Rick Remender, who has in the past written titles for Marvel that include Captain America, Deadpool, and Avengers, has signed an exclusive deal with Image Comics.  The three-year exclusive contract is effective immediately. Remender has been publishing his Giant Generator line of creator-owned comics with them since 2013.

Recently, Image has been publishing deluxe hardcover reprints of Remender’s backlist (see “Image to Publish Remender’s Backlist”), including such titles as Deadly Class, Black Science, Tokyo Ghost, and Fear Agent.

Last year, Image announced an exclusive with Jeff Lemire that carved out a significant exclusion (see “Jeff Lemire Goes Exclusive With Image”); this deal appears to have no such exceptions.

Remender emphasized ownership in explaining the deal.  “I’ve recently turned down very generous offers to write X-Men and Batman, and while flattered, that would ultimately be a step backwards artistically, and not where my heart is at,” he said in a statement accompanying the announcement.  “Image takes no OWNERSHIP, so my partners and I co-own 100% of our properties.  It’s short-term vs long-term thinking.  You want to build your own house? Make something that your children will inherit? Image is the only place.  This contract is me saying that I bet on myself.  I bet on my collaborators.  I bet on our characters, stories, and owning what we make.  Exclusively.  With all we’ve got.  Like our lives are on the line.”

Remender’s newest Image Comics series is The Sacrificers, with art by Max Fiumara, which launched last month and went back to print on the day of its release.  Issue #3 is due out October 4.  That’s followed by The Holy Roller, co-written with Andy Samberg and Joe Trohman, launching in November (see “Remender Teams for New Series”).