testpattern1.jpgThe other day it was announced that Jonathan Hickman was leaving FF in October, after a very successful run there. With his other Marvel work also winding down, there was mucho speculation about what this “architect” would be up to.

One thing is his new series (on sale today) THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS (with artist Nick Pitarra) which will be released digital day and date. To make ready, Hickman is also releasing TEST PATTERN, a digital anthology of his previous five collections, THE NIGHTLY NEWS, PAX ROMANA, TRANSHUMAN, A RED MASS FOR MARS, and THE RED WING, available exclusively via comiXology for $34.99. An affordable way to keep Hickman’s body of work readily available for those discovering his new book? Sounds like it.

Making waves in the digital realm today, superstar comic creator Jonathan Hickman (Fantastic Four, The Red Wing) announced the digital release of not only his new creator-owned Image Comics series The Manhattan Projects, but also the release of an exclusive digital collection of all his previously published creator-owned work through Image Comics. This digital exclusive collection, Test Pattern, is available only on the Comics by comiXology platform —including iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire and the Web.

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Test Pattern, a five-volume omnibus, collects Hickman’s entire creator-owned Image Comics back catalog, including The Nightly News, Pax Romana, Transhuman, A Red Mass for Mars, andThe Red Wing into one digital edition that both long-time fans and new readers alike can enjoy. 

The move toward releasing the entire back catalog of Hickman’s impressive creator-owned career and the digital exclusive collection — available only through comiXology — is also accompanied by the release of a FREE Test Pattern sample edition showcasing the first issues of each original Hickman series. The free Test Pattern sampler serves as a great starting point for new readers interested in Hickman’s work. 

“As an innovator in the world of digital comics, comiXology is the logical place to release the entire back catalog of my creator-owned work along with my latest work, The Manhattan Projects. Digital is here to stay, and I look forward to finding a whole new audience with these projects and with comiXology,” says Hickman. 
 
“The Test Pattern collection is an amazing way to introduce fans to Jonathan’s recent back catalog all in one shot,” says comiXology CEO and Co-founder David Steinberger. “Getting creator owned comics into the hands of new readers is a top priority for us and as a long-time fan of Jonathan’s work myself, I couldn’t be happier!”

“From the moment I opened the package containing Jonathan’s pitch for The Nightly News, I knew he was a creative force to be reckoned with. The work he’s done for us since then has only reinforced my high opinion of his many talents, and it’s nothing short of an honor to associated with a creator of his caliber,” said Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. “We’re proud to partner with Jonathan and comiXology in bringing his entire catalog of creator owned work to digital comic fans everywhere.”

The Manhattan Projects is Hickman’s new creator-owned series from Image Comics that asks the question: “What if the R&D department created to produce the first atomic bomb was a front for more unusual programs?”  Teaming with Jonathan Hickman on The Manhattan Projects is artist Nick Pitarra (Astonishing Tales, The Red Wing) the duo unites once more following the success last year’s Image Comics smash hit The Red Wing. The Manhattan Projects will debut as Jonathan Hickman’s first creator-owned, same day as print digital release.
 
Debuting today, The Manhattan Projects #1, the five-volume Test Pattern collection, and five-issue free sampler are available for download on the Comics by comiXology platform, the Image Comics App, and the Image Comics digital webstore. The Test Pattern five-volume collection and sampler is exclusive to the Comics by ComiXology platform and can also be found on the Image Comics App, powered by comiXology.

1 COMMENT

  1. Bah. All I wanted was Red Mass for Mars and Red Wing. I have the others in print. I would like to have them all in digital form, but this is too expensive. Plus, if I were to buy them all, I’d want them as individual collections.