BB Chronological 16: MAKING HISTORY AT IMAGE COMICS. |

I noted last time how Big Bang came to a parting of ways with Caliber Press. At the time, I mentioned it to my buddy Erik Larsen at Image Comics, for whom I was writing the Vanguard mini-series and Teen-Age Mutant Ninja Turtles and he said something to the effect of “Why don’t you bring it here?”

It made sense. Erik, Larry Marder and Jim Valentino were some of our biggest supporters (and friends). A Knight Watchman/Shadowhawk cross-over had been scheduled for the now-cancelled Big Bang Comics #5 from Caliber and we were planning to create some retro stories of Erik’s Mighty Man character. And just like that, Big Bang was no longer homeless.

One of the projects that didn’t come about was a 1940s Spawn story, but I’ve included Mark Lewis’ fun character design here.

The following is the original press release that went out to announce our moving up in the world as well as some of the solicitation material from Previews magazine from May 1996.

BIG BANG JOINS IMAGE COMICS

HIGHBROW STUDIOS TAKES A BOLD LEAP BACKWARD

Big Bang Comics, the highly acclaimed retro super hero anthology series has ended its three year association with Caliber Press and joined Erik Larsen’s Highbrow Studios at Image Comics, announced Big Bang co-creator Gary Carlson.

“Big Bang #0 was the last Big Bang title to be published by Caliber,” said Carlson. “It was the final piece of the original mini-series and seemed like a good breaking point. Big Bang #5 had been solicited for an October 1995 release, but it has been cancelled and the material will be used in the new Image series which will begin in May.” Also on hiatus are Knight Watchman: Graveyard Shift and Dr. Weird.

“Big Bang #5 was to have featured a cross-over with Jim Valentino’s Silver-Age Shadowhawk, and Erik Larsen and I were planning Big Bang appearances of his Mighty Man and SuperPatriot characters,” explained Carlson. “It just made sense to move the entire project to Highbrow Studios and Image. I’d like to thank Gary Reed for letting us out of our contract with Caliber; he‘s always been great to work with.”

Much like the Indiana Jones films captured the feel of the great movie serials, Big Bang Comics recreates the essence of the classic comic books of the past, from the Golden Age of the 1930’s and ‘40’s through the end of the Silver Age in the early 1970’s.

“The current trend in popular culture is to look backward for inspiration,” observed Big Bang co-creator Chris Ecker. “People used to call it nostalgia: we call it ‘retro’. Where Big Bang differs from other retro comics projects is that rather than poking fun at the old ‘funny books’ as others have, we attempt to actually produce new ‘old comics’.”

Despite the move to Image Comics, which is known for its high quality color separations and printing quality, Carlson and Ecker stress that Big Bang will remain a “low tech” comic book, continuing to utilize the color and printing techniques of the past: “flat colors and cheap newsprint”.

The Image Comics’ Big Bang series will debut in May of 1996 as an ongoing monthly title. The first issue will feature a Golden-Age Mighty Man story. The Knight Watchman-Silver-Age Shadowhawk team-up will appear in issue #2. Retro versions of other established Image characters will appear in future issues alongside the stable of Big Bang stars such as the Knight Watchman, Ultiman. Thunder Girl and Dr. Weird.

For more information, contact Gary Carlson at (***) ***-****.

And below is the full page promo that ran in Previews along with the solicitation for Big Bang #1.