An experimental AI helmet built to pull stories straight out of a man's brain traps its user inside a streaming service in Content, a new sci-fi graphic novel from writer Curt Pires and artist Ryan Quackenbush. Image Comics revealed the book yesterday as a thriller for readers of Severance and The Social Network, and it reaches comic shops on February 17, 2027. Check out the official post down below:
The story takes place in a near future ruled by streaming services. Trip Cruise is the most valuable mind in entertainment and the architect behind the world's biggest platform, a service named Content. When the helmet that is supposed to extract stories from his mind malfunctions, Trip becomes trapped inside the system he built and is forced to move through what Image calls "an endless hellscape of shows and fragmented memories."
The only person who can reach him is Margot, his junior programmer. According to Image's synopsis, the 2 of them have to outsmart "the machine designed to replace them" or risk being permanently deleted from existence.
Built From Pires' Time In Hollywood
Image says Content was inspired by Pires' own experience in the "Hollywood dream factory" and is set "in the age of the infinite scroll." Its press release adds Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to the Severance and The Social Network comparisons.
Pires, a Calgary-based writer and producer, said the graphic novel is his first original one and has been "in development for years," dating back to a conversation about the idea with Image's Eric Stephenson at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024. He called it "my most experimental and personal writing in ages" and praised Quackenbush's "lush painted artwork that evokes the brilliance of Dave Mckean and Bill Sienkiwitz in equal measure."
Quackenbush said, "I am very proud of this book that Curt and I have put together. His writing and story is sharp and wild but personal." Quackenbush previously drew Junior Baker the Righteous Faker, Joe Casey's 5-issue Image sequel to Butcher Baker the Righteous Maker.
Pires' Fantasy Books At Image
Content arrives while Pires is running 2 connected fantasy series at Image. Lost Fantasy, drawn by Luca Casalanguida, is set on an Earth with a hidden world of magic, myth and monsters beneath its surface. The Great Hunters have kept people safe since first contact more than 100 years ago, and the series starts when something breaks through and rookie hunter Henry Blackheart has to stop it.
Fireborn, co-written with Franklin Jonas, is set in the Lost Fantasy world. Rich-kid Aaron Hillburg bonds with a floating dragon egg that ignites a hidden lineage of ancient magic in his body, and outlaw wizards, biker cultists and supernatural warlords between New York City and The World Beneath start hunting him for it. Image pitches Fireborn to readers of Invincible, How to Train Your Dragon and Absolute Batman.
Image's schedule puts Lost Fantasy #16 and Fireborn #8 on February 17, the same day as Content. Before that, Pires launches Creature Corps with artist JOK on December 2, a series about a creature-battling sport that grew out of the Calamity Creatures arriving when time broke in 1999. Image describes it as a remix of the creature battling phenomena of the '90s mixed with the satire of The Boys.
When And Where To Find Content
Content is a trade paperback original graphic novel with the ISBN 9781534331846. It goes on sale in comic shops on Wednesday, February 17, 2027, then reaches independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo and Waterstones on Tuesday, March 16, 2027. Digital editions will be sold on Amazon Kindle, Google Play, Apple Books, Nook, Everand, Kobo, OverDrive, Hoopla and other platforms.
If you were stuck inside an endless streaming library like Trip Cruise, which show would you least want to be trapped in on a loop?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.