Comic News: CRIME NOIR WITH BITE

Jonathan Ross and Tommy Lee Edwards Mark Their Turf at Image in April!

British television and radio personality Jonathan Ross makes his comics writing debut at Image Comics this April with TURF, an all-new four-issue miniseries co-created and illustrated by Marvel 1985's Tommy Lee Edwards. Set in 1920s New York, TURF offers a twist on the hard boiled crime thriller, adding vampires and aliens to the traditional mix of booze, broads and bullets.

"As anyone who has seen Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and my documentaries like Searching for Steve Ditko knows, working on my own comic has long been a dream of mine," Ross explained. "Collaborating with a talent of Tommy's caliber has made the whole experience that much sweeter, and we're looking forward to introducing the comics reading public to our mad war between gangsters and vampires – and the extraterrestrial who will either save or destroy them all."

TURF begins in Prohibition-era New York as a vengeful gang war erupts between booze-smuggling mobsters and the blood thirsty Dragonmir Family. As an ancient prophecy unfolds amidst the maelstrom of violence, the entire city is up for grabs and it's anyone's guess who will come out on top. The only glimmer of hope is an unlikely alliance between tough guy Eddie Falco and a stranger from another world.

"I've been looking forward to this April since Jonathan and Tommy first pitched TURF to me over breakfast in San Diego last summer!" said Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. "Jonathan really has come up with a fantastic story and we couldn't be prouder to be publishing it through Image. Watching Tommy bring his vision to life has been one of the best parts of my job over the past few months and I can't wait for everyone to finally see the finished product!"

Added Edwards, "Having illustrated some of pop culture's biggest icons like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and James Bond, it's incredibly liberating to be able to create a whole new world with Jonathan. TURF doesn't look or read like anything I've worked on in the past, and I believe fans on the lookout for something new and different are going to be very happy this April."

TURF #1, a 32-page full color comic book with a cover price of $2.99, will be available for order in the February issue of Previews and will go on sale Arpil 7.