The new series, to be illustrated by David’s former Incredible Hulk collaborator Dale Keown and Germán Peralta, will delve into the history of the Maestro character as he became the despot in command of a world ravaged by a nuclear war that had killed the majority of Marvel’s superheroic lineup.
“I had no idea that when I first created the Maestro for Future Imperfect, that he would have the kind of popularity and staying power he has now,” David said Thursday in a statement supporting the announcement. “Until now, I’ve only been able to allude to his origins, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to explore them in this series, and I can’t wait for fans to see all the artwork that’s been coming in!”
The series will launch as Marvel wraps up its exploration of a different alternate future for its superheroes, as originally glimpsed in Mark Millar and Steve McNiven’s Old Man Logan — in which, again, superheroes have been mostly wiped out and the world has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland. No matter the cause, it appears that Marvel’s future is likely to be grimy and unfortunate for heroes.
Maestro is set to bow in August.