I is for IMAGE and . . .

As a comic book fan, I was there when IMAGE launched to great fanfare and even greater sales. Well, in truth I was there long before that. I was reading Marvel titles when the Image seven still worked for Marvel and DC and followed them as they did their exodus and formed IMAGE.

The Savage Dragon, Spawn, WILDC.A.T.S. and Youngblood (whenever is was actually published) were my titles. I dropped the Savage Dragon after issue 25. I dropped Youngblood after the Team Youngblood title. I followed WILDC.A.T.S. thru all their changes and even briefly into the New 52. I still read Spawn to this day.

Except for Spawn, I gave up Image around 1997 or so. I just wasn’t a fan of what they were putting out. This was after the Fire From Heaven storyline.

To be honest, I read Spawn more for Sam and Twitch and out of habit than anything else. There were long periods where it wasn’t very good and I considered, but never did, dropping the title. It wasn’t until the Man of Miracles storyline that I became interested again, and the subsequent Jim Downing story.

For a good long time IMAGE was focused on the art itself, and lacked any depth of story or characters. They were art first. Image over all.

They also spent years trying to build a coherent super-hero universe that could rival Marvel and DC, but that never worked. There were times they even seemed to try and force that universe down the industry’s throat.

Then came Robert Kirkman and The Walking Dead. I have never read that title, but can it can be argued that Kirkman and The Walking Dead started a mini-revolution within IMAGE. It was after the launch and success of The Walking Dead that IMAGE became what it always was meant to be: a place for creator owned titles, creative freedom and actual excellence of the comic book form.

Even then I never jumped on board because it was IMAGE, and my apathy was too great.

Then came NEAR DEATH, MIND THE GAP, HOAX HUNTERS and ALEX + ADA . . .

But first came INFINATE VACATION.

This was the first IMAGE title in a long time to get my attention. It was the first one I thought was imaginative, well-written and any good. It was the title that started my Journey back to IMAGE, and opened my mind up to give the line a chance.

Beyond the above mentioned titles, I also read FUSE, INVISIBLE REPUBLIC, SAGA, RAT QUEENS and others. Almost rivaling my Marvel list.

In my mind the turnaround for IMAGE is Imazing . . . I honestly never imagined me reading IMAGE titles on a regular basis.

It is amazing that it took IMAGE almost twenty years to become what it was originally sold as . . . a place for creators to have control and focus on quality titles that would push the envelope of the comic book art form.

Yes, the creators were always in the control of the company, but the quality and pushing of the envelope was rare.

Since I didn’t read for a long time, I have to be honest that there are probably good titles that I have missed.

IMAGE has done what any company should do naturally, what happens to organisms in nature, evolve beyond what it was to what it should be.

IMAGE use to be just about the Image, but it now has true substance to its titles.

I now does stand for IMAGE, IMAGINATIVE, INNOVATIVE and INDEPENDENT.

Who would have thought?

Ace.