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10/13/16 @ 12:21 pm EST
A Writer’s Commentary: Fabrice Sapolsky talks Intertwined #1, on sale now from Dynamite. Cover and interiors by series artist Fred Pham Chuong. [WARNING: Spoilers ahead!]  Let me start by saying that Intertwined #1 was supposed to be very different originally. What is now issue #0 was supposed to be the beginning of the story, but after talking about it with my editor, we changed the way the story was told. Instead of making it a linear story in a Once Upon a Time in America manner, we started following the hero’s journey from Hong Kong to the U.S., from random student to hero. But the first 13 pages were already written, drawn and colored. So I decided to cut it from the rest of issue #1 and make it a #0. The good thing about this is now issue #0 can be read before or after reading issue #1 without spoiling anything. Page 1In the original version, we start with a cool noir action scene. But, since we changed the menu, we couldn’t serve the same dish twice in a row. I opted for a dream sequence, for readers to have a peek at the cool world of the Spirits of WuXing in the first pages. The series now follows Juan’s POV. Starting in his head became obvious because, as you’ll see later in the series, the “astral” plane plays a big role. See… That’s what I like about Intertwined: it has different influences and layers. We have Noir, we have Kung Fu, but we also have pulp, Chinese folklore, magic, social justice and spiritual vibes. For issue #0, my inspiration was the opening scene from the first episode of the Batman Beyond cartoon and The Big Boss, the first Bruce Lee movie. In issue #1, I had to find something else, hence the dream sequence. But I didn’t want it to be an action scene. I wanted something showing Juan Jin’s personality and how we’d be more than just and action/kung fu series. You’ll see here and there, in each episode, some social background. In Intertwined, a lot is happening behind the scenes.  There’s a panel I rewrote multiple times, to get the right tone. It’s the one where Juan compares himself to Peter Pan, or an Asian version of Peter Pan. I like that nod to the J.M. Barrie hero who inspired many comic book writers. And I always found the Disney version, by far the most popular, conveyed some… let’s say questionable designs for the main character: he has almond eyes and rabbit teeth. Which is typical of ethnic sterotypes in caricatures and some comics of the 20th century (Ming in Flash Gordon, Egg Fu, Fu Manchu,…). This is a very sensitive and important matter for both Fred, my co-creator, whose family comes from Vietnam, and myself. Juan Jin is a positive, powerful, Asian modern superhero. He’s not sorry for who he is. He wasn’t born in the United States so he has a lot of problems understanding how the American society puts the “race factor” front and center. He doesn’t see himself as Asian or Chinese first. He’s a human being before anything else. With great values. But representation, inclusion and diversity are major topics in Intertwined. Page 2We’re introduced to the Spirits of WuXing for the first time. At least three of them (out of five). They have a problem. One Spirit is dead (the Spirit of the Earth) and they have to find a solution. How the Spirit died is what triggers a chain of events that will involve Juan Jin. This is a game-changer in the History of Spirits. Usually, when a Spirit dies, he’s replaced by someone he or she chose. But here, the Spirit died with no replacement and the remaining Spirits are freaking out. They feel they need to find that person themselves. They’ll, sort of, play the sorcerer’s apprentice and there will be consequences for that. But for now, they set their sights on Juan.  Page 3Juan wakes up to “I Got You” from Sonny and Cher. It’s just me loving that wake-up scene from Groundhog Day and paying homage to it (laughs). It’s not easy to present a character in very few panels. Fred and I discussed that page a lot. I came up with the idea that he was so obsessed with his martial arts tournament, that he was practicing all the time. So he’d even practice in the shower. Fred even put impacts on the walls in that panel. That’s how much of a fighter Juan Jin is! Last panel, there’s also a poster for The Big Boss. Fred added that. He’s the ultimate Bruce Lee fan. I am, for sure. But Fred is the biggest fan ever. One of the reasons that brought us together is Bruce Lee. And with Intertwined, we’re also paying homage to those movies we’d rent at the video club and see in VHS when we were kids. From that perspective, Intertwined is a labor of love. And believe me when I say that Bruce Lee’s words and philosophy helped me a great deal making this book happen and trying to find my way, as an “alien worker” in America. I can’t stress enough how Intertwined is important for me as a writer and as a human being. It’s fiction, but it’s the kind you can relate to. Because, and even if a lot of people in the United States have forgotten