Jim Henson's Sirens #1

Jim Henson's Sirens #1

© The Weirding, 2019

BOOM! Launches New Softcover Imprint for Archaia

Rust: The Boy Soldier

Award-winning publisher BOOM! Studios is excited to announce the March 2016 release of Royden Lepp’s Rust: The Boy Soldier, the vanguard of a new softcover program for the Archaia imprint.

Rust: The Boy Soldier collects the prelude stories from the first three original graphic novels (Rust: Visitor in the Field, Rust: Secrets of the Cell, and Rust: Death of the Rocket Boy) and presents them in new reading order with the never-before-seen prelude from the upcoming fourth installment, Rust: Soul in the Machine (2017). The inaugural volume will ship with an introductory price of $10.99.

Rust: The Boy Soldier chronicles Jet’s experiences during a massive world war. Made to look like a boy, but actually a robot built for battle, Jet is caught in the middle. While trying to save countless lives, Jet discovers there’s more to him than he could have imagined. His experiences in the war set him on a journey to learn what it means to be both hero and human.

BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon said, “Rust: The Boy Soldier is a great gateway for those not familiar with the story of Jet Jones the robot boy, and I think the never-before-seen prelude from the fourth volume is the perfect reason for longtime fans to pick it up!”

Outside of the prelude stories, the Rust series follows Jet, post-war, after he is thrust into the lives of the Taylor family, having crashed into the side of their barn. Oldest son Roman Taylor struggles to keep his family’s small farm afloat as the area heals from the war. While the rest of his family may not trust the mysterious boy with the jetpack, Roman believes the secrets of Jet’s past may be the key to their survival...

The first volume, Rust: Visitor in the Field, will be released in softcover in fall 2016.

Rust: The Boy Soldier (6” x 9”, 144 pages, sepia-toned, softcover, $10.99), written and illustrated by Royden Lepp, will be available for sale in comic book shops (Diamond code JAN161192) and wherever books are sold (ISBN 978-1-60886-806-3) in March 2016.

© The Weirding, 2016

Mira Furlan Cast in Lantern City

Mira Furlan

Award-winning publisher, Archaia, an imprint of BOOM! Studios and Macrocosm Entertainment, is excited to reveal a new character in Lantern City, Martha Ellen Grey.

Martha, in both the comic book series and upcoming television series in development, is portrayed by Mira Furlan.  Furlan is a fan-favorite actress (Babylon 5 and Lost) that brings intelligence and passion to every role, and will make her debut in issue #6 on sale in October.

Martha Ellen Grey is the mother of Killian Grey, the head of the Grey Empire, which is the ruling class of Lantern City.  Smart, power-hungry, and fierce, the matriarch will do anything to protect her son and keep him in power.

"Martha Grey, an almost Shakespearean character, complex and complicated, impossible to label or categorize.  My first thought when I ‘met’ her was, ‘Gertrude, Hamlet's mother.’  As with the character of Gertrude, the key to Martha is her intricate, difficult, almost deviant relationship to her equally complex son, Killian,” said Mira Furlan.  “I cannot wait to bite my teeth into this meaty role.  It will be a big challenge and a great pleasure, as it always is with truly great roles."

The Lantern City comic series is the newest extension of a larger transmedia universe.  Along with the television show, an illustrated novel, Rise (also available as an app), was published.  Lantern City combines the epic scope of the Star Wars series with the street-level intensity and attention to detail of The Wire.  The series blends action, romance, unique sci-fi, and political upheaval in an engaging narrative. 

Lantern City #6

© The Weirding, 2015

Lantern City #1

Lantern City #1

© The Weirding, 2015

Archaia Announces Moon Lake Vol. 2

Award-winning comic publisher Archaia Entertainment, an imprint of BOOM! Studios, and Tony Award-winning actor Dan Fogler are proud to announce Moon Lake Volume 2, a hardcover graphic novel sequel to the 2010 original that meshes genres and stories into one insane anthology inspired by Tales from the Crypt and Heavy Metal. Once again narrated by the hilariously deranged Man in the Moon, Moon Lake Volume 2 features the talents of a who’s who of some of the top writers and artists in the business.

