An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrying member capable of forming an electrostatic latent image; a developer carrying member adapted to develop the electrostatic latent image with developer having a normal charge polarity; a charge roller that adapted to charge a surface of the image carrying member; a regulating blade adapted to regulate the developer on the developer carrying member; a speed control unit adapted to control a circumferential velocity of the developer carrying member in an independent manner with respect to a circumferential velocity of the image carrying member; and a developing bias applying member adapted to apply a bias to the developer carrying member, wherein an area A is situated on the developer carrier member, said area A being situated from a developer nip between the image carrying member and the developer carrying member to the regulating blade disposed upstream of the developer nip in a rotation direction of the developer carrying member; wherein, the developing bias applying member is adapted to create an electric potential relationship between the image carrying member and the developer carrying member so that the developer which is charged in normal charge polarity is drawn to the developer carrying member when the developer carried in the area A on the developer carrying member during a stoppage of the image forming apparatus passes the developer nip with a rotation of the developer carrying member a first time after activation from a stopped state before an image forming operation, and the speed control unit is adapted to control a relative speed difference between the developer carrying member and the image carrying member, after activation from the stopped state, to be larger than that during the image forming operation until the area A on the developer carrying member passes at least the developer nip for the first time. an image carrying member capable of forming an electrostatic latent image; a developer carrying member adapted to develop the electrostatic latent image with developer having a normal charge polarity; a charge roller that adapted to charge a surface of the image carrying member; a regulating blade adapted to regulate the developer on the developer carrying member; a speed control unit adapted to control a circumferential velocity of the developer carrying member in an independent manner with respect to a circumferential velocity of the image carrying member; and a developing bias applying member adapted to apply a bias to the developer carrying member, wherein an area A is situated on the developer carrier member, said area A being situated from a developer nip between the image carrying member and the developer carrying member to the regulating blade disposed upstream of the developer nip in a rotation direction of the developer carrying member; wherein, the developing bias applying member is adapted to create an electric potential relationship between the image carrying member and the developer carrying member so that the developer which is charged in normal charge polarity is drawn to the developer carrying member when the developer carried in the area A on the developer carrying member during a stoppage of the image forming apparatus passes the developer nip with a rotation of the developer carrying member a first time after activation from a stopped state before an image forming operation, and the speed control unit is adapted to control a relative speed difference between the developer carrying member and the image carrying member, after activation from the stopped state, to be larger than that during the image forming operation until the area A on the developer carrying member passes at least the developer nip for the first time.