U.K. comics and pop culture publisher Titan Books is launching Titan Comics, a new comics and graphic novel imprint, featuring both original creator-owned material and classic reissues published as both monthly periodicals, complete and collected graphic novels and digital editions. Titan Comics will launch in July 2013 at the San Diego Comic-Con offering at least eight series this year including the first complete publication of The First Kingdom, Jack Katz’s legendary 1970s epic sci-fi/fantasy graphic novel.
In a phone interview from London, Titan Books publisher Nick Landau said that while all the comics will be released in digital editions, “some will be released day and date [simultaneous print and digital], but some will be released only in digital formats.” Landau said that while the list will launch with 8 new series, Titan Books is continuing to acquire material and the numbers in subsequent years will go up. “We’re not wedded to a certain number of titles each month or each year,” and said more information on each of the series will be release as they are closer to being released.
Landau emphasized that the new line will feature original creator-owned works as well as classic reprints. Among the series Titan Comics will launch in the first year are Chronos Commandos: Dawn Patrol by writer/artist Stuart Jennett; Numbercruncher by Si Spurrier and artist P.J. Holden and Ring of Roses by writer Das Petrou and artist John Watkiss, which will be collected into a book and colored for the first time. Also coming is Jack Katz’s The First Kingdom, a legendary 24 issue (nearly 800 pages complete) periodical series first published between 1974 and 1986 that has been partially republished by a number of publishers since first released. Landau said the new edition of The First Kingdom will be released as a series of trade paperback volumes and he said it will be the first complete edition of the legendary work and will feature material that has “never been published before.”
Titan Comics will launch with five series in July 2013with a new series launching each month after that. Titan Comics is part of the company’s magazine division, which publishes a host of popular fan magazines, among them publications devoted to Star Wars, Star Trek and the Walking Dead. Titan Books is distributed to the book trade in the U.S. by Random House Publishers Services and by Diamond Comics Distributors to the U.S. Direct Market comics shops. All titles will be released in digital editions supported by iPhone, iPad, Web, Android and Kindle Fire.
Landau called the new imprint, “the start of something very special. We’re searching out fantastic new voices and astonishing new artists, and helping them bring their dream projects to fruition as well as remaining a world-leader in the field of classic comics restoration and republication.”
