The History of Image Comics (So Much Damage) | Part 1: The Founding | SYFY WIRE
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- In 1992, 7 comic book artists at the top of their game, including Todd McFarlane and Jim Lee, left Marvel comics to start their own company - and changed the entertainment industry as we know it.
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More About Image Comics: Image Comics is an American comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by several high-profile illustrators as a venue where comics creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains one of the largest comic book publishers in North America. Its output was originally dominated by superhero and fantasy series from the studios of the Image partners, but now includes comics in many genres by numerous independent creators. Its best-known series include Spawn, Savage Dragon, Witchblade, The Darkness, Invincible, The Walking Dead, Saga, and Chew.
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The History of Image Comics: The Founding (Part 1) | So Much Damage | SYFY WIRE
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I sent Jim Lee a fan letter when I was a kid in the 1990s and he sent me a postcard in return which meant so much to me as a kid. Now it's 2019 and I still have that postcard and I still buy and read Jim Lee comics.
Cool!
"It's nice to have someone who can draw feet"
~ Jim "Savage" Lee (2017)
Keepin' it real! ^^
Ok but Rob Liefeild was there LOL
That was funny. To be fair, Liefeld has improved a lot since those days.
plumlogan . o
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Any dig at Liefeld is welcomed by me.
That story at the end about Jack Kirby's wife was actually legitimately heartwarming. Brought a tear to my eye
Wholesome AF!
Marvel did this to themselves , with the grossly unfair contracts creators had been decrying for years. The story of Image Comics is probably the greatest story about comics as a business of all time,
i'd say greatest modern story of comics.
Not THE greatest.
I respect what they did in terms of giving other creators a lot more say in how the comics business works, but I do think their 1990s Image work was usually pretty terrible since these were all art guys. Not writers.
That they still do it is crazy. All they have to do is give creators similar contracts to (is it?) Crossgen(?) Say a contract and 5-10% of the sales (and some creative rights which they can legal out) Crossgen went belly up with Warner and Disney they could def fund it and incentivise some creators to put more of their best ideas with the big 2.
@@mossadon stfu
Marvel and DC didn’t allow creators to own their creations. That was their downfall. At least Rob seems to be getting compensated for his character’s he created
The irony is that twenty years later, Image makes the absolute best comics now today. From Saga to Outcast to Monstress to Blackbird. Image is the best now finally.
Dan Niles and now we have undiscovered country coming out soon
The Darkness, Witchblade, Backlash, Wildcore & Battlechasers were all my favorites back then. Figures why i hardly can into anything since those days except Monstress & Descender
Invincible too. Great comics & great adult animated series that stays faithful to the source material
Image Comics is so good now because they publish anything good. Which sets it apart from other publication companies that rely on more rigid genre restrictions.
Now that the founders aren’t doing books, Image is doing good books.
These guys are the coolest. Rock stars who remember where they came from and show appreciation for their fans.
VZA Jim Lee is the greatest of all time!!!!
VZA hey! I know you... haha
💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
As a fanboy from way back I met Todd McFarlane and my impression of him was he was a jackass. Maybe I just caught him at the wrong time but I thought he was an ass. I do like his toys and what you do with spawn but he could have done a lot more he could have made more money and he could have did things a little bit different better. But ultimately everyone must live their own life. And I guess as a part of creativity sometimes you need to be an ass.
Heeeeyy. I know you
Marc Silvestri and his art is one of my comicbook heroes...
After years of looking at the characters they drew, I eventually started to know the artists names and faces. Now, looking at them feels more awe inspiring than the characters they were drawing for me. Thank you guys for all the amazing comics!
That was such an awesome time to be a pre-teen/ teenage comic book reader. I loved Image comics
Me too!! I was 12-13 I'll never forget my first Image it was Wild Cats and I still have it to this day
100%. I got to witness the start of Spawn and Youngbloods.
@@KrisScofield I was there too!
@@voramai6286 invincible is my favourite comic series ever so I thank image comics and skybound so much.
Spawn was my first discovery when I was a kid🤗
I remember fans who were constantly snapping of Robs anatomy.
Lee was in a class by himself.
Todd's Spawn was untouchable.
I have so much admiration for these guys. Really took some balls to do what they did. Changed the game forever.
It takes even more balls to be massive hypocrites that they were
I wouldnt be drawing my own comics today if not for these Seven. I love Image. practically the only company i still buy books regularly from.
