It was announced today at the Image Comics panel at San Diego Comic-Con that Ben McCool and Ben Templesmith will be collaborating on a new creator-owned project at Image Comics.

McCool describes the new project, called The Choker as:

A hard boiled noir fable set on an unconventional backdrop. Johnny “Choker” Jackson, an ex-Shotgun City police detective who lives in his own rendition of hell. His case of Alien Hand Syndrome has manifested into the most psychotic entity on the planet, he’s stuck working at a deadbeat detective agency, and he’s engaged in a squalid and involuntary amour with an otherworldly creature that dwells beneath his bathtub. That, believe it or not, is just for starters. But there’s prospective light at the end of the tunnel: a high-profile con Johnny once put behind bars is at large, and not even the city’s elite has been able to track the sleazebag down. The police department has offered Johnny a deal: put the rogue back in his below regulation-sized cell and he’s got a job for life. However, it comes at a price, and it’s one nobody will see coming. But if you want something, and want it real bad, what would you be willing to do to get it?

I’m incredibly excited about this news, because Ben Templesmith is one of my favourite artists, and Ben McCool is an incredibly talented individual whose name you will be hearing everywhere pretty damned soon! Ben is also a fine upstanding British expat like myself…. actually, I lie, he is neither fine nor upstanding… he is usually pissed out of his skull, and unable to stand up at all

Click here to see an interview with Templesmith and McCool over at CBR.
Ben Templesmith recently updated his blog with the following information:

Well, it’s gone live and been announced now on the Image panel at Comic-con so I can broadcast it everywhere.

One of my big new things next year will a creator owned book called CHOKER, from Image Comics, with the clinically insane but all around talented rising star/good chum BEN McCOOL. Remember that name, you’ll no doubt be hearing a lot more of it in the future!

So what is CHOKER? Well, for one things, it’s sort of like FELL, but with it’s face ripped off and a bad dose of gonorrhea. It’s as disgusting ( or more so ) as Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse. No really, this thing should combine what I love about both those books, plus a bit more. Anyone who knows my rather strange sense of humour will soon realize Ben and I *have* to do this book.

It’s a hard boiled noir fable, set in the dark, seedy and slightly time shifted world of Shotgun City. McCool sez:

“Johnny “Choker” Jackson, an ex-Shotgun City police detective, lives in his own rendition of hell. His case of Alien Hand Syndrome has manifested into the most psychotic entity on the planet, is stuck working at a deadbeat detective agency, and he’s engaged in a squalid (and involuntary) amour with an otherworldly creature that dwells beneath his bathtub.

That, believe it or not, is just for starters.

But there’s prospective light at the end of the tunnel: a high-profile con Johnny once put behind bars is at large, and not even the city’s elite has been able to track the sleazebag down. The police department has offered Johnny a deal: put the rogue back in his below regulation-sized cell and he’s got a job for life. However, it comes at a price, and it’s one nobody will see coming. But if you want something, and want it real bad, what would you be willing to do to get it…?”

6 issue miniseries

Image comics.

Early 2010.

Your first taste of it will be a special prelude story to be in Liberty Comics #2 I believe, later this year.

Expect me to rant and rave about this thing, show a bunch of behind the scenes stuff and if we can handle it, drunken hijinks from the both of us as we make this little bastard. Nothing will be off limits. ( Ok I’m still probably not going to do nudity )

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