A Big Storm’s Brewing In ‘God Country’ #1 [Preview]

God Country, an upcoming Image Comics series by writer Donny Cates and artist Geoff Shaw, blends fantasy and western elements in the present day and with an elderly protagonist who finds himself in a unique situation.

When his home and the entire town is destroyed by a tornado, Emmett Quinlan finds his dementia gone and his body restored to health by a magic sword, which he'll also need to battle the monsters that are on their way.

It's an interesting premise, and I wish the preview actually got to the interesting stuff! The art looks great, but in these first four pages it's just a drama about Emmett's dementia, in which he doesn't even appear. The powered up version looks pretty formidable on those covers though, so there's a lot of potential here.

God's Country goes on sale January 11, 2017. Check out the preview below.

Here's the official word from Image:

In GOD COUNTRY readers meet Emmett Quinlan, an old widower rattled by dementia. Emmett isn't just a problem for his children—his violent outbursts are more than the local cops can handle. When a tornado levels his home—as well as the surrounding West Texas town—a restored Quinlan rises from the wreckage. The enchanted sword at the eye of the storm gives him more than a sound mind and body, however. He's now the only man who can face these otherworldly creatures the sword has drawn down to the Lone Star State…

"This is a story Geoff and I have been wanting to tell for such a long time, and to be able to do it with Image is beyond a dream come true,” said Cates. “God Country is full of heart, action, giant swords, Kirby Gods, Texans, magic tornados, and family drama...so it's really just everything I love piled into one great, epic yarn. This January everyone is welcome to come on in, grab a beer, have a seat and get ready… we have a hell of a story to tell you."

Shaw added: “I love this book! Of course, I would say that, but I really do. I love that Donny and I get to work together again, and I love that we get to publish through Image. It's a story I've never heard before, both down to earth and out of this world. The whole team is on their A-Game and I cannot wait to share it with the world, Texas style!”

SOUTHERN BASTARDS meets American Gods in a high-stakes fantasy series that will kick off the new year with high-octane action and jaw-dropping worldbuilding. In GOD COUNTRY salvation is a double-edged sword.

GOD COUNTRY #1 Cover A by Shaw and Dave Stewart (Diamond Code NOV160544) and Cover B by Gerardo Zaffino (Diamond Code NOV160545) hits stores on Wednesday, January 11th. The final order cutoff for comics retailers is Monday, December 19th.