Artist-Writer Rob Liefeld Moves On IDW / Hasbro’s G.I. Joe / Cobra Tie-In Snake Eyes: Deadgame To Revive Archie Comic’s Mighty Crusaders!
Liefeld will write and draw a four-issue series launching so time in 2021.
THR reports.
Rob Liefeld to Revive Archie Comics’ ‘Mighty Crusaders’
Liefeld will reimagine the classic superhero team for the modern era in a four-part series.
The classic superhero team Mighty Crusaders is finding new life. Rob Liefeld, the writer and artist best known for Deadpool, will launch a four-issue series reviving the classic superteam for the modern era, with Archie Comics planning a 2021 release.The Mighty Crusaders first debuted in 1965 in a series written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. The team has included an assortment of heroes, including the Shield, the Comet, the Jaguar and Fly-Girl, but never quite broke through into the public consciousness a la Archie, Sabrina and other hit characters from the publisher. Archie Comics dusted off the property in 2017, and with this new take, it hopes to bring Mighty Crusaders to greater levels of awareness…
…Negotiations between Liefeld and Archie took a while to hammer out, and there were moments it looked like it might not come together. But Liefeld began penciling the first issue in secret anyway, thinking if the deal fell through, he could tweak it and turn the comic into some other patriotic character.
“So when it was over, I said, ‘I already drew the first issue. We are ready to go,'” Liefeld says of his deal finally closing.
“When I learned that Rob – a creator of the highest caliber with a long, sterling track record – was a fan of our characters, I knew we had to act fast,” said Archie Comics CEO/Publisher Jon Goldwater in a statement. “Along with Marvel and DC, Archie Comics is one of the few media companies with an entire catalogue of superheroes dating back to the earliest days of comics that are beloved and bursting with potential. I knew right away that Rob Liefeld was the person to make them shine again. This series will remind people why these characters matter, and put them in the A-list, where they have always belonged…”
…For Liefeld, working on The Shield marks a trifecta of patriotic character he’s tackled, including Captain America and Fighting American, created by Captain America co-creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. And this work caps a year in which he’s gotten to dive into a number of characters he has a deep affection for, including the G.I. Joe character Snake Eyes and Marvel’s Deadpool, which he’s returning to for next year’s 30th anniversary.
“Thes are important characters in the history of comic books,” Liefeld says of Mighty Crusaders. “But they have been dormant. It is a great opportunity to refresh.”
Deadline adds.
Archie Comics is known for bringing us iconic characters like Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Katy Keene, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and, of course, the red-headed heartthrob himself — all of which have been adapted to popular TV series. Archie Comics is going beyond the confines of Riverdale and diving into the vast library of superheroes with a reimagined version of Archie’s Mighty Crusaders with the help of Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld.
Archie Comics and Liefeld will reintroduce the Mighty Crusaders to a new audience via a new four-issue comic book series that will launch next year. The reimagining will pull from the library of Mighty Crusaders characters including Shield, the Comet, the Jaguar and Fly-Girl, among others.
Best-selling author-writer-artist Liefeld has been behind some of the most iconic comic book characters such as the aforementioned “Merc with a Mouth” Deadpool as well as Cable, X-Force and Brigade. He also has worked on franchise characters including Captain America, the Avengers and, most recently, G.I. Joe’s Snake Eyes.
Mighty Crusaders also will mark a step toward reintroducing Archie’s essential superhero IP to a modern readership and viewership. Known mainly for their teen humor, romance and YA-focused titles, this creative partnership will be put a spotlight on this part of the Archie library. With shows including Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Katy Keene, the company’s untapped superhero library is ripe for an adaptation…
…Archie Comics Co-President, Alex Segura [noted] “Rob’s work has always been dynamic, in terms of storytelling, action, character, and style. One of my earliest comic book memories was picking up a copy of X-Force #1 and being completely enamored. To have Rob bring that same energy and fearless creativity to Archie’s stable of superhero characters is a dream come true. I’m so excited for people to read these stories, and to show everyone why heroes like the Shield, Jaguar, Comet, Fly-Girl, and others matter more today than ever before.”
The Mighty Crusaders first appeared in issues of Fly-Man in 1965 before receiving its own series written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. The superhero team was introduced during the golden age of the Avengers and the Justice League of America at Marvel and DC. The title was canceled and then revived in 1983 before it relaunched again in 1992.
Cool news to begin 2021.