“Moon Lake is a crossroads of so many different brands of evil that it's hilarious—unlimited haunted tales as told by the twisted and gregarious Man in the Moon,” described creator Dan Fogler. “I really wanted to craft an eclectic Lovecraftian tale that linked the separate short stories together like the pieces of an elaborate puzzle.”

“There’s no other anthology out there like Moon Lake!” said BOOM! Studios VP of Development Stephen Christy, who edited Moon Lake Volume 1 and worked closely with Fogler in developing Volume 2. “Dan has taken everything we loved growing up about Heavy Metal and Tales from the Crypt and filtered it through his hilarious and off-the-wall vision. Moon Lake was a book I loved the first time around, and Dan’s assembled a top-notch group of people for Volume 2.”

“Volume 2 is a meal that can’t be devoured in one simple reading and stays with you long after you’re done, like a delicious steak rotting in Alfred Hitchcock's lower intestine,” Fogler added. “It’s a freakin’ labor of love to put a book like this together and manage all those different personalities, but the combined artistry in Moon Lake Volume 2 proved to be the perfect ingredients for our sick smorgasbord. Packaged spectacularly by Archaia for your delightful digestion. Bon appetit!”

“Moon Lake Volume 2 is one of the first books we’ve worked on together after the merger of BOOM! Studios and Archaia, and I couldn’t be more thrilled,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “Dan has put together such an eclectic mix of artists. It’s exciting to see what each of them brings to the universe he’s created.”

Moon Lake Volume 2 is created, edited, and written by Dan Fogler and features art by Nadir Balan (who also illustrated the cover), Kevin Colden (The Crow: Death and Rebirth), Dan Dougherty (Beardo, Touching Evil), Fernando Pinto (Tales of the TMNT), Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan, The Boys), Alex Sheikman (Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Robotika), Jeff Stokely (The Reason for Dragons, Six-Gun Gorilla), and Anna Wieszczyk (Lucid). In addition, the book features a story co-written by Andrew Harrison (Golgotha) and a story written by New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson (the Dune prequel novels, Jedi Academy Trilogy, The Last Days of Krypton).

Moon Lake Volume 2 ($24.95, hardcover, 160 pages, full color, 7.25” x 11.25”) is available for pre-order now at your local comic book shop. To pre-order, provide your retailer with Diamond Order Code SEP13 0873.

© C Harris Lynn, 2013

All-Star Creative Team for Archaia's Hawken

Award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment announced the creative team behind HAWKEN, the original graphic novel prequel to Adhesive Games’ upcoming free-to-play, mech, first-person shooter (FPS) from indie game publisher Meteor Entertainment.

Hawken is the story of a human-colonized planet that has been industrialized to the point of collapse. This crumbling world sets the stage for an ongoing hunt for vital resources and a brutal battle for survival. Written by Jeremy Barlow (Mass Effect: Homeworlds, Star Wars), the epic tale will span three decades, capturing key moments in the ambitious rise and tragic fall of this post-apocalyptic world and the pivotal few who determined its fate.

Each key moment in the story will be presented by a new artist, whose unique style and mood fits the tone of the unfolding events. The anthology boasts an impressive army of visual talent, including Federico Dallocchio (Starcraft, Modern Warfare 2: Ghost, Suicide Squad), Nathan Fox (DMZ, The Haunt), Stefano Gaudiano (Daredevil, Amazing Spiderman), Michael Gaydos (Alias, True Blood), Bagus Hutomo (Shrapnel, Heavy Metal), Christopher Moeller (Iron Empires, JLA: League of One), Moritat (Elephantmen, Transmetropolitan), Alex Sanchez (Star Wars: The Old Republic, JSA Classified), Brian Thies (Winter Soldier, Dark Tower), Greg Tocchini (Last Days of American Crime, X-Force), and Francisco Ruiz Velasco (Inhumans, conceptual artist on Hellboy 2, The Hobbit, and Pacific Rim).

