Curt Pires, renowned for his compelling storytelling in works such as *Youth* and *Lost Falls*, continues to be a standout creator in the Comixology Originals library. Now, Pires is making a thrilling return to Image Comics with his latest project, *Lost Fantasy*, a series that draws deep inspiration from the iconic JRPGs like *Final Fantasy VII*. This new comic promises to blend the best elements of Western comics with the intricate world-building and action-packed narratives of Japanese role-playing games.
Explore an exclusive preview of *Lost Fantasy #1* through the slideshow gallery below, showcasing the stunning interior art and the process behind Jae Lee's captivating cover:
Lost Fantasy #1: Exclusive Preview Art Gallery
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*Lost Fantasy* sees Pires teaming up again with artist Luca Casalanguida, previously his collaborator on *Money*. The debut issue boasts cover art from Casalanguida, along with contributions from Alex Diotto, Darick Robertson, and Jae Lee. Additionally, the series will feature a serialized backup story, *Indigo Children: Exodus*, which continues Pires' exploration of the sci-fi universe introduced in *Indigo Children*.
Here's the official synopsis from Image Comics for *Lost Fantasy*:
*In Lost Fantasy, a magical world lies beneath ours, and first contact was made over a hundred years ago between the two worlds due to a natural disaster, resulting in a schism that allowed monsters to break through. Since then, secret monster slayers, known as The Great Hunters, have been working with global leaders to police the border and to keep our world safe from the creatures that lurk in the shadows. But last night, something broke through, resulting in a mysterious mass killing in Montana, and causing things to shift in a way that will ripple through both worlds. Now it’s up to rookie monster hunter Henry Blackheart to stop it…*
Pires shared his excitement with IGN, stating, "I'm ecstatic to be back at Image Comics with *Lost Fantasy*—a series that merges my love of Western comics like *East Of West* and *Something Is Killing The Children* with the dense world-building and action of the JRPGs I grew up playing. Games like the *Final Fantasy* series—with our lead character's Snow White spikey hair and Giant Sword being a direct homage to Tetsuya Nomura's amazing character design for Cloud."
He further elaborated on the title's inspiration, saying, "The 'Lost' in the title is also a homage—albeit a more subtle one—to the great Hironobu Sakaguchi's *Lost Odyssey*—which is his criminally underrated post-*Final Fantasy* masterpiece at Mistwalker. So the comic has a lot of JRPG love at its core."
*Lost Fantasy #1* is set to hit shelves on April 30, 2025.Stay tuned for more exciting developments in the world of comics by checking out what's on the horizon for Marvel in 2025 and DC in 2025.
