Los Angeles Times Book Prize-winning writer Alex Segura (Secret Identity) and acclaimed writer and Best Issue Everpodcaster Sara Century are joining forces for a new superhero series. Artists Pat Kennedy (Archie) and Dean Kotz (Rocketeer) will bring the story to life when The Forgotten Five launches this December from Image Comics.
The all-new ongoing series blends classic superhero storytelling with the personal style of independent comics. Its creators also plan to explore the emotional consequences that come with extraordinary powers.
A Modern Take on Classic Superhero Comics
Segura said the series draws inspiration from the comics and adventures the creative team loved growing up. He also pointed to the mix of teen drama, long-running storylines and dangerous powers that shaped those books.
“The Forgotten Five is a potent blend of all the kinds of comics and adventures Sara, Pat, Dean, and I loved growing up—with a decidedly modern twist,” said Segura. “The kind of long-running series with simmering subplots, outcast teen angst, and terrifying powers that we were addicted to as readers ourselves. If the New Mutants were an indie comic, you’d have The Forgotten Five.”
The first issue will also feature a range of variant covers. Artists Nickolej Villiger (Little Moons, The Spirit of Denendeh), Michel Fiffe (Copra), Inkpot Award-winning Jerry Ordway (Crisis on Infinite Earths, Superman) and Kotz will contribute cover art.
Superhero DNA Meets Indie Storytelling
Kotz said the project brings together two styles of comics that helped shape him as a reader. He first discovered superhero books from Marvel and DC before developing a strong interest in independent comics.
“Like most kids in the Eighties, I started with Marvel and DC superhero comics. Their sprawling, interconnected stories (and backstories!) completely captured my imagination,” Kotz said. “Then I discovered indie comics, and those quickly became my favorites. They were personal and raw, and you’d find the creators’ fingerprints in every panel.”
Kotz said The Forgotten Five combines those influences into a single series. “With The Forgotten Five, we’re bringing both styles of storytelling together. It’s an indie book infused with superhero DNA.”
The Five Return to a Fight They Thought Was Over
Decades before the events of the series, five teenagers with strange powers escaped from a shadowy organization known as The Contingency. Former Contingency agent Polly Napier and her partner Gilly Stokes helped them break free.
The teenagers eventually became The Five, a team of freedom-fighting outcasts. They fought back against The Contingency and ultimately helped defeat the organization.
Years later, the members of The Five have grown up and gone their separate ways. New superhero teams have taken over the job of protecting the country while the former heroes have settled into civilian lives.
That peace may not last. Rumors suggest The Contingency could be returning, forcing the Forgotten Five to decide whether they can reconnect and resume the fight.
Superpowers Come With Consequences
Century said the series will examine the problems that extraordinary abilities can create rather than treating superpowers as an automatic path to heroism. The story will use a non-linear structure to show how years of reluctant heroism changed the characters’ lives.
“Superhero movies always make having super powers look so epic and heroic, but I assume having superpowers would be a monkey’s paw situation that would cause endless unforeseen problems,” said Century. “We wanted to use non-linear storytelling to show how being reluctant heroes sort of derailed these characters’ lives over decades.”
Century said the series will balance superhero action with personal drama. “This whole creative team loves superhero fights, but we might love drama even more, so that makes The Forgotten Five basically a soap opera with explosions.”
The Forgotten Five #1 will arrive in comic book shops and on digital platforms on Wednesday, December 16. The issue will launch the new ongoing Image Comics series and begin the team’s return to a conflict they thought they had left behind.
The series promises a mix of superhero action, personal consequences and long-running character drama. For the Forgotten Five, getting back together may prove just as difficult as facing their old enemies.
