At the San Diego Comic-Con Image Comics announced Image United, a six-issue crossover/jam event written by new Image Partner (see “Kirkman Made New Image Partner”) Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) that will feature six of the original founders of Image Comics, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, and Wilce Portacio each drawing his own characters throughout the mini-series. 

The main characters in the Image United saga will be Spawn, Cyberforce, Witchblade, Savage Dragon, Youngblood, Shadowhawk, and Whilce Portacio’s new character Fortress.  Each of the six artists will be responsible for laying out one issue of the mini-series that is due out sometime in 2009 (Image is keeping the timing secret to thwart potential counter-programming efforts by Marvel or DC).  The logistics involved in producing Image United will undoubtedly add considerably to Fed-Ex’s bottom line as the pages are expressed from one artist to another—all six artists could end up working on the same page.

Image founder Jim Valentino explained the concept to ICv2: “Every time Spawn appears, it’s Todd McFarlane, every time Youngblood appears, it’s Rob Liefeld.  Every single time, in every single issue—a six-issue jam is basically what it is, all pulled together by (Robert) Kirkman.”