In Bloom #4 (of 4)
(W) Michael W. Conrad (A/CA) John J. Pearson
In Shops: May 07, 2025
SRP: $4.99
Spears fights his way through an onslaught of BLOOM-affected freaks to make it through the spore haze and delve deeper into The Lotus warehouse…
But can he survive the last effects of the injection and the paralyzing delusions of his past to discover the truth that lies beneath?
In Bloom #3 (of 5)
(W) Michael W. Conrad (A/CA) John J. Pearson
In Shops: Feb 19, 2025
SRP: $4.99
Captured by the Lotus cultists, Spears’s exposure to the spores opens up her mind in unexpected ways, unlocking memories that should have stayed buried…
As the torture and interrogations intensify, what secrets will she discover in the depths of her confinement, and more importantly… just what will she become?
In Bloom #2 (of 5)
(W) Michael W. Conrad (A/CA) John J. Pearson
In Shops: Jan 22, 2025
SRP: $4.99
Tensions rise as those infected by the Bloom clash with police, revealing more pieces of an emerging conspiracy.
Just what is the Lotus… a cult? A new religion? A political movement? Perhaps all of the above, and something much more…
The groundbreaking science fiction odyssey continues from visionary writer Michael W. Conrad (Wonder Woman, Bizarre Adventures) and Eisner Award-winning illustrator John J. Pearson (The Infernals).
BOOM! Studios ha revealed a first look at In Bloom #1, the premiere issue of a brand new boundary pushing sci-fi series from visionary writer Michael W. Conrad, Eisner-Award-winning illustrator John J. Pearson, and letterer Pat Brosseau. Coming to comic shops in December 11, 2024.
43% of the cells within a healthy human body belong to something other than the human host. Microbiomes, invasive bacteria, fungal and viral agents, and something else. Something…more.
When the BLOOM finally happened, humanity was changed forever, transformed by the symbiotic fungal megasystems that infected their bodies. Some of the affected grew new body parts, some found their personalities changed in radical new ways, while others reported contact with an intelligence that was not their own.
In this bold new world, Agent Spears finds himself investigating a series of mysterious murders, a chain of violence that leads him to a terrifying question on which the fate of every living being rests.
In Bloom #1 features main cover art by series artist John J. Pearson, and variant covers by acclaimed illustrators Alison Sampson, and Jae Lee and June Chung.
Visionary writer Michael W. Conrad and Eisner-Award-winning illustrator John J. Pearson team up for a brand-new, boundary-pushing sci-fi saga at BOOM! Studios with In Bloom. Coming to comic shops on December 11, 2024.
43% of the cells within a healthy human body belong to something other than the human host. Microbiomes, invasive bacteria, fungal and viral agents, and something else. Something…more.
When the BLOOM finally happened, humanity was changed forever, transformed by the symbiotic fungal megasystems that infected their bodies. Some of the affected grew new body parts, some found their personalities changed in radical new ways, while others reported contact with an intelligence that was not their own.
In this bold new world, Agent Spears finds herself investigating a series of mysterious murders, a chain of violence that leads her to a terrifying question on which the fate of every living being rests.
In Bloom #1 features main cover art by series artist John J. Pearson, and variant covers by acclaimed illustrators Alison Sampson, and Jae Lee and June Chung.
Boat Rocker has announced it has partnered with Don Cheadle’s production company This Radicle Act to develop a scripted television adaptation of Mindset, an acclaimed science fiction mystery from Vault Comics.
Created by writer Zack Kaplan and artist John J. Pearson, Mindset is a near-future science fiction story of a Silicon Valley startup that accidentally invents a mind control app, and unwittingly opens a Pandora’s Box of mind games and murder that will force them — and the audience — to question whether they are in control of their own actions.
Boat Rocker’s David Fortier, Ivan Schneeberg, and Nick Nantell will executive produce for Boat Rocker. This Radicle Act president, Karyn Smith-Forge, will oversee the project for Cheadle’s company. Smith-Forge and Cheadle will executive produce alongside Vault’s Damian Wassel and F.J. DeSanto. The co-creator of the comic, Zack Kaplan, will also executive produce. Anna Register will oversee the project for Boat Rocker.
Abraham “Abe” Morgenstern, the son of Satan, has one month to live. Before he dies, he must decide which of his three wayward children—volatile narcissist Nero, conflicted field operative Jackal, or troubled schoolgirl Bee—will inherit his shadowy empire. But will Abe ever be able to truly cede control of the Apocalypse? Or does the Antichrist have something else up his sleeve… The Infernals #1 introduces a classic mob story but delivers a twist as to who’s really in charge.
Written by Noah Gardner and Ryan Parrot, The Infernals #1 is an interesting and fun debut… in a wicked sort of way. The issue packs a lot in. It delivers the setup of its concept, but more importantly, who the key players are in all of it… and even a nice unexpected twist at the end. The story is simple, a mob boss is dying and needs to decide who will take over. It just so happens that this mob boss is the Antichrist and all his kids are utter horrible beings who use their powers to manipulate, torture, and just be terrible. It’s what you’d expect and what’s teased of their relationships, things might get really entertaining as they each jockey for whatever’s next.
But, Gardner and Parrot leave the door open to something for more interesting than just horrible individuals trying to take over a mob. That’s the fun twist at the end that should make things going forward even more intriguing.
