Catholic comic book publisher Voyage Comics announced that it is reviving Marvel Comics’ Saint Francis book with a new story to mark the Saint’s Jubilee Year.
Back in 1982 Marvel Comics published Francis, Brother of the Universe with the story by father Roy Gasnick, a script by Mary Jo Duffy and art by John Buscema with finishes and color by Marie Severin. It came out on the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ birth.
The book told the tale of St. Francis from his dreams of glory as a knight to being captured and imprisoned. It also shows how he embraced a worldly life in order to cope with his imprisonment and the resulting illnesses from the poor conditions.
When another chance for glory at war is provided him, he receives a vision from God instructing him to return to his hometown of Assisi where disgrace awaits him. Nevertheless, he obeys, and while he eventually struggles with his new state in life, he remains committed to God and is eventually provided with a new mission to rebuild Christ’s Church for Him.
From there it details Francis’ various travails and journeys as he works to fulfil Christ’s mission including his trips to the Holy Land during the Crusades, his preaching in Italy, his visits to the Pope, the reception of the Stigmata, and more.
Now, 44 years after Marvel published Francis, Brother of the Universe, Voyage Comics will publish a new story about St. Francis that will be released this year in conjunction with this year’s Jubilee Year that celebrates the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ entrance in to Heaven.
Voyage Comics founder and owner Philip Kosloski shared that the company will reveal more information about the comic in the coming weeks including its title “as well as some behind-the scenes information” and how Voyage Comics’ book will be “DIFFERENT than what Marvel created.”
The book will join a growing library of comics focused on Saints published by Voyage Comics.
That list includes:
1. Saint Moses The Strong
2. St. Kateri Tekakwitha
3. St. Joan of Arc
4. St. Faustina Kowalska
5. St. Edith Stein
6. St. Therese of Lisieux
7. St. Carlos Acutis
On top of its comic books on Saints, it also has a number of other books including The Phantom Phoenix, Lionette, Medal Knight, Jonah’s Voyage to Atlantis, and Finnian and the Seven Mountains.
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I remember reading comics like this in my parochial school. Glad they're making a comeback.