What they did changed the comics industry for the better (especially for creator/artist rights) it can't be denied! The high quality of comics was also changed for the better. Although regardless of inflation, we all so wish comics were also cheaper today though.
Image didn't become bigger than DC or Marvel comics as the third group out there, but then again that was never really the point to begin with. It was their business model in how comics were; created and owned by the artist/writer [Creator(s)], approach to production, selling and marketing of comics (the multiple comic covers deal that became a good & bad thing?) That even the big two started to copying the trend of later on down the road. Which really changed comics in North America afterwards. That anybody looking to print their own book would soon go to rather than DC or Marvel where you work on existing characters the business owns. Image is where somebody went to start their own book and it was published. Image of course got a small percentage of the sales your book makes/generated of course. But the creator was responsible for outputting and being responsible for the outcome of their own material at the end of the day!
Much agreed man. Hey, if i may ask? What book do you draw/write for?! Any links to what you're doing comic wise.
want to join my comic compony its onlly me at the moment
What is your comic?
🙏
josef rootgum what is the name of comic book
The image boys, that was heartwarming!
If that doesn't fire you up with Jacks stamp of approval, nothing would have.
I love how how Jim Valentino talked about that phone call!
Jim lee taking feet shots at Liefeld 🤣🤣🤣
UNLIKE THE COMIC BOOKS IT'S GOING TO BE MORE DARK, BLOODY AND GRUS-UM. IT MIGHT PUT IMAGE COMICS BACK ON THE CHARTS AND WHO KNOWS IT MAY EVEN BE A SPAWN LIVE ACTION SERIES THAT'S MORE LIKE SUPERNATURAL OR THE VAMPIRE DIARIES WHERE THEY COULD ALSO INTRODUCE WITCH BLADE FROM DARK HORSE COMICS AND MORE. WHO SAYS EVERYTHING HAS TO BE ABOUT MARVEL AND DC WHICH ARE TOO OF THE MOST BEST COMPANIES RIGHT NOW. I SEE IT HAPPENING NOW GET READY FOR THE IMAGE CINEMATIC UNIVERSE ( ICU ). I THINK THAT IMAGE SHOULD TEAM UP WITH HASBRO AND UNIVERSAL AND THAT WOULD BE TO THEIR UNIVERSE LIKE DC IS OWNED BY WARNER BROS. IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES OF HAVING MICHEAL MYERS, GI JOE AND CHUCKY IN THE SAME CINEMATIC UNIVERSE AS SPAWN, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. IT'S MANY THINGS IMAGE COMICS CAN DO. THEY NEED TO HIGHER ME AS A FORERUNNER BECAUSE IM A GREAT IDEALIST WHO LOVES BUILDING UP GREAT COMPANIES.
@@makingmoneyonline4633 Is your caps key stuck?
This is both educational and entertaining. It's not just because it's about comic books. It's that THESE particular guys and the industry at the time are so interesting. Who would walk into an office just to tell you're not working for them? I've subscribed.
Especially being the TOP 7 of the industry, and going up against multi-million dollar companies as a mere startup. #ballz
Gen x ers. Thats who
@@ddave7026 Hell yeah!
I've met 6 of these guys at comic signings throughout the 90s (all except Liefeld), but Jim Valentino was the only one that really intimidated me for some reason. He happily signed my copy of Shadowhawk, but I was shaking and completely speechless when I handed it to him. Those guys were/are 100% rockstars.
I envy you...
How do u not meet liefield? He was everywhere at the time..
I really appreciate the homage you gave Jack Kirby I still do not think he gets enough recognition in the industry.
Lol what? You have to be oblivious to think that
he gets more than enough recognition lol
9:55 Jim Lee just dropped the mike on Rob Liefeld, lol :DD
Daggers.
Comic book pecking order.
His laugh was so genuine it made me laugh too.
Major shade
Jim lee is a sell out...
This came about at the height of my comic book collecting as an early teen. So many memories flooding back watching these guys talk about it. Thank you for this
Same here. These guys were my heroes when I was 16.
DARKHORSE, Boom, Image, Dynamite, Crusade, & Icon Comics are Graph-Art Force Changers. Top Cow, Valiant, Japanese Anime, & Vertigo are comic art champs too.
I'll NEVER forget when this went down it was an amazing time when you are a comics fan and I brought just about every number one issue of Image comics when they were released. Good times.
This doc is so cool that it feels like waching Stars Wars at the theatre all over again.
