Posted in: Comics, Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: brian bendis, dark horse, jinxworld, joy operations, Stephen Byrne

Brian Bendis' Creator-Owned Comics Move From DC To Dark Horse

No substack for Brian Bendis! A couple of weeks ago, Bleeding Cool told you that Brian Bendis' creator-owned comics under the Jinxworld banner would return with a new publisher. And now it turns out that publisher is Dark Horse Comics, with a new series Joy Operations by Bendis and Stephen Byrne, who he worked with at DC on Wonder Twins. Joy Operations takes place 55 years in the future and "centres on Joy, who is EN.VOI — special agent of one of the Jonado Trust. In this world, trusts are corporate-owned cities for whom she rights its wrongs. She is a legendary figure in some parts due to her job, until one day she hears a voice in her head urging her to betray her everything she has ever believed."

 Joy Operations #1 (of 5) will be published on the 17th of November, The Pearl Vol. 1 in March 2022 and Vol 2 in April, and Powers: The Best Ever trade paperback on the 26th of January 2022. More titles will be created with Alex Maleev and Jacob Edgar.

In 2017, when Brian Bendis left Marvel Comics for a DC Comics exclusive deal, people wondered about the creator-owned comics that Brian published through Marvel's Icon imprint Powers, Brilliant, Scarlet, Takio and The United States Of Murder, Inc, and the like. Then in November 2017, all the Icon books were pulled off of digital services ComiXology and Amazon's Kindle. Those who had already bought digital copies could still read them, but no new sales could be made. Then DC Comics added all the Brian Bendis creator-owned books to their own listings on ComiXology, Kindle, and other services, with some new series such as Pearl and Cover. But in January of this year, Bleeding Cool scooped the news that Brian Bendis was no longer exclusive at DC Comics – though he was still working at DC Comics with Justice League and Checkmate. But as a result, ComiXology dropped those Brian Bendis titles from DC as well. Here's where Powers used to be. Here's where United States Of Murder used to be. Pearl and Cover, which both originated at DC Comics were – and are – still on ComiXology under "Jinxworld". But none of the others. Most were listed on Amazon under Jinxworld, with DC Comics in the description. But how long will that stock last? Brian Bendis tweeted out an update. "happy to report… RIGHT around the corner!! the newest surprise #jinxworld book is on the cover of next month's previews catalogue. with that will come details about all things #jinxworld going forward, NEW titles! continuations of our hit books, the archive…"

At the time we asked "will it be a return to Image Comics for Jinxworld? Boom? IDW? Dynamite? Dark Horse? Those are basically… the only possibilities." And it was, indeed, the last one. Brian Bendis gave THR the PR, announcing a new series Joy Operations with, and that all the other books would be joining it. Bendis told THR "I am so proud to call Dark Horse Comics home! From Dark Horse Presents all the way up to Black Hammer, Dark Horse has been at the forefront of the kind of creator-owned comics I personally adore and aspire to. This partnership has been brewing for a very long time. Mike Richardson, Daniel Chabon, and everyone else at Dark Horse has welcomed us with open arms and it's very exciting to start rolling out our brand-new epics like Joy Operations and reintroduce you to some of our classic Jinxworld titles like Powers, Torso, and Jinx. Any of my friends will tell you I wished those books were published by Dark Horse back when we first made them. To the future!"

Dark Horse will issue new releases of Pearl with Michael Gaydos, Cover with David Mack and a new Murder Inc., with Michael Avon Oeming and Taki Soma. Dark Horse Comics president and founder, Mike Richardson stated "Brian Bendis is one of the comic industry's premier talents and we are so excited to welcome him here to Dark Horse. As Brian can confirm, I've been chasing him for a very long time. Not only will Brian be bringing new stories here for his many fans, but we will be re-releasing new editions of his existing work for a whole new generation of readers."

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