The graphic novel will release in March 2013, following the game’s debut on 12-12-12. Aside from serving as the game’s narrative counterpart, the book will offer a veritable survivor’s guide for gamers—character profiles, weapon stats and schematics, maps, glossaries, strategies, and keys to unlocking special bonuses and feature in-game. The overall reading experience is designed to not only welcome fans into the Hawken universe, but equip them with exclusive tips and tools that enrich their overall enjoyment of the game as well.

Overseeing the creation of the graphic novel are DJ2 Entertainment and Eisner Award-nominated writer/artist and Co-Founder of Adhesive Games, Khang Le (Flight Vol. 2). “We've had a blast extrapolating the core fiction as envisioned by creative director Khang Le and his team at Adhesive, and wanted to make sure the extended universe we developed alongside Archaia was as captivating and provocative as the game itself,” said Dan Jevons, DJ2 Co-CEO.

DJ2 brought in Joe LeFavi of Quixotic Transmedia to develop a publishing strategy for Hawken, whose passion for the material and credibility as a brand builder in the publishing space made him the obvious choice. Quixotic later sealed the deal with frequent collaborator Archaia Black Label, a division of Archaia designed to help entertainment brands launch and expand into publishing. LeFavi will serve as Archaia’s Transmedia Producer and Executive Editor on the book alongside Archaia’s own Publisher, Mike Kennedy. “It’s rare to see a gaming brand take story so seriously from day one,” said Kennedy, who spent 18 years as a Producer in the video game industry. “That’s why we pulled out the stops and put together such a phenomenal creative team. Hawken has created an incredible world and we intend to do it justice.”

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

I'm Not a Plastic Bag

Spearheading a new green initiative in the graphic novel industry, Archaia Entertainment announced the upcoming release of Rachel Hope Allison’s I’M NOT A PLASTIC BAG, an original graphic novel published in association with JeffCorwinConnect Inc., a transmedia company co-founded by biologist and philanthropist Jeff Corwin, well-known as the Emmy Award-winning host and executive producer of ABC’s Ocean Mysteries.

The spellbinding story, told entirely without words, follows the journey of a few pieces of discarded trash—a supermarket plastic bag, an old umbrella—all the way out to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where they join together into a tragic and destructive island of trash that searches for its place amidst the fragile beauty of nature. The tale is an artistic imagining of a very real phenomenon known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an accumulation of human consumer waste that floats in an area between Hawaii and the California coastline.

“I found out about the Pacific Garbage Patch kind of randomly, just stumbling on an article about it,” said Allison, who, in her day job, works as a strategist for Big Duck, a firm that helps nonprofit organizations raise funds and awareness through smart communications. “Like a lot of people, just learning that something so big and dangerous existed out in the ocean was kind of a shock, and the image of all that debris, trapped in such a remote part of the ocean, really stuck with me. That said, even some of the most disturbing pictures of the Garbage Patch also had a kind of beauty to them, and it got me thinking that the island itself might be a sympathetic character, that this might even be a love story of sorts.”

To emphasize the real-life environmental issues of marine debris and ocean pollution that the Garbage Patch embodies, I’m Not a Plastic Bag also includes eight pages of educational material on topics such as threatened wildlife and things readers can do to decrease their footprint on the environment.

“If this story can inspire anyone else to put the power of their own imagination toward tackling the environmental challenges we face today, then I can’t imagine any higher honor,” said Allison.

Joining Allison in the quest to get people involved in the fight to save our ocean and waterways is Jeff Corwin, who, in addition to hosting Ocean Mysteries, is a regular science and environmental correspondent for MSNBC and NBC News and has had his wildlife and conservation work featured on The Today Show, The Rachel Maddow Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The Oprah Winfrey Show, among many others.

