Tag Archives: pilot season

Preview – Pilot Season: Crosshair #1

Official Press Release

PILOT SEASON: CROSSHAIR #1

(W) Jeff Katz  (A) Allan Jefferson  (Cov) Marc Silvestri

Pilot Season Begins Anew as a 5 Week Event in 2010!
After settling into the life of loving husband and devoted father in the suburbs, a former assassin for the CIA learns he’s been brainwashed to kill the President of the United States. To his horror, Justin Weller has discovered that in less than 48 hours something or someone will trigger his suppressed program and send him into deadly and irreversible action. Weller must discover his triggering mechanism and uncover who is behind the conspiracy that will pitch the world into chaos.

Created and co-written by Top Cow founder Marc Silvestri (X-Men/Dark Avengers: Utopia) and co-writer Jeff Katz (Booster Gold) with art by Allan Jefferson (War Machine), Crosshair introduces a new kind of action comic.

32 Pages / Full Color / Pilot Issue / $3.99

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Top Cow: December 2010 Solicitations

Official Press Release

Top Cow Items Shipping In December 2010

Witchblade #144
(W) Ron Marz                  (A) Stjepan Sejic                  (Cov) Stjepan Sejic, Jean-Sebastien Rossbach

Witchblade 15th Anniversary Issue!

In 1995, Marc Silvestri, Michael Turner, David Wohl, and Brian Haberlin created a new kind of comic heroine with the origin of Sara Pezzini, the latest in a long line of bearers of the mystical gauntlet known as the Witchblade. In an over-sized 15th Anniversary issue, Ron Marz and StjepanSejic tell Sara’s origin from a new perspective, planting seeds that soon will bear deadly fruit!

Featuring two spellbinding covers including a wraparound retrospective by series artist Sejic and an iconic painting by fantasy illustrator Jean-Sebastien Rossbach (Magic: The Gathering). Also including special anniversary features, pin ups, and much more! Plus ask your retailer about a FREE matching digital download of this issue with purchase.

Cover A – Stjepan Sejic

Cover B – Jean-Sebastien Rossbach

Full Color             48 pages             $4.99              ongoing series
Expected Ship Date – December 29th, 2010

Witchblade Annual 2010
(W) Ron Marz                  (A) Tony Shasteen                  (Cov) Tom Feister

Witchblade 15th Anniversary Issue!

Sara Pezzini comes face to face with a former Witchblade bearer, a Russian soldier who served during the frozen Siege of Stalingrad, a pivotal battle in World War II. What tale does she have to tell Sara? Witchblade bearers past and present come together in a one-of-a-kind story, with amazing art by New York Times bestselling illustrator Tony Shasteen (The Talisman).

Featuring two striking covers by Tom Feister (GI Joe: Origins, The Darkness) and Tony Shasteen along with a bonus back up feature!

Cover A – Tom Feister

Cover B – Tony Shasteen

Full Color  48 pages  $4.99   annual
Expected Ship Date – December 15th, 2010

Witchblade 15th Anniversary Stjepan Sejic Poster

(A) Stjepan Sejic

Get the iconic cover image of Witchblade by Stjepan Sejic for your office, bedroom, or comic room wall as a 24” x 36” full color poster!

Full Color                        $7.99                        Poster
Expected Ship Date – December 29th, 2010

Top Cow 2011 Calendar

(A) Top Cow’s Finest

Just in time for the holidays comes a 12 Month 2011 calendar featuring all of your favorite Top Cow characters including Witchblade, The Darkness, Magdalena, and many more by artists such as Stjepan Sejic, Ryan Sook, Marc Silvestri, and more!

Full Color            24 pages             $7.99                        Calendar
Expected Ship Date – December 29th, 2010

Artifacts #5 (of 13)

(W) Ron Marz (A) Whilce Portacio      (Cov) Nic Klein, John Tyler Christopher

Your Second Chance to Jump In!

The first chapter of Artifacts concluded with a shocking cliffhanger and the second chapter shows no sign of letting up! With all of the players on the board, the antagonist manipulating the Bearers of the Artifacts moves to complete his plan for utter annihilation of the world. But how do the members of Cyberforce fit into the machinations of the supernatural?

