Heavy Metal Magazine Returns Ambitiously

Heavy Metal remains one of the most iconic and groundbreaking anthology magazines in publishing history, so fans are buzzing about its triumphant comeback to comic stores. After smashing its crowdfunding goals, the revitalized Heavy Metal officially launches on Wednesday, April 30th.

Before the big release, IGN has the exclusive first look at Heavy Metal #1. Scroll through our gallery below to get glimpses of several stories from the debut issue, plus all the previously announced covers:

This fresh Heavy Metal chapter blends legendary returning creators with exciting new voices. And yes - Taarna, Heavy Metal's signature heroine, makes her grand return too. Here's the complete breakdown of creators and stories featured in issue #1:

• BUG - Enki Bilal
• Burton & Cyb - Antonio Segura & José Ortiz
• The Mercenary - Vicente Segrelles
• Valentina - Sergio Gerasi
• Sixella: The Last Roots - Janevsky
• Taarna: Rebirth - Leah Moore, John Reppion, Anna Morozova
• Cold Dead War: The Aftermath - Craig Wilson
• Grimaldi - Keron Grant, Josh Sky, Frank Forte
• Legends of Taarna: "Autophonomania" - Matt and Shawn Fillbach, Joseph Michael Linsner
• Gladiatrix - John Stanisci
• Evil Sex Bitch - Steve Mannion
• Lester, That Old Feeling - Fernando Dagnino
• The Bus - Paul Kirchner
• June 2050 - John Workman
• Millstone - Michael Conrad, Ilias Kyriazis
• Transcendestiny - David Quinn, Tim Vigil
• Cobot - Jonathan Wayshak
• All American - Jason Spell, Jok
• Kecksburg UFO - Jim Rugg
• They Dug Too Deep - Dwayne Harris
• Floyd the Giant Killer - Michael L. Peters
• GUNK - Curt Merlo
• Harry Canyon - Josh Sky, Frank Forte
• Zeke & Edsel - Frank Forte
• The Devil's Teeth - Lia Bozonelis, Agustin Alessio

With a massive 73,000-copy print run, Heavy Metal #1 becomes the series' largest printing in decades. This collector's edition packs 232 pages of content priced at $14.99.

Mark your calendars: Heavy Metal #1 arrives at comic shops April 30th and hits newsstands May 13th. Future installments will publish quarterly, though the team hints at potentially increasing frequency if fans demand it.

Elsewhere in comics, Mike Mignola prepares his long-awaited return to the Hellboy universe this summer, while we recently sat down with the creative minds behind the explosive Spider-Man & Wolverine crossover.