“Despite the fact that U.S. citizens take up only 5% of the world population, we generate 40% of our planet’s trash!” wrote Corwin in the Foreword to the book. “The good news is that each one of us, no matter where you are from, or how old you are, has the power and the responsibility to keep our Earth clean. Rachel Allison’s incredible and almost ethereal story of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch will not only engage and awaken your spirit, but will empower all of us to save our precious planet from falling prey to garbage and waste.” The partnership between Archaia and JeffCorwinConnect plans for I’m Not a Plastic Bag to be the first of many books to come. The two companies plan to collaborate on additional titles, across various environmental themes, to help raise education and awareness of the conservation challenges and wins of our planet while building a new generation of environment stewards amongst the youth

“Just as Archaia Entertainment endeavors to bring people together through books, JeffCorwinConnect seeks to connect people to the planet, its species and the ecosystems they live in, creating education and awareness about key issues facing our environment. Our companies’ mutual interest in education and enriching the social consciousness makes our relationship with JeffCorwinConnect an extremely exciting one,” said Archaia CEO PJ Bickett. “In joining forces with JCC, we look to create a line of books that raises awareness about many incredibly important issues concerning our environment and wildlife. We couldn’t ask for a better first step in this new initiative than Rachel’s beautiful story in I’m Not a Plastic Bag.”

Anurag Agarwal, co-founder and CEO of JeffCorwinConnect Inc. added, “Partnering on a venture like this gives us the tremendous opportunity to connect and grow our community of global citizens. With the growing acceptance and use of graphic novels in the education and the retail markets, we believe that we can highlight critical environmental issues through this exciting format.”

The book will also debut Archaia’s new printing initiative in conjunction with Global PSD. Through the efforts of American Forests® and the Global ReLeaf® Program, for each tree that is cut down for the printing of I’m Not a Plastic Bag, two trees will be planted.

I’m Not a Plastic Bag (8” x 10”, full color, hardcover, 88 pages, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-936393-54-1, Diamond Order Code JAN12 0824) will release in late March at bookstores and comic book stores... just in time for Earth Day on April 22nd!

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

Cow Boy

NOTICE! Archaia Entertainment announces COW BOY: A BOY AND HIS HORSE, a dandy new graphic novel comin’ in March by NATE COSBY (Jim Henson’s The Storyteller, Pigs) and CHRIS ELIOPOULOS (Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius, Misery Loves Sherman). Them good-for-nothin’s wrote’n drew the main tale, and there’s short stories by the likes’a ROGER LANGRIDGE (The Muppet Show Comic), COLLEEN COOVER (Spider-Man), BRIAN CLEVINGER & SCOTT WEGENER (Atomic Robo) an’ MIKE MAIHACK (Cleopatra in Space).

COW BOY’s the tale of Boyd Linney, a 10-year-old bounty hunter determined t’round up his entire outlaw family. He scours the Old West on a horse that ain’t his, armed with a stick-horse what packs a loud holler.

“This is my favorite thing I’ve ever written,” said varmint author Nate Cosby. “And it’s the best thing Chris has ever drawn. It’s an all-ages tale of justice, redemption and growing up with the knowledge that you can love your family... but that doesn’t mean you can let them get away with everything. I’m so excited Archaia is giving Chris and I the chance to bring our story to a big audience.”

“Creating a book that can be read by anyone and everyone gives me a great feeling,” spouted yella-bellied Chris Eliopoulos. “Knowing I can hand COW BOY to my parents or my children and know they will both enjoy it is something very rare these days in comics. And for me personally, I enjoyed the chance to push my art in new ways. From the coloring, the action to evoking a feeling with a few simple lines, this has been one of the best things I’ve ever done and I know that when people read it, they’ll love it, too.”

