Novel to Graphic Novel: Turning Popular Prose into Comics

Over the past few years, as serious comics publishing takes root at traditional book publishers and as comics houses diversify their lists to attract a general readership, publishers are seeking out and working closely with popular prose novelists to turn their bestselling novels and prose stories into a wide range of derivative comics works.

ComicsPRO Brings Retailers and Publishers Together

Surviving the recession and the rise of digital distribution were the hot topics as ComicsPRO, the advocacy group for comics shops, held its fourth annual meeting March 25-27 in Memphis, TN. Comics retailers from around the continent gathered to meet with publishers and kick around industry issues.

Comics Briefly

Panel Mania: Weathercraft

Set in the world of Jim Woodring's long running Frank series, Weathercraft
follows Manhog, a brutish everyman, as he searchs for enlightenment.
There are also appearances by Frank and other characters from the Frank stories. Weathercraft is Woodring's first full-length graphic novel and, like the Frank stories, is wordless. Published by Fantagraphics, Weathercraft will be released in May.

Last Gasp Marks 40 Years of Comics and Lowbrow Art

This year, independent publisher Last Gasp will celebrate 40 years of art and comics. The San Francicsco based publisher and distributor has produced comics and contemporary art books by R.Crumb, Todd Schorr, Robert Williams, and Japanese alternative/psychedelic mangaka Junko Mizuno.

U.K. Comics Mag 2000AD Crosses the Pond

With a stable of creators that has included such superstars as Alan Moore and Grant Morrison, and such popular series as Judge Dredd, the British comics magazine 2000AD is known to American readers, but mainly at a distance. That is about to change: Rebellion Publishing, 2000AD's publisher, will begin publishing U.S. editions of new and classic series in June.

Comic Book Reviews: 3/29/2010

Steerforth Goes Graphic

Independent publishing house Steerforth Press, in New Hampshire, plans an aggressive entry into the graphic novel market this summer when it launches Campfire, a new graphic novel imprint that will release 70 graphic novel titles between July of this year and the end of 2011.

New Books, New Deals at Archaia

Archaia Entertainment, in L.A., has come a long way in a short time. Originally launched in 2002 to self-publish founder/artist Mark Smylie's graphic novel/role playing game, Artesia, Archaia has used a mix of original hardcover and periodical comics, foreign licensing, and media co-development deals to grow from an ambitious artist's dream to become a significant entertainment media presence.

Action Fans are Winners with The Losers

Take all of the extraordinary things that make comic books so popular, ball them together and stuff them through a reality check. What you'd be left with is a book that read more like an action script than a super hero comic. What you'd be left with is The Losers - yet another comics-to-movies success story.

Comics Briefly

Footnotes In Gaza Wins Ridenhour Book Prize; Dash Shaw; NeoIntegrity at MoCCA; Manga Creators Protest Tokyo Obscenity Bill; New Batman from Neal Adams?; Hotwire and R. Sikoryak's Carousel; Gaiman's Neverwhere Comes to Stage; This Week @ Good Comics For Kids; and This Week @ The Beat

The Return of Alison Dare

Alison Dare is back! A series of funny, kid-friendly tales of a feisty little girl who is the daughter of an archaeologist and a superhero, the Alison Dare comics first came out in 2000 from Oni Press and were very well received, even garnering a nomination for an Eisner Award.

Found in Translation: Tsukasa Hojo's Cat's Eye and Toshiaki Iwashiro's Psyren

There's a category of untranslated manga that I think of as the ‘inexcusables.' These are manga that, by all measures, could have been tremendously successful franchises had they been localized, yet mysteriously, never were.

New Books, New Deals at Archaia Entertainment

Originally launched in 2002 to self-publish founder/artist Mark Smylie's graphic novel/role playing game, Artesia, Archaia Entertainment has used a mix of original hardcover and periodical comics, foreign licensing and media co-development deals to grow from an ambitious artist's dream to become a significant entertainment media presence.

Comics Briefly: 5/18/10

2010 Glyph Award Winners; Little Orphan Annie Cancelled; Wallace and Gromit Comic Strip Debuts; Paul Levitz Comes to Midtown Comics; Todd MacFarlane Visits Book Expo America; This Week @ Good Comics For Kids; This Week @ The Beat

Here Comes C2E2: Reed Exhibitions Goes Pop

When it comes to pop culture events Lance Fensterman, show manager of Reed Exhibitions' New York Comic Con and the inaugural Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, or C2E2, must be tempted to ask "What recession?" Reed Exhibitions is not only launching a new comics convention in the midst of a recession but also manages a group of pop culture consumer shows that are some of the fastest growing conventions at the company.

Emerald City Comicon Booms

Driven by a top-notch list of comics guests and a strong selection of
media guests, the eighth Emerald City Comicon in Seattle saw Saturday
attendance grow 40% from last year. Organizer Jim Demonaokos said that
about 13,000 people had attended both days in 2009—in 2010 Saturday
alone saw 11,000 people buy tickets.

Comics Briefly

X-Diary Manwha to Become American Film: Comic Book Literacy Premieres at C2E2; Bahadur, India's First Superhero, Returns; Last Gasp 40th Anniversary Art Show; Chaykin's Black Kiss #1 Free Online; This Week @ Good Comics For Kids; and This Week @ The Beat

Defective Article Here Comes C2E2—Reed Exhibitions Goes Pop

Reed Exhibitions is not only launching a new comics convention in the midst of a recession but also manages a group of pop culture consumer shows that are some of the fastest growing conventions at the company.

Abrams to Publish Deluxe Hardcover of Archie Marries

Abrams ComicsArts is teaming with Archie Comics to publish Archie Marries, a special deluxe hardcover collection of the Archie mini-series focused on which of Archie's longtime female interests-beautiful heiress Veronica Lodge or Betty Cooper, the cute girl next door-will land Riverdale's famous redheaded teenager.