Curt Pires, renowned for his compelling works like *Youth* and *Lost Falls* in the Comixology Originals library, is making a much-anticipated return to Image Comics with his latest project, *Lost Fantasy*. This new series draws heavy inspiration from the iconic JRPGs, particularly the beloved *Final Fantasy VII*. Pires' return promises to blend the rich storytelling of Western comics with the intricate world-building and action-packed sequences of classic Japanese role-playing games.

Take a closer look at what's in store with our exclusive preview of *Lost Fantasy #1*. The gallery below showcases stunning interior art from the first issue, as well as process art for Jae Lee's captivating cover:

Lost Fantasy #1: Exclusive Preview Art Gallery

10 Images

*Lost Fantasy* sees Pires teaming up once again with *Money* artist Luca Casalanguida. The debut issue boasts cover art by Casalanguida, Alex Diotto, Darick Robertson, and Jae Lee. Additionally, the series will feature a serialized backup story titled *Indigo Children: Exodus*, continuing the narrative from Pires' acclaimed sci-fi series *Indigo Children*.

Here's the official synopsis from Image Comics for *Lost Fantasy*:

In Lost Fantasy, a magical world lies beneath ours, and first contact was made over a hundred years ago between the two worlds due to a natural disaster, resulting in a schism that allowed monsters to break through. Since then, secret monster slayers, known as The Great Hunters, have been working with global leaders to police the border and to keep our world safe from the creatures that lurk in the shadows. But last night, something broke through, resulting in a mysterious mass killing in Montana, and causing things to shift in a way that will ripple through both worlds. Now it’s up to rookie monster hunter Henry Blackheart to stop it…

Pires shares his excitement about returning to Image Comics with *Lost Fantasy*, stating, "I'm ecstatic to be back at Image Comics with Lost Fantasy—a series that merges my love of Western comics like *East Of West* and *Something Is Killing The Children* with the dense world-building and action of the JRPGs I grew up playing. Games like the Final Fantasy series—with our lead character's Snow White spikey hair and Giant Sword being a direct homage to Tetsuya Nomura's amazing character design for Cloud."

He further explains the significance of the title, saying, "The 'Lost' in the title is also a homage—albeit a more subtle one—to the great Hironobu Sakaguchi's *Lost Odyssey*—which is his criminally underrated post-Final Fantasy masterpiece at Mistwalker. So the comic has a lot of JRPG love at its core."

For more insights into upcoming releases, don't miss out on what Marvel and DC have planned for 2025.