One designer determined to break the generic lookbook mould is Phillip Lim; this coming season his collection will be presented in comic book format.

His Lichtenstein inspired jumpers and accessories have been having a moment as of late, and now to coincide with the launch of his pre-fall 2012 collection, Lim has produced a one-off comic entitled Kill The Night. The comic was drawn by Star Wars illustrator Jan Duursema and co-written by Lim and renowned comic writer John Ostrander.

Kill The Night features the on trend, playful and fashion forward outfits that inspired Lim’s upcoming collection, all shown through the iconic black and white action strip format. Lim stated his collection was informed by graphic novels such as Sin City and V for Vendetta and the edgy “neo-noir heroines” who feature in them.

According to their press release, Kill The Night is a “story of duality and metamorphosis, day and night, black and white, love and betrayal. Things are not what they seem. Look again.”

The comic launches on September 6; the 4^th annual Fashion Night Out in New York City. Shoppers at the 3.1 Phillip Lim store on Mercer Street, NY, and online will get a signed copy with their purchases. The brand also plans to post exclusive behind the scenes content on their Facebook and Twitter accounts revealing who the animations are based on.

California-raised Lim has had a life-long obsession with fantasy and neo-noir comic strips, so it was only a matter of time before an inspired collection came to fruition. It took a mere 20 days to put the pre-fall 2012 collection together, so the superhero references are very apt.

Aside from the obvious comic-print motifs such as the Ka-Pow jumper, seen below on Elin Kling, Lim’s aim was to produce clothes that could see women through their daily tasks without need for superhero costume changes.