Z2 Comics

Legend, the comics debut of novelist Samuel Sattin with artist Chris Koehler, is a story of what happens to domesticated animals after a biological attack leaves most of humanity dead and the rest mutated. After a successful run as a mini series, Legend has now been released as a 168-page trade paperback by Z2 Comics. The trade includes a gallery of fan art inspired by Legend, and we're happy to present an expanded and exclusive version of that gallery here.

This December, Z2 Comics launches its first superhero title with Cullen Bunn and George Kambadais' Grave Lilies, about a quintet of teenage girls who emerge from stasis with nothing but questions and a shady government agency on their tale. Ahead of its debut, Z2 has provided us with a look at the first issue, which looks like no other superhero comic out on the stands.

In Legend #4, a group of dogs and cats come upon a human in the post-apocalyptic wasteland, but things don't go as you'd expect. At least not if you haven't been reading this comic. Samuel Sattin and Chris Koehler's Legend offers a very different take on an apocalypse story, in which our former pets the ones fighting for the future, and that makes it stand out from the pack. Check out a preview!

Indoctrination is an upcoming Z2 Comics series from writer Michael Moreci and artist Matt Battaglia about two cops working with a terrorist to investigate a dangerous death cult. A supernatural-tinged thriller with a political twist, Indoctrination has a lot of big ideas to deliver on, and first-time comic artist Battaglia has to weave these elements together to create a sinister atmosphere of suspense. In order to get readers better acquainted with the world of Indoctrination, the creative team has provided ComicsAlliance with an exclusive commentary breaking down the elements of the first five pages of issue #1. It's a fascinating look at the choices they made, and the ideas that informed the series.

Z2 Comics' upcoming series The Sweetness is a twisted and often disturbing tale of a intergalactic drug smuggling, centered on two tough and unconventional women who are trying to make a living pushing their mysterious product to alien customers. The series was born from the minds of the wife-and-husband team of writer Miss Lasko-Gross, creator of A Mess of Everything, and artist Kevin Colden, creator of Fishtown. We chatted with the duo about the characters and universe of The Sweetness. Z2 Comics also provided us with an exclusive preview of the first issue, which you can check out below.

Z2 Comics have been on a roll with its 2016 slate of comics, with Hyper Force Neo, Carver and Welcome To Showside showcasing the breadth of the line. Now the publisher has a new apocalyptic political thriller in the works called Indoctrination, from writer Michael Moreci and newcomer Matt Battaglia, about two cops who have to work with a terrorist to investigate a dangerous new death cult.

What happens when you combine the animalistic focus of Homeward Bound with the difficulty of forging a new world in the ashes of the old? Novelist and essayist Sam Sattin and illustrator Chris Koelher have joined forces to figure out that question in Legend, a comic series that follows a pack of dogs finding their way through a post-apocolyptic, post-human world full of monsters, cat gangs, and existential crises. ComicsAlliance sat down with the two of them to discuss influences, symbolism, and what attracts readers to animal-focused stories in the first place, with an exclusive look at the cover of the upcoming Legend.

Jarrett Williams has an enthusiasm for comics that comes through in everything he does, whether it's tabling at conventions or crafting high-energy action stories on the comics page. It's that enthusiasm that's made me a fan of his, and when I found out that he was doing a new series about a Super Sentai-esque team of teenagers in giant robots fighting aliens in the future, "excited" doesn't really cover it. That book is Hyper Force Neo, and in April, the oversized 48-page first issue is hitting stands from Z2 Comics to start a brand-new ongoing series. To find out more, I spoke to Williams about his influences for the title, how a trip to Hong Kong helped to shape the future that he presents, and why Hyper Force Neo actually has a little bit in common with Richie Rich. He also offered us a look at the story's roots in his teenage sketchbook!

Tomorrow sees the release of Welcome to Showside #3, the latest chapter of Bravest Warrior artist Ian McGinty's creator-owned series about easygoing Kit and his friends defending their town from demons and monsters. This issue tells the story of a school dance, which aspiring sorceress Moon drags Belle and Kit to with the hope of having a relaxing evening. And in the preview pages, that seems to be what they have. This being Welcome to Showside, some manner of demons or monsters will inevitably show up (judging by the cover, probably zombies?), but at least the kids get some dancing in before that happens.

Z2 Comics will offer its first ever Free Comic Book Day title in 2016, Comics Lab, featuring work by Ian McGinty (Welcome to Showside), Chris Hunt (Carver: A Paris Story), Jarrett Williams (Super Pro KO), Alexis Zirritt (Teen Dog), with a cover from Tyler Boss (Lazarus). The anthology is built around the theme of... comics, with all stories featuring Z2 Comics characters. Exclusive to Comics Alliance, Z2 also revealed the covers and synopses for its March releases: