Nine comic creators have formed Ghost Machine, a new creator-owned and operated media company that includes major creators who will be exclusive to the brand once other obligations are wrapped up.  The founding creators include Jason Fabok, Gary Frank, Bryan Hitch, Geoff Johns, Lamont Magee, Francis Manapul, Brad Meltzer, Peter J. Tomasi, and Maytal Zchut, with additional creators, including one described as a "major superstar creator," to be announced.

The creations of the group, including characters and shared universes, will be co-owned by all the creators involved.  After Geiger: Ground Zero, a two-issue prequel series by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, ships in November and December, the first official Ghost Machine release will be Ghost Machine #1, a 64-page special introducing the company’s four shared universes, to release in January 2024.

Ghost Machine titles will be published through Image Comics.

The four shared universes are:

  • The Unnamed, a group of genre heroes from across history that will include characters and titles like Geiger, Junkyard Joe, Redcoat, and First Ghost.  Image Comics has been publishing Johns’ and Frank’s Geiger comics since 2021 (see "’Geiger’ Through Image Comics"), and Junkyard Joe since 2022 (see "’Junkyard Joe’").  Paramount is developing a series based on Geiger (see "’Geiger’ To Be Adapted").
  • Rook: Exodus, a far-future science fiction epic in which every aspect of a world’s nature is controlled by humanity.
  • Family Odyssees, which will feature time-displaced family The Rocketfellers.
  • Horror universe, co-created and illustrated by a future member of the group.

The first Ghost Machine titles (a new Geiger series, Redcoat, and Rook: Exodus) will launch in April 2024.

"We see this as the future of how creatives will work and retain creative control and meaningfully participate in success like never before," the Ghost Machine founding creators said in a joint statement accompanying the announcement.  "Our passion is for the magic of graphic storytelling and the emotional resonance of compelling characters.  But we are not just a comic book company—we are the first wholly creator-owned and operated media company of its kind, born out of a desire to create and succeed together."

Ghost Machine was offering limited editions and ashcans at New York Comic Con.

Click on Gallery below for full-sized cover artwork.