Details on Ed Brisson and Johnnie Christmas series Sheltered in July from Image

Along with Satellite Sam, one of the more interesting solicitations for August 2013 from Image Comics is the Ed Brisson (Comeback) and Johnnie Christmas series Sheltered. A new press release on Image’s site has given us a few more details about this upcoming series, including the inspiration from the world of doomsday “preppers”.

Debuting in July, Image describes the intriguing set-up for the series:

The founders of the survivalist colony Safe Haven are sure that the end of civilization is at hand. Economic collapse, natural disaster, civil war — they’re prepared for it all in their underground compound deep in the woods of America’s northeast. Sheltered follows the consequences after Safe Haven’s younger generation, raised in paranoia and isolation, rebel against their parents and take over the compound. Two leaders emerge from the rebellion: the teenagers Lucas, who led the revolt, and Victoria, who leads another group of kids in their escape. With Victoria set to expose Safe Haven, Lucas and his faction are determined to hunt her and her group down before they reach the nearest town, forty miles away through dangerous wilderness.

Sheltered #2 cover - Artist: Johnnie Christmas

Sheltered #2
Artist: Johnnie Christmas

There’s certainly no shortage of survivalists in popular culture, not least of which is the National Geographic “reality series” Doomsday Preppers. These are people who live across the heartland of America, and around the world, who are actively preparing for all manner of threats to global stability and the end times. If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t find a can of baked beans, it may be in the hands of a prepper.

Yet Brisson’s interests initially grew out of an interest in the prepper culture, his original idea being “to do a post-apocalyptic story”. Brisson adds “Through my research, I started to get obsessed with the culture — from the outside! I don’t own a bunker! — and how it would affect children raised in that sort of environment.”

Christmas, creator of the webcomic Spectre of Sound, has previously collaborated withn Brisson for his online anthology Murder Book (“Midnight Walk“), a series of short stories by Brisson that are illustrated by various artists. His art for Sheltered follows a similar theme of trying to capture the isolation of each character. In the press release, he elaborates on this idea:

“We’re going to be facing down the apocalypse with these people, it’s important to really get a sense of who they are and what they’re capable of,” he said. “These kids aren’t even out of high school, but they are probably the most prepared folks on earth, when it comes to riding out the end of the world.”

Sheltered will debut in stores on 10 July 2013 from Image Comics. A 5-issue story arc is initially planned, and it’s probably a good idea to get those preorders in about now. You know how Image Comics disappear off shelves and find their way onto eBay.