Lieberman and Henderson’s neo-noir comic book series follows a group of hiveminded criminals trying to escape their deadly Queen Bee crime boss
Popular creators AJ Lieberman (Cowboy Ninja Viking, Term Life, Batman: Gotham Knights) and Mike Henderson (Nailbiter, The Forged, Cable: Love & Chrome) are joining forces to co-create the buzzy new ongoing Image Comics series The Hive. The stinging crime series follows former worker bee criminals—who have special hivemind mind control powers—and a new recruit as they try to flee a vengeful Queen Bee crime boss on the warpath. Bee hierarchy and biology meets crime warfare in this action-packed neo-noir story, launching in February 2025.
Mason Shaw is no one. A worker bee. All that changes when he crosses paths with a few stragglers trying to stay one step ahead of a queen with immense powers. There are those among us that can connect and manipulate the people around them into a hivemind state—like a beehive. These people are called Hivers. It’s not hypnotism. It’s not some kind of drug. It’s biological. The Hive is about a group of hunted hivers struggling to remain one step ahead of their wrathful former queen who is hunting them down. But when a mysterious worker bee gets recruited it starts a series of events that puts everyone on a collision course and will end with everyone in danger… especially the Queen. Sex. Violence. And Bees. Welcome to The Hive.
“The Hive is nothing you’d expect but exactly what you’d want in a dirty, neo-noir story set against a world where some people can connect and control others in a hivemind—like bees in a hive,” said Lieberman and Henderson in a joint statement. “Our fascination with bees and the hierarchy within a hive is what led us to start thinking about how that might look if graphed onto humans. What we can’t wait for is for fans to see how the story builds to an ending that expands the world we’ve created in the most unexpected way.”
The Hive #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, February 12:
- Cover A by Mike Henderson – Lunar Code 1224IM228
- Cover B (1:15) by Mike Henderson – Lunar Code 1224IM229
The Hive #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.
ABOUT AJ LIEBERMAN
AJ Lieberman is the writer of Cowboy Ninja Viking and TermLife both from Image / Shadowline. Cowboy Ninja Viking sold to Universal with Chris Pratt attached and adapted Term Life for Focus which starred Vince Vaughn and Hailee Steinfeld. He has written numerous titles for DC Comics including, Batman: Gotham Knights, Harley Quinn, and War Games. Additionally, AJ wrote the original graphic novel The Silver Six for Scholastic and Graveyard Wars for Ablaze
ABOUT MIKE HENDERSON
Mike Henderson is the co-creator and artist of THE FORGED and NAILBITER from Image Comics and artist of Marvel Comics’ CABLE, DEAD MAN LOGAN, DAREDEVIL and more. He resides in Portland, OR with his awesome family.
Brian Isaacs - Executive Editor / Publisher