that, we all come from somewhere else. And we have to find keys to happiness in a society that works differently than the one we were raised into. It’s like living in a parallel universe! It looks familiar, but it’s not. Pages 4-5On page 4, we see Juan going head to head with the Triads (the Chinese mob). There’s a little Triad emblem on the door of the mini-van one of them is driving (panel 3). This is real! The Chinese mafia has its own logo. It’s fascinating. These pages also have a Spider-Man feel to it. I guess I couldn’t help it. Can’t hide my Spider-Man Noir origins (laughs). Pages 6-9This is a classic! The scene between the master and the student. We’ve seen this one too many times in Kung Fu movies and even in Hollywood-made martial arts movies. The Master is important. But the student can also be as talented as he’s reckless, which is Juan’s case.  Page 10In panel 1, Yuki is introduced. He’s one of the 6 real-life characters who are part of our series. Yuki is a Kickstarter backer of ours. Making him a character was part of his package. I decided to make him the hero’s best friend in Hong Kong. This is a challenge also for Fred as he wasn’t really used to draw likenesses. But I believe Yuki was pleased. This page also shows us the beginning of a funeral service in Hong Kong. When I was researching for the series, I came across all sorts of article which pointed out how difficult and expensive burials were in the little Chinese territory. At some points, you had to wait months until you could organize and decent funeral for your relatives. This is one of the many real life issues I like to talk about. I don’t read a lot of fiction, but I’m a huge news reader. Reality is, of course, an incredible source of inspiration for comic book writers. Page 12Lady Xia is in the house! It’s no mystery that I love writing strong female characters. And even more if they’re mysterious too. I have a female-centric comic book that I’ve been working on for years with Leila Leiz called Harem. Leila is now doing Alters at Aftershock and I’m doing Intertwined at Dynamite, but I’m confident that, at one point, we’ll be able to go back and finish Harem together. For this one page, I simply said to Fred : “I want an Asian Audrey Hepburn”. And he designed the beautiful and deadly Lady Xia. In this issue, you don’t really understand who she is. You see her with mysterious men in the chapel. Then you see her with mobsters in the streets. She’s the unofficial leader of the Spirits. She’ll play a MAJOR role in the issues to come. Stay tuned!  Page 14-16This scene has been very tough to write but I’m very pleased with the result. It seems very simple, but it’s not. It’s an ordinary scene. An interaction between Juan and his mother. There’s a lot there. I tried to capture the relationship between a mother and her son in 1970s Hong Kong society. She’s tough. She’s cold. She never makes physical contact with her son. But you can see how much she cares. Fred is more comfortable with action scenes than with emotional ones. But there, he completely knocked it in conveying the right level of emotion. Oh, and since we’re in the 1970s, the mom smokes. It has become rare in modern comics. Not that I’m promoting cigarettes, quite the contrary, but it’s what the character does. You know, just like Wolverine back in the day… Just sayin’. Page 19-23I wrote this big street fight scene while watching one of my favorite movies, IpMan, with Donnie Yen. For fight scenes, I loosely write and the heavy lifting is done by Fred. First, he LOVES drawing fight scenes, and he’s the Kung Fu expert! His father and grandfather were already practicing and teaching Kung Fu. And the Spirit of Fire character is based on his brother Alex who’s also invested in martial arts. Fred often told me he’d draw positions as accurately as possible, based on his own moves, mixed with the main Kung Fu stars styles (such as Bruce Lee, of course. But also Jet Li or Donnie Yen). Pages 24-26These pages are also very dear to me. It’s obvious, but Intertwined is deeply rooted in Asian culture. I got the idea while I was on a trip in Beijing in 2015. And I’ve been exposed to the Chinese world for a long time. My sister-in-law is Chinese and my brother, who’s a talented director, is fluent in Mandarin. He was even able to direct a movie, a web-series and many TV spots in that language with locals. That said, New York has always been a multi-cultural town. And the series was always going to reflect that. When page 24 opens, we’re on a boat. Juan has been dropped by sea pirates paid by Lady Xia on a boat that came from Haïti. Living in Brooklyn, I could realize how much the Haïtian community is generous, united and warm. I have Haïtian friends. We come from different countries, of course, but most of them speak French too, so we can easily communicate in a friendly way. And, just as there’s a lack of positive Asian heroes in comics, there’s a lack of Haïtian heroes too (because frankly, Marvel’s Brother Voodoo is so cliché). When I started talking about it with my friends, they were very happy and just said: “thank you”. They were honored. I intend to respect their culture and their personalities, just like all the characters in my books. I want to publicly thank my friend Roobens for helping me with Haïtian Creole too! There’s also a character named Antwan who’s based on Haïtian-Canadian stand-up comedian Anthony Kavanagh. Anthony is an old friend of my family. His career is in France now, but he always has been a comic book fan too. Antwan is set to become a new kind of hero. Hopefully, with success, I’ll be able to tell his story and show that Haïtian heroes are much more than voodoo-inspired characters!  