Today at the San Diego Comic-Con, IDW announced and gave details on a trio of new projects. I just recently bought both volumes of The Compleat John Byrne’s Next Men so I will be up to speed when the new series launches. Also, new stories featuring The Rocketeer written and drawn by some of the best talent in comics? Yeah, that one is going on my pullbox list. Lastly, there are some details on the new Star Trek mini-series featuring Khan Noonian Singh and his life between his appearance in the Original Series and his return in the second Star Trek feature film. Here’s what the publisher had to say about each series:
JOHN BYRNE’S NEXT MEN
Debuting in 1991, Byrne’s Next Men originally ran for thirty issues and a standalone prequel graphic novel, 2112. Next Men developed an all-new world of superheroes grounded in modern reality. The series quickly became one of the most critically acclaimed runs of Byrne’s remarkable career, but ceased publication in 1995 and left fans with a cliffhanger at the end of issue 30. Now, coinciding with the twentieth anniversary of the original first issue, Byrne and IDW invite fans back into the world of the Next Men.
“When John started working for us three or four years ago, two things happened, and have been happening pretty much every month since then,” said IDW’s CCO/Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall. “I’ve been asking John about doing new Next Men comics, and fans have been e-mailing me demanding that we do new Next Men stories. Happily, after all this time, John is going to quiet us all down and do just that.”
John Byrne’s Next Men returns to stores in December 2010.
Dave Steven’s The Rocketeer
Coming in 2011, IDW’s The Rocketeer mini-series will be written and drawn by some of today’s finest comics creators, including Mike Allred, Kurt Busiek, John Cassaday, Darwyn Cooke, Michael Golden, Gene Ha, Michael Kaluta, Garry Leach, Bruce Timm, Bill Willingham, and many more. Alex Ross will supply stunning covers on each issue.
The Rocketeer by Dave Stevens was first published in 1982, and appeared sporadically into the mid 1990s. Despite this infrequent publishing schedule, the series developed an intensely devoted fan-following that treasured each new installment. Tragically, Stevens passed away in 2008 after a lengthy battle with Leukemia. In remembrance of this brilliant artist, a substantial portion of profits earned from this new mini-series will be donated to Hairy Cell Leukemia research by the estate of Dave Stevens, the creators involved, and IDW Publishing.
“Dave Stevens was an incredibly talented artist and a wonderful person,” said IDW Special Projects Editor Scott Dunbier. “I would like to think that he would be happy with a book like this, one that pays such loving tribute to his greatest creation.”
The Rocketeer #1 (of 4) will be available in stores in 2011.
Star Trek: Khan: Ruling in Hell
Coming in October, this four-issue series answers the question that all Star Trek fans have been asking for decades: What happened to Khan and his followers on Ceti Alpha V? Star Trek: Khan: Ruling in Hell answers just that, explaining how this once proud warrior-king turns into the grizzled maniac seen in Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan. To celebrate this next phase in Khan canon, IDW is offering an exclusive plush doll, available only through select comic retail stores.
“Khan is the classic Star Trek villain, and the Tipton brothers have crafted a truly engrossing story, one that eloquently spans the gaps in Khan’s history and makes his story whole,” said editor Scott Dunbier.
When he first appeared in Star Trek’s episode “Space Seed,” Khan is an elegant, charming, and ambitious superhuman. After being marooned on an uninhabited planet by Captain Kirk for fifteen years, the Khan of Star Trek II is twisted by loss and driven to the ends of sanity by an unquenchable thirst for revenge. Available with the first issue of Star Trek: Khan: Ruling in Hell, IDW’s exclusive Khan plush captures the vengeful tyrant, complete with mysterious black glove. Fans interested in the plush should contact their local comic store retailer, or visit comicshoplocator.com.
Star Trek: Khan: Ruling in Hell will be written by fan-favorite team Scott and David Tipton, with Fabio Mantovani bringing this fascinating and heart-wrenching story to life. Joe Corroney and Michael Stribling provide eye-catching covers for the debut issue. Star Trek: Khan: Ruling in Hell is a licensed product of CBS Consumer Products.
Star Trek: Khan: Ruling in Hell #1 (of 4) will be available in stores in October.