AHOY Comics Delays the Release of Two Comics & Temporarily Lowers Prices on Select Digital Trade Paperbacks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

AHOY Comics Delays the Release of Two Comics

and Temporarily Lowers Prices on Select Digital Trade Paperbacks

(March 23, 2020) Today AHOY Comics announced that they would delay the publication of two of their upcoming titles in light of the global pandemic affecting businesses worldwide. The debut issue of ASH & THORN, a story about a septuagenarian who becomes the reluctant savior of the world, will be delayed from 4/1 until 4/29. In addition, the release of BILLIONAIRE ISLAND #2, the second issue in the darkly satirical series about billionaires escaping to a floating island, will be delayed from 4/8 to 4/15.

“This is the first time in AHOY’s history that a title has been delayed,” said Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer, “and obviously we’re disappointed that our readers will have to wait a little longer to see old ladies kicking apocalyptic ass and billionaires getting their much-deserved comeuppance— but these are unusual times. We’re facing some rocky seas as a community right now, but  we’ll get through this storm together!”

“To be clear, AHOY is not suspending operations,” said freelance Ops Director Stuart Moore. “We’re delaying the launch of ASH & THORN in order to give this unique new title a chance to find its audience, and we’re moving BILLIONAIRE ISLAND #2 in order to space out our new releases better. We recognize that some retailers want new product, while others are asking for a slowdown of shipments. That’s the needle we’ll be threading in the weeks to come.”

Kit Caoagas, AHOY’s Marketing Associate, added that "our thoughts are with our retail partners, comic shops, and bookstores as well as our readers during this difficult and strange time. We would especially love to hear from retailers to see what more we can do to support them as we all adapt to this seismic shift in the market and our lives. We'll be working closely with Diamond in the weeks ahead.”

“We know that fans will have a lot of questions about what this means moving forward,” said AHOY Comics Publisher Hart Seely. “Like the rest of you, we’re still working on figuring out what the future looks like. But we also know that we’ll all need art and stories and humor now more than ever, so we’re doing our very best to steer this ship through the stormy waters and make sure our readers can continue to expect more from us. After all, those hell-demons and greedy cartoon billionaires aren’t going to kick their own asses!”

AHOY Comics also announced today that, effective immediately and for a limited time, all of the company’s trade paperback collections, with the exception of SECOND COMING, will be made available on comiXology for $9.99. 

AHOY recently joined the comiXology Unlimited, where for just $5.99 a month with a 60-day free trial at comiXology.com/unlimited, subscribers can read favorite titles like WRONG EARTH, CAPTAIN GINGER, HIGH HEAVEN, SNIFTER OF TERROR, PLANET OF THE NERDS, BRONZE AGE BOOGIE, and HASHTAG: DANGER. 

“Quarantine reading has never looked better,” said Peyer, adding: “Oh, God. It’s only been a week and I’ve forgotten how to talk to people.”

AHOY Comics is led by Publisher Hart Seely, an award-winning reporter whose humor and satire has appeared in The New York Times and on National Public Radio; editor-in-chief Tom Peyer, a veteran of DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint; Stuart Moore, who handles something called "Ops"; and Chief Creative Officer Frank Cammuso. Since its debut in September of 2018, AHOY Comics has pledged for readers to “expect more” from its line of comic book magazines and graphic novels with full length comic book stories, accompanied by “extras” including short prose fiction, the occasional recipes, and even a crossword puzzle. 

For more updates on AHOY Comics, visit them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Comic Con Revolution 2020: COVID-19 Update: CCR Dates Moved to August 8 & 9, 2020

 

To our CCR family, friends and supporters,

As many of you suspect, our team spends the better part of a year producing the best possible Comic Con Revolution experience for you.  As the previous year’s doors close the work begins for the following year.  All of that effort is focused on not only guests and events but the safety, security and health of all of those who attend including our attendees, exhibitors, guests and staff.

We have been continuously monitoring the unfolding COVID-19 situation closely.  We are in regular contact with the Ontario Convention Center as well as the local and state government to have as much information as possible over the coming weeks.   Our hope is that things will begin to return to normal and the public health emergency will abate soon.  That said, based on the CDC recommendations and government mandates, we have postponed the date of Comic Con Revolution to August 8 & 9, 2020.

