Posted in: Comics, Image | Tagged: image comics, jim valentino, Jon Upchurch, kurtis j wiebe, Rat Queens, Roc Upchurch, shadowline

Roc Upchurch Returns To Rat Queen's Finale From Image Comics

In September, John Upchurch - back under his pen name Roc Upchurch - is returning for a final 80-pagel Rat Queens finale with Kurtis J Wiebe.

Rat Queens was a very popular comic book at Image Comics through Jim Valentino's Shadowline imprint, an all-female fantasy comic that subverted traditional tropes by Kurtis J Weibe and Roc Upchurch. In October 2014, Upchurch was arrested on charges of domestic violence, first reported by Bleeding Cool the following month. Later, Upchurch confirmed to Bleeding Cool that he had assaulted his wife.  In August 2015, talking to CBR, he said that the charges were to be wiped off his record after attending counselling for six months. However his wife, identifying as Reese U, subsequently messaged the Mary Sue site and made further allegations against Upchurch.

Upchurch was dropped from the Rat Queens comic, and a number of other artists took his role on the book in a variety of forms, though Upchurch was still credited as co-creator and they used a couple of his covers when the series published its final issue to date in March 2021.

In 2019, Upchurch returned to comics in a Kickstarter for a new comic book, written by the new Massive/Whatnot EIC Blake Northcott and Scott Lobdell, Everglade Angels, as well as a new series from Image Comics and Shadowline, Lucy Claire: Redemption both under his real name John Upchurch. "Lucy Claire was once a celebrated hero. But through a series of sinister events, she was slandered and defamed, and her children were taken from her." It is believed that this, as well as a now-cancelled Warren Ellis comic book, was partially responsible for some of the demands made by the new Image Comics union, CBWU.

Now in September 2023's Image Comics solicitations, John Upchurch – back under his pen name Roc Upchurch – is returning for a final 80-pagel Rat Queens finale with Kurtis J Wiebe, entitled Sisters, Warriors, Queens to be published on the 20th of September.

RAT QUEENS: SISTERS WARRIORS, QUEENS (ONE-SHOT)
(W) Kurtis J Wiebe (A) Roc Upchurch
The epic conclusion to an incredible ten-year run of the award-winning series RAT QUEENS. The finale reunites Betty, Dee, Violet, and Hannah decades after a fateful final adventure that forever broke them apart, with many questions and things left unsaid. Discover the mystery of what drove them apart, and what forces have brought them together one last time. SPECIAL 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY PRESTIGE FORMAT ONE-SHOT!
80 PAGES RAI COLOR PRESTIGE FORMAT S7.99  MATURE (AGES 18+)

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