaded with extras and is essential for any fan looking forward to the all-new SuperPatrot: America's Fighting Force mini-series.

112 pages, $12.95, in stores on July 10.

TOMB RAIDER #23

Written by John Ney Reiber, penciled by Randy Green, inked by Jonathan Sibal, colored by Jonathan D. Smith.

No Time - Path of the Tiger, Part 3 of 3. Lara's followed the Path of the Tiger beyond death itself -- to the Screaming Throne and the key it hides. But can she find her way back before her out-of-body experience becomes terminal damnation? And does she "want" to escape the Vajra Hell--if it means leaving a lover like Tsang Do Khyi behind?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on July 3.

TOMB RAIDER TP VOL. III: CHASING SHAGRI-LA

Written by Dan Jurgens, penciled by Andy Park, Billy Tan, Francis Manapul, inked by Jonathan Sibal, Tan and Livesay, colored by Jonathan D. Smith.

Lara gets a Tan as a new ally and an old friend join her in the latest Tomb Raider trade paperback. Veteran artists Billy Tan and Andy Park and newcomer Francis Manapul illustrate Lara in some of her most breathtaking adventures, collected from Tomb Raider #11-15. The living dead, abominable snowmen and ancient conquistadors are just of few of the many attempting to stop Lara in her tracks. Will Lara overcome these insurmountable odds? Find out for yourself in the pages of Tomb Raider: Before Zero.

128 pages, $12.95, in stores on July 24.

VIOLENT MESSIAHS TP VOL 1: THE BOOK OF JOB

Written by Joshua Dysart, art by Tone Rodriguez, cover by Travis Smith.

A mysterious door hides something old and alive. A hyper-violent sentinel prowls the streets. A serial killer leaves only a poem for a clue. A female cop tries desperately to understand how it all connects. Welcome to Rankor Island, a carnival of social ills. Into this wasteland come two men, saviors for a nihilistic age, the serial killer "Family Man" and the hyper-violent vigilante "Citizen Pain." Now Lieutenant Cheri Major (an outcast amongst her peers) and Detective Earnest Houston (a perpetual screw-up) must follow the clues into the heart of a great house where a mysterious door hides the truth... to everything. Collecting the first 8-issue story arc, including a bonus of previously unpublished art.

224 pages, $24.95, in stores on July 3.

WITCHBLADE #57

Written by David Wohl, penciled by Francis Manapul, inked by Jason Gorder, colored by Steve Firchow.

Part 4 of 4. From the pages of Top Cow's Darkness comes the enigmatic and always evil Sonatine. But what does he want with Sara Pezzini and the Witchblade? And could this herald the long-awaited return of Jackie Estacado, the Darkness? Top Cow's not talking, but Sonatine will.

32 pages, $2.50, in stores on July 10.