The art by John J. Pearson is solid. With an assist by Lola Bonato and lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, the art has a look that reminds me of Top Cow comics. Not sure how to describe they style but there’s an almost rough, dreamlike look to it all that’s interesting and fits its rather dark characters at the center of everything. And even with those dark characters, the comic itself doesn’t go too far in that direction, instead giving a sort of gloomy look to it all.
The Infernals #1 is an interesting and fun start that has a lot of potential to turn into some wicked entertainment. It shows glee in its main characters doing bad but not to the extent it cheers them on and encourages it. The comic makes it clear, these are horrible beings are the entertainment is horrible beings being horrible to each other. How far that will go will be interesting.
Story: Noah Gardner, Ryan Parrott Art: John J. Pearson
Art Assistant: Lola Bonato Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Read
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
Vault has announced that Beyond Real #1 has received over 100,000 orders at FOC. This makes it the second Vault title to break 100,000 units ordered in 2023 as part of their industry changing Free-to-Retailers model that debuted to astonishing success with November’s Unnatural Order #1.
Beyond Real sees Zack Kaplan return to Vault after his recent celebrated series Mindset, joined by a slate of phenomenal artists including Fabiana Mascolo, Toni Fejzula, Vincenzo Riccardi, Dennis Menheere, Jorge Corona, Luana Vecchio, and Liana Kangas. Each issue of this ambitious series will see these seven artists working in tandem, handing off scenes back and forth to each other as part of the narrative structure of this mind-bending story about simulation theory, the creative spirit, and the struggle for self-determination.
Much of Beyond Real will be colored by the legendary Eisner-winning artist Jordie Bellaire alongside series artists who will color their own work. The series’ lettering will be crafted by Eisner-winner Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and every issue will be designed by the inimitable Tim Daniel. Each issue will have a main cover painted by Mindset co-creator and Eisner-winning artist John J. Pearson.
The series follows the struggling artist June after a severe accident leaves her boyfriend in a coma and causes her to experience bizarre visual phenomena. When she discovers that the world she considers “reality” may in fact be a computer simulation, she must set out on a perilous journey through metaphysical layers of the simulation to reach the true creator and save her love from death.
Beyond Real #1 hits store shelves on 12/13/2023, and will feature gorgeous variants from Jorge Corona, Luana Vecchio, and Fabiana Mascolo.
Vault has announced they will make Beyond Real #1 completely free to retailers. Beyond Real sees Zack Kaplan return to Vault after his recent celebrated series Mindset, joined by a slate of phenomenal artists including Fabiana Mascolo, Toni Fejzula, Vincenzo Riccardi, Dennis Menheere, Jorge Corona, Luana Vecchio, and Liana Kangas. Each issue of this ambitious series will see these artists working in tandem, handing off scenes back and forth to each other as part of the narrative structure of this mind-bending story about simulation theory, the creative spirit, and the struggle for self-determination.
In September Vault offered Christopher Yost and Val Rodrigues’ comic Unnatural Order#1 using the free-to-retailer model and the smash-hit book received over 137,000 orders, making it one of the highest-ordered comics of the past ten years.
Much of Beyond Real will be colored by the legendary Eisner-winning artist Jordie Bellaire alongside series artists who will color their own work. The series’ lettering will be crafted by Eisner-winner Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and every issue will be designed by the inimitable Tim Daniel. Each issue will have a main cover painted by Mindset co-creator and Eisner-winning artist John J. Pearson.
The series follows the struggling artist June after a severe accident leaves her boyfriend in a coma and causes her to experience bizarre visual phenomena. When she discovers that the world she considers “reality” may in fact be a computer simulation, she must set out on a perilous journey through metaphysical layers of the simulation to reach the true creator and save her love from death.
The standard cover of Beyond Real #1 will be offered to retailers in free bundles of 25 copies. The issue will retain its $4.99 SRP, and retailers will be free to sell, discount, or freely distribute copies to their customers. In addition to the standard cover, Vault will offer net-priced, open order premium variants from Jorge Corona, Luana Vecchio, and Fabiana Mascolo.
Beyond Real #1 will hit store shelves on December 13th, 2023.
Vault Comics showed up at Comic Con International with their biggest slate of programming to date and an exclusive pre-release of one of the year’s most anticipated series. The company has announced Beyond Real, an ambitious and psychedelic series from Zack Kaplan and a lineup of seven spectacular artists whose works will weave together through each issue.
Beyond Real sees Zack Kaplan return to Vault after his recent celebrated series Mindset, joined by a slate of phenomenal artists including Fabiana Mascolo, Toni Fejzula, Vincenzo Riccardi, Dennis Menheere, Jorge Corona, and Liana Kangas. Each issue of this cerebral and ambitious series will see these artists working in tandem, handing off scenes back and forth to each other as part of the narrative structure of this mind-bending story about simulation theory, the creative spirit, and the struggle for self-determination.
Much of Beyond Real will be colored by the legendary Eisner-winning artist Jordie Bellaire alongside the series artists who will color their own work. The series’ lettering will be crafted by Eisner-winner Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and every issue will be designed by the inimitable Tim Daniel. Each issue will have a main cover painted by Mindset co-creator and Eisner-winning artist John J. Pearson.
The series follows the struggling artist June following a severe accident which leaves her boyfriend in a coma and causes her to experience bizarre visual phenomena. When she discovers that the world she considers “reality” may in fact be a computer simulation, she must set out on a perilous journey through metaphysical layers of the simulation to reach the true creator and save her love from death.
Beyond Real #1 hits store shelves in October 2023, and is available to preorder through your favorite retailer beginning today.
