In five…four…three…two…one month, the explosive new atomic sci-fi/horror series by critically acclaimed writer Chris Condon (That Texas Blood, Ultimate Wolverine), visionary artist Jeffrey Alan Love (The Last Battle At The End Of The World, The Thousand Demon Tree), star letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and designer Michael Tivey, News from the Fallout, is launching from Image Comics. Now, those brave enough to enter the restricted area can learn confidential intel about the project with an inside look at the script-to-final-page process behind making the first issue, with new commentary from Condon and Love. News from the Fallout #1 hits shelves June 25 (with a Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers this upcoming Monday, June 2).
“My main goal with page one was to establish the setting and the tone of what we’re about to experience,” said Condon. “I think the first panel, let alone the first page, is essential to telling a reader whether this book is going to be any good or not. In the first panel, we establish that we are in a sparse desert landscape, specifically at a top-secret army base. I think setting a book up like this is laying down cards in a game of poker. You’re revealing your hand. So, as panel one establishes the setting, panel two establishes a vital piece of the comic: a black petrified rock. Then we pull back to reveal who is holding that rock. This person is also a pivotal piece of the puzzle. This is our villain: General Sheridan P. McCoy. As the rest of the page plays out, we get to see that the general is preoccupied with his personal goals and, for some reason, they seem to be entwined with that stone.”
Condon added: “I want the reader to enter into this comic at a sprint. There’s no slow, plodding exposition. We jump into it. We show you pieces of information—a location, a rock, a general. You should, theoretically be able to take those disparate elements, understand that these things are important together, and then move onto the next page. We are also establishing TENSION. An inherent tension. The dropping of the bomb. We know how that works—it’s ingrained in us even though my generation and the generations that followed never did a duck-and-cover drill. The ominous countdown. A countdown to what? A reaction…”
News from the Fallout, a thrillingly dark sci-fi horror, takes place in Nevada in 1962 during a nuclear bomb test that goes horribly awry. A dangerous contaminant gets released into the atmosphere, causing an apocalyptic chain reaction that changes the course of history. Strikingly crafted with ashy black and white art, the comic gives the feel of turning through the dusty pages of a ’60s horror comic met with the experience of watching a staticky science fiction film. Fans of ’60s sci-fi films and TV shows like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits, classic horror comics like The Vault of Horror, and the works of authors Stephen King and Richard Matheson will enjoy this six-issue miniseries, which marks Condon’s first Image series in collaboration with Love, who is making his direct market comic book debut as a series artist.
Condon also remarked on the final pages of the preview: “At this point, we’ve established the juxtaposition of two characters, General Sheridan P. McCoy and Private Otis Fallows, and their two environments. So now, as the tension ratchets up and the bomb is closer than ever to dropping, we reflect that in just how we are juxtaposing those two things. Instead of spending a page with each of them, we’re now cutting between panels. Then, the bomb begins to drops. We see the sycophantic, quasi-religious view of the superior officer as the bomb drops – a smile on his face. The splitting of the atom reflected in his polarized lenses. Then we see, across a massive double-page spread, the bomb itself. This tells us the obvious—the bomb has been dropped. But it also tells us that the situation we’ve been ramping up toward has come to pass. No longer are we juxtaposing these two, we’re now past that point. Something has happened. Everything has changed. And nothing is ever going to be the same again.”
“Clarity is always my goal, to have the reader be drawn into the dream of the story and not have that experience broken,” said Love. “Everything is in service of the story. A unique style of mark-making in art means nothing if the storytelling is muddled, so really nailing down the layouts so they read well is the most important part of my process. Once the layouts are clear and telling the story we want to tell, that’s when I can just let loose and have fun making marks and letting the paint and ink do what they want on top of that strong structure.”
For those courageous enough to venture even further into the ash-covered darkness to find out the truth of what happened, and what caused such monstrous effects, all authorized personnel can log in HERE to get a glimpse into the restricted access section of the confidential files…but be warned. Unauthorized removal or dissemination of case files will result in a maximum prison sentence or death.
News from the Fallout #1 (of 6) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, June 25 (Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers is June 2):
- Cover A by Love – Lunar Code 0425IM295
- Cover B by Jacob Phillips – Lunar Code 0425IM296
News from the Fallout #2 (of 6) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 30 (Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers is July 7):
- Cover A by Love – Lunar Code 0525IM411
- Cover B by Leslie Herman – Lunar Code 0525IM412
News from the Fallout #3 (of 6) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, August 27 (Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers is August 4):
- Cover A by Love – Lunar Code 0625IM363
- Cover B by Andrew MacLean – Lunar Code 0625IM364
News from the Fallout will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.