Archaia’s ne-er-do-well Editor-in-Chief Stephen Christy done said, “I ain’t had this much fun reading a kids comic since Calvin and Hobbes, an’ that’s the truth. Readers should buy this book now before Nate an’ Chris get locked up for that trouble they caused over the border last year.”

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

Archaia and Panelfly Bring Extras to Immortals

Archaia and Panelfly announce the launch of a new cross-platform, multi-media fan experience built around Archaia’s acclaimed prequel anthology, and alongside the theatrical release of Relativity Media’s feature film, IMMORTALS. Immortals: Gods and Heroes HD, a new application available initially on Apple’s iPad and iPhone unlocks access to a variety of exclusive Immortals content.

“We are very excited to launch the Immortals: Gods and Heroes iPad app with Panelfly,” said PJ Bickett, CEO of Archaia Entertainment. “In creating the graphic anthology, we wanted to build something unique to compliment the theatrical release, something that would stand head-and-shoulders above traditional graphic novel tie-ins. Working with Panelfly, we have created something extraordinary and immersive that complements the reading experience while supplementing the film itself. We are excited to expand the reach of our content beyond books and film, to delight fans with this new and immersive entry into the Immortals universe.”

The Immortals: Gods and Heroes Fan Experience Includes:

• Access to the complete Graphic Novel
• Ten Prequel Stories setting the stage for the film
• Exclusive Art from an A-list of celebrated comic creators, includng Ben Templesmith, Scott Hampton, Trevor Hairsine, Jock, Dennis Calero, Kevin Colden, Patrick Scherberger, Phil Hester, Steve Ellis, and Rafael Kayanan, one of the principal conceptual designers on the film itself
• Peel Back Functionality that reveals each stage of art in the creative process
• Contextual Multimedia and video Integration
• Social Integration and News Feeds for live social commentary
• Ongoing feature updates and new content releases
  

“Together with Archaia Entertainment, we’re creating a diverse hub of content to deliver a dynamic, fun and truly interactive experience that includes an unprecedented level of engagement for fans” said Ed Lang, CEO of Panelfly. “This experience will continue to live long after the film and act as a fan’s digital playground for all things IMMORTALS far into the future. Our team has worked closely with Archaia to develop something truly special. Our passion for delivering immersive fan experiences at home, or on the go continues to grow with this launch, and we look forward to building success together.”

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Archaia to Release The Sigh

Award-winning graphic novel publisher Archaia Entertainment has set a November release date for the English-language version of The Sigh, a fable from Marjane Satrapi, acclaimed author behind the international bestseller, Persepolis, it was announced today by Mark Smylie, Chief Creative Officer of Archaia Entertainment.

Following its debut in France and Spain, U.S. fans of Satrapi’s work have waited patiently for The Sigh to arrive in the U.S. The Sigh follows Rose, one of three daughters of a rich merchant who always brings gifts for his girls from the market. One day Rose asks for the seed of a blue bean, but her father fails to find one for her. She lets out a sigh in resignation, and her sigh attracts the Sigh, a mysterious being that brings the seed she desired to the merchant. But every debt has to be paid, and every gift has a price, and the Sigh returns a year later to take the merchant’s daughter to a secret and distant palace.

The Sigh will be presented as a 6” x 8” hardcover, featuring 56 pages of text and beautifully hand-drawn color illustrations. The Sigh will release with a retail price of $10.95.

“The Sigh is a timeless fairytale that promises to capture the imaginations of readers both young and old,” said Smylie. “Marjane is one of those rare writers who has the ability to connect with readers on a global scale and we are proud to bring this story to the U.S.”

Following the publication of Persepolis, a dramatic illustrated account of her experiences in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, Marjane Satrapi has captured the hearts of people throughout the world. Along with The Sigh, her other projects include her second feature film Chicken with Plums. Based on her graphic novel of the same name, Chicken with Plums is currently causing a stir with attendees at the Venice Film Festival.

