Howard Chaykin Debuts Black Kiss II in August

Howard Chaykin pushed every limit in the 80s with Black Kiss, a hard-boiled, erotic series that merged sex, violence and religion. This merging was made possible by sending a protagonist from LA to the Vatican as she uncovered the secrets of a vampire cult. Chaykin felt it was time to return to the IP, debuting Black Kiss II in August.

"The original series generated far more attention, notoriety and, frankly, income, than I ever anticipated." said Chaykin. "That said, after fielding offers and requests for a follow up, it wasn't until I was listening to Stephen Sondheim's Follies, specifically the anthem that closes act one, 'I'm Still Here,' that I had any idea how or what to do with a sequel. So thanks to Image for being there at the right time, and blame Stephen Sondheim."

The six-issue miniseries recounts the story behind the events of the original Black Kiss. It features Chaykin's black and white illustrations with the first issue in stores August 1. It's rated Mature for graphic depictions of sex.

Of the original Black Kiss, Chaykin has commented that "The California-ness of it is a really big deal," but in BLACK KISS II, he takes readers to New York City in the early 20th century — to a country on the brink of monumental changes, where the melting pot of steaming filth, lust, and fantasy threatens to boil over. And where, as the century moves on, the fantasies that appear on flickering film will present a means for an insatiable evil to spread.

Full press release below.

HOWARD CHAYKIN BRINGS COMICS TO THE BRINK... AGAIN

BLACK KISS II begins in August

Berkeley, CA - June 18, 2012 — At the close of the 1980s, Howard Chaykin pushed every limit in comics with Black Kiss, a hardboiled, erotic series that controversially merged sex, violence, and religion. The story took its protagonist from '80s Los Angeles to the Vatican as he uncovered the secrets of bizarre vampire cult. Chaykin now returns to that sordid world with BLACK KISS II, a new miniseries with Image Comics, debuting in August.

Of the original Black Kiss, Chaykin has commented that "The California-ness of it is a really big deal," but in BLACK KISS II, he takes readers to New York City in the early 20th century — to a country on the brink of monumental changes, where the melting pot of steaming filth, lust, and fantasy threatens to boil over. And where, as the century moves on, the fantasies that appear on flickering film will present a means for an insatiable evil to spread.

"The original series generated far more attention, notoriety and, frankly, income, than I ever anticipated." said Chaykin. "That said, after fielding offers and requests for a follow up, it wasn't until I was listening to Stephen Sondheim's Follies, specifically the anthem that closes act one, 'I'm Still Here,'  that I had any idea how or what to do with a sequel.  So thanks to Image for being there at the right time, and blame Stephen Sondheim."

The six-issue BLACK KISS II miniseries tells the story behind the events of the original Black Kiss. And like the first series, it is in Chaykin's finely drafted black-and-white. The first issue will be in stores on August 1 and is available to pre-order now from the June issue of PREVIEWS (JUN120423). It is rated Mature for graphic depictions of sex.

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, 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.