Archaia Studios Press is on the move. They have recently announced several major partnership deals to publish comic and graphic novel adaptations of other properties, as well as co-creating new titles. A few weeks ago, it was Roddenberry Productions for a non-Star Trek sf graphic novel. Now they’ve announced a partnership with The Jim Henson Company.
The new deal with Henson will see ASP publishing comic books and graphic novels based on extant Henson titles, as well as new co-branded original properties. The multi-year partnership “will draw from The Jim Henson Company’s extensive film and television library, including Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Mirrormask, The Storyteller, and other titles. The agreement also allows The Jim Henson Company and Archaia to partner with talent in the comic book, television, and film industries to create brand-new stories under a co-branded banner, building on the legacy of quality and creativity of The Jim Henson Company brand and strengthening Archaia’s relationships within the entertainment sector.”
Speaking for Henson, Joe LeFavi (Director of Publishing and Development) said “Some of the best storytellers in the world are flocking to comic books and graphic novels, making them the foremost platform for innovative and imaginative storytelling. Archaia has always epitomized artistic integrity, and their passion and support for our brands ensure that fans will receive the very best from the properties they know and love as well as from the new stories we will tell.”
ASP’s Director of Development Stephen Christy emphasized that this “is not just a licensing deal, but a partnership in every sense of the word. To work with the entire Jim Henson Company and with new talent to create the next generation of Jim Henson Company fan favorites is an unprecedented opportunity, and a dream come true for all of us at Archaia. Creating comics that become a part of the incredibly rich Jim Henson Company legacy is an exciting challenge, and I think fans will share our excitement when they see the talent we’re bringing in to help make these comics a reality.”
Christy continued to Publishers Weekly: “The movies and TV shows themselves are so iconic that it wouldn’t be worth it to just adapt them. What we’re actually doing is a lot more exciting, creating new stories set within the worlds established by the films and expanding on the original stories and universes in a way that fans of the original films will hopefully love.”
LeFavi also remarked that, while Henson comics currently include Boom! Studios’ Farscape series and two with Tokyopop (Legends of The Dark Crystal: The Garthim Wars and Return to Labyrinth), “we will continue to explore and expand Henson Classics such as The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth with our partners at Archaia.” But, he continued, the new deal is just as “focused on launching original stories, introducing worlds that have never been seen before in print. The opportunity to create whole new universes in the style our company is known for, regardless of the budget and logistical restrictions that can come with film and TV, is incredibly exciting.”
Mark Smylie founded ASP in 2002 as a home for his epic fantasy comic book, Artesia (first published by Sirius Entertainment). Smylie and publishing partner Aki Liao have expanded ASP to include a line of idiosyncratic and creator-driven comic books and graphic novels in the fantasy, science fiction, and horror genres, as well as translations of several of Europe’s best titles. In May 2008, the company announced it was restructuring, and expected publishing delays, but a few months later, Chicago-based media and interactive entertainment firm Kunoichi acquired ASP, putting the company on a more comfortable financial footing, and setting the stage for the new partnership deals. Meanwhile, ASP continues publishing its own iconic works: Artesia: Besieged #3, The Killer #9, and Robotika DSI #1-2 will be released on 22 July.