Drawing upon its past success with publishing foreign graphic novels for English-speaking readers, such as The Killer, Okko, and The Secret History, Archaia is positioning The Sigh as the vanguard of a new wave of foreign titles it will be publishing in the next several months.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Reviews Old City Blues

Old City Blues is as beautiful as it is confusing. Part of this is due to the setting and genre (cyberpunk), which demands gritty, cartoonish realism. Old City Blues is set in Athens, 2049. Cyborgs are common and hold high positions of authority. The old city was washed away by flooding and the new one is falling apart. Appleseed is the most obvious influence and can be seen in every aspect of the book, but Old City Blues is quite original without being so self-involved that it shuts readers out.

Apparently done completely in ink and toner sans pencils, artist Giannis Milonogiannis' major problem is a lack of solids. The toner use is great, but there are literally no solid blacks or negative space, leaving a jumbled mess of lines, dots, and sound effects the reader is forced to wade through. Only the cars are clean and clean-lined, and they are often marred by action lines.

Milonogiannis is best with non-living objects and plants. He needs work in the anatomy department, though his cartooning is great. Every character's personality is evidenced by one or more physical features - just the way it ought to be - however I was left wondering if Giannis can go deeper. He also likes to use hands to relay story, but his hands are not well-rendered. He does overcome this though, as he uses this technique several times and I followed what he was imparting each time.

The fight scenes are sometimes easy to follow, sometimes a mess. Obviously manga-inspired, the clearest ones are action lines and open spaces; the rest are action lines, scrawl, and sound effects.

Speaking of which, Giannis relies far too heavily on sound effects. They are shakily-rendered and often unnecessary. They should be cleaner and clearer, and incorporated into the scene instead of serving in its stead. Not only do they overwhelm, the sound effects sometimes replace the action they are imparting.

The lettering is also an issue. The only way I can describe it is "frenetic." Although I'm one of the most vocal supporters of hand-lettering, Old City Blues would have benefited from straightforward computer text. Even the balloons look shaky and sketchy. All of this is done to affect the mood, tone, and atmosphere Milonogiannis is going for, but it's overwrought.

All that said, Giannis' work is impressive. The story is great and uses no blurbs; Old City Blues is told entirely through art and dialogue (and sound effects), the way a good comic should be. That isn't easy. Milonogiannis' pacing is his best quality. The story flows well, and keeps the reader's attention all the way through. In fact, I read the entire thing in one sitting.

Do not mistake me, I love Milonogiannis' work, it's just too busy, and the subject matter leaves him little room for much else. Giannis needs more solids and negative space, and fewer lines and hatches. I realize what he is going for here, but it needs to be scaled back a bit; you can do "gritty" without scribbling.

As always, Archaia's presentation is rivaled by none. This is one of the few hardcovers I've seen from them without a dustjacket and it doesn't need one. The choice of yellow for the cover sets the tone of the story before you open the book, and the depressioned art is a stroke of pure genius.

Old City Blues is a collection of the webcomic, which can still be found online and actually looks better there. However, the hardbound is an absolute must-have, and I'm proud to have it in my collection. It's prominently displayed on my bookshelf, where it will be read and re-read by myself and others, probably as we play Cyberpunk. I can't wait to see more of Giannis Milonogiannis' work.

Highly recommended!

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Archaia's Awakening Omnibus

Eisner Award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment will debut its first softcover title, Awakening Omnibus, at Baltimore Comic Con, it was announced today by Archaia Editor-in-Chief, Stephen Christy.

Known for its reputation for publishing beautifully designed, high-quality hardcover graphic novels, Archaia ensures the Awakening Omnibus will be produced under the same high standard of quality in an eye-catching, sturdy and durable softcover volume.

Awakening Omnibus, by writer Nick Tapalansky and artist Alex Eckman-Lawn, tells the story of a small town besieged by a series of bizarre deaths. When the town crazy suggests a zombie outbreak, retired detective Derrick Peters sets out on an investigation that will prove whether this witness is truly insane, or whether reality itself has a taken a bizarre turn into the macabre. The Omnibus collects material previously published in two hardcover volumes.

