Youngblood Returning for Huge Milestone Event Celebration

Fans of Rob Liefeld's Youngblood will have plenty of reasons to celebrate this summer. The comic book icon recently announced the 'Summer of Youngblood' to celebrate the landmark 100th issue, and it's getting started with a bang.

A string of influential comic artists will be lending their talents to variant art for Youngblood #100, including none other than Invincible's Robert Kirkman. Spawn's Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Erik Larsen, Jim Valentino, Whilce Portacio, and Kirkman are all part of the lineup for the issue's covers, marking a historic moment for the series. Youngblood #100 is set to be released on June 10th via Image Comics. "Having Robert Kirkman join the Youngblood #100 cover party? I had high hopes, and he just blew me away.” Liefeld teased in a press release announcing the special issue. Kirkman's cover, along with Silvestri's, can be seen below.

Invincible's Robert Kirkman Discusses Youngblood's Comics Influence

With a stacked lineup of variant cover art, Youngblood #100 is already shaping up to be one for the history books. "I can’t stop smiling," Liefeld continued. "Each of these covers, crafted by these comic book legends, is just so humbling. It shows that the energy surrounding Youngblood is surging. This isn't just a milestone, it’s a powerful union that celebrates a Golden Age that launched the company 34 years back."

As for Kirkman, in addition to crafting his own cover for the issue, he spoke about how it has had an influence on the indie comics scene at large. "Youngblood is one of the most important independent comics ever published. It started the Image revolution and paved the way for everything that followed," Kirkman shared.

"Marc’s cover is special; it’s an absolute stunner," Liefeld added. "I've literally waited 34 years for this. Silvestri has never illustrated these characters, which makes it a real event for the fans as well as me. I told him that I have to retire now. I’ll never, ever do better than this. It's one in a million. Marc is my favorite artist, and this cover is monumental."

Kirkman went on to mention how Youngblood has impacted the world, from the MCU to his own works and beyond. "As a corporate superteam that uses media manipulation and treats its heroes as celebrities, you can find its DNA in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Boys, Invincible, and dozens of other modern superhero takes. The influence of Rob Liefeld's creation reaches far and wide into all aspects of the entertainment industry. I was honored that Rob allowed me to be some small part of his epic and historic 100th issue celebration."

New Youngblood Spin-off Also Arriving This Summer

The 'Summer of Youngblood' celebrations don't stop with an impressive variant cover lineup. Fan-favorite Badrock will also be joining the festivities with his own spotlight spin-off series. In July, Badrock #1 will go on sale and give the massive, granite-skinned hero a solo adventure that is already teased to 'shake the foundation of the Extreme Universe.'

Badrock #1 will explore the heavy burden the character carries in his personal life, as his family is compromised as a result of his high profile. Liefeld is joined by new artist Seth Damoose for the story. "I’ve been following Seth’s work for years; he was the only artist I envisioned for a Badrock series," Liefeld shared. "He's an incredible storyteller and illustrator. Fans are in for a huge treat."

"Badrock is the heart of Youngblood," Liefeld added. "Giving him his own title allows us to go deeper into his character, his humor, and his sheer power. If you’re a fan of high-stakes, high-octane action that is loaded with laughs, this is the book you’ve been waiting for."

Youngblood #100 and Badrock #1 go on sale this summer, with Image teasing more announcements in the Summer of Youngblood to follow.