Archaia to Publish "Planet of the Apes" Novel

Archaia Entertainment Targets a July Launch for Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes

Features 30 Full-Color Illustrations From The Industry’s Most Acclaimed Artists

CHICAGO (May 23, 2011) – Archaia Entertainment has set July 25th 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 Twentieth 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.

“It means a lot to have this project be set for release and we cannot think of a better partner to have than Archaia with their outstanding production value,” said Gaska. “It’s been a great working partnership with 20th Century Fox and an honor to contribute to this legendary franchise.”

Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes also marks Archaia’s first venture into prose books.

“We’re very excited about our first foray into prose fiction publishing, particularly being able to work with a brilliant creative talent in Drew Gaska and a storied franchise like Planet of the Apes. I’m a huge fan of the original film and Conspiracy is a great example of an author playing successfully in an established narrative canon. We are very excited to introduce this extraordinary science fiction release across the book trade and genre markets and look forward to Conspiracy emerging as one of the year’s most talked-about titles,” said Mark Smylie, CCO of Archaia.

The original Planet of the Apes was an immediate pop-culture phenomenon, spanning decades with several film and television sequels, 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.


About Archaia Entertainment
Archaia is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 50 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Return of the Dapper Men, Gunnerkrigg Court, Awakening, The Killer, Days Missing, Tumor, Syndrome, Artesia, Engineer, and an entire line of The Jim Henson Company graphic novels. Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for producing meaningful content that perpetually transforms minds, building one of the industry’s most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels. Archaia was named Graphic Novel Publisher of the Year according to Ain’t it Cool News, Graphic Policy, and Comic Related, and was honored with nine 2011 Eisner Awards nominations. Archaia has also successfully emerged as a prolific storyteller in all facets of the entertainment industry, extending their popular brands into film, television, gaming, and branded digital media.

About Drew Gaska
For the past decade, Gaska has served as a freelance consultant for Rockstar Games on such hit titles as Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, the Midnight Club series, and all other major releases. He is the founder and creative director of BLAM! Ventures, a guerrilla design studio that produces print and digital media for the comic book and science fiction industry. Gaska is currently writing and directing a Space: 1999 revival graphic novel and digital media series - continuing the legacy the show started thirty five years ago - as well as working on various new graphic novel projects.

About Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising
A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.

The Return of Bagge and Hernandez's YEAH!

YEAH! #1
HOMAGE COMICS/DC COMICS

WRITER: Peter Bagge
ARTIST: Gilbert Hernandez
LETTERS: Rick Parker
COLORS: Joanne Bagge
32pp, Color, $2.95 U.S., $4.50 CAN

Yeah! was an all-ages comic book co-created by two legends of alternative comics, Peter Bagge (Hate) and Gilbert Hernandez (Love and Rockets). Written by Bagge and drawn by Hernandez, Yeah! ran for nine issues from late 1999 to 2000 and was published by Homage Comics, a DC Comics imprint via Wildstorm Productions.

Fantagraphics Books has reprinted the series in a black and white trade paperback (Yeah!; 224-page black & white 7" x 10.25" softcover • $19.99; ISBN: 978-1-60699-412-2). The book is scheduled to be available to comic book shops and bookstores this week, as well as being available through www.fantagraphics.com.

Yeah! was a girl-centered comic book and was probably meant to appeal to girls. Still, fans of Bagge and Hernandez, regardless of gender, probably liked it. I was a fan of both men, and I liked Yeah! a lot.

Yeah! was like a comic book version of two early 1970s Hanna-Barbera Productions, Josie and the Pussycats and its follow-up, Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space. These Saturday morning animated series were based on the long-running, Archie Comics title, Josie and the Pussycats (initially known as She’s Josie and later as Josie). Gilbert Hernandez’s art for Yeah! does have some similarities to the work of the late Dan DeCarlo, the creator of Josie and whose work has reportedly had a strong influence on Hernandez.

Yeah! is about an all-girl band called Yeah! Krazy, a lanky blonde, is the lead guitarist. Thick, curvy Woo-Woo is the keyboardist and a practical type. With her thick braids, Honey is Yeah!’s brown sugar and drummer. Believe it or not, Yeah! is the most popular band in the universe, and as the series begins, they are wrapping up their 50-planet intergalactic tour.

Now, the girls are ready to conquer Earth, where they are simply nobodies. Their manager, a skid-row bum type named Crusty, isn’t doing anything to help them become rich and famous rock stars. The trio turns to an industry power player and all-around shady guy named Mongrel Mogul. Surprisingly, Mongrel is ready to make the girls stars, but the cost may be too high. Well, at least most of the group seems to think so.

There were many things that I liked about Yeah! For me, it helped that this comic book was created by two of my all-time favorite cartoonists, Peter Bagge and Gilbert Hernandez, who are also two the most acclaimed comics creators of the last 30 years. What I liked most was that Bagge and Hernandez somehow mixed the playfully screwy nature of the Saturday morning cartoons that appeared on ABC, CBS, and NBC in the 1960s and 1970s with the Underground Comix sensibilities of the alternative comix and independent comics of the 1980s. Like Saturday morning cartoons, Yeah! was about a kind of science fiction that embraced weirdo aliens rather than science fact. From alt-comix came characters that were outcasts, lived on the margins of society, or had outsider personalities. Instead of being offensive and edgy, this unusual comic book series was imaginative and inventive. That it was approved by the comics industry watchdog group, the Comics Code Authority, testifies that this is an all-ages comic book.

Well, it was an all-ages gem, and I’m glad that its back, even in reprint form as a trade paperback. I still hold onto the fantasy that someday, Yeah! will return with new stories.


Yeah!

Kekkaishi 1-2-3

I read Kekkaishi (3-in-1 Edition) Volume 1.

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).

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