Next?You probably ask yourself this question: the creators said Intertwined was “Kung Fu Noir”, but it’s more Kung Fu than Noir. Yes and no. As I said, this is a journey. If you look closely at the Intertwined logo, you’ll see New York on the left and Hong Kong on the right. Juan Jin goes from “Happy HK” to “Dark Chinatown”. This doesn’t happen in an episode. Issue #2 is definitely more Noir-infused, with half the issue taking place in a rude prison facility. And it’s getting darker as we delve into the series. Be prepared. This is just the beginning! 05/02/25 @ 6:25 pm EST
Tanner Buchanan, Garrett Wareing and Quvenzhané Wallis have been tapped to star in a supernatural horror thriller “Hide and Don’t Speak,” with “The Beast Within” helmer Alexander J. Farrell directing. Range Media, which produced “Longlegs” and “The Monkey,” is shepherding the feature with Mister Smith introducing to buyers in Cannes. In “Hide and Don’t Speak,” six teenagers “play a terrifying viral Japanese game in which the players summon a vengeful spirit for a deadly round of hide-and-seek,” the synopsis reads. Currently in pre-production with production planned for later this year, “Hide and Don’t Speak” has a script from Farrell and Greer Ellison, and is loosely based on the real-life viral internet game hitori kakurenbo. (via Variety) 05/02/25 @ 6:08 pm EST
Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock have reteamed to star in an untitled romantic thriller film in development at Amazon MGM Studios. Noah Oppenheim is writing the script, plot details of which are being kept under wraps. The film reunites Reeves, Bullock, and producer Mark Gordon following their work together on the 1994 hit film, Speed. Gordon and Oppenheim brought the idea for the film to Reeves and Bullock who went on to develop the film with them. Bullock will produce via Fortis Films, as will costar Reeves in addition to Gordon and Bibby Dunn via The Mark Gordon Company, and Noah Oppenheim and Sarah Bremner via Prologue Entertainment. (via Deadline) 05/02/25 @ 6:02 pm EST
BOOM! Studios, in collaboration with leading games, IP and toy company Hasbro, today revealed an exciting first look at VR TROOPERS #1; spinning out of Power Rangers Prime comes a brand-new story from returning team of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers veterans, writer Mairghread Scott and artist Sebastián Piriz, the exciting first chapter in the new six-issue series VR TROOPERS! Coming this Summer from BOOM! Studios–the ONLY place to get new, official POWER RANGERS comics.
The VR Troopers are the most elite of the Eltarian empire’s human heroes on Earth, but what secrets are the Eltarian’s keeping? When VR Ryan tracks down a rogue Skug, he’ll come face-to-face with a foe who will change his understanding of VR—and himself—forever! VR TROOPERS #1 features a main cover by acclaimed artist Taurin Clarke (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), with variants by James Stokoe (Godzilla), Christian Ward (Invisible Kingdom), Dan Panosian (The Last Boy), Goñi Montes (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Jorge Corona (Transformers), and series artist Sebastián Piriz! VR TROOPERS is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; bestselling horror anthology Hello Darkness; Grim by Stephanie Phillips and Flaviano; Stuff of Nightmares by R.L. Stine and A.L. Kaplan; A Vicious Circle by Mattson Tomlin and Lee Bermejo; Ghostlore by Cullen Bunn and Leomacs; Rare Flavours by Ram V and Filipe Andrade; Underheist by David and Maria Lapham; Animal Pound by Tom King and Peter Gross; Minor Arcana by Jeff Lemire; Vicarious by Ryan Parrott and Eleonora Carlini; The Creeping Below by Brian Azzarello and Vanesa Del Rey; Bronze Faces by Shobo, Shof, and Alexandre Tefenkgi; In Bloom by Michael W. Conrad and John J. Pearson; and When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee by Gus Moreno and Jakub Rebelka. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Corrino from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Simone Ragazzoni; Power Rangers Prime by Melissa Flores and Michael YG; and The Expanse: Dragon Tooth by Andy Diggle, Rubine, and Francesco Pisa. VR TROOPERS #1 will be available in comic shops on June 25, 2025. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play.                