Jedis vs Siths
Excellent documentary. I'm not even that much of a comic book guy, but this was really interesting to watch, seeing the history of image and the different personalities involved.
The early 90's was such a time for comic books! Say what you will about what came later on in the decade but the artists, stories, and overall track record for 91-93 was pretty awesome. Lots of great books and art. X-Men Volume 2, Uncanny, Sensational She Hulk, Infinity Gauntlet, etc.
Mr. Hayabusa, I purchased all three of those books when they came out: McFarlane Spiderman, Liefeld XForce, Lee X-Men. I think the XMen has three different covers.
I also own many of the first issues from Image comics too.
Its great hearing and watching interviews with the Image 7. They made my childhood and the childhood of other comics and young art fans so amazing. Comic artists were rock gods and rightfully so in a visual medium.
That moment at the 9:58 mark when Lee makes fun of the fact that Rob Liefeld can't draw feet to save his life is the best part of this video.
Rob liefield's hood voice was on point. Didn't sound forced or overly stereotyped.
Comedyteamz maybe because he was imitating what he heard. Lol
Eazy-E was a little dude. He and Prince were the same height, btw.
When artists were rock stars. The 90s were a crazy time and had such "xtreme" comics lol
Chandasouk best time ever
It was VERY exciting, whatever you may think of them.
Oh yes! I'm 40 years old. I was there ever since their last run with the marvel reboots and the creation of image.
good times indeed
Chandasouk that's because Image had no comic code compare to Marvel and DC which meant they did what ever they wanted instead of been told what to do....I swear fanboys today wouldn't talk big about Marvel and DC comics if comic code was still on them....
Jim Lee's homage studios books are still some of my favorite comics.
These guys are like the 'Film School Generation' (Lucas, Spielberg, Scorcese, DePalma) of comic artists.
I bought all of their titles and more when they where at Marvel. I couldn't get enough of their art. I would sell my lunch at school to get money to buy the comics. Art Adams, Dale Keown, Mark Bagley, and the only DC comic I bought Lobo's Simon Bisley, were some other artists I love. Jim Lee was #1 and made me love comics. I remember like it was yesterday. 🤘
I never knew Matt Damon, Dave Grohl, Christian Bale and Dan Aykroyd were comic book artists?!
Talk of a movie now ,the roles are cast!!!
jim lee was that dude back then them xmen books was selling like crazy.....spiderman was a beast as well....Image had some interesting stuff in the early years
This is a great story and probably one of the best ideas that artist ever had
These guys definitely deserve they're own biopic.
The things I love about their company is that unlike DC and Marvel they do many types of genres and they let you make your own comics and they publish them.
The most important thing, though… they let the creators keep their rights. And they receive royalties.
If a creator creates a character for marvel or DC, then the comic company now owns that character and rights and licensing. Such a terrible business model, and that’s why they never will have anything new or truly exciting again.
Incorrect
Trencher is still my favorite comic book 'series.' Wetworks blew my mind when it came out and The f'n Maxx and its Mtv cartoon are the max (pun intended) of the Image world to me. Oh, that gritty darkness of that old Maxx cartoon.
what is trencher about? I have never heard of that one?
Marc is just so chill!
Honestly, image has always been my favorite company because of these guys doing what they did, and image is making by far making the best comics you can buy in terms of quality and everything they have been since th e90s imo
When I was a kid I was a huge fan of Dale Keown’s Pitt. I wrote him a fan letter that very clearly demonstrated that I didn’t understand the plot of the book. He wrote back and was so nice about it. Really cool guy
Even if Youngblood and Spawn haven’t aged well, the Image guys paved the way for a broader acceptance of both independent comics and creator rights. So, hats off to them.
Black Monday Murders and Kill or Be Killed in the background of Liefeld makes me so happy they branched out and made a valid publishing company outside of the big 2.
Aerakade KobK its amazing!
BMM is one of my favorite books of all time
Don't forget about Black Science
I understand those who berate the "phenomenon" (and there truly is no other word) that Image Comics was, and deride what they believe was an art-driven, story-bereft period in the industry. However, I also believe that point of view was born in the moment, and among those who simply did not find the company's product to be their "cup of tea". It does not take into account the immensity of the role that images take in telling a comic book story, a glaring irony, to be sure. These guys were simply upping the ante, as it were. Still in all, an amazing time in comic book history, and though I read very few of their comics, I ALWAYS enjoy the telling of the Image story.
