Oregon Public Broadcasting has confirmed Image Comics will move from Berkeley, Calif. to Portland, Ore. by early next year. Image publisher Eric Stephenson told OPB that a big part of the decision was due to the culture of the Bay Area changing so much. He said, “it’s become a lot more of a very corporate place.”
The arrival of Image, the third largest comics publisher, will further establish Portland as an important hub of comic-focused creativity. The City of Roses is already home to Dark Horse, Oni Press, and Top Shelf. Portland also welcomed the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund in June of this year.
Portland provides access to a pool of creators who are already part of the Image roster. “We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing, but hopefully better, thanks to our proximity to creative people,” Stephenson said.
Dozens of creators call the city home including Gail Simone, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Greg Rucka, Joshua Williamson, Kurt Busiek and many others.
The move makes a great deal of financial sense. In the interview, Stephenson said the consideration of rent, wages, and healthcare all played a role in making the decision. The cost savings could allow the company to do more as it seeks to solidify its double-digit market share.
Image Expo unlikely to return to San Francisco
San Francisco has hosted four Image Expos over the years, but this year the company chose to try a new city and partnered with Seattle’s Emerald City Comic Con. Stephenson said Portland could be in consideration for the next Image Expo but, in the interview, was careful to note the city already has two successful comic conventions. These factors combined with San Francisco losing a significant amount of convention space in 2017 as the Moscone Center enters a significant renovation phase likely means Image Expo won’t return to our backyard anytime soon.
When Monstress hit shelves later that year the comic more than met expectations. It received high praise and sold out going straight to a second printing (and quickly to a third). The extensive world-building and breath-taking illustrations establish Monstress as a rare beast in modern comics. Not only is it well-written and visually-striking but it deftly tackles complex issues like struggles with inner demons, social stratification, and gender inequality, and racial discrimination. At first glance, it might look like a pretty fairytale but the story is dark and brutal at the core.
Matthew Rosenberg
The 
One night in 1993, Paul Dini was walking along La Peer Drive in Los Angeles. The writer and producer of Batman: The Animated Series was jumped and assaulted by two men. They left Dini close to death with a shattered skull and other significant injuries. Much like the comic book history of the Caped Crusader this act of violence left Dini a changed man. He told 
DC fans are chomping at the bit to see how the company’s characters will fare following “rebirth.” However, perhaps none more so than Wonder Woman who saw significant changes made to her origin story during the New 52 initiative. Anticipation was high but after the title dropped this past Wednesday it appears writer Greg Rucka landed the invisible jet to the satisfaction of the critical flight tower. Helping Rucka to lasso the character in this first issue were artists Matthew Clark and Liam Sharp. Sharp will continue, along with Nicola Scott, as a regular artist on the title. If I understand the alternating issue system the even issues will feature Scott as the artist helping Rucka tell a “year one” story. The odd numbered issues feature the pencils of Sharp telling a modern Wonder Woman tale. Right? I know someone will correct me if I’m wrong. Comics are confusing.
This month Dark Horse Comics is releasing the hardcover edition TPB of Chuck Palahniuk’s sequel to Fight Club. This edition collects all 10-issues of Fight Club 2.
A last minute signing announcement from