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We’ve previously told you about the relaunch of classic comic book anthology Heavy Metal, and ahead of this week’s release of the first issue of the new run, we’re going one better with an exclusive preview of one of the anthology’s new series, Millstone!

Heavy Metal debuted in 1977 as the American descendant of Europe's Métal Hurlant, the comic book series that introduced iconic creators such as Moebius, Milo Manara, and Philippe Druillet to the world. Mixing hard sci-fi with fantasy elements (and no small amount of erotica), Heavy Metal brought a harder edge to the US comic book scene and was an immediate hit, as well as part of a cultural zeitgeist that included movies and music of the era — it's no coincidence that early Heavy Metal releases included adaptations of both Steven Spielberg's 1941 and Ridley Scott's Alien. The new series seeks to capitalize on Heavy Metal's long and proud history, without resting on its laurels, with a mix of classic and brand new material... like new series Millstone.

Co-created by Michael W. Conrad (Boom! Studios’ In Bloom, Oni Press’s Plague House, DC’s Batgirls and Wonder Woman) and Ilias Kyriazis (DC’s Collapser, Humanoids’ What We Wished for), with lettering from Simon Bowland and edited by Chris Thompson, Millstone is a fantasy series that feels at once true to Heavy Metal’s unrestrained genre roots and something particularly contemporary and new — but you can see that for yourself in the gallery below.

Millstone is just one of a host of strips in the 200+ page debut issue of the new series, with creators including Keron Grant, Jim Rugg, Leah Moore & John Reppion, Ladronn, John Workman (writing and drawing, as well as lettering!), and classic Heavy Metal creators Enki Bilal and José Ortiz, amongst many others.

Heavy Metal #1 will be released April 30.

Get ready for what's next with our guide to upcoming comics, how to buy comics at a comic shop, and our guide to Free Comic Book Day 2025.