Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips are heading back to the ranch for more That Texas Blood. What was supposed to be issue #21 is now the first issue of a new six-issue miniseries, That Texas Blood: Hell Comes to Allison Ranch, which will launch in September from Image Comics.
Starting in 2020, Condon and Phillips teamed together on 20 issues of That Texas Blood, with issue #20 coming out in 2022. Image had originally solicited the Allison Ranch storyline as issue #21, which would have come out earlier this month — but sometimes plans can change as fast as the Texas weather.
The new arc finds Sheriff Joe Bob Coates and Deputy Wilson Hart called to the Allison Ranch, the largest and richest ranch in the United States, where a family dispute has escalated into a war the even the Duttons would find extreme. Set in 2003, Condon says the story has thematic ties to both the original first volume and The Enfield Gang Massacre, the spinoff miniseries that followed the original series.
“Joe Bob returns, this time for a story set in 2003 that we like to call ‘Hell Comes to Allison Ranch,'” Condon said. “It’s our most action-packed story arc yet with strong thematic links to two of our previous, fan-favorite outings. While this new arc has some connections to our past stories, it’s also a great place for readers unfamiliar with Ambrose County or its inhabitants to jump on.”
Here’s a look inside:
“Joe Bob’s back and it feels so good!” Phillips said. “Coming back to That Texas Blood feels like coming home to us and we’ve missed it after so long away. We return with a brand new story arc, ‘Hell Comes To Allison Ranch.’ A heist gone wrong on the biggest ranch in the U.S. on the night of the invasion of Iraq. This story is the perfect jumping on point for new readers and a warm welcome back for the regulars. So slip on your favorite pair of jeans, grab a can of Doyers and settle in. It’s gonna be one hell of a ride.”
Letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou and designer Michael Tivey round out the creative team, while Martin Simmonds, Luana Vecchio and Mark Chiarello provide variant covers for the first issue:
Image is also releasing a facsimile edition of That Texas Blood #1 printed on deluxe newsprint to coincide with the launch.
That Texas Blood: Hell Comes to Allison Ranch #1 arrives Sept. 23.