Seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker and former Chicago Bear Lance Briggs is entering the world of comics with The Trap. He joins Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated writer Kyle Higgins and rising star artist Danilo Beyruth for the new science-fiction and sports graphic novel.
Image Comics will publish the standalone story this fall. Higgins is known for Radiant Black and Immortal Legend Batman, while Beyruth’s credits include Deep Cuts and Catwoman.
A Rising Star Faces The Trap
The Trap follows Jaylen Robinson, a rising sports star from a struggling part of the galaxy known as Earth. His future looks bright, and a major race could give him the opportunity he has been working toward.
Everything changes when a desperate job goes wrong just days before the competition. Suddenly, Jaylen’s promising sports career threatens to fall victim to The Trap.
The story blends science fiction, sports, and noir while exploring second chances. It also looks at a world where hard work and talent do not guarantee success.
Lance Briggs Brings His Love of Comics to the Story
Briggs has been a comics fan for most of his life. The Trap gives him the opportunity to help create a new science-fiction world while exploring struggles that remain familiar despite the futuristic setting.
“I’ve been a reader and a fan of comics for most of my life,” said Briggs. “Now, with Kyle, Danilo, Tamra, and Hassan, I’m so excited to bring a new world to one of my favorite mediums, focusing on a far future where the struggles are very familiar but the scope of what can be achieved is so much bigger.”
Briggs also reflected on the work that went into developing the project. “Hours were long, story discussions were at times tough, but I’m so proud of the work we were able to do and I can’t wait to finally share Jaylen and The Trap with the world.”
Six Years in the Making
Higgins first met Briggs more than a decade ago. Their shared interest in comics and storytelling eventually led to The Trap, a project they have been developing for more than six years.
“I love working with interesting people and from the moment I met Lance, over a decade ago, I was impressed by how much his love of comics and storytelling was at the forefront of all our conversations, to say nothing of his desire to tell new stories in new corners of fiction,” Higgins said.
“We started this journey to make The Trap, what we like to call an interstellar sports noir, over six years ago. Now, I’m so excited to share what we’ve built with the world. A huge thank you to Lance, Danilo, Tamra, Hassan, Sasha and Michael, the best teammates a comics writer could have.”
Danilo Beyruth Builds a Sleek but Broken Future
Artist Danilo Beyruth faced the challenge of bringing both Briggs’ personal journey and Higgins’ storytelling to the page. His artwork creates a science-fiction world that combines futuristic design with a more damaged, lived-in atmosphere.
“As the artist for The Trap, my mission was to bring to life both Lance Briggs’ personal journey as well as Kyle Higgins’ incredible sense of storytelling in a sci-fi world that is equal parts sleek and broken,” said Beyruth. “I’m thrilled to finally share this with a wider audience.”
The creative team also includes Tamra, Hassan, Sasha, and Michael. Together, they have built what Briggs and Higgins describe as an interstellar sports noir.
The Trap Arrives This Fall
The Trap is aimed at readers who enjoy fast-paced sports stories such as Daniel Warren Johnson’s Do A Powerbomb. Its mix of competition, science fiction, crime, and second chances puts a futuristic spin on the pressure facing an athlete trying to secure his future.
The Trap original graphic novel trade paperback will arrive at local comic book shops on Wednesday, October 7. It will follow at bookstores on Tuesday, November 3.
