Posted in: Comics | Tagged: 7STRING, Afterlife Inc, Comics, entertainment, thought bubble

Thought Bubble: Worlds Collide As Afterlife Inc. And 7STRING Meet In The Heavenly Chord

Published Mon, 10 Nov 2014 09:30:42 -0600

Jon Lock and Nich Angell write for Bleeding Cool:

Who here has seen Iron Man 2?

Go on, don't be shy. Stand up and be counted.

Remember that scene after the credits where Agent Coulson drives out into the New Mexico desert, only to find a certain hammer in the middle of a crater? (SPOILERS)

Well, for us, this was the moment that inspired a crossover of our very own. What began as a joke on Twitter soon spiralled into something incredible, as the worlds of our respective comics, Afterlife Inc. and 7STRING, collided in The Heavenly Chord.

At first glance, our books didn't seem compatible at all. 7STRING is about a world where music is magic. Where warring tribes, or clefs, make war with musical weaponry. Guitar swords, keytar blades and drum cannons are the order of the day. Afterlife Inc. is the tale of con-artist Jack Fortune, who, following his untimely death, discovers an afterlife in chaos and decides to take over and run it like a business.

Their differences, however, are what made the crossover so appealing. We're both massive fans of classic comic crossovers ('Marvel vs. DC', 'JLA/Avengers') and in making the Heavenly Chord we were keen to honour every bizarre and wondrous trope that made those events possible. The phrase 'a tear in the multiverse' has a lot to answer for…

The Heavenly Chord was originally released in two parts, but now, for the first time, we're collecting the entire story in one graphic novel, which will be launching at Thought Bubble this November. In addition to the main story, the Heavenly Chord also has a host of special features, including: a director's commentary, soundtrack and a host of pin-ups from some of the best artists on the UK comic scene.

You can listen to the director's commentary for free here.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiW7exzTwXI[/youtube]

The Heavenly Chord has been a life-changing experience. Off the back of it, we've even formed Big Punch Studios, our latest collaboration. If you'd like a get a copy of the Heavenly Chord, come find us at Tables 191-192, New Dock Hall, at Thought Bubble this month. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this free preview of the book.

Adrift in time and space, Zachary Briarpatch, wielder of the 7STRING blade and latest in a long line of legendary soloists, crash lands on the Empyrean, the great golden city of the dead. The mad menace Requiem has torn asunder the veil between universes, bringing Zach into direct conflict with undead corporation Afterlife Inc.

Can Zach and CEO Jack Fortune put aside their differences before Requiem's plan comes to fruition?

Will the best of two worlds be enough to prevent the destruction of both?

Find out in the Heavenly Chord graphic novel, launching at Thought Bubble, Leeds' Comic Art Festival, this November!

Bleeding Cool will be featuring Thought Bubble debut projects through the week, before getting on the train and going there ourselves. See you there?