Gerard Way introduces DC’s Young Animal imprint during Emerald City Comic Con. At the DC All Access panel was crashed by Gerard Way, the Eisner Award-winning writer of The Umbrella Academy and co-founder of My Chemical Romance. He announced that he is curating DC’s Young Animal which is a mature reader pop-up imprint that will consist of four series.
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 bring 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 lineup for this month is kicked off with Doom Patrol, which is a seriously amazing comic that sets a tone for other titles in the series that could be seen as hazardous to our health.
Doom Patrol comes out this September and with Gerard Way writing and artist Nick Derington help leave a unique take on heroes versus villains.
Then there is Shade, The Changing Girl written by Cecil Castellucci with art by Marley Zarcone. This comic explores themes of alienation, madness, all in a sci-fi thriller that comes out in October. An alien takes over the body of a 16-year-old bully who much face the challenges of being a stranger in a foreign land, then to top it off she has to deal with consequences of a life she didn’t even live.
Don’t fret for those who love the Silver Age characters and styles because Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye will fill that need for you. Writers Gerard Way and Jon Rivera tell a tale about Cave Carson and his cybernetic eye that has a college-age daughter that travel to the dark recesses of the Earth as well as the mind. The mind altering artwork is done by Michael Avon Oeming that comes out in October as well.
Mother Panic is written by Gerard Way and Jody Houser with art by Tommy Lee Edwards. It is focused around Violet Paige, a celebrity heiress by day but a deadly vigilante at night as she takes on the shadows of Gotham City’s high society. It comes out in November and I have been impressed with all of the Gotham City comics and stories so I am anxious to get my hands on this one.
DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Dan DiDio & Jim Lee both have expressed interest in Gerard’s vision and look forward to the new takes on the character’s stories and new art styles.
Giving DC Comics characters different story tones and distinct art styles will result in a different look and feel for the line.
Check out more on the series here and follow the #DCYoungAnimal for updates.
