Near Death (comics)

Last updated
Near Death
Near death.JPG
Cover art to issue #1, by Tomm Coker
Publication information
Publisher Image Comics
ScheduleMonthly
FormatOngoing
Genrecrime
Publication dateSeptember 2011 – September 2012
No. of issues11
Main character(s)Markham
Creative team
Created by Jay Faerber
Simone Guglielmini
Written by Jay Faerber
Artist(s) Simone Guglielmini and Tomm Coker (Covers #1–5)
Letterer(s) Charles Prichett
Colorist(s) Ron Riley

Near Death is an ongoing comic book series created by Jay Faerber with artist Simone Guglielmini. Image Comics began publishing it in September 2011. The series went on hiatus following the eleventh issue in September 2012. An original graphic novel is scheduled for release in early 2019.

Contents

The story follows a former hitman who attempts to atone for his misdeeds after a near death experience shows him a vision of Hell.

Publication history

Faerber credits the work of Stephen J. Cannell as his inspiration for the series, [1] along with a personal attraction to redemption stories. [2] After creating the plot himself, Faerber recruited Italian artist Guglielmini by email. During publication, the two never met in person or spoke on the phone. [3] Guglielmini drew inspiration from Criminal and Gotham Central . [3]

The series was published monthly beginning in 2011. Most issues were self-contained instead of multi-part stories because Faerber wanted a creative challenge. [4] Each issue contains some form of bonus material, such as an article on crime fiction or a second, shorter comic.

The series has been collected into two square-bound volumes. The first, released February 2012, reprints the first five issues and includes a script for the first issue. Volume two, released in October 2012, reprints #6–11 and is 136 pages.

The series was put on hiatus following its eleventh issue in 2012. [3] At the time, Faerber expressed an interest in continuing the story as a series of one-shots. [4] An original graphic novel is planned for release in early 2019 with the subtitle Volume 3. [5]

There has been an effort to adapt the comic to television. [4]

Plot

Markham, a hitman, is shot during an attempted murder and briefly dies on the operating table. He has a vision of Hell where he is haunted by the ghosts of people he has killed. One tells Markham there is still time to make up for his actions. When he recovers, Markham begins to protect people who are in danger. He confesses that he is doing this selfishly, and does not care about the people he saves. [6]

After his former coworkers learn of his new direction, they try to kill Markham and his girlfriend. [7] To avoid more confrontations, Markham moves to Los Angeles. [8] He eventually turns himself into the police and is sent to jail. [9]

Critical reception

Near Death was featured in an article in USA Today [10] and reviews of the first issue were mostly positive. [11] [12] In a March 2012 interview, Image publisher Eric Stephenson expressed frustration the book was not selling better. [13] The series continued to receive positive reviews through its final issue. [14] Faerber said the most common complaint he received about the series was the stories feeling "too short." [4]

Related Research Articles

Jay Faerber American novelist

Jay Faerber is an American comic book and television writer. Faerber is known for his work on Generation X and New Warriors for Marvel Comics, and The Titans and Connor: Spotlight for DC Comics. He later wrote his own creator-owned titles for Image Comics, including Noble Causes, Dynamo 5, Near Death and Copperhead. He was also a writer on the TV series Ringer, Star-Crossed and Zoo. Currently he writes for The CW TV series Supergirl.

Mahmud A. Asrar

Mahmud Anjum Asrar is a Turkish comic book artist who is known for his work on American and non-American comic books.

<i>Dynamo 5</i>

Dynamo 5 is a fictional comic book superhero team created by writer Jay Faerber and artist Mahmud A. Asrar, which appears in an eponymous series published by Image Comics. The team first appeared in Dynamo 5 #1. The monthly series ended with issue #25. The team later appeared in a 2010 miniseries, Dynamo 5: Sins of the Father, and the one-shot Dynamo 5 Holiday Special 2010. A third series, Dynamo 5: Certain Death, has been in development hell since 2011.

Yıldıray Çınar

Yıldıray Çınar is a Turkish comic book artist known for his work on the American comic book Noble Causes.

<i>5 Ronin</i>

5 Ronin is a five issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics starring superheroes Wolverine, Hulk, the Punisher, Psylocke, and Deadpool reimagined as rōnin, masterless samurai set in 17th century Japan. The series is written by Peter Milligan and features a rotating cast of artists. The first issue was released on March 2, 2011.

<i>Revolver</i> (DC Comics) Graphic novel by Matt Kindt

Revolver is a graphic novel created, written, and drawn by Matt Kindt. It was first published in a hardcover format by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics in July 2010. Kindt's intent was to craft a comic book story in a way that made it unfilmable. Images were created using only blue and brown lines.

<i>Saga</i> (comics) Science-fiction/fantasy comic book series

Saga is an epic space opera/fantasy comic book series written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples, published monthly by the American company Image Comics. The series is heavily influenced by Star Wars, and is based on ideas Vaughan conceived both as a child and as a parent. It depicts a husband and wife, Alana and Marko, from long-warring extraterrestrial races, fleeing authorities from both sides of a galactic war as they struggle to care for their daughter, Hazel, who is born in the beginning of the series, and who occasionally narrates the series as an unseen adult.

<i>Point of Impact</i> (comics)

Point of Impact is a four-issue limited comic series created and written by American Jay Faerber with art by Turkish Koray Kuranel published through Image Comics. The first issue was released in October 2012.

