Survivors of a vampire apocalypse are hiding in the ruins of the Pentagon in Impaler, and their only plan is to bring back Vlad the Impaler. Image Comics and Top Cow revealed the all-new miniseries yesterday, reuniting the cult vampire comic with its creator, writer William Harms. Check out the official post down below:
In the new story, vampires have destroyed the world. The survivors huddled in the Pentagon believe Vlad's resurrection is their only hope, and Image's synopsis leaves the outcome open by asking whether he will be their savior or their destroyer. The series runs 6 issues, and Impaler #1 reaches comic shops on Wednesday, February 3.
Harms is writing, Christian DiBari is drawing and Lee Loughridge is coloring. Harms has said he sees the vampires in the book as "terrifying, brutal, and utterly unrelenting," and DiBari described the project as a "bleak, dark story with all kinds of cool characters and world building."
A Blizzard, A Ghost Ship And Dracula As The Hunter
The original Impaler started at Image in October 2006. One of the worst blizzards in history hits New York City, and a cargo ship drifting offshore carries an evil that turns the snowbound city into vampire territory. Image's description of the first story promised that "in two nights, New York City will be no more."
Harms turned the Dracula myth around. Vlad Tepes, the historical figure who inspired the Dracula legend, appears as the vampires' hunter, not their master. He rescues retiring NYPD homicide detective Victor Dailey and a band of survivors, shelters them in a bookstore built on holy ground and then forces them to help him attack the lair of the original vampire.
The book was nominated for an International Horror Guild Award and was praised by Rue Morgue magazine, but it stopped after 3 issues in 2007. Top Cow rescued it in 2008 with Impaler Vol. 1, which collected the Image issues and finished the arc with 3 previously unpublished chapters, and horror novelist F. Paul Wilson, author of The Keep and the Repairman Jack books, wrote its introduction. The trade also carried script pages from unused scenes and bonus artwork. Harms said at the time that the Image run "just couldn't hit that sweet spot in terms of sales" despite its reviews, and that "the guys at Top Cow were big fans of the book and agreed to pick it up." Top Cow followed it with an ongoing series drawn by Matt Timson in December 2008, and Jonathan Maberry introduced the second collection.
The Team Bringing It Back
Harms is a BAFTA nominee who has written the Image series White Sky and the video games Mafia III and Infamous. DiBari's past comics include Revolvers, Magdalena: Reformation and Destiny Gate. Loughridge won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book and has colored The Darkness and Aquaman.
"Impaler has always held a special place in my heart, and I'm thrilled to return to it," Harms said. "It's been thrilling to watch Christian and Lee bring this story to horrifying life, and I can't wait for readers, new and old, to experience it."
Timson is back for the relaunch with Cover B and a 1:10 virgin incentive variant. Jason Shawn Alexander of Killadelphia draws Cover C and a 1:25 virgin variant, and Dani of Coffin Bound draws Cover D with Brad Simpson plus a 1:50 virgin variant. DiBari and Loughridge handle Cover A, and a Blank Sketch cover rounds out the lineup.
Where To Find It
Impaler #1 goes on sale February 3 in comic shops and digitally on Amazon Kindle, Google Play, Apple Books, Nook, Everand, Kobo, OverDrive, Hoopla and other platforms. Image's catalog lists Impaler: Epilogue, released in February 2015, as the last Impaler comic before this return.
The 2006 story followed a single city falling to the vampire plague over 2 nights, while the new miniseries starts with the whole world already lost.
Would you rather see Vlad tear through a vampire-ruled world as a hero, or have the survivors realize they resurrected something worse than what they were hiding from?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.