Heavy Metal Magazine Reintroduces Taarna To Readers In ‘Heavy Metal’ #300

Ahead of the anniversary issue of Heavy Metal Magazine,  new Executive Editor Joe Illidge has shared with ICvS in an exclusive interview, plans to reintroduce Taarna to readers. Taarna who, you might ask?
Well, if you’ve ever seen the 1981 animated movie, Heavy Metal, then you’ve already met her. She was introduced to the world in this anthology feature film and Illidge and company think this anniversary issue is a good time to relaunch her as their flagship character, telling ICvS, “With the company’s new management and new team and new direction, we thought that one of the things to do to commemorate that was bring Taarna back front and center, and expand on the character… This is going to be a new direction and something that’s going to be very cosmic and very Heavy Metal in flavor.”

The new strip in which she will be relaunched will be written by Matthew Medney and David Erwin, the CEO and the publisher of Heavy Metal.  Illustrated by Butch Guice, and lettered by Marshall Dillon with colors by Chris Sotomayor. It will be a two-parter aimed at establishing Taarna and the Heavy Metal universe before moving into her own regular comic book series in December from writer Stephanie Phillips and artist Patrick Zircher with covers by Christian Ward.

Illidge describes Taarna as, “the last of her race,” and, “kind of like a demigod in a way.  She is the personification of a universe.  Because it’s similar to what happens when a star collapses, and it creates a black hole, but on the other side is a white hole.  From death comes life.  From the death of the last Taarakian and the death of a universe came the birth of Taarna.  That event happened millions of years ago, as we understand time.” So, while Taarna may very well be almost 40 years old, there isn’t very much of her out there, allowingwriters and artists a blank canvas to create upon.

Look out for Heavy Metal #300 when it comes out next Wednesday August 19th. You may want to phone ahead to your comic book store to keep you one.