MattBrady
03-12-2003, 10:48 AM
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/AP_Comics/darkham_cover_issue_1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/AP_Comics/darkham_cover_issue_1_t.jpg" width="195" height="295" border="0" alt="Darkham Vale #1" align="right"></a>With its Monster Club chugging along, AP Comics has announced that they will release two new titles in 2003: Darkham Vale and Assassin School. The publisher has provided Newsarama with a metric ton of preview art from both, as well as Monster Club. A ton. Really.
Seriously – click <a href="http://www.newsarama.com/AP_new.htm" target="_blank"> here</a> for a six-page preview of each, as well as a Monster Club cover gallery.
First off, Darkham Vale, created, written, illustrated, and colored by Jack Lawrence is a ten-issue maxi series slated for a debut at this year’s Comics 2003 Festival in Bristol, where AP will offer a first look preview edition of the series, and Lawrence will be appearing. The preview can also be found in Monster Club #4, which ships this month. The firs issue will ship in July.
“Jack’s art is some of the best I’ve seen come out of the UK for quite a while”, said Richard Emms, director of AP Comics. “He has the ability to work for any of the big name publishers – lucky we found him first! Mix the talents of Don Bluth and Mike Wieringo and you have Jack’s style. Fans of books such as Bone, Tellos and other titles will warm to Jack’s great storytelling abilities.”
Darkham Vale ships with a card stock cover, monthly, and is priced at $3.50.
The second of AP Comics’ titles is Assassin School, and was created in-house – written by creator Phil Littler, with art by Edu (<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=00003 8" target="_blank"> Legacy</a>, Victory) Francisco. The title is slated to debut the same month as Darkham Vale, and will run either three or six issues, depending on AP’s other commitments as well as sales.
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/AP_Comics/ASS_cover1_ink.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/AP_Comics/ASS_cover1_ink_t.jpg" width="195" height="295" border="0" alt="inked cover to Assassin School #1" align="left"></a> “We’ve been looking for a suitable artist for Assassin School for quite a while now”, Emms said. “Edu did a Monster Club backup story for us in issue #2 – and the response we received from fans and retailers was truly phenomenal. So we had to hire him.
“Assassin School will appeal to fans who like the Danger Girl style genre. In fact, mix the girls of St. Trinians and Marvel’s Elektra – and you have Assassin School”.
Assassin School is priced at $3.50.
Last but not least, Monster Club continues apace, with issue #4 due this month. According to Emms, while initial orders are in line with expectations given the market, AP has seen significant action on the series in the reorder market. The series has also achieved popularity though Borders stores in the UK.
Finally, Emms added that AP will be distributing 10,000 free, 16-page preview copies of Assassin School and Darkham Vale through Cold Cut, Bulldog, and Diamond shortly, allowing retailers to see and sample the new series before they ship.
Seriously – click <a href="http://www.newsarama.com/AP_new.htm" target="_blank"> here</a> for a six-page preview of each, as well as a Monster Club cover gallery.
First off, Darkham Vale, created, written, illustrated, and colored by Jack Lawrence is a ten-issue maxi series slated for a debut at this year’s Comics 2003 Festival in Bristol, where AP will offer a first look preview edition of the series, and Lawrence will be appearing. The preview can also be found in Monster Club #4, which ships this month. The firs issue will ship in July.
“Jack’s art is some of the best I’ve seen come out of the UK for quite a while”, said Richard Emms, director of AP Comics. “He has the ability to work for any of the big name publishers – lucky we found him first! Mix the talents of Don Bluth and Mike Wieringo and you have Jack’s style. Fans of books such as Bone, Tellos and other titles will warm to Jack’s great storytelling abilities.”
Darkham Vale ships with a card stock cover, monthly, and is priced at $3.50.
The second of AP Comics’ titles is Assassin School, and was created in-house – written by creator Phil Littler, with art by Edu (<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=00003 8" target="_blank"> Legacy</a>, Victory) Francisco. The title is slated to debut the same month as Darkham Vale, and will run either three or six issues, depending on AP’s other commitments as well as sales.
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/AP_Comics/ASS_cover1_ink.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/AP_Comics/ASS_cover1_ink_t.jpg" width="195" height="295" border="0" alt="inked cover to Assassin School #1" align="left"></a> “We’ve been looking for a suitable artist for Assassin School for quite a while now”, Emms said. “Edu did a Monster Club backup story for us in issue #2 – and the response we received from fans and retailers was truly phenomenal. So we had to hire him.
“Assassin School will appeal to fans who like the Danger Girl style genre. In fact, mix the girls of St. Trinians and Marvel’s Elektra – and you have Assassin School”.
Assassin School is priced at $3.50.
Last but not least, Monster Club continues apace, with issue #4 due this month. According to Emms, while initial orders are in line with expectations given the market, AP has seen significant action on the series in the reorder market. The series has also achieved popularity though Borders stores in the UK.
Finally, Emms added that AP will be distributing 10,000 free, 16-page preview copies of Assassin School and Darkham Vale through Cold Cut, Bulldog, and Diamond shortly, allowing retailers to see and sample the new series before they ship.