TwoMorrows Publishes The Book I Always Wanted To Write

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

George Khoury beat me to it.

IMAGE COMICS: THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
by George KHOURY

In 1992, seven artists shook the comic book industry when they left
their top-selling Marvel Comic titles to jointly form a new company
named Image Comics. With no certainty of success, they formed a home
that would allow themselves and other artists the opportunity to tell
stories without any censorship or editorial restraints. Even more
importantly, Image would finally give creators full ownership of their
properties. Out of the gate, millions of readers flocked to the
energetic adventures by these creators, as together they ushered in the
Image Age, where comics would sell in the millions, and a comic book
artist could become a mass media celebrity. Image Comics: The Road to
Independence is an unprecedented look at the history of this important
comic book company, featuring interviews and art from popular Image
founders Erik LARSEN, Jim LEE, Todd McFARLANE, Whilce PORTACIO, Marc
SILVESTRI and Jim VALENTINO. Also featured are many of finest creators
who over the last fifteen years have been a part of the Image family,
offering behind-the-scenes details of the company’s successes and
failures. There’s plenty of rare and unseen art, helping make this the
most honest exploration ever taken of the controversial company whose
success, influence and high production values changed the landscape of
comics forever.

The 280 page 8 1/2" x 11" Trade Paperback with a full color cover, a
color section and black-and-white interiors retails for $34.95 in the
U.S. and ships 30 May 2007.

-Augie

[George Khoury]

Hey, Augie --

Hope that means you're looking forward to it. I'm giving everything I've got left for this one.

I mean every word I wrote in that solicitation. I was one of those hardcore Image fans from the very start. I remember freezing to death to get Rob Liefeld to sign my precious copy of Youngblood #0 outside of Jim Hanley's during the Extreme Studio Tour in February of 1993. (Man, I'm going my street cred.)

There's a lot more surprises and interviews. In a way, I'm doing this book because I feel that there's a lot of things that have written about Image that were wrong (or one-sided). Also, I expected more from their 10th anniversary hardcover; I wanted more about the history of the company... about why we should give a damn about Image all these years later. I think this book is going to deliver on that and more.

I can't remember a more exciting time in comics than the start of Image. The history behind it is really, really interesting. More importantly, how Image is still around 15 years later -- when no one said it would last -- makes for a heck of legacy.

P.S. the intro is by Dave Sim

[pmpknface]

Wow. That's pretty interesting. At least worth a flip through. I'm not too sure if it's $35 interesting, but it sounds like a fun read.

Thanks for dropping my George! :)

[George Khoury]

[QUOTE=pmpknface;4258452]Wow. That's pretty interesting. At least worth a flip through. I'm not too sure if it's $35 interesting, but it sounds like a fun read.

Thanks for dropping my George! :)[/QUOTE}

I'll have to disagree. Having work solidly on this book since July of 2006 to (probably) May of 2007, I already know that this will probably be the most dense book that'll you probably read, and see, all year. And so far, all of it has been very interesting to me.

Besides six of the seven Image founders, there are plenty of other interviews from the people who put Image on the map: Keown, Stroman, Campbell, Kieth, Bendis, Kirkman, and plenty of others. I promise you that this will be a hard book to put down. Plenty of art and photos galore to document this.

BTW, look around the web or Amazon, if you're on a budget. Bargain with your local comic shop. I'm sure you can get the book at a price that fits your wallet. (Check Amazon regularly, at one point the book was only $23 as a pre-order, I'm sure they'll discount it again.)

This is close to three-hundred page book. It's not something that you're going to read in one sitting. And if you've seen my solo books, you know that I'm not gonna give you fluff to read, nor will you feel cheated.

[torippu]

Besides six of the seven Image founders, there are plenty of other interviews from the people who put Image on the map: Keown, Stroman, Campbell, Kieth, Bendis, Kirkman, and plenty of others.

Am I reading that correctly - did you track down Larry Stroman for a new interview? I'd be interested to read that part of the book.

