The Gadflies used to be two of the most notorious criminals in the galaxy. But after erasing all traces of their former identities, the two sisters have set off on a new path as bounty hunters in Bounty, a new series announced by Dark Horse Comics at Emerald City Comic-Con. Written by Rat Queens’ Kurtis Wiebe with art by newcomer Mindy Lee, Bounty is being touted as a combination of Wiebe’s raucous fantasy title and Joss Whedon’s sci-fi western Firefly, and the first issue definitely delivers on that idea, offering an exciting space-faring story with a bold, vibrant design sensibility.
“Bounty is strongly my voice and one of my favorite comics I’ve ever written,” says Wiebe. “While it’s about sisters that hunt criminals in the future, it is ultimately about the nature of family and the trust we share with those closest to us. With a little bit of action and romance on the side, of course.”
“What Mindy Lee is doing with the art is unlike anything I’ve seen in comics before,” says Wiebe. “I discovered Mindy’s art in a random post on Tumblr. It was a beautiful Blade Runner piece that felt like it had been redrawn through a Hayao Miyazai lens, equal parts gritty realism and cartoonish noir.”
Lee has worked primarily as a designer for video game companies like Pandemic Studios and Carbine Studio, but she makes a smooth transition into sequential storytelling with her art on Bounty. “Kurtis does a great job creating endearing characters and an expansive world,” says Lee. “I have a lot of fun trying to bring all that to life. The story switches gears from intimate character building moments to fast paced action taking turns where you least expect it.”
“As the artist my challenge is to keep pace and to design the world as it unfolds,” says Lee. “While I have designed for many projects in the entertainment industry, taking the work a step beyond pure design and into a unique narrative is both challenging and exhilarating.” Readers can check out Lee’s rich design work in these preview pages from Bounty #1, and discover more about Georgie and Nina when Bounty #1 hits stands on July 6.