From Top Cow Universe architect Ron Marz (Witchblade, Magdalena) andwelcoming legendary artist Whilce Portacio (The Darkness, Uncanny X-Men) comes an event series, which will literally shake the Top Cow Universe to its foundation. Featuring a gorgeous cover by Nic Klein (Viking) as well as a variant cover featuring Michael “Finn” Finnegan by John Tyler Christopher (Witchblade).

Each issue will also feature a Top Cow Origin backup written by Marz and drawn by a superstar artist.

Cover A – Nic Klein

Cover B – John Tyler Christopher

Full Color 32 pages $3.99  limited series

Expected Ship Date – December 29th, 2010

Top Cow Baseball Cap

Show off your allegiance to the Herd with this stylish red one-size-fits-all baseball cap featuring a white Top Cow Productions logo. Initially available only at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.

Red/White                        $19.99                        baseball cap

The Darkness #90

(W) Phil Hester (A) Sheldon Mitchell      (Cov) Bane

Outer Darkness, Part 2 of 6!

Jackie Estacado has risen from mob hitman to absolute kingpin. He has defeated countless enemies of indescribable power, and even ruled an entire country. Now the only enemy left is The Darkness itself, the very source of Jackie’s power. Can he defeat it before it consumes the last shred of his humanity? And will the mysterious Foreigner join Jackie in battle, or simply put him out of his misery?

Full Color 32 pages $2.99  ongoing series

Expected Ship Date – December 15th, 2010

Pilot Season: Stealth Sketch Top Cow Store Variant Cover

(W) Robert Kirkman (A) Sheldon Mitchell (Cov) Marc Silvestri

Get this limited edition sketch variant cover by co-creator Marc Silvestri, previously available exclusively from the Top Cow Store. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.

Full Color            32 pages            $10.00            Top Cow Store Exclusive

Magdalena #6

(W) Ron Marz (A) Nelson Blake II (Cov) Ryan Sook

Patience Confronts the Anti-Christ!

The moment Patience has been dreading has arrived. Slaying demons and battling evil cult members is righteous. Rebelling against a Church hierarchy she knows is corrupt is virtuous. But now, faced with executing a young boy who may bring about the end of the world, Patience will discover how far she’s willing to go to wield the Spear of Destiny and bear the mantle of Magdalena…

Full Color 32 pages $3.99  ongoing series

Expected Ship Date – December 22nd, 2010

Top Cow Holiday 2010 Special

(W) Phil Smith (A) Alina Urusov (Cov) Alina Urusov

Featuring Witchblade, The Darkness, Angelus, Magdalena, Cyberforce, Hunter-Killer and other Top Cow Universe favorites!

When a distraught mother surrenders her baby at a New York City fire station during a winter snowstorm, Sara Pezzini, Jackie Estacado, the Hunter-Killers, and other Top Cow Universe characters find themselves pulled together in the spirit of the holidays to aid the innocent newborn. What quickly becomes apparent is there are larger sinister forces at play here with the baby as the focal point of a supernatural event that will take Top Cow greatest heroes banding together to save, not only a city, but a single child as well.

Full Color 32 pages $3.99  one shot

Expected Ship Date – December 15th, 2010

Jingle Belle: Grounded Special

(W) Paul Dini (A) Stephanie Gladden (Cov) Stephanie Gladden

A fan favorite holiday character returns!

When Jing again breaks her parents rules, she is forced to spend Christmas Eve GROUNDED. But when Santa is also caught in a lie, he has to share the same punishment! Neither father nor daughter can leave the North Pole until they apologize, and with the contentious Kringles not speaking to each other, Christmas is doomed!

Full Color 32 pages $3.99  one shot

Expected Ship Date – December 1st, 2010

Jingle Belle: Stocking Stuffers TPB

(W) Paul Dini (A) Stephanie Gladden, Various (Cov) Stephanie Gladden

A gigantic treasure trove of new and classic Jingle Belle stories!