Attendees who have already purchased tickets can choose to either use them at the upcoming August dates or roll them over to our 2021 dates.  All ticket holders will be contacted soon with information on how to make their choice.  If you have purchased photo ops or luncheons you will be contacted directly in the coming weeks.

Exhibitors will be able to roll over their exhibit space purchases to the new August dates or to our May 2021 dates.  All exhibitors will be contacted in the coming weeks with details on how to make their choice.  If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact James Ross at james@atomiccrushevents.com.

Our greatest concern and hope is that those affected by COVID-19 and the fallout from this health crisis recover quickly.  Please stay safe, follow the outlined health guidelines and be excellent to each other because together we will persevere.

The breathtaking, genre-bending POEMS TO SEE BY: A COMIC ARTIST INTERPRETS GREAT POETRY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Plough Publishing Press to Release 

POEMS TO SEE BY: A COMIC ARTIST INTERPRETS GREAT POETRY 

Timed to National Poetry Month

Timed to National Poetry Month in April, Plough Publishing Press will release POEMS TO SEE BY: A COMIC ARTIST INTERPRETS GREAT POETRY, an all new anthology by cartoonist Julian Peters. Over the course of 24 classic poems — from Maya Angelou’s “Caged Bird” to W. B. Yeats’ “When You Are Old” — the Montreal-based artist has created stunning visual interpretations of some of the world’s most beloved poems. Each iconic poem is interpreted for the page using a different and compelling visual style, showcasing both the diversity of the source material and the storytelling possibilities of the comics artform. 

“Poetry and comics may seem like an unlikely combination, but the two art forms actually share a number of common elements,” writes Julian Peters in the book’s preface. “In setting out to turn beautiful poetry into comics, I wanted to pay tribute to the way these poems made me feel, to spend time with them, to pull them in as close to me as possible in the way that, as someone who draws comics, felt the most natural.”

POEMS TO SEE BY: A COMIC ARTIST INTERPRETS GREAT POETRY features poems by Maya Angelou, W. H. Auden, Elizabeth Bishop, e. e. cummings, Emily Dickinson, Tess Gallagher, Thomas Hardy, Robert Hayden, Seamus Heaney, William Ernest Henley, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Langston Hughes, John Philip Johnson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Edgar Allen Poe, Christina Rossetti, Carl Sandburg, Siegfried Sassoon, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Stevie Smith, Dylan Thomas, William Wordsworth, and W. B. Yeats. 

POEMS TO SEE BY is a perfect fit not only for die-hard poetry fans and curious new readers—it’s also a fantastic teaching tool that any educator trying to get their students excited by poetry should pick up for their classroom. “In the years since I began creating such works, I have often been contacted by teachers who tell me they are using them in their poetry classes,” says Peters. “I’m delighted to think that one of my comics may have helped students to better understand a poem, or perhaps clarify their own interpretation of a poem, even if it differs significantly from my own, which is obviously only one of thousands.”

With the surge in popularity of writer Rupi Kaur, poetry is having something of a moment, providing an opening for readers who might otherwise be turned off by their memories of rote scansion and rhyme schemes to discover (and rediscover) just how beautiful, playful, and deeply human poetry can really be. POEMS TO SEE BY harnesses the power of lush visuals, timeless poetry, and the magical alchemy that arises when words and pictures come together to create a reading experience that’s truly unique—one which might even change the way you see poetry for good.

POEMS TO SEE BY: A COMIC ARTIST INTERPRETS GREAT POETRY will be in bookstores on March 31, 2020. It’s a perfect book for poetry lovers, reluctant readers, and everyone in between.

