Epic Games today announced that Jim Lee will draw the cover artwork for Gears of War #9. Published under DC Comics' WildStorm imprint, the comic will be available in July 2009. Gears of War #9 will be authored by Michael Capps and Joshua Ortega, with interior artwork provided by Liam Sharp.

"Being a huge Gears of War fan, I couldn't pass the opportunity to draw a cover for the series," said Jim Lee. "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!"

"We're ecstatic to have Jim Lee on board for the Gears of War comic book series," said Capps, president of Epic Games. "We've been huge fans of his artwork for years, and can't wait to incorporate his latest character design into the Gears universe."

"We're quite pleased with the continued success of the Gears of War comic that kicked off with the widely distributed premiere issue," said Hank Kanalz, vice president and general manager of WildStorm. "We hope to maintain that momentum, leading up to the collected hardcover edition releasing later this year."