... 05/02/25 @ 5:55 pm EST
Thunderbolts* stormed to $11.5 million in Thursday previews in a promising start for Marvel’s ensemble superhero film. The star-studded movie, led by Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan, kicks off the summer box office in what’s become a tradition for Kevin Feige‘s studio with only a few exceptions. The movie is winning over critics and audiences alike; as of Friday morning, Thunderbolts* boasted a 95 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the third-highest score for a title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a tie with Spider-Man: Far From Home and behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (98 percent) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (97 percent). It’s still early, of course, and scores can change by one or two points as the weekend wears on. And on PostTrak exit polls, audiences are giving it a rave 4.5 out 5 stars. The unexpected spring bloom currently underway at the box office — led by Ryan Coogler’s sleeper sensation Sinners — proves that people want the communal experience of watching a film together. Thunderbolts* is a pivotal moment for Marvel as it kicks off a new hoped-for franchise. Directed by Jake Schreier, the film brings together a band of dysfunctional outsiders — and lesser-known comic book characters — who discover their potential to be heroes when working together. (via The Hollywood Reporter) 05/02/25 @ 5:48 pm EST
In the aftermath of Deadpool & Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds remained firm that he did not see another solo Deadpool movie in his future. That was despite the film grossing $1.338 billion, a number that validated the extraordinary amount of creative control he wields over the franchise, and which proved he was the most valuable new player in the Marvel Studios arsenal. Now, nine months after Deadpool & Wolverine became the top-grossing R-rated movie of all time, Reynolds is quietly plotting his return to the character, but true to his word, it won’t be as the lead of a solo movie. Reynolds is exploring ideas for a Deadpool movie that would feature X-Men characters, as well as continuing to script the Paramount comedy Boy Band after making writing a priority for much of this year before tackling other obligations, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting. The multi-hyphenate is working on various treatments for an ensemble film featuring three or four X-Men characters. Deadpool would of course appear, but perhaps only as a supporting player. Reynolds is said to believe that keeping his f-bomb wielding anti-hero more on the sidelines could allow for the X-Men characters to be used in unexpected ways. Reynolds has been open about every Deadpool movie needing a strong reason to exist, and it’s possible this could provide the avenue he needs. Reynolds' proposed film is separate from a potential X-Men movie that Hunger Games writer Michael Lesslie is penning for Marvel Studios. 05/01/25 @ 2:10 pm EST
Lily James will star in the thriller Photo Booth. HanWay films and UTA Independent Film Group have boarded the film and will launch sales in Cannes. The film is set to start principal photography this October in Australia and London. James stars in the lead role of Jean Bouchet, a world-renowned performance artist who has decided to put her career before having children, and Raffey Cassidy (The Brutalist, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) is in the role of Millie, a young, free-spirited woman very much still figuring life out. The full synopsis reads: Jean (James), a renowned performance artist at the height of her career, has always chosen ambition over family. But after another devastating setback in her struggle to have a child with her artist husband Ben, their carefully curated life and marriage begin to fracture. When Ben confesses to a drunken one-night stand with Millie (Raffey Cassidy) – a fragile, rootless young woman now unexpectedly pregnant — Jean makes a radical and unorthodox choice: she invites Millie into their home, offering financial support in exchange for the baby. What starts as a calculated attempt to regain control quickly spirals into emotional chaos. Boundaries blur, loyalties shift, and resentments fester as the trio spirals towards implosion. All the while, Jean is racing towards the opening of her major retrospective at the Tate Modern, a career-defining moment shadowed by personal upheaval. As the retrospective nears, Jean reflects on her body of work: equally raw, visceral performances that chart the fault lines of her life, culminating in Photo Booth – her most intimate piece yet, rooted in childhood trauma and her estranged, alcoholic mother, Eileen. As reality blurs and tensions explode, Jean is forced to confront the ultimate question: can love survive the truth? (via Deadline) ... 05/01/25 @ 2:01 pm EST