When Jing again breaks her parents rules, she is forced to spend Christmas Eve GROUNDED. But when Santa is also caught in a lie, he has to share the same punishment! Neither father nor daughter can leave the North Pole until they apologize, and with the contentious Kringles not speaking to each other, Christmas is doomed! In SLAYBELLE, Jing teams up with Halloween witch Polly Green to create a new holiday horror movie. Their film features a psycho St. Nick’s helper (played by Jing) who offs mall Santas in gleefully gruesome ways. “It’s a Wonderful Life?” Not by a long shot!

The collection also features new and never before seen short stories, pin-ups and one-page strips staring Polly, Super Rica and Rashy, Ida Red, and other characters from the extended Jingle Belle universe. As a special bonus, it reprints the popular book-length story “Jingle Belle: Santa Claus VS Frankenstein!”

Full Color 120 pages $14.99  trade paperback

Expected Ship Date – December 8th, 2010

Magdalena Origin Volume 1 TPB

(W) Malachy Coney, Marcia Chen (A) Joe Benitez (Cov) Joe Benitez

Discover the Origin of the Magdalena!

Patience was not the first Magdalena. Not even the first to make her presence known in the modern Top Cow Universe. Go back and rediscover the origins of the Order of the Magdalena in this first of two “Origin” trade paperback volumes.

This collected edition includes the first appearance of the Magdalena by Malachy Coney and superstar Joe Benitez when she came to slay Jackie Estacado in The Darkness Vol. 1 #15-#18. Also collected in this edition is the first three issue limited series starring the Magdalena by Marcia Chen (Wriathborn) and Joe Benitez.

Full Color 176 pages $14.99  trade paperback

Expected Ship Date – December 8th, 2010

Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer San Diego Exclusive Hard Cover

(W) Mark Waid (A) Kenneth Rocafort (Cov) Kenneth Rocafort

Get this extremely limited edition (250 copies made) convention variant hard cover edition of Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer. Featuring a wraparound cover by series artist Kenneth Rocafort, previously available exclusively at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.

Full Color            160 pages            $30.00            Convention Exclusive

The Darkness Accursed Volume 4 Trade Paperback

(W) Phil Hester (A) Phil Hester, Michael Broussard, Whilce Portacio (Cov) Michael Broussard & Steve Firchow

Guest-Starring Hunter-Killer!

Jackie Estacado, the current bearer of The Darkness, was blackmailed and lied to by a devil calling himself The Sovereign. Now free from The Sovereign’s grips, Jackie has assembled a motley crew of criminals with one goal – destroy every last one of The Sovereign’s reliquaries. His quest will take him to the Florida Everglades, against the Russian Mob, and even into Fort Knox. Collecting issues #80-84 and featuring art by Michael Broussard (Artifacts), Phil Hester (Firebreather, Green Arrow), and comic industry legend Whilce Portacio (Uncanny X-Men).

“If you’re ready to go deeper into a hard-boiled fantasy, then The Darkness could be for you.” – Newsarama

“…Hester totally hooked me…” – Crave Online

“The Darkness maintains a steady quality that other comics only dream of attaining.” – OneMetal.com

“The Darkness continues to be one of the best books out there right now in terms of consistency.” – NFamous Gamers

Full Color 176 pages $14.99  trade paperback

Expected Ship Date – December 22nd, 2010

Berserker San Diego Exclusive Hard Cover

(W) Rick Loverd (A) Jeremy Haun (Cov) Jeremy Haun, Dale Keown

Get this extremely limited edition (250 copies made) convention variant hard cover edition of Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer. Featuring a wraparound cover by series artist Kenneth Rocafort, previously available exclusively at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.

Full Color            160 pages            $30.00            Convention Exclusive

Echoes #1 (of 5)

(W) Joshua Hale Fialkov (A) Rahsan Ekedal      (Cov) Rahsan Ekedal

The First Shocking Suspense Series from Minotaur!

Brian Cohn is a diagnosed schizophrenic leading a simple, uncomplicated life in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. He’s expecting his first child with his wife. When he goes to visit his estranged Alzheimer’s afflicted father on his deathbed, the dying old man confesses to being a serial killer. Now Brian is faced with discovering a horrifying new side to his father and left wondering if we ever really escape familial legacies.

