When the creatures from a broken future start appearing in the present, someone, naturally, asks the question, “Can I make a fortune by getting them to fight?” That’s the setup for Creature Corps, a new series from the 51 team of writer Curt Pires and artist Jok, coming from Image Comics in December.
“I’m excited to be reunited with my dear collaborator Jok and my friends at Image Comics on my biggest launch yet,” said Pires, whose Lost Fantasy and Fireborn are both published by Image. “Creature Corps is equal parts 16-bit gaming nostalgia, the dark deconstructionism of The Boys and the time travel insanity of Back To The Future in equal measure. It’s a chaotic menagerie of comic book magic that feels uniquely its own. Did I mention we’re doing a trading card game too? This is gonna be fun.”
When these fantastical creatures start slipping into the present, an unethical creature-battling league emerges, turning the mysterious animals into a very profitable form of entertainment. It sounds like a darker take on Pokemon, especially when you find out teenagers are recruited to train and manage the creatures.
One of those trainers was Dusty Rockem, who became a World Champion at the age of 14 and is the main character of the story. After a devastating event drove him away from the creature-battling business, he left the whole world behind and retreated into the wilderness. Years later, crushing debt from his mom’s medical bills pulls him back in..
“Since working with him on 51, I’ve loved Curt’s progressive, postmodern take on fiction. Creature Corps is no different,” Jok said. “This is going to be a continent-spanning, era-hopping sci-fi fantasy. Also: so many wildly creative monsters locked in battle.”
Here’s a look at some interior page:
Image is going all-in on the debut issue, which will feature 12 covers in total, including the main cover by Jok.
Among the variants are a Jarret Hartnell cover, a Japanese video game magazine-inspired variant by Jok, a Tyler Kirkham variant, a Flops variant and a Jae Lee cover. There are also several incentive variants, including a Jok Absolute Batman homage (I think these are a prerequisite for any new comic these days), a Japanese virgin foil, a Flops Cornerbox variant and a Jae Lee virgin gold foil. The Cover B Booster Bundle comes with a polybagged secret cover plus one of five random Creature Corps trading cards, including the possibility of a rare full-art holofoil.
The 60-page first issue arrives Dec. 2 for $4.99.