Today Skybound and Image Comics, in collaboration with leading games, IP and toy company Hasbro, revealed interior pages and the lineup of variant covers for Void Rivals #19. This all-new story arc will feature the blockbuster creative team of writer Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead), artist Conor Hughes (White Ash, The Game), colorist Patricio Delpeche (The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country), and letterer Rus Wooton (Fire Power). Jumpstarting the third story arc of the space opera, Void Rivals #19 hits comic book shops on May 28, 2025. Void Rivals #19 serves as a standalone Skuxxoid epic, with the breakout fan-favorite of the Energon Universe taking center stage. Who is Skuxxoid? What is Skuxxoid? This issue answers all of your burning questions and more! Plus, the first appearance of Wreck-Gar and the Junkions. Each issue of Void Rivals promises to take readers further into the Energon Universe, with more familiar faces to appear, including some of the most popular TRANSFORMERS bots, allies, and enemies! "Robert has been pretty transparent about how close Skuxxoid has come to taking over this series in the past and it’s finally happened,” said executive editor Ben Abernathy. “Even non-Skuxxoid fans are in for a treat as this issue has it all—an amazing new artist with Conor Huges coming aboard, incredible first appearances for the Energon Universe...and Skuxxoid’s darkest secret revealed!” Void Rivals #19 will feature a main cover by Lorenzo De Felici, along with a lineup of variant covers including an open-to-order cover B by Conor Hughes, a 1:10 incentive variant kicking off a new connecting cover series by Martín Morazzo and Patricio Delpeche, a 1:25 incentive variant by Eric Canete, a 1:50 incentive variant by Patricia Martín, a 1:100 incentive variant by E.J. Su, and a blank sketch cover. Void Rivals is a tentpole of the Energon Universe, the crown jewel of the historic collaboration between Hasbro and Skybound, who has introduced a brand-new era of the TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE franchises in one shared comic book universe. Other Energon Universe ongoing series include the two-time Eisner Award winning TRANSFORMERS by writer Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Do a Powerbomb), artist Jorge Corona (Middlewest), and colorist Mike Spicer (Stillwater, Murder Falcon) and G.I. JOE by writer Joshua Williamson (Superman, Dark Ride), artist Andrea Milana (Cobra Commander), colorist Lee Loughridge (Universal Monsters: The Mummy). Fans should expect can’t-miss moments from every issue of the Energon Universe, as secrets are unveiled along the path to answering the BIG questions from some of the biggest franchises in comics today. Void Rivals #19 (Lunar Codes Coming Soon $3.99) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday May 28, 2025. The full list of covers is below: Void Rivals #19 Cover A by Lorenzo De Felici (Lunar Code: 0325IM381) Void Rivals #19 Cover B by Conor Hughes (Lunar Code: 0325IM382) Void Rivals #19 Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive – Connecting) by Martín Morazzo (Lunar Code: 0325IM383) Void Rivals #19 Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive) by Eric Canete (Lunar Code: 0325IM384) Void Rivals #19 Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive) by Patricia Martin (Lunar Code: 0325IM385) Void Rivals #19 Cover F (1:100 Copy Incentive) by E.J. Su (Lunar Code: 0325IM386) Void Rivals #19 Cover G Blank Sketch Cover (Lunar Code: 0325IM387) 
 
... 05/01/25 @ 1:54 pm EST
Matt Reeves’ Batman Universe has been a breath of fresh air for DC. Reeves decided to embrace a grounded vision with his first movie, and The Batman was embraced by critics and fans alike. Its success spawned a television spinoff centered around Colin Farrell’s Oz Cobb. The Penguin was another smash hit, but after it wrapped up its first season, it felt like another outing wasn’t at the top of DC’s to-do list. Reeves and Warner Bros. have yet to embrace The Penguin continuing. They haven’t ruled it out completely, but there’s no sense of urgency, to the point that Farrell is moving on to other things. He even had another DC project lined up, but it has hit a fork in the road, which could be just what Penguin ordered. Farrell signed on to star in Sgt. Rock for DC. A World War II soldier who DC Studios head James Gunn found interesting enough to include in his animated series Creature Commandos, Sgt. Rock was in line to get his own movie. While Sgt. Rock was on track to film in summer 2025, production issues forced a delay. The movie will now look to film in summer 2026, and that just may be good news for the future of The Penguin, as it gives the powers that be an entire year to get the ball rolling with Farrell and Co. The Penguin is streaming now on Max. (via ComicBook.com) 05/01/25 @ 1:31 pm EST
