“Charged stuff—and gorgeous.” —Kieron Gillen, The Power Fantasy
“Character-driven, story-rich, visually stunning, completely engrossing—we’ll be talking about this one for a long, long time.” —Matthew Rosenberg, We're Taking Everyone Down with Us
“What I love most is its characters—Barbiere and Beem made me fall for them instantly.” —Tyler Boss, You'll Do Bad Things
PORTLAND, Ore. 09/05/2025 — The publishing industry is abuzz about the highly-anticipated, upcoming Author Immortal series launch from critically acclaimed writer Frank J. Barbiere (Five Ghosts, Violent Love) and rising-star watercolor artist Morgan Beem (Swamp Thing: Twin Branches, You Belong Here, The Family Trade). This all-new, ongoing portal fantasy will launch in October from Image Comics.
The series will premiere with an extra-length, 40-page debut issue and feature variant covers by Yuko Shimizu and Jorge Corona (Eisner Award nominated artist on Transformers, Middlewest).
The Author Immortal follows Hector Ramirez, a failed writer who gets the opportunity of a lifetime: to help reboot the fantasy book series that defined his childhood. But when he discovers the original author has mysteriously vanished into his fictional world, Hector is pulled into a realm where stories are alive, and some are willing to kill to stay in control.
The Author Immortal takes readers on a fantastical new adventure where the perils of every cliffhanger quite literally leap from the page and the magic and mayhem of storytelling comes alive. A series about the stories that shape us—and the power they still hold—this new comic is perfect for fans of Locke & Key, Fables, and Lev Grossman’s The Magicians.
In addition to his work in comics, Barbiere is known for his work in the video game industry. He served as Lead Writer at Skydance Interactive, contributed to the Destiny franchise, and wrote for the titles Darksiders Genesis and Ruined King: A League of Legends Story at Airship Syndicate.
The Author Immortal #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, October 1:
- Cover A by Morgan Beem - Lunar Code 0825IM0274
- Cover B by Yuko Shimizu - Lunar Code 0825IM0275
- Cover C 1:25 copy incentive by Jorge Corona - Lunar Code 0825IM0276
- Cover D 1:50 copy incentive by Shimizu (foil) - Lunar Code 0825IM0277
The Author Immortal will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.
Select praise for The Author Immortal:
“A great fantasy novel, wrapped in playful metafiction… picks up where Fables and The Unwritten left off.” —Sean Lewis, Bear Pirate Viking, The Few
“Measured, heartfelt, imaginative… one of the best starts to a new series in years.” —Phillip Sevy, X-Men, Deadpool, Avengers
“Brought me right back to being a kid cracking open my next favorite fantasy obsession.” —Tate Brombal, Everything Dead & Dying, Batgirl
“Scratches an itch for those of us who grew up on heroes and aren’t sure if life is turning us into a villain.” —Tini Howard, Catwoman, Marian Heretic, Excalibur
“An engrossing dive into the messy legacies of families, fandoms, and beyond.” —Patrick Horvath, Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees
“A real page turner—beautiful, imaginative, and emotionally deep.” —Ethan Sacks, Star Wars: Bounty Hunters, A Haunted Girl
“What I love most is its characters — Barbiere and Beem made me fall for them instantly.” —Tyler Boss, What’s the Furthest Place from Here, You’ll Do Bad Things
“Charged stuff—and gorgeous.” —Kieron Gillen, The Power Fantasy, The Wicked & The Divine
“An alluring, magical, and mysterious tale… devastatingly beautiful and full of heart.” —Emma Kubert, Inkblot, Stoneheart
“Incredibly witty, insanely charming, impossibly beautiful… I’ve never fallen in love so quickly.” —Son M., Something Crawled Out, The Hollowed Night
“Calamitous from the jump, I’m hooked!” —Jen Vaughn, Took, Girls Make Movies
“I’m always excited when Frank Barbiere has a new book — and with Morgan Beem it’s even more exciting. Do not miss.” —Curt Pires, Lost Fantasy, Indigo Children
“Reality and fiction blend in this mindbending adventure — horror, fantasy, mystery, action… this book has it all!” —Rich Douek, Road of Bones, Sea of Sorrows
“Special. A recursive look at obsessions, family, failures, and how ambition can obliterate us.” —Chris Cantwell, Out of Alcatraz, Halt and Catch Fire
“Character-driven, story-rich, visually stunning, completely engrossing — we’ll be talking about this one for a long, long time.” —Matthew Rosenberg, What’s The Furthest Place From Here?, We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us, DC Vs. Vampires
“Blazingly inventive and beautifully executed.” —Alex Paknadel, All Against All, Sentinels
“A gorgeous tale about what drives us to be creative, and what creativity can drive us to do.” —Gary Moloney, When The Blood Has Dried, Warhammer
“If you’re wanting to scratch that Vertigo itch — beautifully written, beautifully painted, timely and timeless.” —Christian Ward, Batman: City of Madness, Blood-Stained Teeth, Two Face
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