Curt Pires & Jok Reveal CREATURE CORPS, a Dystopian Critter-Battle Comic from Image Comics Coming December
Announced today, trailblazing writer Curt Pires (Lost Fantasy, Fireborn) has reunited with 51 artist Jok (The Body Trade) for Creature Corps, a new time-rending monster-battling remix comic series launching from Image Comics on 12/2/2026. Creature Corps revolves around a reality where survivalist, fantastical creatures from a broken future slip into the present, pitted against each other for vicious sport. The series will launch with a 60-page issue priced at $4.99.
The mysterious animals soon fuel an unethical creature battling league that generates unprecedented profit, often using teenage “trainers” to manage the time-displaced fighters. One of those trainers was Dusty Gotem, who ascended to World Champion when he was 14. A devastating event forced Gotem to leave the trade in disgust, leaving him to seek solace in the wilderness. Years later, Gotem’s former colleagues seek him out with news of a much more devastating battle: Gotem’s mother lies in critical condition drowning in medical bills, forcing him to rejoin the trade—and the chronological refugees—he hasn’t faced for decades.
“I’m excited to be reunited with my dear collaborator Jok and my friends at Image Comics on my biggest launch yet,” explains co-creator and writer Pires. “Creature Corps is equal parts 16-bit gaming nostalgia, the dark deconstructionism of The Boys, and the time travel insanity of Back To The Future in equal measure. It’s a chaotic menagerie of comic book magic that feels uniquely its own. Did I mention we’re doing a trading card game too? This is gonna be fun.”
“Since working with him on 51, I’ve loved Curt’s progressive, postmodern take on fiction. Creature Corps is no different,” continues co-creator and artist Jok. “This is going to be a continent-spanning, era-hopping sci-fi fantasy. Also: so many wildly creative monsters locked in battle.”
Creature Corps #1 features 14 variant covers in addition to the main cover from Jok:
COVER A: JOK
COVER B: JOK BOOSTER BUNDLE ($6.99)
COVER C: JARRET HARTNELL VARIANT
COVER D: JOK JAPANESE VIDEO GAME MAGAZINE VARIANT
COVER E: BLANK SKETCH VARIANT
COVER F: TYLER KIRKHAM VARIANT
COVER G: FLOPS VARIANT
COVER H: JAE LEE STANDARD COVER
COVER I (1:25): JOK ABSOLUTE BATMAN HOMAGE VARIANT
COVER J (1:50): JOK JAPANESE VIRGIN FOIL VARIANT
COVER K (1:75): FLOPS CORNERBOX VARIANT
COVER L (1:100): JAE LEE VIRGIN GOLD FOIL VARIANT ($5.99)
Cover B is a booster bundle containing a polybagged secret cover of Creature Corps #1, as well as one of five random trading cards from the Creature Corps Trading Card Game, including a chance to win a rare full art holofoil.
Creature Corps #1 goes on sale at local comic shops on December 2, 2026. Preorder from you local comic shop before Final Order Cutoff on November 9, 2026.
