Michael Turner’s Fathom and Soulfire Light Up Stunning Ekos Vol. 2 Cover (Exclusive)

Michael Turner and Geoff Johns planted the idea for Ekos quite some time ago, but it wasn’t only recently that the world they created finally came to fruition in the pages of Ekos Vol. 1. That’s where fans were reintroduced to the character of Grell, with a promise of even more interactions with other Turner-created heroes to come. Now, Ekos is back with the much-anticipated Ekos Vol. 2, and before it hits Kickstarter, we’ve got your first look at a stunning team-up cover that brings Fathom and Soulfire into the spotlight.

As you can see in the image below, superstar artist David Nakayama (Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn) has delivered a gorgeous new cover for Ekos Vol. 2, though Grell is stepping aside so that Aspen (Fathom) and Grace (Soulfire) can move into the spotlight. The cover will be part of the upcoming Kickstarter campaign, which will launch on October 21st, and you can check out the campaign right here.

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Ekos was actually part of a 2003 Wizard Magazine poll set up to decide Turner’s next project, and since it was Soulfire that won the poll, the only previously published material featuring this world and its lead character, Grell, was that original 6-page preview. That all changed with Ekos Vol. 1, which was spearheaded by the team of Aspen Comics and Marvel Studios Founding Chairman David Maisel, and now Ekos is back with the anticipated second chapter and more involvement from Turner’s other beloved franchises.

In Ekos Vol. 2, fans will get to see more interactions between Grell, Aspen, and Grace, and this is the first time all three of these worlds have been able to be in the same story. The cover above certainly reflects that, and we can’t wait to see what the team has up its sleeve for the next chapter. JT. Krul is writing Ekos Vol. 2, which features art by Alex Konat, inks by Mark Roslan, colors by Peter Steigerwald, and lettering by Josh Reed.

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Now, while Grell took a step back for this particular cover, rest assured that he’s still the clear star and central figure of Ekos overall. When ComicBook previously spoke to Maisel about Ekos, he teased that a big part of the upcoming chapters would be Grell meeting and interacting with other characters from Turner’s Aspen Comics universe, but it all relies on Grell to work.

“Grell was a gift because if it was just all humanoid figures it makes it more difficult. And Grell is so unique looking and cool, and by bringing him here, we get to go on a journey with him and learn about our planet through his eyes, and that gives us a beginner’s mind and looking at things fresh that we might take for granted,” Maisel said. “Then as he meets Grace, Aspen, Malikai, Benoist, Cannon, The Black, and eventually, they’re not in this book, The Core, he’s meeting humans for the first time too. Like, he’s meeting everybody, and so it’s very relevant because there’s nothing at all that’s preachy in this book. It’s the opposite. It’s just looking and understanding this new cool character, seeing all these characters interact.” You can find the official description for Ekos Vol. 2 below.

“Ekos Volume 2 continues the story of a new superstar in Grell, who in Volume 1 embarked on a journey to discover the world of Ekos. Grell encountered many of the beloved characters from Michael Turner’s legacy, including superstars Aspen (Fathom) and Grace (Soulfire), and joined forces with them on a shared mission. Remarkably, Ekos is the first time these characters have all come together in the same universe, and now Volume 2 continues their journey as they deal with turmoil within their realms and climactic interactions with the humans!”

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