MV Creations, the comic book studio best known for Masters of the Universe and Tales of the Realm, originally published these titles through Image before leaving for CrossGen's CGE imprint a year ago.  Needless to say MV's move to CrossGen in April of 2003 was ill timed.  Within a few months CrossGen's financial difficulties became apparent and MV Creations left CrossGen in November of 2003 and began publishing on its own (see 'MV Creations Leaving CrossGen').

Meanwhile Image Comics, whose market share has been steadily sapped over the past two years by the defection of studios such as Dreamwave Productions, Devil's Due, UDON, DB Productions and MV Creations, replaced Publisher Jim Valentino with Erik Larsen (see 'Erik Larsen Takes Over as Image Publisher'), an action that was followed by the loss of Brian Michael Bendis' Powers and David Mack's Kabuki to Marvel's new Icon imprint (see 'Marvel Launches New Imprint'). So it's easy to see why Image's managing editor Eric Stephenson would say 'We don't hold grudges here,' and welcome MV Creations back into the fold.  The return also makes sense for MV Creations.  The company has taken a financial hit for its flirtation with CrossGen, and Image, with its prime position in the front of Diamond's Previews catalog, can offer the kind of marketing clout that cash-strapped independent publishers can only dream about.

MV Creations' return to Image Comics becomes official this August with the release of Masters of the Universe #7 and a trade paperback collection of Robert Kirkman's Tales of the Realm.  Image will publish Rob Zombie's Spookshow in September.