It seems like every week publishers are giving readers fewer reasons to go to comic shops--and more reasons to purchase books through apps. Image is the latest publisher to go on the same-day digital kick, albeit in a limited capacity, starting this week with the October 5 releases. Via ComiXology's app and Graphic.ly, some of their top titles like Chew and Skullkickers will be offered on the same day as their digital counterparts. No word on whether Image will follow the DC model of delaying the digital releases until later in the day to allow brick and mortar shops to drum up some business.

Here's the full announcement:

Images Comics, the third largest comics publisher in the United States, announced with comiXology that they would sell the majority of their highly acclaimed comics the same day as print. Top titles like Chew, Pilot Season, The Infinite, Severed and Skullkickers, along with various other titles will join the ranks of long-time same-day-as-print titles like The Walking Dead and Invincible on the Comics by comiXology platform on iOS, Android and comics.comixology.com the same day digitally as print, as well as online at the Comics by comiXology powered comics.imagecomics.com website and Image Comics iOS app.

“Image Comics was one of the first to publish a comic the same day digitally as print with Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead, and that turned out great for all involved,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “With one of the most diverse selections, we are excited to power their digital initiatives as they publish more of their top comics digitally the same day as print.”

Of course, all Image Comics will also be available digitally on all participating retailers digital storefronts. Retailers can take advantage of the digital storefront program at retailers.comixology.com.

More after the break.
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Tags Chew, ComiXology, Graphic.ly, Image Comics, Invincible, Severed, The Inifite, The Walking Dead

The publisher seems pretty confident that you'll be up to pony up 17 bucks for 88 pages this holiday season. Read more...

Tags Alan McKenzie, Image Comics, John Smith, Mark Millar, RIAN HUGHES, Tales From Beyond Science

Pigs #1, Nate Cosby & Ben McCool (w), Breno Tamura (a)

So this is one of those cases of strong concept meeting fair to not great execution. It has a killer of a last-page reveal that's unfortunately undercut by needlessly jumbled chronology.

The book opens with a group of commandos in wetsuits on a raft planning some kind of attack on American soil, and then jumps to another time period to a couple of D.C. cops grilling an icy Russian national about her knowledge of Soviet sleeper cells left in Cuba following the Bay of Pigs. First off, why a couple of cops are grilling this particular suspect about the particular case we learn they're following strains credibility, but moreover, we're given no frame of reference about who this woman is (besides being some Russian lady in the know) and why she's important.
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Tags 27, Attila Futaki, Ben McCool, Breno Tamura, Charles Soule, Li'l Depressed Boy, Nate Cosby, Pigs, Renzo Podesta, S. Steven Struble, Scott Snyder, Scott Tuft, Severed, Sina Grace

The writer and musician is prepping for the release of 27: The Second Set with a series of song covers from one-hit wonders.
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Tags 27, 27: The Second Set, Charles Soule, Image Comics, Scott Forbes

Unearthed horrors in the second issue of The Vault, Mark starts to rethink the superhero game in Invincible, and Butcher Baker The Righteous Maker takes a torture-induced head trip.
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Tags Benaroya, Butcher Baker: The Righteous Maker, Garrie Gastonny, Image Comics, Joe Casey, Mike Huddleston, Robert Kirkman, Sam Sarkar, The Vault

To a new comic book reader, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund might sound like the sort of organization Daredevil’s alter-ego Matt Murdock might belong to, but it’s actually a real, incredibly important organization. When a school bans a comic? The Legal Defense Fund is there. When a creator is arrested for their art? The CBLDF is there, too. But like any fund, constantly protecting the rights of comic book artists, writers, and editors takes time, talent, and money.

That’s where projects like The Liberty Annual come in. The Annual – to be released by Image Comics on October 12th – has an all-star line-up including J. Michael Straczynski (Superman: Earth One), Frank Quitely (All-Star Superman), J.H. Williams III (Batwoman), Steve Niles (30 days of Night), Judd Winick (Catwoman), Mark Waid (Daredevil) and Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), and Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), and many more.

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Tags Bob Schreck, CBLDF, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Grendel, Matt Wagner, The Liberty Annual

Hey gang! Today we have some reviews for you of this week’s Image Comics titles. So light spoilers on, and here we go!

THE RED WING #2

Okay, I am officially in love with this book. From the design, to the gorgeous art, to writer Jonthan Hickman at the peak of his prowess, this is what great sci-fi comics should all be like. The premise is simple: there’s a war through time with an unknown enemy. We follow two pilots, one lost in time after an attack on his ship; the other, his son, a pilot in training. Read more...

Tags Image Comics, Morning Glories, Reed Gunther, The Red Wing

Joshua Hale Fialkov currently doesn’t have a second to breathe. The busy creator just finished up his Top Cow series Echoes, to great critical acclaim, is launching an Image series in October called Last of the Greats, and if that wasn’t enough, is helming one of DC’s New 52 titles, a relaunch of the romance/horror comic I, Vampire. Oh, and he took some time to chat with us, too, so that’s pretty nice:

MTV Geek: Okay, Josh… Let’s talk about Echoes. That book seems to have done pretty well for you, huh?

Joshua Hale Fialkov: Well, the reaction has been amazing. We're in the triple digits as far as positive reviews go, and, our first issue sold out. That being said, getting people on board an independent comic is a Sisyphean task. Our industry is just not set up for risky books. And nobody's to blame for that, really. Well, except for, maybe, all of us.

Geek: For people who haven’t picked up the book yet, what’s the pitchline?

JHF: ECHOES is about a guy named Brian Cohn who suffers from schizophrenia who finds out from his schizophrenic father, on his deathbed, that he was a prolific serial killer. This of course completely unhinges Brian who's schizophrenia spirals out of control, and is made even worse when his father's murders start up again. It's a psychological thriller with some pretty grizzly horror thrown in for good measure. Read more...

Tags Echoes, I Vampire, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Last of the Greats, Top Cow

Writer Mark Andrew Smith wants to take you to school. Gladstone’s School For World Conquerors to be precise.

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Tags Armand Villavert, Gladstone's School For Conquerors, Image Comics, Mark Andrew Smith, Sullivan's Sluggers

Today, we’ve got a look at two Image titles hitting this week – and one not hitting stands until September! So take a look! Okay? Okay.

THE INFINITE #1

What’s the big deal about this book? It’s written by The Walking Dead’s Robert Kirkman, and penciled by ‘90s staple Rob Liefeld, which is all fine and good, but lets be honest: this is straight up a Rob Liefeld book. And for those of you looking for me to say that that’s a bad thing? I won’t, ‘cause it’s not. Read more...

Tags Image Comics, Pigs, Severed, The Infinite