Kirkman to helm 'Pilot Season'

Writer Robert Kirkman will take over Top Cow Productions' Pilot Season contest, the publisher has announced.

The competition traditionally sees the studio launch trial issues of comics by various creators, allowing readers to decide which books should be commissioned as miniseries. This year's event will solely feature the work of Kirkman and Top Cow founder Marc Silvestri.

All five of this year's entries will be written by Kirkman and designed by Silvestri. Nelson Blake II, Joe Benitez, Sheldon Mitchell, Bernard Chang and Brian Stelfreeze will provide interior art for each of the comics.

"While I was at Marvel, I only had a limited number of creator-owned projects I was allowed to do. When I left Marvel, I sat down to prioritise things and try and decide which concepts I wanted to pursue first," Kirkman told CBR.

"I started to realise two things: one, I have more ideas for creator-owned comics than I could ever hope to do in a lifetime, and two, I'm having trouble picking just one to do. So I decided, why not do five?"

The season will begin on December 2 with Murder, which tells the story of a man cursed with psychic powers that he cannot control. It will be followed by Demonic, a dark tale of demon possession on December 16.

Stealth will commence in January, focusing on a middle-aged man who must care for his superhero father, who has developed Alzheimer's disease. Science fiction tale Stellar will arrive in February, before the contest concludes with action-adventure book Hardcore in March.