Shudder has acquired the distribution rights to the supernatural thriller Good Boy in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand following the film’s premiere at SXSW in March. Good Boy, which redefines the haunted house genre by telling its horror tale through the eyes of a family dog, is co-written and directed by Ben Leonberg. Alex Cannon also co-writes. Leonberg’s directorial debut stars his dog, Indy, who finds himself on a new adventure with his human owner — and best friend — Todd, leaving city life for a long-vacant family home in the country. From the start, two things are abundantly clear: Indy is wary of the creepy old house, and his affection for Todd is unwavering. Indy’s new world is immediately filled with unease: he senses invisible presences, follows phantom tracks, receives chilling warnings from a ghostly dog, and is haunted by glimpses of the previous resident’s gruesome demise. When a dark influence begins to grip Todd, Indy must fight a malevolence intent on pulling him into the afterlife. (via Deadline) 05/01/25 @ 3:46 am EST
Jonathan Hickman’s sweeping new cosmic epic, IMPERIAL, arrives this June. Known for his influential work on Fantastic Four, Avengers, and X-Men as well as the creation of Marvel’s hit new Ultimate line, the visionary writer will now team up with superstar artists Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello to revolutionize Marvel’s galactic canon in this four-part event series. The series lays the foundation for an entire new landscape of interconnected space-set series, making it the must-read comic book of the summer. And now, fans can see all the covers for the debut issue including pieces by acclaimed artists Adi Granov, Peach Momoko, Miguel Mercado, Alessandro Cappuccio, and Skottie Young. Plus, check the first of a four-part connecting cover by Javier Garrón, a new cover in Todd Nauck’s Iconic Variant Cover series, and a Hidden Gem cover by Jim Lee! The covers feature all the major players involved in the wars to come, including Hulk and She-Hulk, who return to Sakaar to restore order; Nova and Star-Lord, who team up to prevent the galaxy from falling into the worst hands; and the Shi’ar, who will be torn asunder in a battle for the throne! JONATHAN HICKMAN, FEDERICO VICENTINI AND IBAN COELLO TAKE ON THE UNIVERSE! IMPERIAL finds the galaxies of the Marvel Universe on the brink of major upheaval, following the elimination of several of its most prominent leaders. Nature abhors a vacuum, and empires fall, rulers are overthrown and power is seized in a saga of intrigue, mysteries and war, all taking place against the backdrop of the formation of new galactic order in the Marvel Universe. “I’m very excited about this project as I’m obviously a huge fan of all things Marvel Cosmic,” Hickman said. “The goal here is to kind of do what we did with the recent Ultimate line for all of our space titles, except having the setup book (IMPERIAL) be more of an event than a world building exercise (like Ultimate Invasion). The art team is killing it and we’re all just very excited for what’s happening in this special corner of the Marvel Universe.” Two of Marvel’s Stormbreakers, a group of Marvel’s most elite talent, Vicentini (Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Wolverine) and Coello (Venom War, Fantastic Four) have brought their innovative style and creativity to nearly ever corner of the Marvel Universe. Now, these two celebrated artists embark on their boldest venture yet. In addition to their interior artwork, Vicentini and Coello are delivering spectacular new designs for characters, locales and more as they bring a whole new era of storytelling to life within the pages of IMPERIAL and beyond! “Working with Hickman is a great challenge,” Vicentini shared. “I love his scripts. He writes really brilliant dialogue and puts incredible attention to details when it comes to the story’s setting. I had only knew Hickman as a reader, so it was incredible to be approached to work with him and Iban, who is a phenomenal artist! I'm working hard to produce my best work, and I'm certainly having a lot of fun!” "Being involved in this project is incredible,” Coello added. “Creating all these new characters and costumes is really fun. Working with Hickman is something I never expected to be able to do, and it's both cool and intimidating at the same time because of the magnitude of what he's doing in the scripts. I look forward to being able to rise to the challenge and do a great job!" Preorder IMPERIAL #1 at your local comic shop and stay tuned for more IMPERIAL news in the months ahead, including new tie-in announcements.          
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