Comixology Originals is still going. At a NYCC event held at the Amazon offices, Jeff DiBartolomeo, head of Comixology, announced 17 newly acquired projects, the launch of five new creator owned titles, and a new print publishing partner.
The new deals are with writers and artists Serg Acuña, Matthew Arnold, Frank Barbiere, Marc Bernardin, John Broglia, Alex Cormack, Cat Farris, Alti Firmansyah, Veronica Fish, Adam Freeman, Davide Gianfelice, Marc Guggenheim, Kim-Joy, Neil Kleid, Szymon Kurdanski, Lee Loughridge, Vic Malhotra, Chris Matthews, Jason Mazloff, Omar Morales, Mau Mora, Tom Morello, Stephen Rhodes, John Romita, Jr., Gonzalo Ruggieri, Mark Schey, Alex Segura, Scott Snyder, Taki Soma, Jordan Thomas, Steven Thompson, and Harvey Tolibao.
New titles are forthcoming from Noah Bailey, Mike Carey, Whitney Cogar, Michael W. Conrad, Sunando C, Mark Dale, Allie Drake, Valeria Favoccia, Jonathan Hill, Tom Napolitano, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Curt Pires, Pablo Raimondi, MK Reed, Scott and Jack Snyder, and José Villarrubia.
On the print side, in addition to the already announced deal with Ablaze, Comixology also annoucned a new publishing deal with Mad Cave Studios to publish print editions of Beneath, Boxed, Breaklands V2 and V3, Ghostbox, The Ghost of Wreckers Cove, Groupies, Midstate, Nostalgia, and Wag. The release schedule will be announced at a later date.
Is there anyone NOT working with Comixology Originals?
“The Comixology Originals exclusive digital content line plays a key part in our business,” said DiBartolomeo in a statement. “The Comixology Originals program is here to stay. We’ve been busy signing deals for 17 new creator-owned projects with new teams joining the family and some fan favorite creators returning to work with us again. We’re thrilled to help both new faces and industry veterans bring their stories to the public through Comixology Originals. To say we are excited about the future is an understatement.”
Given the size of this expansion, the Beat spoke with DiBartolomeo to find out just what is going on at the line, which has been under the radar since the stand-alone Comixology site was absorbed into Amazon’s Kindle program.
One thing is clear: Amazon seems committed to continuing to put out comics. Besides the titles that are available digitally, Ablaze will put out the 2024 Eisner award-nominated gothic love story Parliament of Rooks, by Abigail Jill Harding and Richard Starkings, as single issues starting this month. In November, Harvey Kurtzman’s Marley’s Ghost, by co-writer Josh O’Neill and artist Gideon Kendall, will be released in time for the holidays from Ablaze. Grammaton Punch by Miles Gunter and Briane Andan will be out next year.
The next wave of Comixology Originals digital releases announced today include:
- Ghostbox—Ghostbox #1 (of 5) debuts October 29, 2024
Ghostbox is a fantasy/horror story by acclaimed writer Mike Carey (Lucifer, The Girl With All The Gifts) and artist/letterer Pablo Raimondi (Sacred Creatures, Books of Doom), with colors byJosé Villarrubia launching just in time for Halloween! When sisters Chloe and Jan Peace unexpectedly inherit a mysterious carved wooden box, they discover that it’s inhabited by ghosts – and sought after by a race of shape-shifting monsters.
- Stillman—Stillman #1 (of 5) debuts December 10, 2024
Writer Curt Pires (Endless, Money) and a rotating list of artists including Sunando C along with colorist Mark Dale and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou tackle a new crime thriller. Peter Stillman leads a double life. By day he is a successful family man with a loving wife and two beautiful children trying to carve out his own little slice of the American dream. By night–his real life–as a violent hitman with deep ties to organized crime.
- Budding Crisis–Budding Crisis #1 (of 5) debuts January 21, 2025.
Written by MK Reed (Americus, Science Comics: Dinosaurs, Delver) with art and letters by Jonathan Hill (Americus, Lizard Boy 2) and colors by Allie Drake, Budding Crisis is a new fantasy series about the disappearance of the world’s most precious magical resource, a plant whose seed has the power to grant wishes. With the Onomanthe plant extinct in the wild and the last cultivated strain dying out, what will the population do?
- By A Thread Book 2—By A Thread #5 (of 4) debuts Spring 2025
Reuniting the father-and-son team of Scott & Jack Snyder with artists Valeria Favoccia and Whitney Cogar and letterer Tom Napolitano, the world of By A Thread expands with an all-new story arc! Charlie and our young heroes have defied the odds by traversing the deadly Shroud in search of a safe haven. With foes more powerful than ever before on their trail, will they even make it onto land?
- The 99 Legs–The 99 Legs (ogn) debuts Spring 2025
Writer Michael W. Conrad (Neptune, Nightwing) and acclaimed artist Noah Bailey(Diabolical, Station Grand) reunite for the horror suspense original graphic novel The 99 Legs. The 99 Legs follows a down on his luck crime writer who discovers a string of murders in his area that seem to align with his newest unpublished manuscript. Terrified by this turn of events, the writer contacts his agent to halt the manuscript’s delivery to publishers, fearing that it will implicate him in the crimes. What follows is a blood spattered, spiraling nightmare, as the mystery of the killer’s identity unfolds.
In remarks at the event, DiBartolomeo noted that Comixology continues to see growth with “Wednesday continues to be our biggest day of the week.” In addition, nearly a third of Comixology customers purchased their first comic, graphic novel or manga from the platform in the last year.”
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