Superstar creator Brian Michael Bendis is embarking on a multi-year partnership with Dark Horse Comics. Earlier, Bendis announced his Jinxworld imprint would also be moving to Dark Horse. This looked to be just the first step, as Bendis today announced he will be creating more titles for the publisher as part of the deal, including Joy Operations with artist Stephen Byrne.
Although he broke into comics in the early 1990s, it was 2000’s Ultimate Spider-Man that put Bendis on the map. From there he followed it with a legendary run on Daredevil as well as Alias, which brought the comics world Jessica Jones. Bendis would go onto work on the Avengers, the X-Men, Moon Knight and the Guardians of the Galaxy before moving to DC Comics in 2018. While at DC he oversaw Superman as well as the Legion of Super-Heroes; he currently chronicles the adventures of the Justice League. In addition to his work for Marvel and DC, Bendis also has an incredible body of creator-owned work, including Powers, Jinx and Scarlet. Now Bendis has partnered with Dark Horse Comics to not only bring Jinxworld to the publisher, but to bring fans new creator-owned work, starting with Joy Operations.
Dark Horse Comics released a YouTube video featuring Bendis discussing his new deal with the publisher. Bendis started by announcing the partnership, and how thrilled he was to be working with Dark Horse. Bendis stated he had been a fan of the publisher from the beginning, and expressed admiration for some of their key titles, including Sin City, Concrete, Grendel and Black Hammer; he feels these titles inspired everyone to “work harder” and up their creative games. He then talked about Joy Operations, a new title he created with Stephen Byrne.
Set in the future, the book tells the story of corporate-owned cities, called “Trusts.” Joy, the book’s protagonist, is an envoy in this world, a world Bendis feels is coming one way or the other. Bendis praised his artistic collaborator as well, stating that many narrative choices were based on Byrne’s style; Bendis feels this is Byrne “at his best.” Joy Operations will be on sale in print and digital November 17.
The news comes as several writers and artists have announced that they are leaving the Marvel and DC to focus on their creator-owned comics. For 35 years, Dark Horse Comics has brought readers legendary and ground-breaking comics, such as Sin City; it has also built a reputation as a creator-friendly company, a fact Bendis notes. Now the publisher has given Brian Michael Bendis and his collaborators a platform to tell the best stories of their careers. Watching the video, it is clear that Brian Michael Bendis is happy to be a part of Dark Horse Comics.
Source: Dark Horse Comics