User:The Ghost of Art Toys Past/777: The Wrath

777: The Wrath is a three-issue, black-and-white American comic book mini-series by writer David Quinn and artist Tim Vigil. It was published monthly by Avatar Press, with the first issue cover dated April 1998 but released in March.

Though never explicitly stated, 777: The Wrath is set in a shared universe with Quinn and Vigil's Faust series, as the two crossover in the subsequent mini-series Faust/777: The Wrath (a.k.a. Darkness in Collision).

Background and creation
777: The Wrath was formally announced in a press release on July 28, 1997 and, at the time, was expected to be available for order in September of that year. Avatar Press supported 777: The Wrath with distributor catalog advertising, in-house ads, targeted promotional mailings, and coverage on its web site.

777: The Wrath marked the third time that writer David Quinn and artist Tim Vigil collaborated. Previously, they had collaborated used a full-dialog script method but for 777: The Wrath they used Marvel method style, which Vigil found to be "not as precise and exciting".

Instead of self-publishing the mini-series through their own Rebel Studios, Quinn and Vigil decided to have the issues released by the then-nascent Avatar Press, who were trying to become "the home for adult comics that didn’t insult your intelligence". Needing content that established this direction, Avatar Press' editor-in-chief and founder, William A. Christensen, personally invited Quinn and Vigil to be published by him. The creative duo accepted in order to "play" with color printed interiors and a monthly publication schedule, though another "focus was to experiment with simpler story-telling styles". Their deal with Avatar Press granted limited publishing rights to the company, but the duo maintained overall ownership of the material. Initially, Christensen disallowed genital nudity within 777: The Wrath, but this limitation was lifted prior to the first issue's publication.

Christensen believed, based on their previous efforts, that Quinn and Vigil had "already influenced and set the standard for many of the current generation of creators and publishers, including myself, and 777: The Wrath is certain to raise that standard to new heights."

Vigil mailed xerox copies of his pencilled pages to the inker, Johnny B., who inked the work on vellum.

According to the publisher, 777: The Wrath is an "unapologetically dark" and "brutally violent" examination of "one of pop culture's most enduring totems: no justice, no peace."

Publication history
According to Avatar Press, 777: The Wrath #1 was released in March 1998.

The first issue was released with nine variant covers, including three foil stamped limited editions and one leatherbound version. The second issue was released with two variant covers and the third issue had three variants, including one foil stamped limited edition.

The mini-series was "Suggested for mature readers" due to its depictions of graphic violence, substance abuse, and sexual situations.

In January 1998, Avatar Press solicited a pre-order for a full-color, brass enamel pin featuring Tim Vigil's 777: The Wrath cover artwork.

Reception and legacy
Avatar Press consider issuing 777: The Wrath #1 as one of the "pivotal moments" in their company's history, as it was their most successful release to date and "solidified" their position as an outlet of creator-owned projects.

Joe McCulloch of the Comic Books are Burning in Hell podcast describes the premise of 777: The Wrath as the "teaming [of] an amoral, decidedly unromantic hitman with a dirty lil' angel for despairing revenge", which he believes is Quinn and Vigil's " on The Crow.