Ghost Machine — a “first-of-its-kind creator-owned and operated media company” publishing its works through Image Comics — officially launched at New York Comic Con 2023.
Per Image, the Ghost Machine creator collective includes such comic book writers and artists as Jason Fabok, Gary Frank, Bryan Hitch, Geoff Johns, Lamont Magee, Francis Manapul, Brad Meltzer, Peter J. Tomasi, and Maytal Zchut. The “forward-thinking business model” allows these creators to “jointly own, run and operate the company and together share in publishing, media, merchandising and beyond…” At this time, Ghost Machine has announced “four shared universes of character-centered titles”: The Unnamed, Rook: Exodus, Family Odysseys, and a Horror Universe.
The Unnamed universe is comprised of such genre characters and titles as Geiger, Junkyard Joe, Redcoat, and First Ghost. Meanwhile, the Rook: Exodus universe is based around its own eponymous series — which is described as a “sprawling sci-fi epic which takes place in the far future, on a world where every aspect of nature is controlled by humanity.” The Family Odysseys universe centers around a series called The Rocketfellers, which follows the adventures of a time-displaced family. Finally, Ghost Machine’s mysterious Horror Universe is co-created by a “secret superstar artist” who will be announced at a later date.
Geiger: Ground Zero — a two-issue prequel series by Johns and Frank — launches this November and runs through December. The new imprint kicks off proper in January 2024 with the release of the 64-page special Ghost Machine #1. Ghost Machine will begin rolling out its lineup of ongoing series in April 2024 — starting with Geiger, Redcoat, and Rook: Exodus. In the meantime, an Ashcan edition of Ghost Machine #1 is available at NYCC.
Ghost Machine makes its presence felt at Image Comics
“Our ambition for Ghost Machine is to push beyond superheroes, introducing new genres, characters and shared universes, completely co-owned by all the creators involved,” Ghost Machine’s founding members said in a joint statement. “We see this as the future of how creatives will work and retain creative control and meaningfully participate in success like never before … Our passion is for the magic of graphic storytelling and the emotional resonance of compelling characters. But we are not just a comic book company—we are the first wholly creator-owned and operated media company of its kind, born out of a desire to create and succeed together.”
“It’s been incredible to see how much planning has gone into what the Ghost Machine collaborators are putting together,” Image Comics publisher and chief creative officer Eric Stephenson added. “It’s an amazing list of talent, but beyond that, they’re giving every aspect of this line a lot of thought, so that it’s more than just another series launch, it’s a true event. The way they’re working together, and working with Image, make this a noteworthy development for us, as well as a must-read comics lineup for anyone looking for something different and new.”
