Make some noise, Killjoys, because issue #1 of The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem by Gerard Way and Shaun Simon is now available!
Fans of My Chemical Romance and Way and Simon’s previous work may find themselves asking how this series fits into the stories we already know. We were first introduced to the Killjoys’ Fabulous Four — Party Poison, Fun Ghoul, Jet Star, and Kobra Kid — with My Chemical Romance’s 2010 album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. Later, in 2013, Simon and Way revisited the Danger Days universe and followed the exploits of the Girl with the comic miniseries The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.
However, Simon and Way’s initial plans for The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys began years earlier, with a focus on a character named Mike Milligram — the original Killjoy (taken from the nickname that Way gave his brother Mikey during the tracking of My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade). The miniseries was announced back in 2009, but never came to fruition. Now, the time to learn the story of Mike Milligram has finally come. Set in the 1990s/2000s, National Anthem is a different story than the futuristic, post-apocalyptic California from Danger Days.
The Fabulous Killjoys, once a group of teenage exterminators determined to save reality, have lost their way — and their memories. After a period of mental confinement, former Killjoys leader Mike Milligram gets de-programmed and hits the road to bring the gang back together for a final showdown against an evil pharmaceutical corporation, their monstrous hitman, and savage gang rivals.
The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem is written by Way and Simon, with art by Leonardo Romero, lettering by Nate Piekos, and colored by Jordie Bellaire. This miniseries will consist of six issues.
There are also a few different variant covers available for issue #1. The two pictured below feature artwork by Becky Cloonan (the artist for the 2013 version of The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys) and Paul Rentler.
A limited edition variant comic bundle is available now from Dark Horse Direct, which includes a another black and white variant of issue #1 with artwork by Daniel Warren Johnson and a deluxe 11″x14″ lithograph of the cover art, colored by Mike Spicer. Order yours now for $49.99, and act fast, because there are only 300 available!
Issue #2 of The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem will hit shelves on November 11. In the meantime, make sure to check out Way and Simon’s other new series through Dark Horse Comics, You Look Like Death: Tales from the Umbrella Academy, which focuses on The Umbrella Academy‘s Number Five, The Séance a.k.a. Klaus Hargreeves.
