For the first time in over a decade, Jim Lee's WildC.A.T.S are hitting comic book shops with a brand new series that will see them facing none other than Gotham City's Court of Owls.
WildC.A.T.S #1 -- written by Matthew Rosenberg and illustrated by Stephen Segovia -- goes on sale in November. The issue sees Cole Cash, better known as the red mask-wearing, gun-toting renegade Grifter, working for the HALO Corporation to assemble a group of operatives with the goal of completing missions in the outskirts of the DC Universe. The team's first task is to round up an elite group of scientists, but their mysterious leader, Void, seems to have other plans. Meanwhile, the Court of Owls lurks in the shadows, and a showdown between both organizations is imminent.
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=480&dpr=1.5)
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=480&dpr=1.5)
"WildC.A.T.S. has always been a mix of everything I love in comics," Rosenberg said. "From the very first issue it exploded off the pages with the coolest characters, the most gorgeous art, the craziest ideas, and it was never afraid to be subversive, go harder, and push things further than its contemporaries. Now we're smashing all of that good stuff full speed into the heart of the DC Universe. I'd say we're going to be respectful and try not to break things...but that would be a lie."
Who are the WildC.A.T.S.?
The original WildC.A.T.S. series debuted in 1992 as part of Jim Lee's work at Image Comics, and the series was later used as a springboard for Lee's independent company WildStorm. Created by Lee and Brandon Choi, the C.A.T.S. -- standing for "covert action teams" -- were a group of colorful heroes living in a world dominated by a war between two alien races, the Kherubim and the Daemonites. The franchise was popular enough to boast its own animated show which ran for one season, and the first volume of the WildC.A.T.S. comic lasted for 50 issues. Four other series starring the team were published, with the last iteration ending in 2010.
In 1999, WildStorm was purchased by DC Comics and, as part of the 2011 New 52 reboot, the company's heroes were integrated into the DC Universe. Most recently, "The Long Con" story arc which ran in the pages of Batman: Urban Legends #1-5 saw Grifter working for Lucius Fox, going toe-to-toe with Batman, reuniting with his old teammates and setting the stage for the new series.
WildC.A.T.s #1 comes from Rosenberg and Segovia, and features variant covers by Lee, Stanley "Artgerm Lau, Ben Oliver, Jeff Spokes, Alan Quah, Dan Hipp, Brett Booth and Sandra Hope. The issue goes on sale Nov. 8 from DC Comics.
Source: DC Comics