NEW VARIANT COVER FOR THE BOUNCE #2

Sara Pichelli's take on comics' new slacker superhero

Image Comics has announced a Sara Pichelli variant cover for the second issue of Joe Casey's and David Messina's psychedelic "slacker superhero” series THE BOUNCE.

Pichelli established her status as a sought-after artist illustrating 2011's Ultimate Spider-Man, which introduced Miles Morales as Spider-Man, and has recently been announced as the artist on Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. Pichelli's cover for THE BOUNCE #2 is her first work for Image Comics.

THE BOUNCE is the second new series penned by Casey (BUTCHER BAKER THE RIGHTEOUS MAKER, GØDLAND) to launch in 2013. The first, SEX, has been received with critical praise and multiple printings of its first and second issues.

The variant cover can be ordered now with the Image Comics code MAR13837. THE BOUNCE #1 will be in stores on May 22, followed by THE BOUNCE #2 in June 26.

Casey's Image Comics titles are among those produced under the Man of Action imprint, a creative studio that includes Steven T. Seagle (THE RE[A]D DIARY), Joe Kelly (I KILL GIANTS), and Duncan Rouleau (THE GREAT UNKNOWN.)

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ABOUT IMAGE COMICSImage Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

About Man of Action StudiosMan of Action Studios, the bi-coastal entertainment company started in 2000, created the megahit Ben 10, a three billion dollar boys' action empire that has been called the most successful superhero launch of the past three decades and a hit across every platform, making it the ultimate transmedia success story. Man of Action Studios consists of creators and acclaimed comic book writers Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau and Steven T. Seagle. The quartet collectively worked on the largest franchise characters in comics from Superman to X-Men before refocusing on creating worlds/characters for their own original comic books and graphic novels published through their Man of Action imprint at Image Comics. They also created cult favorite series Generator Rex for Cartoon Network and are co-executive producers and writers for Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man on Disney XD, the network's #1 rated animated show. In May, Disney XD previews Marvel's Avengers Assemble, debuting this July, so they again called upon Man of Action Studios as the writers and executive producers for their biggest launch yet. Man of Action Studios are also executive producers on the new international Gormiti series as well as their upcoming original animated series, The 7Cs, produced by Sam-Zag. Beyond the world of animation, Man of Action Studios has created wildly successful video games, toy lines, comic books, stage productions, as well as forthcoming feature films and live action television shows, some of which are based on their own created and written comic book series and original graphic novels. Upcoming films based upon Man of Action creations include New Line's The Great Unknown based upon Rouleau's comic book series, and Big Hero 6, created by Rouleau and Seagle, announced as Disney's first animated feature based on a Marvel property. Man of Action Studios is a creative collective that generates and adapts ideas into the highest-rated television shows and best-selling merchandise in the US and internationally. A large contingent of international content creators also seek the MOA expertise to bridge the culture gap on projects ranging from SpinMaster's highly successful Bakugan franchise to Nickelodeon's new series, Monsuno. Man of Action Studios has been called "The Beatles of boys' action projects… minus the internal strife."