Skybound & Image Unveil E.J. Su’s Connecting Covers for 'Invincible Universe: Battle Beast' by Robert Kirkman & Ryan Ottley

The Best Superhero Comic in the Universe Is Back with an All-New Series Coming May 2025

Skybound and Image Comics revealed all-new cover art for #1-4 of the connecting variant cover series by E.J. Su (Tech Jacket) for the upcoming Invincible Universe series Battle Beast. The hugely anticipated launch reunites the longtime Invincible creative team of co-creator/writer Robert Kirkman (Void Rivals, The Walking Dead) and contributing creator/artist Ryan Ottley (The Amazing Spider-Man), who first created the fan-favorite character together nearly two decades ago.

Perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike, the new ongoing series promises to reveal the secret story of crowd favorite Battle Beast in what is the most demanded Invincible story of all time, in the first-ever Battle Beast series. The debut issue will be available in comic book shops May 14, 2025.

The dynamic connecting covers by Invincible Universe alum E.J. Su will span the ongoing series’ first story arc, consisting of six issues.

In addition to the beginning of the connecting cover series by E.J. Su, the cover lineup for Battle Beast #1 includes the main cover by Ryan Ottley and series colorist Annalisa Leoni (Oblivion Song), an open to order cover by David Finch, and incentive variant covers by E.J. Su, Kael Ngu, Arthur Adams & Tanya Lehoux, and Jonboy Meyers. Additionally, the program includes a 1:1000 incentive CGC signed/graded foil version of Ottley’s main cover, a Battle Beast die cut mask foil cover by Ottley & Leoni, and a very special 1:2000 Ottley Original Art Sketch Cover.

Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #1 also features a first-of-its-kind blind bag program that allows fans a chance to get ANY of the solicited covers from A through I. However, there are rare SURPRISE comics related to Battle Beast or the Invincible Universe that can be found in these blind bags. Those SURPRISE comics will not be publicly announced in advance of the issue release.

Cursed with an unquenchable thirst for violence that threatens those he loves, Battle Beast searches the universe for the one warrior mightier than him…so that he may die before harming anyone else. But even in a universe of mighty Viltrumites like Invincible and Omni-Man, it seems that no one may be able to stop the galaxy’s deadliest warrior…unless he does the unthinkable.

Created by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker, Invincible #1 debuted to critical acclaim on January 22, 2003. Ryan Ottley joined soon after on issue #8 in late 2003 as the new series artist and contributing creator. Throughout its fifteen-year run at Image Comics, Invincible not only continued for a historic 146 issues, but also spawned multiple spin-off series and even an inter-company crossover with a certain friendly neighborhood superhero. In 2021, the Invincible animated series arrived on Prime Video and quickly became one of the most popular new streaming series, earning praise worldwide for its fresh storytelling. With a third season currently airing, Invincible remains a cornerstone of the pop culture landscape that continues to grow in popularity every year.

The critically acclaimed adult animated series co-produced by Skybound Animation and Amazon MGM Studios is currently airing season three through March 13. Invincible is available exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world. The first two seasons of the animated series received “Certified Fresh” rankings on Rotten Tomatoes and was awarded Rotten Tomatoes’ Golden Tomato Award for Best Animated Series in 2023. Invincible follows 17-year-old Mark Grayson as he inherits his father’s superpowers and sets out to become Earth’s greatest defender, only to discover the job is more challenging than he ever imagined.

The full list of covers is below:

Battle Beast #1 Cover A by Ryan Ottley & Annalisa Leoni (Lunar Code: 0125IM287)
Battle Beast #1 Cover B by David Finch (Lunar Code: 0125IM288)
Battle Beast #1 Cover C Blind Bag: Various (Lunar Code: 0125IM289)
Battle Beast #1 Cover D (1:10 Incentive) (Connecting) by E.J. Su (Lunar Code: 0125IM290)
Battle Beast #1 Cover E (1:25 Incentive) by Kael Ngu (Lunar Code: 0125IM291)
Battle Beast #1 Cover F (1:50 Incentive) by Arthur Adams & Tanya Lehoux (Lunar Code: 0125IM292)
Battle Beast #1 Cover G (1:100 Incentive) (Foil) by Jonboy Meyers (Lunar Code: 0125IM293)
Battle Beast #1 Cover H (1:1000 CGC Signed/Graded) (Foil) by Ryan Ottley & Annalisa Leoni (Lunar Code: 0125IM294)
Battle Beast #1 Cover I Blank Sketch Cover (Lunar Code: 0125IM295)
Battle Beast #1 Cover J (Battle Beast Die Cut Mask Cover) (Foil) ($4.99) by Ryan Ottley, Andres Juarez & Annalisa Leoni (Lunar Code: 0125IM296)
Battle Beast #1 Cover K (1:2000 Ryan Ottley Original Art Sketch Cover) by Ryan Ottley (Lunar Code: 0125IM297)

Battle Beast #1 (Lunar Codes Above| SRP: $3.99, unless otherwise noted) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

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Al Mega

I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!