John Byrne Launches DOOMSDAY.1 For IDW

John Byrne goes full circle as he revives the series that introduced him to the comics world. DOOMSDAY + 1 was a comic published by Charlton from 1975 to 1977. The story revolved around seven astronauts who watch from the International Space Station as most of Earth is annihilated by a solar flare.

When all communication is lost and their home appears destroyed, what are the intrepid astronauts to do? Prepare to cling to a new life in zero gravity, waiting for the space stations supplies to dwindle to nothing? That doesn’t sound very adventurous, now does it? No, the true thrills of DOOMSDAY.1 come when the seven stranded heroes descend back to their decimated home world to confront the dangers left behind by the universe’s cruel ravaging!

“I've been thinking for some time that I would like to revisit a post-apocalypse kind of scenario, such as was seen in my very first ‘dramatic’ work in comics, but this time without the more obvious fantasy elements of that original series (mermaids, alien robots, frozen mammoths, etc.),” said Byrne. “When bits and pieces of this new series first started to percolate around in my head, I knew almost at once the shape that ‘revisit’ would take; something in the ‘All-New, All-Different’ vein. And the first time I doodled some images of my ‘crew,’ I knew I was there!"

“As much as I enjoyed seeing John work on the various licensed titles we’ve done, it’s a continued blast to work with him in developing new concept after new concept this year,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. “If Earth has to be destroyed in a flaming conflagration, there’s no one I’d rather see bring that carnage and its aftermath to life than JB.”

DOOMSDAY.1 #1 (of 4) hits stores May 19.