Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment have officially announced Skybound Comet, a new imprint specializing in original graphic novels for Young Adult (ages 12+) and Middle Grade (ages 8-12) readers.
Skybound Comet is slated to launch wherever books are sold in July 2022 with a new YA OGN starring the fan-favorite Walking Dead character Clementine, who was originally created for Telltale Games' The Walking Dead and is set to make her comic book debut in the first issue of the weekly Skybound X series next month. Written and illustrated by Tillie Walden (Spinning, On a Sunbeam), Clementine Book One will be the first in a trilogy of graphic novels set in Robert Kirkman's Walking Dead universe.
The Skybound Comet imprint continues in September 2022 with Everyday Hero Machine Boy OGN by rising stars Tri Vuong and Irma Kniivila. Then, in October 2022, Mairghread Scott (Star Wars: Resistance, Guardians of the Galaxy) and Pablo Tunica (TMNT Universe) kick off a new trilogy of their own with Sea Serpent's Heir Book One. Machine Boy and Aella (Sea Serpent's Heir's main protagonist) also make their debuts next month in Skybound X #2 and Skybound X #4, respectively.
"The goal of Skybound has always been to create the best comics that bring new readers to the medium we love so much, and Skybound Comet is the next step in that mission," said Skybound Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief Sean Mackiewicz. "We'll be not only exploring pop culture phenomenon like The Walking Dead from a whole new perspective, but also bringing you entirely new worlds and new characters that we know will capture the hearts of readers of all ages."
"These three launches are only the beginning of our long-term graphic novel plan," added Senior Editor Alex Antone. "We're committed to igniting the imaginations of young people with exciting new genre adventures from diverse storytellers for many years to come."
It's a new beginning for Clementine, the star of the bestselling video game franchise TELLTALE'S THE WALKING DEAD, in Clementine Book One, as she's back on the road, looking to put her traumatic past behind her and forge new path all her own. But when she comes across an Amish teenager named Amos with his head in the clouds, the unlikely pair journeys North to an abandoned ski resort in Vermont, where they meet up with a small group of teenagers attempting to build a new, walker-free settlement. As friendship, rivalry, and romance begin to blossom amongst the group, the harsh winter soon reveals that the biggest threat to their survival…might be each other.
"Starting out with a character like Clementine is both a huge responsibility and joy," said Walden. "Clementine is a person who brings adventure with her everywhere she goes, and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to take her beyond the world of the games, to somewhere new and thrilling (like the top of a mountain!). She is a force and drawing and writing her story has been one of the best experiences in my cartooning life."
In Everyday Hero Machine Boy, the titular hero falls from the sky to the domed city of Mega 416, leaving a wake of destruction in his path…until Karate Grandpa is able to turn on his heart. Now, Machine Boy wants nothing more than to become a hero! Whether he is fighting giant bugs in the school's basement, rescuing cats from trees, or making the perfect spaghetti sauce, Machine Boy is always looking for the best way to help others. But when his heart begins to interact dangerously with other debris from space, Machine Boy wonders if he can be a power for good after all.
"Machine Boy was initially inspired by '80s anime, 16-bit video games, and kung fu movies but as Irma and I delved deeper into his world, we found ourselves telling a story about the pain and joys of growing up," said Vuong. "Hopefully it touches on those collective childhood memories and experiences that we all seem to share."
"The world of Everyday Hero Machine Boy kept getting more ludicrous as we worked on the story, but somehow more real," added Kniivila. "I wanted to live in Mega416 and could relate to the characters, even though that character might be a chicken jock. We had a lot of big feelings while working on this story, and hope that it inspires big feelings too!"
The end of the world is coming in Sea Serpent's Heir Book One as a teen named Aella on Kinamen Isle spends her days fishing and minding her aunts, dreaming of life beyond the horizon. Everything changes, however, when she awakens an ancient evil within herself as it's revealed that she's the reincarnation of Xir, the serpent that almost destroyed the world. Worse yet, a fanatical religious organization has arrived on Kinamen Isle in search of Xir.
"Adolescence is about finding yourself," said Scott. "Like finding out you're destined to destroy the world, or that your whole village is made up of blood-thirsty pirates, or that… Okay, adolescence isn't usually like this. There are a lot of books about young women discovering they're destined to save the world. This book is about a young woman who learns she's destined to destroy it, and what exactly she does next."
"In this strange world, with its stormy nights, tropical islands and ruthless magical pirates, I see echoes of the darkest Jim Henson or Arthur Rackham but I also see the mystery of the first kisses and the tenderness of mythological beasts," added Tunica. "And if I mention the horror of the dark and the curiosity about magic, it is because that is precisely the feeling of growing up."
Skybound Comet launches in 2022. Its releases will be available in comic shops, bookstores and on digital platforms.
Source: Image Comics/Skybound Entertainment
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