I'm drank the kool-aid when Image was first launching and bought a ton of their books so your book does sound interesting. I may have to see if I can't get my local library to order a copy.

Trip

[pmpknface]

Well, it's personal opinion. I wasn't around at the start of Image and really jumped into comics after that happened, so to me it's the way things just WERE when I really started collecting.

Sounds like you've got a great lineup and that's all good. I was just being honest with my reply because I hardly read novel-type books, and therefore purchasing something else that would likely sit in the unread pile, even at a good discount - which is likely if I can get it through DCBS or Amazon, may not happen.

No, I haven't seen your other books. Feel free to pimp those out while you're here.

[George Khoury]

Well, it's personal opinion. }

I wasn't around at the start of Image and really jumped into comics after that happened, so to me it's the way things just WERE when I really started collecting.

Sounds like you've got a great lineup and that's all good. I was just being honest with my reply because I hardly read novel-type books, and therefore purchasing something else that would likely sit in the unread pile, even at a good discount - which is likely if I can get it through DCBS or Amazon, may not happen.

No, I haven't seen your other books. Feel free to pimp those out while you're here.

You're entitled to your opinion -- heck, with this book, I'm expecting similar opinions. Image and their creators have been a constant target for some.

If you were to give this book a chance, you'd see that effects of the start of Image have had a profound effect on the nature of comics today. Some of the very things that you take for granted might even be a result from its creation. Also, this book isn't about the past, it takes the trip from then to now. If you want to come along for the ride, you're welcome to come aboard. If not, no problem either. I wouldn't want my book sitting on some unread pile. This book is for the curious, the interested, the lovers of comics and fans of Image and these artists.

Even if you don't buy the book, don't just give Image a bum rap because of what you heard before. Sometimes if you want to know the truth about things, you have to see it from all sides. It helps make a good opinion.

You haven't seen any of my books, no problem. Augie has reviewed most of them -- check his archives. Check Amazon and the TwoMorrows website for more reviews and excerpts. Newsarama currently has a preview of the Kevin Maguire book that I did. Search google for more goodies. I'm not too hard to find.

Best of luck Pumpkin!:)

[George Khoury]

Am I reading that correctly - did you track down Larry Stroman for a new interview? I'd be interested to read that part of the book.

I'm drank the kool-aid when Image was first launching and bought a ton of their books so your book does sound interesting. I may have to see if I can't get my local library to order a copy.

Trip

Yep, Larry and Todd Johnson will be in the book. They've got a lot of interesting things to say.

BTW, Tribe is the all-time best selling comic by black comic creators. Over one million copies of Tribe #1 were sold! It's also a real fun book.

[Chris Eliopoulos]

Wow. As a guy that's been there from the beginning and living through it all, I'll find it an interesting read. What time frame does the book cover? Is it just the first couple years or all the way through today?

[pmpknface]

More info over on IcV2.com:
http://icv2.com/articles/home/9934.html



Image Comics, by George Khoury, follows the 15-year history of Image Comics with interviews with founders Erik Larsen, Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Whilce Portacio, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino and rare art by those and other Image creators. The book also promises to offer the behind-the-scenes low-down on Image's successes and failures. Image Comics is a 280-page trade paperback with an interior color section and lists for $34.95.

[George Khoury]

Wow. As a guy that's been there from the beginning and living through it all, I'll find it an interesting read. What time frame does the book cover? Is it just the first couple years or all the way through today?

Mr. Eliopoulos --

It's the first 15 years, even a bit of the future of the company.

[torippu]

OK - so I'm intrigued enough to put it on Amazon.com wishlist and will check it periodically to see what type of discount is being offered. Right now, it's listed at full price.

[George Khoury]

Torippu,

Buy.com has it for less than $22. So with ten bucks from the Google checkout thingy, that's less than a meal at Pizza Hut.

Thanks for talking about the book, guys. You spend months and months on these things without ever knowing if you're the only one who cares about this type of thing.