In a press release yesterday, Image Comics announced that Top Cow Production’s hit sci-fi series, Antarctica, has been upgraded to an ongoing series. The series, from Simon Birks and Willi Roberts, was originally scheduled for a five-issue limited run.

“From the beginning, Top Cow has been known to be a boutique art shop, and Antarctica certainly fits what Marc Silvestri intended back in the '90s…to support creators who take a gamble on their own creations and make comics that take readers to a place that they never knew that they wanted to go," said Matt Hawkins, President at Top Cow. "Simon Birks, Willi Roberts, and Lyndon White are shining examples, and no wonder the fans and critics responded.” 

“If readers already love the first two issues of volume one, they're going to love this new arc as we get the chance to delve deep into the previous events surrounding the Fracture and explore the Hannahs’ stories. We're thrilled to once again be working with the team at Top Cow,” Birks said. “Not only have they been professional, but they've really taken the time to get to know us, and I'm delighted they love the book as much as we do. Antarctica takes no prisoners, and I'm excited to share our adventure with the readers. Willi and I have created something exceptional; an incredible experience full of unique twists and turns to keep everyone guessing right up until the end. As if one married The Fugitive with The Cabin in the Woods.”

Roberts added, “There was a lot of content in my head that I wanted to share with our readers, from material to design…characters, structures, costumes and many others that will be revealed over time. So, don't doubt that everything will get bigger and more complex. This is a story that you will remember and will make you question your own reality.”

ANTARCTICA #6, the first issue of the second arc, will release on December 13th and feature a main cover by Roberts and a variant cover by Lyndon White, the series’ letterer. Top Cow and Image shared an initial overview of this new chapter:

THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST. It's Christmas Eve. Hannah is seven years old and looking forward to spending the holidays with her father, but when she wakes on Christmas morning, things don't seem right. Jerome is acting suspiciously; the windows are showing the same scenes over and over again, and someone, or something, is waiting for her on the other side of the wall…