From acclaimed author Joshua Hale Fialkov (Tumor, Pilot Season: Alibi) and rising artist Rahsan Ekedal (Creepy) a disturbing story of murder and mystery wrapped in questions of sanity.

Grayscale 32 pages $2.99  limited series

Review – Pilot Season: The Asset #1


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Pilot Season Asset #1 COVA_stampedIt’s the second entry in the 2010 Pilot Season contest.  The Asset #1 written by Filip Sablik with art from David Marquez is definitely entertaining.  The Asset is a modern spy thriller as a femme fatale must find her marks in the modern age, through internet dating.

Finding that someone special in the modern age isn’t easy; but online dating sites promise matches based on multi-faceted personality profiles. So what happens when you meet the woman of your dreams but she turns out to be more than what she seems? Madeline would be the perfect girlfriend if it wasn’t for the fact that she’s trying to get Doug killed.

Taking place in Washington DC (does the Suitland metro stop actually look like that?) The Asset teases a lot as to it’s potential.  But is it enough to win out over it’s competition in this contest?

The only other competition so far is 39 Minutes, which was damn good.  And since this is a competition as to which single issue will be turned into a miniseries it’s only fair the compare the two.  I really liked The Asset, it has tons of potential, but it didn’t hook as much as 39 Minutes did.

The Asset is a great read, and well worth the purchase, but this is a competition after all, and right now it’s in second place for me.  But we’re still rating it a buy.

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Preview – Pilot Season: The Asset #1

Official Press Release

PILOT SEASON: THE ASSET #1

(w) FILIP SABLIK   (a)  DAVID MARQUEZ  (cov) JENNY FRISON

Pilot Season Begins Anew as a 5 Week Event in 2010!
Finding that someone special in the modern age isn’t easy; but online dating sites promise matches based on multi-faceted personality profiles. So what happens when you meet the woman of your dreams but she turns out to be more than what she seems? Madeline would be the perfect girlfriend if it wasn’t for the fact that she’s trying to get Doug killed.

Created and written by Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik (Black Diamond) and debuting up-and-coming artist David Marquez (Syndrome) along with a cover by Jenny Frison (Angel), The Asset redefines the femme fatale for the digital age.

32 Pages   Full Color    Pilot Issue    $3.99

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Review – Pilot Season: 39 Minutes


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Pilot Season: 39 Minutes COVA_stampedIt’s the first entry for Top Cow‘s Pilot Season 2010.  Written by William Harms and Jerry Lando, 39 Minutes is a story revolving around a team of Marines now robbing banks, but with a political bent.  This is Heat, but with a message.

Robbing a bank is easy — it’s the getaway that’s hard. The bank’s surrounded by police officers, alarms are blaring, customers and employees are screaming, and the streets are blocked off. So what’s the solution?

Kill everyone in town.

Created and written by William Harms (Impaler) and debuting up-and-coming artist Jerry Lando along with a cover by Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire), 39 Minutes turns the heist story on its head.

So, first off Pilot Season is a brilliant idea by Top Cow that produces a few first issues, allowing the public to vote on which one they enjoyed the most, then producing a mini-series for the winner.  So, did this comic make me want to vote for it?  The answer is a resounding hell yes.

The story is great, one hell of a set up, with some great art too.  There’s a very cool bank robbery story but what’s awesome is the series also has a subtler message.  The robbers are all veterans of the Iraq war who’ve been ashamed due to a run in with private contractors.  The series while it could simply be a cops and robbers story also explores duty, country and honor.  Just fantastic.

Now, we’re not going to tell you how to vote, because we need to see the other entries, but this is a hell of a start.  But, Top Cow, if this doesn’t win, can we please see the completed story at some point?  Pretty please?  I’ll be your best friend, pinky swear.

And for you folks debating if you should buy this?  The answer is yes, no thought needed, just do it.

