PORTLAND, Ore. 09/11/2026 — Image Comics is pleased to reveal a special, highly collectible variant cover by comics icon and Image Comics founder Rob Liefeld (Deadpool, Badrock, Youngblood) for the most anticipated premiere of the year—Chainkata #1—by multiple Eisner Award winning super-star Daniel Warren Johnson (Transformers, Do a Powerbomb!, The Moon is Following Us) which launches this November from Image Comics.
Liefeld’s striking take on the series’ main character is sure to snag the attention of comics fans everywhere and will be fully orderable to comic shop retailers.
“Even when I was a kid, I could spot a Rob Liefeld cover the moment I walked into my local comic shop. His work has always been BOLD and FUN,” said Johnson. “Rob’s legendary status has only grown since I’ve gotten older, and his vocal love for my work has helped my career tremendously. Needless to say then, that him doing a cover for Chainkata feels like a full circle moment, and it’s something I’ll treasure forever. Thank you, Rob!!!!”
A decade’s worth of critically-acclaimed work has Chainkata poised to be one of the most anticipated launches of the year. Johnson first began turning heads with fan-favorites Space-Mullet (now brought to a wider market through Image Comics) and then Extremity and Murder Falconthrough Image/Skybound. His quick ascension on those early works made him “one-to-watch” and put him on the industry’s collective radar. Do A Powerbomb shot Johnson to fame with his perfect blend of high-octane action and heart-string tugging storytelling and won him his first Eisner Award in the Best Publication for Teens category. His name headlined Skybound’s wildly successful multiple Eisner Award winning Transformers reinvigoration and, paired with another critical-darling in The Moon Is Following Us, made Johnson a household name. This rapid-fire success was rounded out by direct hits in Wonder Woman: Dead Earth, Beta Ray Bill: Argent Star, and of course Absolute Batman—further raising his profile and all ramping up to this incredible new series’ launch.
In Chainkata, Luma is a chainsaw-wielding warrior queen, seeking out an unknown power in the vastness of space. All she wants is to find peace, but violence and terror follow her through every black hole. The story will blend the epic, high-stakes sci-fi of Beta Ray Billand Space-Mullet and with the character-building depth of Extremity and Do A Powerbomb. It is the culmination, and maximization, of Johnson’s craft and the perfect read for fans of action-packed comics with art that leaps from the page.
Chainkata #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, November 18:
- Cover A by Johnson – UPC 70985304932600111
- Cover B B&W by Johnson – UPC 70985304932600121
- Cover C Sword & Sorcery by Johnson – UPC 70985304932600131
- Cover D by Rossmo – UPC 70985304932600141
- Cover E by Liefeld – UPC 70985304932600151
- Cover F Blank Sketch – UPC 70985304932600161
- Cover G 1:100 Foil Sword & Sorcery by Johnson & Mike Spicer – UPC 70985304932600171
- Cover H 1:100 Raw art by Johnson – UPC 70985304932600181
- Cover I 1:1,000 Original Head Sketch by Johnson by – UPC 70985304932600191
Chainkata #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Google Play, Apple’s iBooks, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, Scribd’s Everand, Kobo, Overdrive, Hoopla, Sweet app, Comic Plus, and more.
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