It was awesome for me to be a young teen living in Tijuana and loving Image from it's conception. Magic times indeed. This is one of my favorite stories to tell the young whipersnapers nowadays. Times change all the time ❤️
🖖
There will NEVER Be Another Era like this again!!!..Being Creative with RAW Energy and Talent meant something in the 90's!!!!
One of my favorite comic book characters is Spawn. That book is what got me into comics.
Image is the best in business right now, so many quality unique books.
Not surprised those mags were going so fast. Seems like every person in the world can't get enough of that stuff! 😊
Silvestri is not aging....he is The Darkness lol
I loved The Darkness. I miss Top Cow and Chaos.
I was still collecting comics when this happened so I knew more or less what had transpired but it was nice to hear the details from the artists themselves.
That drawing feet jab was 💯 at leifeld
That was awesome! I'll be looking for part 2!
Lol, That Easy E voice was spot on. Me and my peers called them the "Byrne boys." After comic book artist John Byrne.
Lol, nice to have someone that could draw feet.
savage
Somewhere Liefeld is say "oh that B@%T@RD!"
Yeah, well ...who is gonna put 40 pouches on your character? Pouches don't draw themselves...
Todd McFarland or rob liefeld
@@foxb5974 all three Rob, Todd & Jim himself
This video resonates with me so much. Especially a being 12 year old boy in 1992 Miami, Florida just like the host and writer of this homage to
image comics. Going to Fernies Comics right across the street from Citrus grove middle school was one of my favorite past times. Which doesn't exist anymore sadly.
Jim Lee was the best of the bunch.
DallasTechie idk they all had their own style....i liked how Todd changed spider man's web....rob give us Deadpool...Lee made X-men cool again....the rest is history....these guys came back to Marvel and DC after they got rid of the comic code....
Jim Lee was great then but seems to have only gotten better as he's gotten older. Batman: Hush is a much better looking book than his X-men.
André Brynkus experience comes with age.....lol
DallasTechie Jim was my favorite of the bunch. Dude really upped the quality of artwork in comics in my opinion.
Silvestri was on pair with jim lee...they both were way above the rest...jim lee was a monster in detail and all but silvestri had something special, the expression of his draws, with they were finished by green...these 2 artists with claremont made me love the x men
Underrated channel!
An incredible story filled with inspiration no matter what walk of life people come from! Thanks for this
I'm French and a Marvel fan. Image Comics rocked my world back in the days. And I'm pretty sure that I'm not alone. That is why those videos need english subtitles. Sometimes the talk is too fast for a foreigner, so we can stop some moments and read the meanings.
Young Rob Liefeld looked like Matt Damon.
Now he kinda looks like Carrot Top.
That eazy e impression was on point 🤣
"Blessing from the pope" I like that.
Long live the King !
Thank you guys for everything you did seriously thank you and God bless you
I was just the right age to be a comic book fan when Image comics hit the stands. Still have a ton of Youngbloods, X-Force's, Brigades, Prophets, Bloodstrikes, Badrocks, chapels, wetworks......Etc. I loved em.
You guys were the ones that sealed the deal on my making comic books My Religion.
My hero’s. Any one willing to stand up against a big corporation and deft odds by disrupting the fabric should be feared.
✊🏾
You guys did a great job with this. Watching it again.
Holy shit! Did Rob just say that eazy-E was a big comic head. My god that’s amazing 🔥👌
I know eh! I grew up listening to Eazy, and for the first time ever, I discover another side to eazy I never knew about!
90s comics were the absolute best as far as design and stories went. Image comics had some of the best artwork I've ever seen as a kid
Image: The Magnificent Seven, beautiful story!
I was in the 2nd grade in 92 and have every first issue image released even the Wildcats.
God, that was such an awesome event and comic enjoyment
Jim is a class act. Makes you wonder how he got along with some of these goons.
Rob comes off as very likable in spite of it all.
Todd is still going, much like his comic Spawn - you look and wonder why and how.
I can't wait till Todd gets the ball rolling on the new Spawn movie. Its gonna be SICK
I honestly did not know Spawn was still a thing until last Wednesday and was shocked to see what issue number it was on. It’s odd though, these guys left to get creative freedom to make what they wanted creatively only to either turn into the very thing they were running from or became sorta sell outs of their creations, or now create as little directly as possible. They’re more businessmen now than artist, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Ebonyleopard actually they did it to get away from the Comic code....what they draw in comics today in Marvel and DC they couldn't don't back then with the comic code..... Hell, they couldn't draw wolverine with blood on his claws back then again because of the comic code...I swear fan boys should learn about Comic code....back then underground comics was the shit...before Marvel and DC killed off the comic code...look at marvel and DC comics from back then and see the difference from today....
