Rob Liefeld Launching a New Superhero Universe With Heirborne

In his upcoming, remastered version of Brigade, Image Comics co-founder Rob Liefeld will roll out a totally new property -- and one that he describes as unlike anything he's done before. In Heirborne, Liefeld intends to tell the story of a world ground under the heel of a super-powered being, riffing on that ever-popular question: what if Superman chose to rule, rather than to serve? The concept itself is something that has been riffed on quite a bit in recent years, from James Gunn's Brightburn to The Boys to even some of the alternate realities within the Arrowverse on The CW. 

Still, Liefeld is bringing his own bombastic style and unique worldview to Heirborne, promising to make it something a little different to the concept. The announcement came today, with Liefeld describing it as a bit of a break with his usual writing style.

"It's the most socially relevant, societal minded comic I've ever done. It comes from a terrifying premise: If there were a super-being, that person would oppress us, not serve us," Liefeld told The Hollywood Reporter.

According to the trade, Heirborne takes place "in a world in which a family of super-powered beings have subjugated the world, and only the select few get to live in luxury and comfort (think of them as the 1 percenters of our world). Most people in the world of Heirborne have to ration water and food. But there is hope in the form of a resistance."

This is set in a universe That Liefeld has been quietly building since the start of the pandemic, apparently. No word yet on what other stories might emerge from the "Liefeldverse."

"I believe the poor in the world are more at risk than ever. It feels like the middle class is indeed being wiped out and the elite among us are reminding us of how elite they are," Liefeld said, the latter referencing the pandemic itself.

After more than 30 years, Liefeld remains one of the best-selling and most-discussed artists of his generation. Sometimes controversial and always the most energetic voice in any room, the creator recently sold out issues of his Snake Eyes series for IDW, as well as a number of Deadpool-adjacent projects for Marvel.

Liefeld's Brigade Remastered Edition #1, which will feature a five-page Heirborne story, will be released in stores on September 28.