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Top Cow Pilot Season 2010 Signing Tour

Official Press Release

TOP COW PILOT SEASON 2010 SIGNING TOUR

LOS ANGELES, Calif., September 16, 2010 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that first title off of the 2010 Pilot Season slate will arrive in stores next week on September 22nd, 2010.  Pilot Season 2010 debuts a new format consisting of five new concepts and five different creative teams released in a span of five weeks.  In support of Pilot Season 2010, stateside creators will be embarking on a signing tour coinciding with their pilot’s release.

”Pilot Season is an ideal event for us to schedule signing events around because of the wide variety of talent we have participating each year,” explained Publisher Filip Sablik. “This year is no different with established talent like Marc Silvestri, Jeff Katz, and Phil Noto along side exciting up-and-comers like Jerry Lando, David Marquez, and the dynamic duo of Hill and Levin. We’re all getting out on the campaign trail to win the hearts and minds of our voting public!”

Pilot Season: 39 Minutes’ William Harms and Jerry Lando will kick off the launch of Pilot Season 2010 next week in Las Vegas and Philadelphia, respectively.

Book Signing Dates

Pilot Season: 39 Minutes

·       William Harms: Comic Oasis, Las Vegas, September 22, http://www.comicoasis.com

·       Jerry Lando:  Atomic City Comics, Philadelphia, September 25, 2-5pm, http://www.bestphillycomics.com

Pilot Season: Asset

·       Filip Sablik: Earth 2 Comics, Los Angeles, September 29, http://www.earth2comics.com

·       Jenny Frison: Challengers 2.0, Chicago, September 29, 5-7pm, http://www.challengerscomics.com

·       David Marquez: Austin Books and Comics, Austin, TX, October 13, http://www.austinbooks.com

Pilot Season: Crosshair

·       Jeff Katz: Brave New World, Los Angeles, October 16, http://www.bravenewworldcomics.com

Pilot Season: 7 Days From Hell

·       Bryan Edward Hill:  Starclipper Comics, St. Louis, October 23, http://starclipper.com

·       Rob Levin: The Comic Bug, Long Beach, October 23, 4 PM – 8 PM, http://thecomicbug.com

·       Phil Noto:  ACME Comics, October 23, http://www.acmecomics.com (tentative)

For more information on Pilot Season and upcoming signing events, go to www.topcow.com.

Pilot Season

Preview – Pilot Season: 39 Minutes #1

Official Press Release

Pilot Season: 39 Minutes #1

(w) William Harms  (a) Jerry Lando  (cov) Rafael Albuquerque

Pilot Season Begins Anew as a 5-Week Event in 2010!

Robbing a bank is easy — it’s the getaway that’s hard. The bank’s surrounded by police officers, alarms are blaring, customers and employees are screaming, and the streets are blocked off. So what’s the solution?

Kill everyone in town.

Created and written by William Harms (Impaler) and debuting up-and-coming artist Jerry Lando along with a cover by Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire), 39 Minutes turns the heist story on its head.

32 Pages  Full Color  Pilot Issue  $3.99

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Top Cow Debuts New ‘Pilot Season’ Concepts and Format

Official Press Release

TOP COW DEBUTS NEW ‘PILOT SEASON’ CONCEPTS AND FORMAT

LOS ANGELES, Calif., August 9, 2010 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that Pilot Season 2010 will debut next month with six new concepts and six different creative teams, and will adopt a 6-week event format.  The 32-page preview book, Pilot Season 2010: Declassified, first made available at this year’s Comic-Con International: San Diego, will be available in stores later this month.

Since 2007, Top Cow has given fans the power to choose the next two Top Cow series based on a selection of one-shot Pilot Season “pilot” issues through online voting.  The inaugural Pilot Season initiative garnered more than four million votes from fans across the globe.

”Pilot Season started as an experiment, but has evolved into a highly anticipated yearly event,” commented Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik, “This year we’re amping up the intensity based on fan and retailer feedback by releasing all 6 projects in a weekly format. With a wide variety of creators, genres, and styles represented, I’m confident there’s something for everyone in this 2010’s contestants!”

