Jonathan Hickman and Mike Huddleston unite for Image's bold new sci-fi saga, Decorum

Jonathan Hickman (East of West), one of the main architects behind Marvel's magisterial event series House of X and Powers of X, is realigning his storytelling talents with fan-fave artist Mike Huddleston (Middlewest, The Strain) in a sweeping new sci-fi saga for Image Comics titled Decorum — and SYFY WIRE is delivering a special first look at the premiere issue's lettered interior pages.

Centered around the dangerous exploits of the most well-mannered assassin in the known universe named Neha Nori Sood, Decorum #1 launches on March 11. It fuses Hickman's knack for intricate, next-level narratives with Huddleston's detailed, razor-sharp pencilwork to fashion an ambitious creator-owned series sure to immerse readers in a stimulating adventure amid the stars.

 

Decorum will be Hickman's first title back at Image following the conclusion of his and Nick Dragotta’s East of West, which wrapped up last month after a historic 45-issue run. Based on the sample interior pages, the new ongoing title will be adorned with an armada of camouflaged sailplanes, magnificent flying reptiles, angry android bounty hunters, and exotic alien worlds.

One of Hickman's favorite things about doing an Image book is where the project's idea comes from.

"Sometimes I have a super high concept and I’m looking for someone to create that world with me, other times it’s something that's born out of the two of us working together for years and just locking onto an idea in tandem," Hickman tells SYFY WIRE. "In this case, because I’ve always been a huge fan of Mike’s and this was our first time working together, I told him all I really want to see—what I really want to showcase—is him just dunking on everyone. Which is why the book is stylistically structured the way it is, with each scene having a unique look."

"Then we came up with some things we wanted to see, how that might work narratively, and then at the end, I just wanted to add in a bit about where the salad fork goes and how you might kill someone with it," he explains. "And that’s how we ended up with, 'What if Emily Post was the greatest assassin in the universe?' Which, as far as high concepts go, isn’t too bad of a thing to back into.

"Anyway, the book is a helluva fun read, and it looks, well, like Mike dunked on everyone.”

Journey into our exclusive look at Image Comics' Decorum #1 in the full gallery below, then tell us if you're fans of Hickman and Huddleston's enticing brand of sci-fi fantasy worldbuilding.