Art from the indie, now Image, JACK STAFF
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JACK STAFF at Image Comics

Image Comics publisher and vice-president Jim Valentino has announced that Paul Grist's black-and-white independent series JACK STAFF is moving to Image.

According to Valentino, the title will be relaunched in January 2003 as a new ongoing series -- in full color.

Originally published by Grist's own Dancing Elephant Press, JACK STAFF uses a loose anthology format to tell the tales of a unique group of characters, comprised of Tom Tom the Robot Man, an enigmatic group of secret agents called Q, and Becky Burdock, Vampire Reporter. Linking all these stories together is the ongoing mystery created by the return of Jack Staff - Britain's greatest hero.

"We're absolutely delighted that Paul Grist has chosen to make JACK STAFF part of the Image line," Valentino said. "This is one of the freshest takes on superheroes I've seen in some time -- witty, intelligently written and overflowing with so much enthusiasm that it's downright contagious."

JACK STAFF debuted in April, 2000.

"It's been my experience that many readers don't even know JACK STAFF exists," says Image director of marketing Eric Stephenson. "I started picking up JACK STAFF myself because I was already following Paul's other series, Kane, but most readers haven't been exposed to Paul or his work.

"So many comics come out every month that even gems like JACK STAFF and KANE can get lost in the shuffle, but it's our hope that bringing the book to Image will raise readers' awareness of this genuinely gifted creator."

With issue eight and a recent trade paperback collection, YESTERDAY'S HEROES (collecting JACK STAFF #1-4), available in shops now, Grist plans to wrap up the current series with JACK STAFF #12.

"Over the next four issues, I'm going to be telling the story of Charlie Raven, the greatest escapologist of the Victorian Age," Grist says. "We'll also be looking at the rather murky past of Q agent Ben Kulmer, and revealing that Jack Staff is a little older than people have realized.

"This all sets the scene for (tah dah!) the all-new all color series, which will kick off with a bang as I'm bringing back probably the single most popular character in the series, Tom Tom the Robot Man."