Image Universe(s)?

[Greenwich Villager]

hey, i always wondered, There are so many different kinds of characters in the image universe, do guys like Spawn and Invincible live in the same univerese? or does Image have its seperate continuities for some of its characters?

[Gavin Higginbotham, BotF]

Both.

Not all of them, but a fair amount of the books exist in the same universe but it's not a strict continuity so if Spawn wants to have Japan wiped out for example, that doesn't mean that Dynamo 5 couldn't go to Japan in their own title.

[malephoenix]

What he^^ said. It's a sort of way around worrying about continuity, which usually really bothers me, but for some reason, I appreciate the way Image has done it. At least they're not saying it's all in one universe and then screwing it up so bad like Marvel.

[Question_Authority]

I like that when they need to meet for cross overs they can, but under normal circumstances each title has its own seperate playground during the titles' regular storylines. It makes things simple, and annoys all the whiny continuity anal retentives out there.:D :p ;) :evilsmile

[Strannik]

hey, i always wondered, There are so many different kinds of characters in the image universe, do guys like Spawn and Invincible live in the same univerese? or does Image have its seperate continuities for some of its characters?

Yes and yes.

During the first few years, Image characters all existed in a single universe. Some of the characters were more connected then others, but in theory, all of them co-existed. But, over time, various studios that made up Image Comics began to drift apart. Each studio began to treat their respective stable of characters as a universe in it's own right (though crossovers between studios still happened).

Shattered Image crossover provided the in-continuity rationale for the separation of Image Universe into several distinct entities. It was hardly the final word on the matter, but for continuity-inclined among us, it provided a clear dividing point between a unified Image Universe and the Image Multiverse.

So, where does this leave Image today.

Out of the original Image partner-studios, Top Cow Productions, Wildstorm Productions and Extreme Studios/Awesome Comics/Arcade Comics have their own distinct, separate universes (though Wildstorm Productions is currently a DC Comics imprint, so, for the purpose of the question, it doesn't count). The rest is more nebulous. While the characters are allowed to appear in different titles, only the events of their parent titles count in terms of characters' own continuity unless their creators explicitly state otherwise. So Invincible can appear in Savage Dragon, but while it counts for Dragon and his supporting cast, it doesn't have to count for Invincible unless Robert Kirkman says so (and vice-versa).

The best way to think about this in continuity terms is imagine several similar, but not exactly identical universes, with each universe corresponding to a title or a group of titles. An event that happens in one universe may correspond to an event in another universe, or it may not - it's all luck of the draw.

The key thing to remember here is that all of Image's output creator-owned rather then company-owned (though, in case of some Image partners, the two sometimes overlap). Thus, no creator can compel another creator to do anything he or she doesn't want to do. Image titles can interact as much or as little as the creators want - and, in my opinion, it makes the books all the more entertaining.

[A.J]

Yes and yes.

During the first few years, Image characters all existed in a single universe. Some of the characters were more connected then others, but in theory, all of them co-existed. But, over time, various studios that made up Image Comics began to drift apart. Each studio began to treat their respective stable of characters as a universe in it's own right (though crossovers between studios still happened).

Shattered Image crossover provided the in-continuity rationale for the separation of Image Universe into several distinct entities. It was hardly the final word on the matter, but for continuity-inclined among us, it provided a clear dividing point between a unified Image Universe and the Image Multiverse.

So, where does this leave Image today.

Out of the original Image partner-studios, Top Cow Productions, Wildstorm Productions and Extreme Studios/Awesome Comics/Arcade Comics have their own distinct, separate universes (though Wildstorm Productions is currently a DC Comics imprint, so, for the purpose of the question, it doesn't count). The rest is more nebulous. While the characters are allowed to appear in different titles, only the events of their parent titles count in terms of characters' own continuity unless their creators explicitly state otherwise. So Invincible can appear in Savage Dragon, but while it counts for Dragon and his supporting cast, it doesn't have to count for Invincible unless Robert Kirkman says so (and vice-versa).

The best way to think about this in continuity terms is imagine several similar, but not exactly identical universes, with each universe corresponding to a title or a group of titles. An event that happens in one universe may correspond to an event in another universe, or it may not - it's all luck of the draw.

The key thing to remember here is that all of Image's output creator-owned rather then company-owned (though, in case of some Image partners, the two sometimes overlap). Thus, no creator can compel another creator to do anything he or she doesn't want to do. Image titles can interact as much or as little as the creators want - and, in my opinion, it makes the books all the more entertaining.


Image bothers me sometimes, Dragon met Invincible and it was cannon, but if Invincible dad was around and all those heroes were there they could have stopped Cyberface but they ignore it like it never happened but still they nteract regally.

Its like Spawn and Dragon, they have been in the same comic etc but in Dragons comic the world got blown up because of that Galalactus wannabe but in Spawns it was around or whatever, or the other way round or whatever but they still acknowledge they're past.

Don't even get me started with Liefeilds characters.

It doesn't bother me with Marvel and D.C because I stopped caring about them years ago but with Image it annoys me sometimes, its not liked its my fault, my disorder does it to me and I can't stop till its a huge deal lol.

If they just sorted it out somehow (and I don't mean a reboot) I would sleep allot easier.


I sound like such a fanboy lol.

Erik get on it lol.