Image Comics and Todd McFarlane Production this week announced a new comic series set in the Spawn Universe titled Rat City. The upcoming book will for the first time ever feature a female writer taking up the mantle as a regular Spawn Universe scribe in Erica Schultz (The Deadliest Bouquet, Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood).
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Schultz will be teaming up with artist Zé Carlos for the new title. Rat City is set in a dystopian futurescape in the new Spawn Universe and will launch in April from Image Comics and Todd McFarlane production. The story will infuse science fiction into the Spawn-Verse.
RAT CITY DELIVERS A SPAWN-THEMED BOOK WITH A CYBERPUNK SETTING
The new book takes place about 100 years in the future, exploring a world that’s been ravaged by corruption and inequality. It follows the gripping tale of former soldier Peter Cairn, aka “The Deviant.” Unlike traditional Hellspawn, Peter’s transformation is not triggered by hell, but an unforeseen twist of fate, catalyzed by an unthinkable act from the “original” Spawn, Al Simmons, himself.
The story will explore themes of loss, survival, and reinvention against the backdrop of a society divided between the privileged elite and the downtrodden masses. Readers will get to view the harsh realities of a world where the line between right and wrong is blurred, and the consequences of one man’s actions ripple across an entire city. Here’s a look at the upcoming cover artwork for the first issue by Carlos:
Speaking on the new title via a press release, Schultz stated, “We wanted to tell a compelling story about a man whose life was turned upside down by circumstances beyond his control.” She continued, “Peter, and perhaps others like him, are collateral damage in Al Simmons’ war… we’ll see the consequences of that unending conflict.”
Speaking on the announcement, Spawn creator and Image Comics President Todd McFarlane stated, “Having other talented creators play within, and add to, the sandbox of Spawn’s history is always a pleasure to watch over. Erica is a highly sought-after talent as a writer, period. That she also brings along a female perspective is just an added bonus that will help flesh out some of these wonderful characters she has created. While artist Zé Carlos always delivers on bringing his skills to every project he works on… I’m glad this is his and Erica’s project right now!”
McFarlane continued, “This book is also set in the future, so there is no need to have read past record-setting Spawn titles. You can use this book as a jumping point—as my goal for Rat City and other upcoming new titles is to give readers as many different options as possible. This book I’d put in the sci-fi category.”
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Image Comics also released the following preview pages for the upcoming book:
The first issue of Rat City will be hitting comic shops on Wednesday, Apr. 10. The final Order Cutoff deadline for comic shop retailers is Monday, March 18. The book will also be available across many digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.
About Rat City (Comic Series)
Release Date: April 10, 2024
Written By: Erica Schultz
Artwork: Zé Carlos
Publisher: Image Comics
Synopsis: Set nearly a hundred years in the future, Rat City explores a world ravaged by corruption and inequality and follows the gripping tale of former soldier Peter Cairn, known as ‘The Deviant.’ Unlike traditional HellSpawn, Peter’s transformation is not orchestrated by Hell itself, but instead by an unforeseen twist of fate, catalyzed by an unthinkable act from the original Spawn, Al Simmons himself.
What do you think of the news? Do you like the idea of a new Spawn Universe sci-fi-themed book called Rat City? What do you think of the new artwork and creative team? Let us know your thoughts about the news on The Illuminerdi’s social media.
SOURCE: Image Comics
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