Legendary HELLBOY Creator Mike Mignola & Acclaimed Novelist Christopher Golden Introduce LADY BALTIMORE from Dark Horse Comics in 2020

Legendary HELLBOY Creator Mike Mignola and Acclaimed Novelist Christopher Golden 

Introduce LADY BALTIMORE from Dark Horse Comics in 2020

Featuring Stellar Art by Bridgit Connell and colors by Michelle Madsen, 

With Covers by Hugo Award-winning illustrator Abigail Larson

(March 13, 2020) This summer Mike Mignola, the legendary creator of HELLBOY, and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling novelist Christopher Golden will reunite for an all-new series, LADY BALTIMORE. The five-part comic-book series from Dark Horse Comics is co-written by Mignola and Golden, with art by Bridgit Connell, colors by Michelle Madsen, and stunning covers by Hugo Award-winning illustrator Abigail Larson. 

“It starts with a bloody trap and rumors of Baltimore’s ghost,” said acclaimed co-writer and novelist Christopher Golden. “And things only get bloodier and weirder from there.” 

Her name was Sofia Valk. Once she lived in an Estonian village, before the evil came. But when Europe erupted with the early battles of World War II, it was time for Sofia Valk to embrace her destiny as Lady Baltimore.  

“LADY BALTIMORE is the start of something big and unexpected,” said Golden. “The series springs from the pages of the BALTIMORE comics and novel, but it has a different sensibility and a dynamic new lead protagonist. It’s perfect for new readers, who can start with issue 1 and not miss a beat, while longtime fans will be thrilled to see how the BALTIMORE mythos evolves, as some familiar faces encounter brand new characters and fresh terrors.”

LADY BALTIMORE takes place 13 years after the events of BALTIMORE, THE RED KINGDOM, the final Baltimore series in which the Red King amassed power on his way to the Vatican coronation while his armies swept across Europe in an unholy war. 

“I love the story and the hero that is Lady Baltimore. On the surface, she's this kick-ass heroine who gets the job done, but underneath it all is the turmoil revolving around learning how to carry the weight and legacy of her new title,” said artist Bridgit Connell, who is collaborating with Mignola and Golden for the first time. “And as an artist, it's a ton of fun for me to help create all these unique covens of evil witches and cool new monsters (like those creeptastic harpies) that'll be causing serious chaos throughout the series.”

“There are witches and Nazis and vampires, all kinds of crazy monster action—What more can you want from a comic?” asked Mike Mignola. “Oh, and there’s art by Bridgit Connell, who is great. I had the pleasure of going back and forth with her on some of the creature designs and it was a real pleasure. So happy to have her on board for this.”

In time, Sofia Valk became Lord Baltimore’s most trusted ally, but without him she must take on the fight herself. Can she fight monsters without becoming a monster herself? 

“LADY BALTIMORE is just the beginning of a large, sweeping story,” said Golden. “We’re weaving a crazy dark tapestry of horrors in this book, telling intimate stories in the midst of broad scope action. We’re all having a blast. It’s the perfect time for readers to discover this universe.”

The first issue of LADY BALTIMORE goes on sale from Dark Horse Comics on June 10, 2020.

About BALTIMORE and LADY BALTIMORE: 

After a devastating plague ends World War I, Europe is suddenly flooded with vampires. Lord Henry Baltimore, a soldier determined to wipe out the monsters, fights his way through bloody battlefields, ruined plague ships, exploding zeppelins, and submarine graveyards on the hunt for the creature who’s become his obsession.

About Dark Horse:

Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics is an excellent example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and transform a company with humble beginnings into an industry giant. Under a new partnership with Vanguard Visionary Associates, Dark Horse is positioned to further expand its reach globally with publishing, products, and filmed entertainment. Over the years, Dark Horse has published the work of creative legends such as Yoshitaka Amano, Margaret Atwood, Paul Chadwick, Geof Darrow, Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons, Faith Erin Hicks, Kazuo Koike, Matt Kindt, Jeff Lemire, Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, Moebius, Chuck Palahniuk, Wendy Pini, and Gerard Way. In addition, Dark Horse has a long tradition of establishing exciting new creative talent throughout all of its divisions. The company has also set the industry standard for quality licensed comics, graphic novels, collectibles, and art books, including Aliens, Stranger Things, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Predator, Minecraft, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Dragon Age, James Cameron’s Avatar, Game of Thrones, Mass Effect, StarCraft, The Witcher, and Halo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

NICNEVIN AND THE BLOODY QUEEN, a Haunting Coming-of-Age Horror Story For Our Times

