Oni Press is heading into the NacelleVerse, and they have provided ComicBook with an exclusive first look at Power Lords, their upcoming comic from Dennis Culver, Matt Hotson, and V. Ken Marion. Below, you can get a first look at the variant cover by Wayne Barlowe, the Hugo-winning science fiction and fantasy illustrator best known for his decades of work in film, including on Avatar and Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy. Power Lords marks his comics cover art debut.
Power Lords originally debuted in toy stores in 1983, with designs by Barlowe. They were a kind of blend of a number of popular toy features of the era, with a fantasy-based dual identity that could be revealed by transforming the toy.
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“It’s been far too long since the Power Lords were put into cryogenic suspension,” Barlowe told ComicBook in a statement. “I’m beyond excited by their auspicious reawakening and look forward to their continued adventures throughout the galaxy!”
Power Lords is the latest in a series of mostly-’80s, mostly short-lived toy lines being resurrected by Nacelle, with an eye toward helping them live up to their true potential. Almost exactly a year ago, Nacelle and Oni announced at New York Comic Con that they would be creating a universe of comic book projects based on Nacelled-owned or -licensed IP.
“This fantastic partnership with Oni Press helps us expand our storytelling capabilities in a way that we know resonates with fans – through the limitless power of comics and graphic novels,” Nacelle Founder and CEO, Brian Volk-Weiss said at the time. “Building upon the rich history of the many fan-favorite toy lines that populate the NacelleVerse and building a roadmap for fans to enter the interconnected world of our upcoming animated series, these series will be tailor-made entry point for longtime fans and new readers. Before anyone hits play on one of our series, they’ll know exactly what the events leading up to the first fade are.”
You can see Barlowe’s Power Lords cover below.
A previous comic book series was published at DC beginning at the end of 1983, as part of a broader push to make Power Lords a household name which included toys, games, puzzles, coloring books, and more.
Barlowe earned a Hugo Award and was nominated for the American Book Award for his career-defining work, Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials. Hollywood soon saw his talent and brought him on board to help shape the look and feel of various sci-fi and fantasyw orlds, including James Cameron’s Avatar, Alfonso Cuarón’s Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire, Guilermo del Toro’s Hellboy and Pacific Rim, James Wan’s Aquaman.
Here’s the official ordering information for Power Lords #1:
WRITTEN BY DENNIS CULVER & MATT HOTSON
ARTY BY V KEN MARION
COVER A BY DUSTIN WEAVER
COVER B BY SALVADOR LARROCA
COVER C BY TO BE REVEALED
FULL ART VARIANT (1:10) BY DUSTIN WEAVER
VARIANT COVER (1:20) BY GREY WILLIAMSON F
VARIANT COVER (1:50) BY TO BE REVEALED
BLANK COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
ON SALE JANUARY 29th, 2025 | $4.99 | 32 PAGES | FC
IOC: 12/1/2024
FOC: 1/6/2025