Of all the '80s toy lines that you could adapt into fiction, it seems like Madballs would be the most difficult. They're just rubber balls that look like skulls or giant eyeballs or, you know, Satan. Visually striking, sure, but I mean, there's not really a narrative throughline, is there? And yet, this week, they're launching their third comic book series. Third!

But maybe I'm judging too harshly. For all I know, Madballs has a deep and rich lore that's just waiting to be mined for epic adventure and fun --- and this week, we're all getting the chance to find out whether that's the case.

On Wednesday, Lion Forge is launching an all-new Madballs comic from Brad McGinty and Brian Smith, and they're giving the Madballs, who are only heads, a new set of arch-enemies: The Torsoids, alien monsters who are only bodies without any heads. And honestly? That's pretty brilliant.

 

Madballs cover by Dan Zettwoch
Madballs cover by Dan Zettwoch
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Madballs cover by Scarecrowoven
Madballs cover by Scarecrowoven
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Here's the official solicitation, along with the release dates for the whole series:

 

Screamin’ Meemie, Bash Bash, Skullface, and the rest of the Madballs from the hit toy line are back in this grosser-than-gross new adventure!

You thought – no, HOPED – those creepy heads from the ‘80s were gone forever, but boy, were you wrong! When the headless Torsoids sabotage the Intergalactic Bizarro Bowl, the squabbling Madballs have to team up to take ‘em down -- Madballs may be dirty, but they like to play fair. These wretched pus bags have to set aside their differences, reassemble the field’s elaborate wacky contraptions, and find a way to stop the Torsoids before it’s too late. With bonus stories by some of the world’s most disgusting artists, this volume is packed with so much mayhem it’s almost illegal in several states!

MADBALLS
by Brad McGinty, illo. by Brian Smith, backup stories by Scarecrowoven, Gunsho, Dan Zettwoch, Jenny Zych, Sean Dove, Jesse Balmer, Jimmy Giegerich, Matt Crabe
Pages: 32
Format: Comic Book
SRP: $2.99
Publisher: Roar Comics (an imprint of Lion Forge)
Distributor: Diamond Comic Distributors

Issue #1
Pub Date: April 20, 2016
Item Code: FEB161633

Issue #2
Pub Date: May 18, 2016
Item Code: MAR161564

Issue #3
Pub Date: June 22, 2016
Item Code: APR161790

Issue #4
Pub Date: July 20, 2016
Item Code: TBD

 

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