Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, and Dark Horse Comics are returning to the world of their hit series Minor Threats with a brand new series, and this time around they are welcoming some new members to the team. The new series is titled The Alternates and is a direct tie-in to Minor Threats. Joining Oswalt and Blum is writer Tim Seeley (Local Man, Hack/Slash), artists Christopher Mitten (Hellboy) and Tess Fowler (Kid Lobotomy), colorist Ian Herring, and letterer Nate Piekos. The Alternates will feature covers by Scott Hepburn and variant covers by Seeley, Fabio Moon, Martin Simmonds, and more. The Alternates focuses on a group of B-list superheroes who are attempting to reclaim their lives after being transported to a mirror reality for five years. Now that they're back, things aren't so easy, but things get more complicated when that alternate reality starts bleeding over in the form of a dangerous new street drug.
"Tim Seeley has LONG been one of our fave writer/artists," said Patton Oswalt. "So, it was a thrill when we heard that our first run of MINOR THREATS sparked his imagination to further expand the world of Twilight City. If MINOR THREATS was a love letter to the moment where the Silver Age 70s gave way to the grim 'n' gritty 80s, then Seeley's THE ALTERNATES is our collective mash note or the entire universe of 90s alt-comics. The fantastic inks by Christopher Mitten and lush paintings by Tess Fowler make an already amazing comic even better!"
"If the first MINOR THREATS series was a love letter to the C-list working class supervillains, then THE ALTERNATES is one for the early Vertigo comics of the 90s like Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing and Animal Man," said Jordan Blum. "Forgotten goofy heroes pulled into a suddenly 'mature' existence that both humanizes and alienates them. Tim is such a master and historian of comics, we were so thrilled with the new sandbox he built for us all to play in -- once again offering a fresh and unique point of view we hadn't yet seen explored in superhero comics. This story of existence, addiction, recovery and monster smashing was beautifully rendered thanks to the art of Christopher Mitten and paintings by Tess Fowler."
"I love the first MINOR THREATS series so much that I couldn't help but imagine another team of lovable losers in their world--this time, a squad of forgotten superheroes who got rebooted, and now crave their old lives so bad it borders on addiction," Seeley said. "Jordan and Patton not only liked the idea, they added their creativity to make something that fits their universe perfectly!" You can find the official description for The Alternates below.
"Mary the Multi-Monster! The Tripper! Crab Louie! Kid Curious! Persona! Formerly the offbeat B-list superheroes, The Alternates, who seemingly sacrificed themselves to stop an invasion from another dimension. Instead, they were transported to a mirror reality where they lived complex lives in a more four-dimensional existence--expanding both their powers and consciousness.
Five years later, they've returned to Twilight City, struggling to reacclimate to their old lives in a traditional two-dimensional superhero world--in withdrawal from the vivid ones they left behind. When elements from this alternate reality turn up as a dangerous new street drug, some of the heroes band together to destroy it, while others succumb to its temptation."
The Alternates #1 (of 4) hits comic stores on September 13th and is now available For pre-order. You can find a preview of the new series on the next slide.
Are you excited for The Alternates? Let us know in the comments!
