Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Chris O'Halloran, HRL, ice cream man, image, martin morazzo, W. Maxwell Prince

Missing Great Opportunity, Image Comics Releases Plain Vanilla Ice Cream Man TPB in June

Published Tue, 01 May 2018 14:30:08 -0500

Just in time for summer, Image Comics is releasing a trade paperback collection of Ice Cream Man, the ongoing series by writer W. Maxwell Prince, artist Martín Morazzo, and colorist Chris O'Halloran that features standalone single-issue stories tied together by the titular Ice Cream Man, a press release reveals.

Unfortunately, as far as we can tell, despite releasing a trade paperback for a series called Ice Cream Man in the Summer, Image has failed to capitalize on obvious merchandising opportunities. Rival DC Comics, for example, offers a line of actual ice cream themed after their most popular superheroes. There's a Wonder Woman flavor (caramel and vanilla), a Batman flavor (chocolate fudge brownie), and a Superman flavor (fanboy tears and Zack Snyder deleted scenes). We can't help but feel that Image is missing the boat by failing to cross-promote this comic with an actual Image Comics ice cream truck that delivers Image series themed ice cream to hungry customers. Hobo Piss Pistachio branded with characters from the latest Rick Remender series, anyone? Mmmm!

Sadly, though a comic book themed boutique ice cream truck seems like a no-brainer that would probably go over very well in hipster-filled Portland, Image has taken the easy path and will simply release a regular trade paperback with regular paper-flavored paper. Even so, when it does arrive in june, we'll be sure to buy a copy, toss it in a grinder, and use it a Sundae topping. It's the least we can do, and if nothing else, Image uses high quality, gluten-free paper stock.

Check out what Ice Cream Man Vol. 1: Rainbow Sprinkles is all about, from the press release:

Chocolate, vanilla, existential horror, addiction, musical fantasy…there's a flavor for everyone's misery.

ICE CREAM MAN is a genre-defying comic book series, featuring disparate "one-shot" tales of sorrow, wonder, and redemption. Each installment features its own cast of strange characters, dealing with their own special sundae of suffering. And on the periphery of all of them, like the twinkly music of his colorful truck, is the Ice Cream Man—a weaver of stories, a purveyor of sweet treats. Friend. Foe. God. Demon. The man who, with a snap of his fingers—lickety split!—can change the course of your life forever.

Ice Cream Man Vol. 1 collects the first four issues of Ice Cream Man and will be available in comic stores on June 20th and in bookstores on June 26th.