Dynamite Entertainment, in conjunction with Captain
Action Enterprises, proudly announces the September launch of CODENAME: ACTION,
a six-issue comic book event that unites the ultimate super-spy, Captain
Action, with classic pulp heroes including Green Hornet, Kato, the Spider, and
Black Venus. Written by Chris Roberson
(Masks, Superman) and featuring artwork by Jonathan Lau (Kevin Smith's Green
Hornet), the debut #1 issues will include variant covers by accomplished
illustrators Jae Lee, Francesco Francavilla, Jonathan Lau, Johnny Desjardins,
and Art Baltazar.
CODENAME: ACTION takes place during the Cold War, as
unknown forces scheme to heat up the global conflict. When key officials on both sides of the Iron
Curtain are replaced with doppelgangers, the infiltration threatens to disrupt
the precarious state of world affairs... until one young secret agent shapes
the world's masked heroes into a force with singular purpose and unyielding
resolve!
"CODENAME: ACTION is a showcase of the things I love
about jet-age superspies and Cold War-era superheroics," says the World
Fantasy Award-nominated author, Chris Roberson.
"In part, it functions as an origin story for Captain Action,
reintroducing him to a modern audience while at the same time setting him
firmly in the period in which the character first appeared. Captain Action was a product of the time that
gave us the James Bond films, and TV shows like Man From UNCLE and The
Prisoner, and CODENAME: ACTION is very much an attempt to put the character in
that kind of context.
"Roberson, hot off of his stint as writer for the
bestselling Masks series, knows how best to balance a handful of fan-favorite
and highly independent characters.
"The main focus of the attention is on the spy and espionage
characters like Operator 5, Black Venus, and Operative 1001 (the man who will
become Captain Action). Along the way,
our heroes will encounter various masked heroes and vigilantes, like American
Crusader, Green Hornet, and Kato. It's
been an organic process, as I find the best places to fill in supporting or
'guest star' roles."
Jonathan Lau, whose spirited artwork graced the pages of
Dynamite titles Green Hornet and Black Terror, looks forward to drawing so many
spies and superheroes with great enthusiasm.
"I'm excited! Captain Action
is sort of like Nick Fury, and there's a dynamism in laying out the Green
Hornet/Kato duo, especially when it comes to Kato making big motions to convey
action. The American Crusader is another
character I enjoy drawing again (after his appearance in Black Terror), since
he's the muscle of this series, and it's always fun to draw super-powered
beings doing super stuff."
In a joint statement, Ed Catto and Joe Ahearn of licensor
Captain Action Enterprises gave a shining endorsement: "We're big comic, spy and pulp fans, so
it's a thrill to see all those characters in one adventure together. And we're also big Chris Roberson fans from
his work on iZombie and Monkeybrain Comics.
Captain Action is a spy, and impersonating others (especially
superheroes) is an important part of what's he all about… so to start the
Captain's adventures with heroes like the Green Hornet and Kato makes all the
sense in the world. We're also honored
that the baton was passed to Captain Action as he's center stage in this mini-series. Like a young quarterback given the
opportunity to play in the big game, it's both daunting and terribly
exciting!"
CODENAME: ACTION #1 is solicited in the Diamond July
Previews catalog for release in September.
Dynamite has welcomed a talented pool of artists, including award
winners and fan-favorites, to provide a selection of cover variants for readers
to enjoy. Shipping to retailers in an
equal ratio of cover variants, CODENAME: ACTION #1 features five covers, one
each from Jae Lee, Francesco Francavilla, Jonathan Lau, and Johnny Desjardins,
plus a special "Captain Action Spy Cover" design edition. Dynamite will also produce a sixth,
Subscription-Only "Cute" variant featuring artwork by Art Balthazar
(Tiny Titans), limited only to retailer initial orders as a reward for
dedicated Dynamite fans."
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