SCIENCE IS THE NEW ROCK ‘N’ ROLL IN NOWHERE MEN
New Image Comics series by Stephenson and Bellegarde premieres in November
Press release
Dade Ellis, Simon Grimshaw, Emerson Strange, and Thomas Walker were the Fab Four of science, ushering in a new boom of scientific advancement as the research group World Corp. They changed the world and became the most celebrated scientists of all time, but somewhere along the way, it all went wrong.
Welcome to the new Age of Enlightenment. Welcome to NOWHERE MEN, an all-new Image Comics series by Eric Stephenson (LONG HOT SUMMER) and Nate Bellegarde (BRIT, INVINCIBLE PRESENTS: ATOM EVE & REX SPLODE), with colors by Jordie Bellaire (THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS) and design by Fonografiks (SAGA, THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE), debuting in November.
NOWHERE MEN marks Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson’s return to the writer’s chair to tell a story he’s been burning to write.
"For years, I’ve been fascinated by the notion of a world where science shaped our culture in a similar way to popular music back in the 1960s," explained Stephenson. "We’ve seen hints of that world in film and television, but I’ve always wondered what burden being at the forefront of that kind of cultural revolution would carry. The Beatles fell apart at the end of the ’60s – if science did actually supplant rock ‘n’ roll, how would the trailblazers of that movement fare? And if an individual like Steve Jobs could have such a profound impact on society, what would happen if a group of equally brilliant minds joined together with a common cause?"
Stephenson added: "I’ve been working on this for a number of years, but the timing just seemed right given that this year is Image’s 20th anniversary, and Image Comics itself represented a bold shift in thinking that, in many ways, changed comics forever. It’s not a coincidence that the business model established by the Image founders not only allows, but encourages someone like me to share my own creativity."
NOWHERE MEN is brought to punk-rock pop-art life by Nate Bellegarde whose meticulously detailed style previously graced Robert Kirkman’s BRIT and INVINCIBLE PRESENTS: ATOM EVE & REX SPLODE.
"NOWHERE MEN gives me the chance to illustrate the gleaming, unfulfilled promise of ‘yesterday’s tomorrow, today,’" said Bellegarde. "I get to bring life to intricate characters and really sink my teeth into the sci-fi genre, taking the best influences from classic sci-fi films like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien and groundbreaking comics visions like Enki Bilal’s Nikopol Trilogy, Geof Darrow’s work on Hard Boiled and Frank Quitely’s run on All-Star Superman to create a vivid, idyllic new world that is as much of a thrill to draw as it is to dream about."
THE WALKING DEAD creator and Image Comics partner Robert Kirkman added: "One of the things I love about Eric Stephenson is he can talk the talk and walk the walk. The best thing about being an Image partner is having a stake in a company that facilitates the creative vision of people who have unique things to say. I love that our Publisher isn’t just some suit, but a creative guy whose work can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best the industry has to offer. That’s what makes Image different from everybody else: We’re in it because we love the creativity of comics. I can’t wait to read this comic every month."
NOWHERE MEN is a full-color ongoing series making its debut on November 21. Priced at only $2.99, each issue is 32 pages and 100% advertisement-free. The first issue (SEP120393) is available for pre-order in the September issue of Previews. For anyone interested in getting a sneak peek at Stephenson’s and Bellegarde’s brave new world, check out the three-page teaser in the back of THE WALKING DEAD #102 (AUG128248), on sale now.
– The Comic Book Critic