CONTROVERSY IGNITES WILDFIRE IN DECEMBER

Graphic novel’s adventure draws from
real-life GMO debate

WILDFIRE is the new graphic novel from Image Comics/Top Cow exploring the politically charged topic of genetically modified food in a tense, thought-provoking thriller by Matt Hawkins (THINK TANK, APHRODITE IX) and Linda Sejic that leaves it to readers to make up their own minds about the controversy. Ending hunger is the goal of genetic researchers at megacorporation Biogenesis like Dr. Beth Silva, but an accident during a media demonstration illustrates the unintended consequences that may result from experimenting on an organism’s DNA. Los Angeles is choked with rapidly growing plants, returning the city that is home to 3.8 million people to a state of nature. Dan Miller, a young scientist who worked on Dr. Silva’s project, must race against time to stop the growth, before L.A. is completely obliterated. Artist Sejic, creator of the popular webcomic Blood Stain, imbues this story with science at its center with heart and humanity with her expressive characterizations while writer Hawkins, who is also the President of Top Cow, balances points of view with character development in writing a story that revolves around a controversial topic. "When I started researching the polarizing reactions to GMO I quickly discovered that both ends of the argument were exaggerating and making specious claims," said Hawkins. "In writing Wildfire I attempted an even-handed approach to the material explaining both the pros and cons in the background of the character's stories without preaching at anyone." The trade paperback also includes a “Science Class” feature, in which Hawkins, who has a Master’s degree in physics, lays out the science and debate around genetically modified organisms (GMO). WILDFIRE will be in comic book stores on December 3 and in bookstores on December 16. It is available for pre-order now. Part two of WILDFIRE will launch in Fall 2015.

WILDFIRE VOLUME 1 by Matt Hawkins and Linda Sejic ISBN 978-1-63215-024-0 Diamond Comic order code SEP140690 128 pages, paperback, full color $14.99 In comic book stores December 3, bookstores December 16 Rated Mature Collects WILDFIRE #1-4

Praise for WILDFIRE: “This is the genius of Matt Hawkins, to take very real science and extrapolate it into an exciting and very readable narrative, something he’s been carving out quite the niche with Aphrodite IX and Think Tank previously and now with Wildfire. One thing his stories inspire, which not many others do, is a chain reaction of interest in the science laid out on the page with helpful starting points just waiting for you in the Science Class portion at the end.” Chris, Comic Hype

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ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image 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, fantasy, 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.