Dustin Gebel
For the first time, a comic set in the Rocky/Creed franchise will be released thanks to a partnership between MGM, Michael B. Jordan’s production company Outlier Society, and BOOM! Studios. The four issue limited series features Jordan as the creative director, joined by co-writers LaToya Morgan (Dark Blood) and Jai Jamison (Earth Prime: Superman & Lois), artist Wilton Santos (Star Wars: Doctor Aphra) and colorist DJ Chavis (Lunar Room). Creed III’s executive producer Elizabeth Raposo, associate producer Christina Raquel of Outlier Society and Chartoff-Winkler also are listed as part of the creative team.
“I couldn’t say no at the opportunity to dive deeper into Adonis’ story–the story of the Creed dynasty. As a super fan of the Rocky and Creed franchises, this is a dream come true! I’m so excited for fellow fans to dive into this comic book goodness,” said Morgan.
The series comes as the film reaches record-breaking box office numbers for the franchise, even as the controversy around Jonathan Majors, who played the movie’s antagonist/rival, continues. Based on the press release and opening pages, it remains unclear if the character will play a role in the limited series.
Creed picks up ten years after the plot of the film, as Adonis Creed (Jordan) and his wife/manager Bianca train their daughter Amara to become the next champion. The core tension will play between Amara’s desire to grow as a fighter and her parent’s reluctance to throw dangerous opponents at her. This leads Amara to search for a new mentor, one that’s willing to train her to become a champion fighter like Adonis but isn’t too precious with her.
“It’s been the opportunity of a lifetime to play in the sandbox with such an iconic franchise filled with incredible and complex characters. The art I’ve seen from Wilton has blown my mind. And to top it all off, I get to collaborate with my longtime friend and mentor, LaToya. I can’t wait for people to see what we got planned,” said Jamison.
The first issue of Creed will see artists such as Mateus Manhanini, Valentine de Landro, Paris Alleyne, and more providing variant covers along with Santos’s interiors.
“When I was invited to work on this story, I was beyond excited! Rocky and Creed are so iconic, and some of my favorite films. I hope the fans are just as excited to see what we’ve made,” said Santos.
The full press release can be read here. Below the upcoming covers and first pages of Creed #1 can be seen:
Print copies of the first issue will be available for sale in June 2023 exclusively at comic book shops or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.