Posted in: Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: abrams, Abrams ComicsArts, alex ross, fantastic four, marvel, MarvelArts

Alex Ross to Publish First Graphic Novel, Fantastic Four: Full Circle

Published Mon, 13 Dec 2021 14:07:11 -0600

You might want to keep an eye this up-and-comer. Alex Ross will publish his very first graphic novel at Abrams ComicsArts, in collaboration with Marvel Comics this August. Fantastic Four: Full Circle is "the first graphic novel written and illustrated by renowned comic artist Alex Ross in his thirty-plus-year career," according to a press release. The book will come in the dimensions of the 1980s Marvel Graphic Novel line. The retail price for the hardcover graphic novel is $24.99. In addition to being Ross's first graphic novel, Abrams bills it as the first graphic novel ever licensed by Marvel to another publisher and will kick off the MarvelArts line of similar projects at Abrams.

A press release from Abrams has more details on the production and release of Fantastic Four: Full Circle:

The book's large format breaks from the standard graphic novel size to showcase Ross's art, mirroring the format of the Marvel Graphic Novel, a line of books from the 1980s, and includes a full-color foldout poster featuring an all-new fully painted origin of the Fantastic Four. FANTASTIC FOUR: FULL CIRCLE was acquired and will be edited by Ross's longtime editor Charles Kochman, editorial director of Abrams ComicArts, alongside Marvel VP of Publishing, executive editor Tom Brevoort.

As for the story:

It's a rainy night in Manhattan, and not a creature is stirring except for . . . Ben Grimm. When an intruder suddenly appears inside the Baxter Building, the Fantastic Four—Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), the Invisible Woman (Susan Storm Richards), the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and the Thing (Ben Grimm)—find themselves surrounded by a swarm of invading parasites. These carrion creatures composed of Negative Energy come to Earth using a human host as a delivery system. But for what purpose? And who is behind this untimely invasion?

The Fantastic Four have no choice but to journey into the Negative Zone, an alien universe composed entirely of anti-matter, risking not just their own lives but the fate of the cosmos!

Here's what Ross has to say about making his graphic novel debut:

This is the Fantastic Four story I have been wanting to tell for years, and visually it is one of the greatest artistic experiments I have attempted. I'm excited to share this work with everyone, as it unites the two great publishing forces of Marvel and Abrams ComicArts in a bold new collaboration.

This kid is really gonna make something of himself. Fantastic Four: Full Circle will be out on August 2, 2022.

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