Yeah they are more businessmen than artists now but many of them are in their 40s and 50s now and they basically opened the door for many young independent comic creators which is really cool. Image comics nowadays is I'm pretty sure the biggest indie comic publisher.
Realistically Todd's a marketing genius who wanted to make toys. You want proof? Spawn is named Spawn so it would be next to Spider-man at comic shops. Someone grabs SM and sees Spawn.
Good start to a documentary
Jim saying some dont know how to draw feet.. best part ever
They shot the Rob Liefeld part at my local comic shop: Comics, Toons and Toys in Tustin, Ca 🤓
Incredible, to this day Image is my favorite publisher, I hope to meet them all one day
Wow! I remember being in the heat of this movement it was awesome and invigorating! It was a time of creation and giving birth too new universes! It still excites me and I have bought back almost every Image book I sold, also it's worth mentioning that Valiant had a huge role at this time as well and I'm excited for that newer version of that company to be making movies and bringing that universe too life!
Image Cinematic Universe needs to become a thing.
Already is
cool now I know a bit more of image! Great story.
Poor Rob. Due to the internet, he's THE guy to hate on when it comes to comics. He's always come off like a genuine guy. And now he's a punching bag for snarky fanboys because "Hurdur 90s and pouches and feet hurdur!"
I mean he does seem like a cool guy but alot of his old art is incredibly goofy but at the same time that art style is basically the definition of the whole 90s image comic style.. with the way over exagerated features and huge guns and shit like that lol so he was definitely influential.
Poor Rob. Must suck to have millions of dollars and thousands of adoring fans.
Due to the internet? More like due to his lack of artistic talent.
Even before the internet, comic readers were taking shots at Liefeld for the simple reason that the guy couldn't (and still can't) draw to save his life.
@@ArtmonkeyProductions Talk about exaggeration. If he couldn't draw then he wouldn't have had a career at Marvel and Image. Normally I'm not one to say you can't criticize if you don't have the talent you're criticizing but fuck off. I doubt you can even draw a stick figure. It's one thing to say you don't like his work but it's another to spout bullshit about him "not being able to draw to save is life." Fucking idiot.
@@ArtmonkeyProductions i mean even if he lacks talent one would think that him drawing comics for this long means he would actually get really good at it. And yet he still isn't that good
one of the best yt docus out there
My favorite artist was still Michael Turner.
A lot of my drawing style is influenced by Jim Lee and Turner. Michael Turner RIP. I collected fathom back in the day
Image may not have the large portion of the pie with their products but the quality of the stories probably speak for itself.
And they were massively more successful then
jac6995 and helped to contribute (not responsible) to the collapse of comic industry.
Current Image is excellent. But when I was a kid, they sucked. I still bought a few of their comics though, because I liked the art and didn't know any better.
LOL outside of Spawn there were no NO STORIES!!! The books were basically pinups. Image got away from that bad "Image" later though.
Other than Spawn... Image comics sucked. Great art but just ripped off characters from Marvel.
If they make a movie, I'd love to see Christian Bale as Todd.
My first Image comic was Spawn #1
How about "Next Men" by John Byrne? Anyone remember that one from Dark Horse
Marvel would still sell hundreds of thousands of comics if their prices weren't insane.
What's an insane vs realistic price.
Todd was like 'The game, Mr. Marvel, is ON!'
That was a very well done video story.
All my favorite artists of the day which is why I was a huge fan when you guys are branched off on your own it made it where is little guys thought that we might have a chance in the business
Wish image was still this good
Have you read Saga or Monstress? The writing and stories are insanely good
This segment should be included under Art History
Todd reminds me of that guy in black, from the Dark Tower movie.
I happened to love Image Comics after watching this
NewMen was my favorite image book. Exit will always be one of my favorite characters. Jeff Matsuda and Todd Nauck were and still are amazing!!!!
Marvel and DC were still publishing comics on newspaper quality paper. Image with the hottest comic artists upped the quality and standard for the industry.
I love Image comics
I love this documentary
All these guys are...LEGENDS!