Youngblood #4 (feat. Bloodstrike Finale)

Youngblood #4

© The Weirding, 2017

Liefeld's Return to Youngblood Sells-Out in Less Than 12 Hours!

25 February 2009 (Berkeley, CA) - Rob Liefeld's return to YOUNGBLOOD with President Barack Obama exploded with a nearly instantaneous sell-out despite a very significant over print.

"WOW! It's very exciting and a great honor to come back and the result be an instant sell-out for the book! I'd also like to thank President Obama for picking such a great new line up for YOUNGBLOOD, obviously he has the magic touch," said Liefeld. "That said, YOUNGBLOOD #8 is just the prelude to a much larger story. If you liked it, you're going to be blown away by the next issue in May. Given YOUNGBLOOD's status as a government sanctioned superteam, you can bet on our nation's newest President being involved from the very beginning!"

The YOUNGBLOOD appearance by President Obama marks the very beginning of Liefeld's return to his seminal creation. Starting in May, Rob will return to the book in full force, full-time, as he takes over the writing and illustrating duties to present a whole new direction for the team. This news comes on the heels of mega-director Brett Ratner (X-MEN 3, RUSH HOUR) announcing he'll be taking the reins of the upcoming YOUNGBLOOD feature film.

YOUNGBLOOD #8 2^nd-Printing, a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in-stores March 11^th, 2009

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

The New Era of Youngblood Begins Today

[24] February 2009 (Berkeley, CA) - The bold new era of YOUNGBLOOD begins today as series creator, Rob Liefeld, takes the reins and reveals President Barack Obama's shocking lineup of the long-running superhero team!

"Since YOUNGBLOOD's very first issue back in 1992, the series has always had a real world, political connection by taking on such issues as the first Iraq war and really exploring just what it would mean to be a government sanctioned superteam," Liefeld said. "Bringing Obama into the picture is a necessary extension of YOUNGBLOOD's history and I couldn't imagine a better way to start my full-time return to the series."

YOUNGBLOOD began the Image revolution in early 1992 and was the first creator-owned comic book to sell over a million copies right out of the gate by bringing a whole new perspective to what superhero comics were capable of. Rob's creations took the medium by storm, influencing an entire generation of creators. It did it again recently, when Brett Ratner, the famed director behind such blockbuster films as Rush Hour and X3, announced he will be taking the property to new heights by kick-starting the YOUNGBLOOD film franchise.

Tomorrow's issue not only features a six-page back up story setting up Rob Liefeld's full-time return to the series with May's YOUNGBLOOD #9, but also an already much-coveted variant cover featuring our nation's 44^th president. YOUNGBLOOD #8, a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in-stores tomorrow

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Brett Ratner's Youngblood

10 February 2009 (Berkeley, CA) - This past Monday, Variety announced Rob Liefeld's seminal superhero hit, YOUNGBLOOD, is on the fast track to the big screen - courtesy of Rush Hour director, Brett Ratner!

"Ratner is an A-list director whose blockbuster movies explode on the top box office charts and, more importantly, relate over-the-top action to the masses in ways no other director can. In other words, he's the perfect director for YOUNGBLOOD," Liefeld said. "It's taken me nearly twenty years to find a director completely in synch with everything a YOUNGBLOOD movie would require and it was definitely worth the wait. I don't doubt YOUNGBLOOD will evolve superhero movies in ways no one will ever see coming!"

YOUNGBLOOD launched Image Comics in 1992 and instantaneously created the creator-owned revolution with it's genre-smashing storylines and explosive artwork. The original series, now collected in YOUNGBLOOD VOL. 1 HC, presented a superteam like no other at the time - featuring superheroes as celebrities who had more in common with pop stars, actors, and product-endorsing athletes. Until now, the team has never transitioned to film, but they're currently targeted to do so by 2012, the 20th anniversary of YOUNGBLOOD and the formation of Image Comics.

YOUNGBLOOD VOL. 1 HC (AUG071974), a 152-page full-color hardcover for $34.99, is available now

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Pres. Obama Reinstates Youngblood Program

15 January 2009 - Yesterday morning, Comic Book Resources broke the news President Barack Obama will make his first major superhero-related initiative public during a six-page back-up story written and illustrated by comic superstar Rob Liefeld in February's YOUNGBLOOD #8!

"Obama re-instating the YOUNGBLOOD program with his picks is a natural, with SAVAGE DRAGON having featured Obama already," Liefeld told CBR. "And with YOUNGBLOOD having featured George H. Bush in its past, as well as a Saddam Hussein-styled guy, and YOUNGBLOOD featured alongside Dan Quayle in WILDC.A.T.s, and Bill Clinton in SUPREME, Image has a long history of involving presidential figures."

The Liefeld-penned six-page back-up story will see America's 44^th President begin his term by selecting the next line-up of YOUNGBLOOD to protect the country after the team's radical changes set forth in Joe Casey and Derec Donovan's fan-favorite run. This leads into May's YOUNGBLOOD #9, in which Liefeld returns to the book full-time and President Obama comes into play as the White House comes under siege.

