Gladiatrix first entered the arena alongside the relaunch of Heavy Metal, debuting in issue 1 and quickly establishing itself as a bold new presence within the magazine. That momentum continues with Gladiatrix now taking the cover of Heavy Metal issue 5, illustrated by John Stanisci and colored by David Baron. While Stanisci is a storied artist with a career spanning DC and Marvel Comics, this moment carries added weight because he is also a lifelong fan of the medium and of Heavy Metal itself.

HM: What does it mean to you to see Gladiatrix, your own original character, on the cover of Heavy Metal and to be the artist bringing that image to life?
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JS: Truthfully, there are no words adequate enough to express what a colossal moment in my career this is. It has already been such a joy to premiere Gladiatrix in the pages of Heavy Metal, but to BE ON THE COVER!! Wow. The 11 year old living loudly inside my head is going crazy! To say it’s a dream come true doesn’t quite capture my feeling. I’m really honored to have my art and this character grace the cover of the world’s greatest illustrated magazine.

HM: Heavy Metal has a long and influential visual history. What are your favorite classic Heavy Metal covers that left a lasting impression on you as an artist?
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JS: Oh, man, that’s impossible. No way I can limit it to three. I mean, cmon, some of the most famous sci fi/fantasy illustrators of all time have done the covers. So, not gonna try to pin it down (although the Moebius covers are at the top. And…y’know, Jack Kirby did some too!) That said, I will share that when I was creating this cover for HM#5, there were so many evocative, primal images from HM in the past that were dancing through my head. I wanted to capture that classic Heavy Metal feel of power, raw emotion and sexy sexiness!! So, that was the ‘north star’ that David Baron and I followed, and, hopefully, captured. 

HM: Without revealing too much, can you give readers a hint at what lies ahead for Gladiatrix and how her story continues to evolve?
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JS: Well, can’t say too much but, there’s been some ‘pow-wows’ about Gladiatrix and her future and I can tell you that…we have some really exciting chapters planned for the magazine. We have also started planning for where we are going once we conclude the entire ‘Trials Of Ta-Neen’ story line. It's VERY exciting. I wish I could say more, but, there is going to be a lot more Gladiatrix to come. So, we all want to say a BIG thank you to everyone who has followed this story this far. The best is yet to come!! I promise!!

Gladiatrix on the cover of Heavy Metal issue 5 marks a full circle moment for John Stanisci, where lifelong influence, original creation, and iconic publication collide. As a reader, I love how the series strikes a refreshing balance between cerebral storytelling, incredibly dynamic action, and a hint of Dante’s Inferno, with each issue revealing a little more truth about the world of Gladiatrix. She is the kind of heroine Heavy Metal dreams are made of, so watch for issue 5 this April.