From the same comic book brand that brought the major success of Spawn, Image Comics will now be launching Junkyard Joe in October 2022, released with a special first issue in stock black and white to commemorate the sacrifice of military veterans over the decades. All proceeds will be donated to Veterans Aid as well as the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans for a real-world positive impact.
While most comic books involve a caped or costumed superhero creating superhero fatigue these days, Junkyard Joe takes a different spin with a storyline rooted in the Vietnam Wartime period. Characters are directly tied to soldier lives and stories as well as dealing with an overarching umbrella path of fighting an evil foe that just won’t be resolved with simple efforts alone.
The project is personal and a tribute to relatives who fought in World War II. The Junkyard Joe team includes Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, and Brad Anderson, working as a team in crafting the storyline, artwork, and overall packaging. As a partnership between Image Comics and Mad Ghost Productions, Junkyard Joe is expected to carve a bit of a unique path and fresh approach in a market that is a bit stuffed with costumed heroes fighting outer space or time-jumping enemies galore.
The financing of the project will generate at least $2 per issue donated to the veteran organizations above to help applicants with everything from housing to medical support to education and retraining. With a grandfather who served in World War II, Geoff Johns emphasizes the feelings of the Junkyard Joe team when he reflects on how profoundly the conflict shaped his grandfather’s views on the world afterwards. To simply be able to help veterans through the comic book artwork and project is at least some small way of saying thanks from the team.
Veterans from foreign wars struggle every day in society, spending years trying to assimilate as well as deal with memories and mental health issues from their time and service. Some are unable to continue without support and help, with depression and suicide real problems where a safety net is unavailable. Veteran organizations work tirelessly to avoid these tragedies that occur daily across the country otherwise. The Junkyard Joe project is one small part of a bigger effort, both recognizing the sacrifices people have made for their nation as well as the help still needed every day.
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