At this week’s Emerald City Comic Con, DC Comics made their second big announcement of the year after the big Rebirth relaunch, announcing that The Umbrella Academy writer and former My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way has joined DC to curate new mature reader pop-up imprint for DC called Young Animal.
The new imprint will be debuting four new titles this coming fall. The flagship title for this monthly lineup is Doom Patrol, which Way will write, and which will set the tone for the other titles in the series. Inspired by writer Grant Morrison’s take on the characters from the early ’90s, Way described the book as “comics for dangerous humans.”In a statement, Way said “I am thrilled to help bring DC’s Young Animal to life, having been raised on experimental ’80s and ’90s takes on superheroes. I see Young Animal as a place to try new ideas–following the spirit of those books from the past but bringing them somewhere else. I see it as an imprint where we can explore fine art, bold concepts, mature themes, and strangeness- with lots of heart.”
The initial lineup of Young Animal titles includes the following four titles, along with their official descriptions:
Doom Patrol – This September, in the spirit of Grant Morrison’s legendary run on the series, along with other classic incarnations of the characters, writer Gerard Way and artist Nick Derington will put their unique stamp on the world’s strangest heroes taking on the universe’s strangest villains.
Shade, The Changing Girl – An alien takes over the body of a 16-year-old bully and must face the challenges of being a stranger in a foreign land, plus the consequences of a life she didn’t live. Star Wars’ Moving Target writer Cecil Castellucci and artist Marley Zarcone explore themes of madness, alienation, and the bizarre in this sci-fi thriller, with covers by Becky Cloonan. The new series hits shelves in October.
Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye– Writers Gerard Way and Jon Rivera, along with artist Michael Avon Oeming take readers on a strange adventure with DC Comics’ Silver Age character Cave Carson, his cybernetic eye and his college–age daughter as they travel to dark places deep in the earth and mind. Catch this new series in October.
Mother Panic – Meet Violet Paige, a celebrity heiress by day and brutal vigilante by night as she takes on the underbelly of Gotham City’s high society. Hitting shelves in November, the series is written by Gerard Way and Jody Houser with art by Tommy Lee Edwards.
In a statement from DC co-publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio, the pair said “We’re excited about Gerard’s vision for DC’s Young Animal, giving DC Comics characters different story tones and distinct art styles will result in a different look and feel for the line.” The line officially launches in September.
Are you excited for this new line of books from DC, harkening back to the glory days of Vertigo? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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Images: DC Comics
