Image has just announced the May release of Image+, its new magazine written for both comic readers and distributors. The magazine will include interviews with creators, early concept art and other “bonus content,” and the first 12 issues will include an origin story for Negan, a villain from The Walking Dead.
Image+ is another smart move from the comics publisher, which has been innovating in the process of comic book distribution for several years, prioritizing creator-led comics over franchises. The company capitalized on its commercial success, notably with Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead and Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ Saga, by signing the creators on for multi-series projects. Soon after Saga started selling out, Vaughan was announced as helming Paper Girls and We Stand On Guard. When comics readers followed Vaughan’s voice to his other projects, Image profited from their loyalty.
This focus on creators, along with the release of Image+, illustrates what makes the company the most interesting force in comics today. While the release of a free companion magazine is not a new idea, it sounds like Image+ will include extra content that its fans will actually read, rather than the explanations and previews typically included in Marvel and DC’s companion publications. We predict that after Negan’s origin story wraps up, Image+ might include a storyline from Saga, which will be well-received by its rabid fans.