Writers: Matthew Medney & Morgan Rosenblum Penciler/Inker/Colorist: Jon Lam Letterer: Voodoo Bownz Purchase
In the distant future, after a nuclear world war, a single government entity now presides over what’s left of the world. Certain content that is deemed emotionally dangerous, or “red”, is prohibited in an attempt to maintain order. A collection of gifted musicians, who possess the rare ability to create red content, discover they are the key to overthrowing the totalitarian government.
Writer: Claudio Alvarez Artist: Danny Jiménez Purchase
After taking justice into his own hands, the rebel priest Pedro Armas is in the crosshairs of both the drug dealers and the police. The gangs, irritated by the priest’s constant fight to disrupt their operations, have put a price on his head. A couple of detectives and the sordid face of the drug will fight face to face with Father Armas’s blessed bullet crusade.
Writer: Diego Agrimbau Artist: Juan Manuel Tumbúrus Purchase
This is the story of Nadia, one of the last humans in Sileo, a city where Nomobots rule. Nomobots were created to avoid human extinction, but humans lost their freedom in the deal. Nomobots can love and hate, but their metal bodies don’t allow them to feel. There’s no pain or pleasure. So human slaves, like Nadia, are submitted to every kind of stimulation, and their sensations are recorded and sold on Sileo’s streets.
Writers: Morgan Rosenblum & Matthew Medney Penciler/Inker: Santa Fung Colorist: Julia Pinchuck Letterer: Voodoo Bownz Purchase
Time doesn’t work the same for all. As an imminent invasion looms over old Ryukyu, the high priestesses are engaged by Ryotetsu, a court official in the old kingdom. He embarks on a mission to find the one with the power to change the course of history, and discovers it’s a 17-year-old high schooler from far away.
In a distant future, the earth has been devastated by war and epidemics. Garbage Factory Anthology tells five tales depicting the chaotic coexistence of cyborg, human and A.I. in a huge city.
Writer: Abraham Martínez Pencils: Marco Lorenzana Inks: Jesús Salas Letters: JAME Purchase
México, 1938. Mr. Lawrence is sent to deliver some important documents to the reclusive Ambrosius Mar, a once powerful warlock who is now twisted in both mind and body, who will unveil a dark secret about a legendary jewel which is able to open the gates of perception and bestow great power upon it’s user; the cursed Eye of Ak Bahatat.
We can debate the name of the new line of comics but Heavy Metal is diving into the world of creator-owned comics with a new imprint, Virus.
The first comics from the new venture launch April 29 with eight stories and new titles will arrive every Wednesday going forward.
Virus will feature comics from Ron Marz, Bob Fingerman, and many more. Four titles launching next week are The Red(by Rosenblum, Medney, Bownz, Hander, and Lam), Nomobots(by Agrimbau and Tumburus), Hymn of the Teada(by Medney, Rosenblum, Mechler, Fung, Pinchuk, and Bownz),andGarbage Factory (by Jakofire and Kim).
Heavy Metal is also positioning the imprint as unique and “revolutionary” as the compensation offered to creators is 15% of the sticker price, “whether they sell one book or 10,000.” ComiXology submit offers 50% of the net sale of a title (after they pay their mobile distributors their standard fees). If your title is sold through the comiXology website, you will receive 50% of the gross sale after credit card fees are taken out (credit card processing fees range from 1.5% to 2.9% for swiped credit cards). In the announcement they hinted they are looking to host comics from other publishers building a new digital platform.
Check out covers for those below.
Also released was artwork from Bob Fingerman’s upcoming Dotty’s Inferno.
