Top Cow Productions, the renowned comic book publisher known for titles like The Darkness and CyberForce, is set to celebrate a significant milestone – the 20th anniversary of Robert Kirkman’s iconic series, The Walking Dead, with a series of exclusive collectible variants. These special variant covers, created by artist Giuseppe Cafaro and colorist John Starr, will bring together characters from Top Cow’s own comic book universe with the beloved characters of The Walking Dead in a stunning panorama.
Scheduled for release in October, this unique collaboration features three virgin variant covers that beautifully intertwine the worlds of Top Cow Productions and The Walking Dead. The covers will incorporate characters from Destiny Gate #1, Antarctica #4, and Haunt You to the End #5, uniting them in a battle alongside the heroes and villains from The Walking Dead.
Giuseppe Cafaro, the artist behind these captivating covers, expressed his excitement, stating, “Being part of something done by Top Cow was one of my biggest dreams. It was super fun to work on, and John did an amazing job on colors! It was great to put together the characters from some new and awesome Top Cow series and some of the most iconic The Walking Dead characters.”
Cafaro and John Starr aimed to capture the unique essence of each respective comic book series while creating a cohesive visual narrative. Starr explained, “I gave Destiny Gate a hellish vibe, used cool colors for Antarctica, and matched Haunt You to the End’s palette. We added Giuseppe’s cool texture splatter and fog across the covers to give them grit and mood.”
Lee Thomas, the creative director of EP1T0ME, Top Cow’s partner on Destiny Gate, shared his enthusiasm for the project, saying, “When offered the opportunity to resurrect one of the greatest comic book characters from the original The Walking Dead series, we took that opportunity. Lucille… she lives, again! A ferocious Negan explodes from the macabre annals of Destiny Gate’s horrors with a determinism worthy of his character’s savagery and focus.”
In Destiny Gate #1, written by Ryan Cady and illustrated by Christian DiBari, Negan from The Walking Dead wields his infamous weapon, Lucille, as he confronts Destiny Gate’s protagonist, Mitchell Slate, while the menacing character ‘Madness’ ominously looms.
Antarctica #4 features Michonne’s sword-wielding alongside Antarctica heroine Hannah as they stand back-to-back, battling against the relentless walkers.
Willi Roberts, the artist behind Antarctica, expressed his excitement about this crossover, saying, “It’s one of my favorite comics and TV shows of all time – it was hard to believe… that Hannah gets to fight back-to-back with Michonne!”
Lastly, Haunt You to the End #5 showcases the resilient mercenary Gersh in the foreground, while The Walking Dead’s Maggie fights for her life against ravenous walkers. The cover also reveals the haunting image of Glenn’s ghostly corpse, leaving Maggie in shock and disbelief.
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Ryan Cady, the writer of both Destiny Gate and Haunt You to the End, praised Cafaro and John Starr for seamlessly blending the worlds of their respective comics with the post-apocalyptic horror of The Walking Dead.
Collectors and fans of both universes are sure to be thrilled by these exclusive variants, described by Antarctica creator as “zombie multiverse heaven.”
Antarctica letterer Lyndon White added, “This feels surreal.”
With the Halloween season approaching, fans can look forward to these exciting collaborations. Cady concluded, “Seeing Negan on the cover of Destiny Gate and Gersh paired with ghost Glenn makes this Halloween season an extra special one.”
The Walking Dead, originally launched in 2003 by Image Comics, has since become a cultural phenomenon, leading to a highly successful television adaptation by AMC in 2010. Robert Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment further expanded The Walking Dead franchise into various mediums, including video games, novels, merchandise, and spin-offs, making it a global sensation with over 45 million copies sold in multiple languages.
The exclusive The Walking Dead team-up variants will be available at local comic shops. Each cover will be released on specific dates in October, ensuring fans have ample opportunity to collect them.
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