The ongoing saga of cash-strapped CrossGen's graphic novel publishing program has just developed a new wrinkle. In mid-February, Sojourn Volume 4, CrossGen's first trade paperback since last summer, arrived in comics stores.
Still, CrossGen director of sales and marketing Chris Oarr noted that bookstores probably may not see it—or any other trade paperbacks—for a few months yet: "We had such strong orders from the nonreturnable market [comics specialty stores] that we were able to print an extremely modest run of Sojourn Volume 4 in advance of resuming a regular trade paperback program, and we sold out immediately."
So what's CrossGen's plan for the book market? Oarr said, "We're on the cusp of finalizing a new round of financing that will allow us to resume our graphic novel program." The relaunch should come in three to five weeks, Oarr said. The first list will be tilted toward proven bestselling titles. "You should begin seeing trade paperbacks available from CrossGen perhaps as early as May," Oaar said.
