Image Announces Snyder and Tuft's 'Severed'

Scott Snyder’s is quickly ascending to becoming one of the top talents in comics today. He’s recently been nominated for an Eisner Award—and rightfully so—for his haunting epic American Vampire, and the author’s work on Detective Comics is just as responsible for the current Batman renaissance as Grant Morrison’s Batman, Incorporated.

What else is on the writer’s plate? Next month will feature the beginning of Snyder’s five-part mini American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest, the mini Batman: Gates of Gotham ships in just a few weeks, and his Project: Superman Flashpoint crossover (with co-writer Lowell Francis) also ships in June. While Snyder has not expounded upon what DC has planned for him when his Dick Grayson/James Gordon/Jim Gordon story arc ends later this year, he did tell Newsarama that there will be more Batman to come.

I’ve found Snyder to be one of the most elegant and riveting storytellers to emerge in comic books over the past few years. His work on Detective and American Vampire are accessible to the masses, while always incorporating thoughtful imagery and dense characterization.

Today Image Comics announced that the writer would produce Severed, a seven-part series with co-writer Scott Tuft and artist Attila Futaki.  Severed is scheduled for release this August, meaning Snyder will have about six books hitting the bookshelves over the course of the month. This should be welcome news for recent fans of Snyder’s fantastic work.

Official Press Release

Eisner nominated writer Scott Snyder (American Vampire, Detective Comics), writer Scott Tuft and New York Times Best-Selling artist Attila Futaki (Percy Jackson) have announced a new project with Image Comics, set to debut this August. Image has built a deserved reputation as the industry leader for providing readers with quality science fiction and horror material such as the massively popular titles THE WALKING DEAD, CHEW and HACK/SLASH, and like those titles, SEVERED is unlike any other monthly series and sure to be a hit with comic book and horror fans alike.

"SEVERED is a unique story that is extremely close to my heart, and in order to maintain complete creative control with the comic, Scott Tuft and I knew that it needed to be creator owned," Synder commented. "We are extremely happy Image is giving us the platform to release SEVERED."

The accomplished writing team of Snyder and Tuft are collaborating on the character-driven horror script that uses the landscape of the past to tell a story that is fresh, new and entirely relevant today. Add the exquisitely subtle style of Futaki’s painted illustrations, and you have a comic that will sneak up on you, sink it's teeth in and never let go.

"I'm having such a great time bringing SEVERED to life," artist Attila Futaki said of his work on the series. "Snyder and Tuft have created dynamic characters and an engrossing world that is a thrill to realize. The old-fashioned and precious world is a pleasure to draw and I am very excited about getting blood all over it!"

"When Scott and I first saw Attila's art, we knew he was the one to bring our story to life," added Tuft. "His art goes above and beyond the call and it keeps getting better. Not only is it scary, but his ability to capture the emotions of the characters and the tension of a scene is truly unique. We are so lucky to have signed him up."

Snyder continued: "This story digs deep into the American psyche, exploring a time when a vast network of rail supported a society of vagabonds and when the automobile made even the darkest corners of the country accessible to everyone. Tattooed traveling salesmen, black-faced minstrel men, cross-dressing tramps: SEVERED is filled with unexpected characters and tells a story that is not only uniquely American but certainly one of the scariest things I have ever written."

SEVERED is mostly set in 1916 and follows Jack Garron, an idealistic 12-year-old who has taken to the road in search of his father, a wayward minstrel. Along the way, he meets up with a mysterious, charismatic salesman whose pearly whites cover the razor sharp teeth that he uses to feed on the innocent. Jack soon finds out that out on the roads and rails of early 20th century America, nothing goes wasted.

SEVERED #1, a 32-page full color horror comic book priced at $2.99, will be available for order in the June issue of Diamond Previews and goes on sale August 3, 2011.