Another Epic twist: Newsarama reports that writer Mike Sangiacomo has pulled "Phantom Jack" from the ill-fated Epic anthology, and will publish it through Image.

"It's clear to me that Marvel's heart just isn't in it," Sangiacomo said. "I've been in enough bad relationships to know when my partner is just going through the motions."

What's perhaps just as noteworthy as the move itself is how Sangiacomo cut the series' ties with Marvel:

"I got the contract back from 'Phantom Jack' from Marvel by asking first Bill Jemas as in, 'You got me into this, you gotta get me out.' He put me in touch with new Publisher Dan Buckley who was great. He felt bad about the whole Epic situation and was happy to cooperate. I called Marvel the next morning and was told that the contracts would be returned, no harm, no foul."

Sounds easy enough. I wonder whether this is a big, flashing green light for Jason Henderson to take "Strange Magic" on the road. (Henderson & Co. already are publishing "Sword of Dracula" through Image, and he's made it clear that "Strange Magic" certainly can exist outside the Marvel Universe.) That would leave "Young Ancient One" and "Sleepwalker," both of which are firmly entrenched as Marvel properties.

I also wonder whether this means Sangiacomo will change his book's wretched (but hilarious) title. "Phantom Jack." Teeheehee!