For Review & Feature Consideration: NICNEVIN AND THE BLOODY QUEEN, a Haunting Coming-of-Age Horror Story For Our Times

(March 5, 2020) Something strange has been unleashed in the North of England. A modern-day druid has been committing a series of ghastly murders in an attempt to unleash the awesome power of the ancient gods of Great Britain. But all hell really breaks loose when his latest would-be victim, rebellious teen Nicnevin “Nissy” Oswald, turns out to be more than she seems. In NICNEVIN AND THE BLOODY QUEEN, debut graphic novel writer Helen Mullane, acclaimed artists Dom Reardon and Matthew Dow Smith, and celebrated colorist Lee Loughridge have created a haunting and unsettling coming-of-age horror story for our times. 

The original graphic novel has already received accolades from some of the biggest names in horror:

“[An] honestly chilling, surprising, human and brilliantly structured murder mystery in the unknown heart of Britain.”— Warren Ellis (Castlevania) 

“Darkly magical and strange, NICNEVIN AND THE BLOODY QUEEN explores British landscape and myth in the style of folk horror film and TV from the 1960s and ’70s but with a contemporary edge.”— Kim Newman (Anno Dracula)

Humanoids, the publisher of some of the world’s most iconic and groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy graphic novels, will publish NICNEVIN AND THE BLOODY QUEEN on March 10, 2020. The book features a stunning cover by Jock, the co-creator of Wytches and one of the modern masters of comic book suspense. 

This original graphic novel marks the literary debut of writer Helen Mullane, who collaborates with artists Dom Reardon and Matthew Dow Smith, and colorist Lee Loughridge for a different kind of horror and a different kind of heroine. In the story, London teen “Nissy” Oswald is stuck in the countryside for the entire summer with only her mother and little brother for company, but things start to look up when she meets Reggie, an attractive and mysterious older man to whom she feels inexorably drawn. As Nissy divides her time between feuding with her mother and lusting for Reggie, the small town is rocked by a grisly murder and everything changes. “I wanted to channel the feelings and attitudes that I remember so clearly from my own teenage years, the experiences of me and my friends,” said Mullane. “We weren’t wholesome or chaste, or bothered about saving the day--we weren’t the Famous Five or the Teen Titans! We just wanted to hang around, maybe get a bit wasted, get crushes on whoever was around… I feel like that sort of teen experience is rarely explored in mainstream comics.” 

NICNEVIN AND THE BLOODY QUEEN is ripe with black magic, myth, and murder. The book comes alive with its honest depiction of family dysfunction and moments of quiet despair. It’s a spellbinding story, the kind that recalls the best horror stories of the past, while daring to unearth something entirely new.   

For more updates, follow Humanoids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

For additional information and interview requests, contact:

David Hyde, Superfan Promotions LLC

917-803-6684; david.hyde@superfanpromotions.com

ABOUT THE WRITER

Helen Mullane began her career in film distribution, managing the release of major films for the likes of Studio Canal and EOne. Later she produced the feature documentary FUTURESHOCK! THE STORY OF 2000AD and various shorts such as the multi-award-winning NASTY. Helen currently resides in northern Sweden where she lives with 80 huskies, balancing her time between writing and dog mushing.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Dom Reardon is an illustrator from the U.K. He is best known for his work in the anthology comic 2000 AD where he co-created the series Caballitics Inc. with writer Gordon Rennie and The Grievous Journey of Ichabod Azrael with writer Rob Williams. He has also worked for Dark Horse, Walker Books and Wizards of the Coast among others.

Matthew Dow Smith is a writer and comic book artist who has worked for nearly every major American comic book publisher. His art has appeared in Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, Dark Horse Comics’s Bad Luck Chuck, Aftershock’s Dead Kings, DC’s Suicide Squad: Hell to Play, and many others. He is also the writer/artist of the upcoming The October Girl graphic novel series.

ABOUT HUMANOIDS: 

Based in Hollywood, California, with branches in Paris, London, and Tokyo, HUMANOIDS was co-founded 46 years ago in Paris, France, by legendary creator Mœbius, and has published thousands of titles since, including international bestsellers and iconic series such as The Incal and The Metabarons.