<i>MIND MGMT</i> American comic book series

MIND MGMT is an American comic book series created by Matt Kindt and published through Dark Horse Comics. The first issue was released on May 23, 2012 to positive reviews and received a second printing in April 2013. The series continued to receive positive coverage during its run, but Kindt's art style was a common point of criticism. The series concluded with issue 36 in August 2015. The story has been collected into six hardcover and three omnibuses.

<i>Nowhere Men</i> Comic book series

Nowhere Men is a comic book series written by Eric Stephenson. The first six issues were drawn by Nate Bellegarde, colored by Jordie Bellaire, lettered by Fonografix, and published by Image Comics. As of issue 7, Dave Taylor has replaced Nate Bellegarde, who no longer is part of the creative team. Emi Lenox also joined up, providing short comics about Monica Strange, one of the characters of Nowhere Men.

<i>Copperhead</i> (Image Comics)

Copperhead is a Space Western comic book series written by Jay Faerber and illustrated by Scott Godlewski, published monthly by American company Image Comics.

<i>Invisible Republic</i> (comics)

Invisible Republic is an American comic book series created by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman and published through Image Comics. The first issue was released on March 18, 2015 to good reviews. Although the creators expected the story to run 30-50 issues, it has been on hiatus since the fifteenth issue was released in March 2017.

<i>Revival</i> (comics) American horror–science fiction comics series

Revival is an American horror–science fiction comics series created by writer Tim Seeley and artist Mike Norton. The pair worked with colorist Mark Englert and cover artist Jenny Frison to produce the series, which was published by Image Comics as 47 monthly issues released between July 2012 and February 2017. It has since been reprinted in both paperback and hardcover editions that contain multiple issues.

<i>Head Lopper</i> Comic book series by Andrew MacLean

Head Lopper is a comic book series created by writer and artist Andrew MacLean, currently published by Image Comics. The story follows the exploits of the Viking warrior Norgal and the severed head of Agatha the Blue Witch.

<i>Resident Alien</i> (comics) Comic book series

Resident Alien is an American comic book series created by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse. The series has been published by Dark Horse Comics in installments of four-issue miniseries since 2012. Five miniseries have been completed, and a concluding sixth miniseries is in progress. A television adaptation for Syfy starring Alan Tudyk premiered on January 27, 2021.

Jenny Frison is an American comic book cover artist. Her interest in comics began with a Wonder Woman storybook she enjoyed as a young girl. She majored in illustration at Northern Illinois University before attending The Kubert School of Art. During school, she decided she wanted to focus on cover art and quit before her third year to teach herself. She met writer Tim Seeley, who asked her to draw a cover for Hack/Slash after he looked at her website. The two became friends, and they now share a work space at Four Star Studios in Chicago, Illinois.

<i>Lazarus</i> (comics) Comic book series

Lazarus is an American dystopian science fiction comic book series created by writer Greg Rucka and artist Michael Lark. The two began developing the idea in 2012 and partnered with colorist Santi Arcas to finish the art. Image Comics has been publishing the book since the first issue was released on June 23, 2013. Other creators were brought in later to assist with lettering and inking. A six-issue spin-off limited series, Lazarus: X+66, was released monthly in 2017 between issues 26 and 27 of the regular series. Rucka initially said the series could run for up to 150 issues, but later reduced the estimate by half. Lazarus is being collected into paperback and hardcover editions, which sell better than the monthly issues.

<i>Farmhand</i> (comics) American comic book

Farmhand is an American comic book created, written, and illustrated by Rob Guillory with help from letterer Kody Chamberlain and colorist Taylor Wells. It has been published in monthly installments and paperback collections by Image Comics since July 2018.

<i>Sleepless</i> (comics) Comic book by Sarah Vaughn and Leila del Duca

Sleepless is an American comic book created by writer Sarah Vaughn and artist Leila del Duca. It was initially serialized in eleven issues published by Image Comics between December 2017 and January 2019, then reprinted in two paperback collections. The creators worked with colorist and editor Alissa Sallah and letterer Deron Bennett.

Tradd Moore

Tradd Moore is an American comic book artist. His work has appeared in series published by Marvel Comics, Image Comics and DC Comics.

References

  1. ↑ Word Balloons: Hit man attempts redemption in ‘Near Death', NewsOK, Oct 7, 2011
  2. ↑ Matthew Meylikhov, "Multiversity presents Jay Faerber", 13 September 2011, retrieved 8 November 2012
  3. 1 2 3 Bradley, Drew, "Artist August: Simone Guglielmini interview", www.multiversitycomics.com, 9 August 2012
  4. 1 2 3 4 Bradley, Drew, "Jay Faerber talks Near Death hiatus", www.multiversitycomics.com, 25 September 2012, retrieved 8 November 2012
  5. ↑ (October 16, 2018), "Image Comics Launches Criminal, Oliver, Gunning For Hits," Bleeding Cool. Retrieved November 5, 2018
  6. ↑ Near Death #1 (September 2011)
  7. ↑ Near Death #4–5 (December 2011 – January 2012)
  8. ↑ Near Death #6 (March 2012)
  9. ↑ Near Death #11 (September 2012)
  10. ↑ 'Near Death': A hitman with a change of heart, USA Today Sept 19, 2011
  11. ↑ near-death-is-full-of-life, ProjectFanboy, June 14, 2011
  12. ↑ Matthew Meylikhov, Advance Review: Near Death #1–3, Multiversity Comics, Sept 14, 2011
  13. ↑ Harper, David, "Multiversity Comics presents Eric Stephenson," www.multiversitycomics.com, 29 March 2012, retrieved 15 May 2012
  14. ↑ Advance Review: Near Death volume 2, www.geeksunleased.me, 23 September 2012
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.