The six new concepts include:

Pilot Season: Forever #1 – Created by Matt Hawkins and written by screenwriter Brad Ingelsby with art by Thomas Nachlik with a cover by Bagus Hutomo of IFS, Pilot Season: Forever #1 focuses on a pharmaceutical company, Longevity™, and their development of a drug that extends human life and counters the debilitating effects of aging almost indefinitely.

Pilot Season: 39 Minutes #1 – Created and written by William Harms and debuting art from Jerry Lando with a cover by Rafael Albuquerque, Pilot Season: 39 Minutes #1 turns a heist story on its head when a bank robber’s only solution to getaway from a surrounded bank full of customers and employees is to kill everyone in their way.

Pilot Season: Crosshair #1 – Created and co-written by Marc Silvestri and co-writer Jeff Katz with art by Allan Jefferson, Pilot Season: Crosshair #1 centers on former assassin for the CIA, Justin Weller, who just settled into the life of a loving husband and devoted father in the suburbs, coping with the discovery that he has been brainwashed to kill the President of the United States.

Pilot Season: The Asset #1 – Created and written by Filip Sablk and debuting art from David Marquez with a cover by Jenny Frison, Pilot Season: The Asset #1 redefines the femme fatale for the digital age. Madeline is the woman of Doug’s dreams; the same woman who’s trying to get Doug killed.

Pilot Season: 7 Days from Hell #1 – Created and co-written by the team behind Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box, Bryan Edward Hill and Rob Levin, with jaw dropping art from industry legend Brian Stelfreeze, Pilot Season: 7 Days from Hell #1 finds ex-pat turned mercenary John Bishop mortally wounded, but spared from Hell by a renegade demon seeking redemption.

Pilot Season: Midway Earth #1 – Created and co-written by Marc Silvestri and Rick Loverd with art from Stjepan Sejic, Pilot Season: Midway Earth #1 sees our home planet as the strategic prize in a brutal war between two alien races.

Pilot Season: Forever #1Pilot Season: 39 Minutes #1Pilot Season: Crosshair #1Pilot Season: The Asset #1Pilot Season: 7 Days from Hell #1Pilot Season: Midway Earth #1

Review – Pilot Season: Stellar #1


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Pilot Season: Stellar COVA_stampedTop Cow‘s Pilot Season takes a bunch of concepts and produces one shots, allowing the public to vote as to witch they want see turned into a mini-series.  Stellar #1 is the latest from Robert Kirkman, Marc Silvestri and Bernard Chang.

Stellar is one of five genetically-enhanced super-humans created by the government of Earth. The process used on her has made her toxic to other humans and drove the other four volunteers insane.  Banished from Earth, Stellar now roams the cosmos trying to use her powers for good, haunted by the fact that she can never return home and all to aware that her fellow super-humans are out there, eager to strike at any moment.

There’s a lot I liked about the first issue and some I didn’t.  The concept of a super human who’s become toxic to other humans and attempts to use their power for good is a great concept.  The inability to touch another person and redemption are two ideas that could make a powerful series and of what we see of that, it works quite well.

The issue is, with one issue you need to put it all out there and towards the end we’re teased with the usual “action” trappings.  A fight is teased and what could be a great deconstruction of super heroes and the isolation they face due to their role is dragged down in those last few panels to the usual action and fight sequences.

There’s a lot of potential here though, and I’d be interested in seeing what direction Kirkman would take and what he could pull off in a mini-series.  The one shot as a series is very intriguing.

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Preview – Pilot Season: Stellar #1

Official Press Release

Pilot Season: Stellar #1

(W) Robert Kirkman (A) Bernard Chang (Cov) Marc Silvestri

From the creative minds of Image partners Robert Kirkman & Marc Silvestri!

Stellar is one of five genetically-enhanced super-humans created by the government of Earth. The process used on her has made her toxic to other humans and drove the other four volunteers insane.  Banished from Earth, Stellar now roams the cosmos trying to use her powers for good, haunted by the fact that she can never return home and all to aware that her fellow super-humans are out there, eager to strike at any moment.

Full Color 32 pages $2.99 pilot issue

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