YOUNGBLOOD #8 (JUL082216), a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in-stores February 2009.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Youngblood Collection on the Way

This is from Image Comics:

3 July 2008 (Berkeley, CA) - The all-new, all-different YOUNGBLOOD from the creative team of G-DLAND's Joe Casey and CONNER HAWKE's Derec Donovan gets collected this July in time for issue five's jumping-on point!

"FOCUS TESTED is the opening salvo of the new YOUNGBLOOD assault that Derec and I have planned," Casey said. "The stories in this collection are just the beginning of a much larger epic that, for fans of the YOUNGBLOOD concept, should give them exactly what they've been wanting for years. It's pop superheroics on a grand scale, not to mention media and celebrity worship at its most obnoxious. All this, plus the grand soap opera and the big explosions that superhero team books do so well. This one's got it all!"

YOUNGBLOOD: FOCUS TESTED not only features the first four issues of the new series, but is backed up by a plethora of extras including an introduction by INVINCIBLE and WALKING DEAD's Robert Kirkman, an interview with Joe Casey detailing the process behind Youngblood, an exclusive feature in which Casey and creator Rob Liefeld discuss their favorite comics and Casey's never-before-seen first pro sale - a Youngblood script circa 1995.

Donovan added, "Where YOUNGBLOOD goes after the trade has me more excited about the book than I've ever been. An old YOUNGBLOOD favorite, Televillain, returns in full-on serial killer mode, gunning after the a brand new YOUNGBLOOD team I can't wait to draw. All this plus I can't believe who we're bringing back from The Golden Age! It's a good time to be a YOUNGBLOOD fan."

YOUNGBLOOD: FOCUS TESTED TPB (MAR082088), a 104-page full color TPB for $9.99, will be on sale August 3^rd, 2008.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Youngblood #1 Gets 2nd-Printing, Liefeld Cover!

Rob Liefeld is back in the fold with a return to his freshman Image title, Youngblood. The first issue sold-out quickly and got a second-printing. This is an official Image Comics press release:

18 January, 2008 (Berkeley, CA) - With YOUNGBLOOD's return to Image Comics being reordered at an exponential rate, Image Comics has gone back to press to ensure copies are available for the foreseeable future.

"We anticipated a high level of interest in Joe and Derec's work on YOUNGBLOOD, but we were frankly caught off-guard by the amount of advance reorders the book generated as press time drew closer," said Image Executive Director Eric Stephenson. "We're thrilled with what the guys are doing with the book, though, and want to make sure copies are available for everyone interested in checking it out."

The new YOUNGBLOOD comes courtesy of THE LAST DEFENDER's Joe Casey and GREEN ARROW's Derec Donovan, who previously worked together for a sixteen-issue run on ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, while being overseen and featuring variant covers by series creator Rob Liefeld.

YOUNGBLOOD marks Casey's second acclaimed relaunch of an Image classic. With WILDCATS, Casey was praised for upgrading the original concepts with a post-modern spin. Similarly, YOUNGBLOOD's new direction combines the bombastic beginnings of Liefeld's celebrity heroes such as Shaft and Badrock with the more classic approach developed by Alan Moore, featuring new heroes such Johnny Panic and Doc Rocket and Casey's own sensibilities. In addition, a limited, black and white Rob Liefeld variant cover will be made available on as a 1-in-4 cover for retailers ordering the second printing.

YOUNGBLOOD #1 2^nd (DEC078061), a 32-page comic book for $2.99, will be available in stores January 30^th, 2008

Youngblood Returns this January!

Rob Liefeld, the highest-paid cartoonist of all time and one of the founding Image folk returns with his original Image team! This is an official Image Comics press release:

October 15^th, 2007 (Berkeley, CA) - Rob Liefeld's return to Image dominated the buzz this past summer and now you can finally see the results in this January's YOUNGBLOOD #1!

"YOUNGBLOOD is the book which launched the Image invasion and eventually spawned THE ULTIMATES and AUTHORITY," said writer Joe Casey. "It's only right it's back at home and I'm extremely thrilled Rob has entrusted his creations to series artist Derek Donovan and me. Derec and I are bringing back everything fans loved about the series, but in a whole new style set for the fans of today."

A new administration reunites series originals like Shaft, Badrock, Die Hard and Cougar alongside newer creations including Johnny Panic, Doc Rocket and one never-before-seen character! The ongoing is set to fuse modern sensibilities and the original series' over-the-top excitement as our team learns darker forces are behind their reunion. In addition, creator Rob Liefeld will be providing variant covers for each issue of the series.

Image Comics Publisher Erik Larsen said, "Having Rob and YOUNGBLOOD under the Image banner is the way things should be. Rob's passion behind the book embodies the purpose of Image: creators owning the work they hold most dear. Besides, it's a thrill to have him and the whole YOUNGBLOOD crew signing alongside me!"

YOUNGBLOOD #1 (NOV072009), a 32-page full color comic priced at $2.99, will be available in stores January 9^th.