PORTLAND, Ore. 08/19/2024 — Todd McFarlane Productions announced—via an exclusive scoop at The Hollywood Reporter last week—the forthcoming comic book series Knights vs. Samurai, a captivating new series written by fan-favorite actor David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), with art by Federico Mele, and colors by Ulises Arreola. This thrilling, new ongoing series will be published by Image Comics and launch this September.
Knights vs. Samurai follows the journey of Sir Charles Ward (known as ‘The Dragon Butcher'), who is a knight grappling with self-doubt and grief while leading a legion of royal warriors on a noble mission. Celebrated for his knighthood and leadership, The Dragon Butcher embarks on a quest to a mysterious island in the Far East. Accompanied by a diverse group of fighters—including a giant and two clerics—he seeks vengeance against the savage monsters responsible for ambushing a group of English missionaries. However, upon arrival, Sir Charles discovers a startling truth—the so-called “savage monsters” are a regiment of highly skilled warriors unlike any he has ever encountered.
“A lifetime of fascination with Japanese and English historical warrior culture led me to this incredible moment," said Dastmalchian. "My love of Eastern and Western mythology, fantasy and horror all swirl together in this story which explores the questions I want to ask about how our society works (and what doesn’t work!). Under the guidance of the great Todd McFarlane, I have been partnered with the incredible Federico Mele who has manifested a magnificent, brutal and beautiful world of broadswords, katana, dragons, and more!”
Mele added: “Bringing David’s amazing scripts to life with my drawings has been an adventure! I love these characters so much and often I feel as though I’m living the journey with them. What makes this even more epic? Doing it for the label McFarlane Productions!”
Knights vs. Samurai #1 Cover A by Francesco Mattina (Lunar Code 0724IM270) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 25 with the retail price of $2.99. The Final Order Cutoff deadline for comic shop retailers is Monday, September 2.
Knights vs. Samurai is also available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.
Follow Todd McFarlane: Instagram | X | Facebook and stay tuned for more updates and announcements as Todd McFarlane Productions continues to expand.
ABOUT TODD MCFARLANE
Todd McFarlane is an Emmy and Grammy Award winning Director/Producer and the CEO of McFarlane Toys, McFarlane Films, and President of Image Comics. Best known for his work as the artist on THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, where he co- created Marvel’s top villain, VENOM. McFarlane went on to create his own title, SPAWN. Todd McFarlane's SPAWN is one of the world's best-selling comic books. SPAWN’s 1992 debut sold 1.7 million copies. McFarlane made history with SPAWN #300 and record-breaking SPAWN #301, earning the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for "Longest-running Creator-owned Superhero Comic Book Series.” In 2024, Todd McFarlane celebrated another milestone with Spawn issue #350. SPAWN became an Emmy Award-winning animated series on HBO, and live-action feature film, grossing $100+ million.
Spawn and all related characters and elements © & ™
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