Epic Games announced it has secured illustrator Jim Lee for its Gears of War #9 comic book from DC Comics’ WildStorm imprint. Lee will provide the cover artwork, which introduces a new Gears character, for the July 2009 issue.

Jim Lee:

““Being a huge Gears of War fan, I couldn’t pass the opportunity to draw a cover for the series. It’s the most visceral yet elegant game I’ve ever played, and I am thrilled to be able to contribute something new to the ever expanding mythos of Gears!”

Michael Capps, president, Epic Games:

“We’re ecstatic to have Jim Lee on board for the Gears of War comic book series. We’ve been huge fans of his artwork for years, and can’t wait to incorporate his latest character design into the Gears universe.”

Gears of War #9 will be authored by Capps and Joshua Ortega, the lead author of the comic book series and scriptwriter for the Gears of War 2 game, and interior illustrations will be provided by renowned comic book artist Liam Sharp. An alternate cover for Gears of War #9 will be provided by Chris Perna, art director of Epic Games.