Since our last update, art is nearly completed on issue 3 of Zip!

It’s in prelaunch on Kickstarter now, so follow the campaign to get updates straight to your email inbox. Not sure what Kickstarter is or how it works? Lucky for you, I wrote an FAQ all about it here.

Issue 3 is our most action packed one to date, and it’s also our longest at 27 pages! Keep reading for more info, and to see a full size preview of our incredible first cover by Francesco Tomaselli (teased in this blog’s cover image).

So what’s it about?

A megacorporation is deciding the fate of humanity.

Their latest product, THE HIVE, is a group of nanobots which share a collective artificial intelligence. Utilising machine learning, The Hive is programmed to analyse objects by atomising them, and create brand new consumer products from the disintegrated husks.

A combination of 3D printing and generative AI. The Hive is a market capitalist’s dream. All for except one problem. It has identified a subject with unrivalled complexity: human beings.

With no concept of the sanctity of life and an algorithm compelling it to gorge upon as much training data as possible, The Hive has escaped. Those it assimilates are enveloped by a swarm of drones, tearing away flesh and turning bones to ash. From those ashes rises a soulless, part-machine part-monster, wearing the faces of those The Hive has killed.

When Zip clashes with The Hive, she faces her most dangerous foe yet. And when The Hive encounters her it will not rest until it has stolen her powers and exterminated her.

Introducing A New Superhuman To The Series

During issue 3, we’ll meet Sunflare: a pyrokenetic superhuman who’s hung up his fire-proof spandex to focus on being a family man.

He was a friend of Eternity’s, and hasn’t seen Zip since she was a child. But when Zip chances across him while she’s leaving a job interview, the unusual speeder convinces the flame-flinger to come out of retirement and team up with her to take down a gang who’ve been 3D printing guns.

Returning Characters

In issue 1 of Zip, we met two shady characters who were working as lab technicians for an unknown employer. They were conducting some kind of experiment not even they fully understood. But that didn’t stop rumours spreading about what the big boss was really after. If you want to know what that was, go and read our first issue yourself.

Anyway, in our third issue, we learn that their names are Lucas Baker and Gary Pickering – although they’re better known by their nicknames: Pinstripe and Dogsbody.

After being denied a promotion, Pinstripe decides to take matters into his own hands. Against Dogsbody’s warnings, Pinstripe takes a gamble on the rumours he’s heard about what the man at the top is really looking for, and takes the intiative to go out and do some of his own research. But little does the hapless Pinstripe know that his investigation is going to jumpstart some serious carnage!

Zip shows Off A Never Seen Before technique

Building on the explosive touch which Zip manifests – introduced in our previous issue, in our upcoming instalment you’ll see Zip demonstrate a move she hasn’t shown off before. By spinning in circles much faster than any non-powered person could hope to, she transforms herself into a human tornado. She’s never really used it for anything besides showing off before now, but perhaps it’s more useful than it seems at first glance?

And Finally, Francesco Tomaselli’s incredible Cover for Issue 3!

This issue is shaping up to be our best yet!

If you’ve missed any of our previous ones (or you’re an Amazon/Drive Thru Comics reader who’d like to get your hands on some print copies of any Zip comics published to date) don’t forget you can get these through our new campaign too – as well as variant covers exclusive to Kickstarter backers!

Follow our Kickstarter campaign to get updated when it goes live!