Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Image | Tagged: Monstress, Sana Takeda

As Monstress Celebrates 10 Years, Is This Image Comics' Secret Weapon?

Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda is Image Comics' secret weapon, still going strong a full decade later.

Published Tue, 28 Jan 2025 07:58:08 -0600

Article Summary

Monstress by Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda celebrates 10 years of success with Image Comics.
The series blends steampunk and kaiju in a world inspired by early 20th-century East Asia.
Monstress issues #55-57 promise new story arcs and thrilling adventures for fans.
Could Monstress become a movie or see spin-offs, celebrating its milestone year?

The multiple * inhale * Eisner, Harvey, Ringo, and Hugo * exhale * Award-winning series Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda remains one of Image's most beloved series and is still going strong 10 years later—could it be Image's secret weapon as the series heads into its milestone anniversary this year? With its blend of steampunk and kaiju elements, set in a richly detailed parallel world inspired by early 20th-century East Asia, Monstress has long been a bookstore market darling, with the non-comic shop likes of Amazon, Waterstones, Borders etc and has racked up nearly a million in sales purely in that channel alone, mirroring the stark difference in comic shop/bookshop sales for the likes of Raina Telgemeier's Smile..

Decorated with all manner of awards and critical acclaim and credited for helping Liu break the glass ceiling as the first woman writer to win the Best Writing Eisner Award, the series is one of Image's crown jewels and, we're told, an upper "YA/Adult crossover" title for the book market. Monstress is often seen outselling other powerhouses and ranking up alongside Saga, Invincible, and The Walking Dead in the coveted and cut-throat book market sales charts. That's something notable when Image is competing for turf against large-scale publishers like the real big two, Penguin Random House and Scholastic, as well as Abrams and the ever-prevalent manga library.

So now Monstress will head into its milestone 10th anniversary this year and kick off a new story arc with the release of issue #55 next month, and I'm told we'll be seeing a huge rollout of fanfare to match the series' importance for the publisher. Keep in mind that any ongoing series that surpasses the 50-issue benchmark nowadays is certainly something to celebrate. A rare bird, if you will, our little bird at Image tells us. So, with that in mind, could there be something more on the horizon for this tentpole series from Image Comics? A bigger presence at San Diego Comic-Con 2025? Monstress spin-offs? A Monstress movie to be announced? More from Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda??

MONSTRESS #55 (MR)
IMAGE COMICS
DEC240522
(W) Marjorie M. Liu (A/CA) Sana Takeda
New Story Arc. Return to the world of Monstress in this oversised issue! The Defiled have breached the walls of their prison-and possessed anyone who has ever held the Mask of the Shaman-Empress. In desperation, Maika and Kippa will need to partner with the most unlikely of allies-or risk losing everything. In Shops: Feb 26, 2025 SRP: $3.99

MONSTRESS #56 (MR)
IMAGE COMICS
JAN250585
(W) Marjorie M. Liu (A/CA) Sana Takeda
In times of desperation, is the enemy of your enemy truly your friend? Maika may need to find the answer, as she and her greatest foes share the burden of monstrous possession-and risk losing their minds and bodies forever.In Shops: Mar 26, 2025
SRP: $3.99

MONSTRESS #57 (MR)
IMAGE COMICS
FEB250536
(W) Marjorie M. Liu (A/CA) Sana Takeda
The Defiled, now controlling some of the most powerful figures in the Known World, are poised to create unimaginable chaos-unless Maika and her tentative allies can stop them. Elsewhere, Tuya reveals a secret that could change everything.In Shops: Apr 23, 2025
SRP: $3.99

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