Select early praise for News from the Fallout:
“News from the Fallout #1 is a deliciously grim start to a series that has its eyes on putting humanity through yet another doomsday scenario. What makes this one special, though, is its overall design. The story is allowed to unspool slowly, with death and destruction taking its time with the people involved. Dialogue that deceives and gloomy character designs converge for an experience that finds a lot of despair mixed in with the intrigue surrounding the bomb test. And like most disasters, it’s impossible not to look at.”—Comics Beat
“Radiating confidence and style, News From The Fallout is unlike anything else on the stands. A thrilling sequential debut from Jeffrey Alan Love, and yet another winner from Chris Condon.”—James Tynion IV, Something Is Killing The Children, Exquisite Corpses, W0rldtr33, The Department Of Truth
“Chris Condon and Jeffrey Alan Love combine their unique voices to create some crazy comics alchemy. News From The Fallout is a wild and immersive ride. It’s Mad Max meets Eraserhead!”—Jeff Lemire, Gideon Falls, Little Monsters, Absolute Flash
“A lot of horror hasn’t been working for me lately because things have been getting scarier outside my window. News From The Fallout takes an old set of fears and brings in something that has been plaguing my mind so much lately to deliver one of the scariest books of the year, but also the most beautiful. I cannot wait for this to hit shelves to hear what other people think. I just hope it inspires people to take a moment to listen and try to get through to one another so we can all stop living through tragedy after tragedy.”—Gatecrashers
“There’s a deep horror in the simplicity of News From The Fallout. With Jeffrey Alan Love’s charcoal-black art and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s chaotic lettering, this story of ’60s nuclear intrigue from rising star Chris Condon hits hard. Don’t hesitate—pre-order the first issue, open the bunker, and see what greets you…”
—Scott Snyder, Absolute Batman, Wytches, American Vampire
“Haunting and creepy, News From The Fallout is the real deal! Chris Condon does it again with his perfect, grounded characters while Jeffrey Alan Love’s stark and unnerving artwork is going to dig into your brain. Highly recommended!”—Chip Zdarsky, Sex Criminals, Public Domain, Batman, Daredevil
“News From the Fallout #1 is a surprisingly unnerving and striking first chapter to this new sci-fi horror series…Love’s art, then, is a darkly unique and wonderfully compelling take on horror comics art, with his stark black and charcoal gray presentation making for one of the coolest-looking comic books in recent memory. Be sure to grab this debut issue when it hits shelves on June 25!”—Monkeys Fighting Robots
“I don’t know if the term ‘sickeningly readable’ even makes sense, but it 100% applies to News From The Fallout. Grimness, grey-ness, doom-soaked nihilism that I could not take my eyes off of.”—Patton Oswalt, Minor Threats, Silver Screen Fiend
“A darkly sharp and enormously fun start to something really special. I hope it never ends.”—Darcy Van Poelgeest, Little Bird, Precious Metal
“News from the Fallout #1 is a chilling debut that showcases Chris Condon’s versatility as a creator. While quite different from his crime noir work, this horror tale is equally gripping and atmospheric. Jeffrey Alan Love’s stark black and white visuals are the perfect complement to the eerie 1960s setting…For fans of horror comics looking for something fresh and visually striking, News from the Fallout is a promising series worth checking out.”–Gonkbonk
“Cold War terror meets the creature feature in a bleak, yet endlessly stylish story that could only be experienced in the comic book format.”—Julio Anta, Eisner-nominated author of Frontera, Home, and This Land is our Land: A Blue Beetle Story
“With News From The Fallout, Chris Condon (That Texas Blood) and Jeffrey Alan Love (The Thousand Demon Tree) deliver an unforgettable, chilling sci-fi horror that’ll leave you craving more…As a lover of anything remotely apocalyptic, this comic was right up my alley, and it didn’t disappoint. The comic transports the reader into the era of ’60s horror, feeling quintessential of genre stories from the period. The narrative is gripping from the first page.”—Comics Bulletin
“Individually the creators are dynamite. Together, they are like an atomic bomb. Literally.”—Comicon
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