Gerard Way Launches Young Animal, A New Mature Readers Imprint At DC Comics

This summer, DC Comics aren’t just relaunching their entire line, they’re starting a whole new imprint headed up by The Umbrella Academy’s Gerard Way. The imprint, Young Animal, will be overseen by Way who will also write or co-write several of the titles which will take place in DC Universe continuity, but with a mature readers edge.

Described as “comics for dangerous humans”, DC referred to Young Animal in their announcement as a “pop-up imprint” and Way cited the influence of experimental comics from the eighties and nineties as guides for how to take classic characters and concepts to new places.

The line will be lead by Doom Patrol in September, written by Gerard Way with art by Nick Derington. Influenced by the work of Way’s mentor, Grant Morrison, on the title in the eighties, the new take on Doom Patrol features only one classic member, Robotman, but does also feature Flex Mentallo who made his debut in the book before getting his own miniseries by Morrison and Frank Quitely.

Way will also co-write two other books, Mother Panic with Jody Houser, and the excellently titled Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye, with Jon Rivera. Mother Panic, which features art by Tommy Lee Edwards, is said to be about a new Gotham vigilante, who by day is the celebrity heiress Violet Page.

Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye, drawn by Michael Avon Oeming and launching in October, features the classic adventurer travelling the weirdest corners of the DCU with his daughter and aforementioned cybernetic eye.

The final series in the line-up is Shade The Changing Girl by Cecil Castellucci and Marley Zarcone, with covers by Becky Cloonan, which launches in October. A fresh take on the concept of Shade The Changing Man, this series is said to be about an alien who takes over the body of a sixteen year old bully, and the consequences of someone else’s actions.

Young Animal launches in September with Doom Patrol, and more information can be found at DCComics.com/YoungAnimal.