The venerable sci-fi anthology is slated to make a comeback 30th April 2025.
Article by Paul Dunne
30th January 2025
One of the most exciting pieces of comics news to come out of the tail-end of 2024 was the resurrection of Heavy Metal Magazine, the sci-fi Anthology being brought back into being by Frank Forte, our old Orbital colleague Chris Thompson and Night Watchman creator Dave Kelly.
Heavy Metal began life in 1977 as a licensed, English-language version of the French Metal Hurlant. As it grew into its own separate but no less acclaimed popularity, it helped bring artists like Moebius and Druillet to international recognition.
Over the years, Heavy Metal has been through a variety of owners, which hasn’t always been to the magazine’s benefit, despite its consistent ability to present beautiful art by top artists in conjunction with involving storytelling. But since the launch of its Kickstarter, which raised over half a million pounds, there’s been a new lease of life injected into publication!
Co-Editor Dave Kelly shared his excitement for this generation of Heavy Metal: “The mag is going to have the same feeling that it did in its glory days in the 20th Century. It's funny to say that we have to look at the past to see the future, but that's what I see in a guy like Janevsky, whose work you're going to love!”
Greg Hiderbrandt’s #1 cover
Now, the editorial team have announce their next wave of creators, whose work will appear in the launch issue. And we’ve got the list along with her first projects for the mag:
Michael Conrad, Ilias Kyriazis, and Simon Bowland, will bring us the dark fantasy of Millstone.
Enki Bilal will return to the magazine for an English language adaptation of his hit series BUG,
Antonio Segura and Jose Ortiz return for previously unseen installments of Burton & Cyb.
Keron Grant Variant
Vicente Segrelles is also returning for The Mercenary.
Sixella by Janevsky
French newcomer Janevsky will be making the English language debut of their fan-favourite sci-fi femme fatale, Sixella.
And Craig Wilson, Keron Grand, Joseph Michael Linsner, and Fernando Dagnino Guerra will work on a series of One-Shot stories for the book! Add all that up and you’re looking at some of the most fascinating, hardest-hitting comics of all time! But that’s not all the Heavy Metal team have in store.
Janevski’s Variant
Iconic strips will be making a comeback in the 2025 reboot. Paul Kirchner's The Bus and John Workman's June 2050 will return. And we’ll be seeing the English-language debut of Sergio Gerasi's recreated versions of Guido Crepax's Valentina series.
Jim Rugg's Kecksburg UFO
Not only that, but we’ll see Transcendestiny by David Quinn and Tim Vigil, as well as Jim Rugg's Kecksburg UFO. Jonathan Wayshak will also be creating an as-yet-unnamed story. You think that’s all?
Anna Morozova’s Taarna
Well, you’d be wrong because the new Heavy Metal will feature Linsner's Legends of Taarna written by Leah Moore and John Reppion and drawn by Anna Morozova, coloured by Ellie Wright, and lettered by Tom Napolitano.
Tula Lotay’s Variant
And we haven’t even mentioned the cover artists yet! Tula Lotay, Keron Grant and Jenevsky will feature, alongside legends like Greg Hilderbrandt and Frank Frazetta.
Speaking exclusively to The Comic Crush from this year’s Angoulême International Comics Festival in France, where he and co-editor Dave Kelly are in talks with future Heavy Metal creators, editor Chris Thompson said: “It’s an absolute privilege to be flying the Heavy Metal flag officially for the first time at Angouleme this week. As someone who is in their second decade of attending the festival, it’s great to look at all the new and classic material we could potentially acquire, as well as talk to publishers about some of the interesting things we’re doing ourselves. You can see a glimpse of them here, with more to come over the coming year. Not only are we out to make Heavy Metal heavy again, but we’re taking it back to its European roots. Hope you’ll join us on what is sure to be an epic adventure!”
For Dave Kelly, being at Angouleme brings back memories: “There's nothing better than being at Angoulême. Part of the journey to relaunch Heavy Metal began here when I met Chris Thompson for the first time. A few pints later plus a couple of years and we made it happen!”
Frank Frazetta’s #1 cover
You’ll get all this and more by pre-ordering Heavy Metal #1 at your Local Comic Shop now!
David Palumbo Variant