Opus Comics, the comics arm of the production company Incendium, will begin distributing comics via Diamond Comics Distributors in May. The publisher plans a mix of licensed series and original stories, with four new titles launching in May and June: a new sequel to Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure; the first title in a planned multiverse based on the fantasy art of Frank Frazetta; and two series that Incendium originally created for musicians. Here’s the lineup:
Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer is a series based on Frazetta’s iconic painting of the same name and the first foray into a planned multiverse of comics inspired by his elaborate fantasy art. The creative team for this series is animation writer Mitch Iverson (DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, Voltron: Legendary Defender) and artist Stefano Martino (Stranger Things, Doctor Who). The first issue will be available on May 4 with cover A by Simone Bianchi and cover B by Frazetta; issue #2 will have an Action Figure variant cover, shown here for the first time.
Bill & Ted Roll the Dice is a four-issue miniseries set after Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. The creative team for the comic is writer James Asmus (Quantum and Woody) and artist Wayne Nichols (Orphan Black), and the first issue will include a backup story about the origin of villain Chuck De Nomolos, by writer John Barber (Back to the Future) and artist Andrew Currie (Doctor Who). The series will launch on June 14; cover A is by Lukas Ketner, cover B is a photo cover, and cover C, seen here for the first time, is an Action Figure variant.
Disturbed: Dark Messiah was created by Incendium and Heavy Metal for the band Disturbed in 2021. The five-issue limited series by writer Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash) and artist Angel Hernandez (Blade Runner) was originally sold direct-to-consumer through the band’s website in a limited edition of 3,000. Opus will release the comic to the direct market for the first time on May 18, with a cover by Ryan Christensen.
Crystal Planet, based on musician Joe Satriani’s 1998 album of the same name, was also originally produced by Incendium as a limited edition sold direct-to-consumer and is coming the direct market for the first time. The five-issue series is created by Satriani and Ned Evett, scripted by Tony Lee, with pencils, inks, and cover by Richard Friend, coloring by Carlos Cabrera, and lettering by Jacob Bascle. The first issue will be available on June 29.
All four comics are priced at $4.99. Incendium will also release FIGBIZ action figures for the music and Bill & Ted comics. The company is also partnering with Frazetta Girls, which represents Frank Frazetta’s artwork, for a line that will include comics, toys, games, and other physical and digital collectibles.
Incendium was founded in 2006 as a production company that creates animation, comics, toys, and video games for heavy metal bands; their motto is “Myths, Monsters, and Metal.” Founder Llexie Leon originally ran Opus as an imprint of Heavy Metal (see “Heavy Metal’s Opus and Evanescence Team Up for ‘Echoes from the Void’”). Although Leon is still working with Heavy Metal on other projects, the imprint is now a separate entity under Incendium. Former IDW Managing Editor Denton J. Tipton joined the company as Executive Editor last year, and former Heavy MetalManaging Editor R.G. Llarena came on board as International Editor.
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Source: ICv2
