Few anthology magazines have left a mark on pop culture quite like *Heavy Metal*. Known for its groundbreaking fusion of sci-fi, fantasy, and adult-oriented storytelling, it has long been a cornerstone of the comic book world. Now, after much anticipation, *Heavy Metal* is officially returning to comic shops in a brand-new volume. Following a highly successful crowdfunding campaign that demonstrated overwhelming fan support, the first issue of this revival drops on Wednesday, April 30.
In celebration of the upcoming launch, IGN is proud to present an exclusive preview of *Heavy Metal #1*. Dive into our exclusive slideshow gallery below, where you can view pages from several featured stories, as well as all previously revealed variant covers:
A Star-Studded Lineup of Stories & Creators
This new chapter in *Heavy Metal*'s legacy brings together a powerful mix of veteran contributors and exciting new voices in the industry. Among the standout highlights is the return of *Heavy Metal*'s iconic character Taarna, reimagined for a modern audience. The first issue includes the following diverse array of stories and creators:
- BUG – Enki Bilal
- Burton & Cyb – Antonio Segura & José Ortiz
- The Mercenary – Vicente Segrelles
- Valentina – Sergio Gerasi
- Sixella: The Last Roots – Janevsky
- Taarna: Rebirth – Leah Moore, John Reppion, Anna Morozova
- Cold Dead War: The Aftermath – Craig Wilson
- Grimaldi – Keron Grant, Josh Sky, Frank Forte
- Legends of Taarna: "Autophonomania" – Matt and Shawn Fillbach, Joseph Michael Linsner
- Gladiatrix – John Stanisci
- Evil Sex Bitch – Steve Mannion
- Lester, That Old Feeling – Fernando Dagnino
- The Bus – Paul Kirchner
- June 2050 – John Workman
- Millstone – Michael Conrad, Ilias Kyriazis
- Transcendestiny – David Quinn, Tim Vigil
- Cobot – Jonathan Wayshak
- All American – Jason Spell, Jok
- Kecksburg UFO – Jim Rugg
- They Dug Too Deep – Dwayne Harris
- Floyd the Giant Killer – Michael L. Peters
- GUNK – Curt Merlo
- Harry Canyon – Josh Sky, Frank Forte
- Zeke & Edsel – Frank Forte
- The Devil's Teeth – Lia Bozonelis, Agustin Alessio
Impressive Print Run & Publishing Details
The debut issue of this relaunch carries a print run of 73,000 copies—marking it as the most widely printed installment of the series in decades. Priced at $14.99, *Heavy Metal #1* offers readers over 232 action-packed pages of visually stunning art and compelling narratives.
Fans can expect *Heavy Metal #1* to arrive in comic shops on April 30, with newsstand availability following on May 13. Going forward, new issues are scheduled to be released quarterly, though the publisher has indicated flexibility for an increased frequency should reader demand warrant it.
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