“The Awakening Omnibus softcover is the perfect way to introduce this title to new readers, especially since copies of the Volume 1 hardcover are no longer available at our distributors,” said Archaia Editor-in-Chief Stephen Christy. “Our intention is to open Archaia to a new market of readers who may have never read one of our books before, and with softcovers, we believe we can entice that group to give us a try.”

The Awakening Omnibus (softcover, full color, 320 pages, $24.95, ISBN-13: 9781936393213) goes on sale Sept. 7^th in comic book shops, but Tapalansky and Eckman-Lawn will debut copies of the book at Baltimore Comic Con on Aug. 20-21^st, held at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Archaia plans to continue offering quality softcover titles in the months to come, including Fraggle Rock Classics Vol. 1, a digest-sized collection of Fraggle Rock comics from the 1980s. Subsequent softcover titles will be announced for release in 2012.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes Coming in July

Archaia Entertainment has set July 25^th for the release of Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes, its first illustrated novel, through its new book trade distributor Publishers Group West (PGW).

Written by celebrated author, artist, and digital producer Andrew E.C. Gaska, and adapted from a story by Gaska, Rich Handley, Christian Berntsen and Erik Matthews, Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes recounts what happened between the scenes of the classic 1968 20^th-Century Fox film, centering on the astronaut John Landon, Chimpanzee scientists Dr. Milo and Dr. Galen, and Gorilla Security Chief Marcus. The book contains 30 full-color paintings and another 19 black-and-white illustrations, including a cover by legendary artist Jim Steranko (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and interior art from some of the top talent in the industry, including renowned book cover painter Ken Kelly (Conan, KISS), Joe Jusko (Savage Sword of Conan, Tarzan), Sanjulian (Eerie, Vampirella), Mark Texeira (Ghost Rider, Wolverine), Leo Leibelman (Heavy Metal), Matt Busch (Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica), Brian Rood (Indiana Jones, Star Wars), Tom Scioli (Godland), David Hueso (G.I. Joe: Storm Shadow), and newcomers Dan Dussault (Critical Millennium) and Dirk Shearer (Mice Templar).

Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes marks an expansion of Archaia's successful collaboration with Gaska, following up on his science fiction comic epic, Critical Millennium: The Dark Frontier, which has received early critical acclaim. Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes also marks Archaia’s first venture into prose books.

The original Planet of the Apes was an immediate pop-culture phenomenon, spawning film and television sequels that spanned decades, including the 2001 remake starring Mark Wahlberg and the latest, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, starring 127 Hours star, James Franco, Harry Potter's Tom Felton, and Immortals' Freida Pinto.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Archaia Titles Coming This Month

Archaia Entertainment, LLC and Publishers Group West ("PGW"), a Perseus Books Group company, has announced that PGW will begin distributing Archaia titles in the US and Canada beginning June 20^th, 2011.

The deal encompasses all of Archaia's backlist titles, which include fan-favorites, Mouse Guard, Return of the Dapper Men, and The Killer, in addition to over 40 frontlist titles for the second half of 2011. Included are two major media tie-in releases: the illustrated prose edition of The Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes in July, and an original graphic novel anthology to Relativity Media's Immortals in September.

PJ Bickett, Archaia's CEO, said, "We are forging powerful partnerships with industry leaders in all aspects of our business, underscoring Archaia’s arrival as a substantial player within the publishing world. PGW will be a key partner in our success, and with their world-class distribution they will allow Archaia to continue to expand our presence across the book trade, as well as in educational, library and international markets."

"Archaia is a publisher to be reckoned with. They are consistently developing some of the most beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written titles across genres," said Kevin Votel, PGW’s Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. "In a short time, they’ve become a leading brand, and we’re thrilled to be working with their list."

© C Harris Lynn, 2011