Boom! Studios
For other use of the term, see
BoomBOOM! Studios is an American comic book company headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States.[1] The "BOOM!" in BOOM! Studios is always capitalized by the company.
History
BOOM! was founded June 22, 2005 with Zombie Tales #1.
BOOM! Studios was founded in 2005 by Ross Richie and Andrew Cosby. The studio specializes in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry's best known writers, including Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, The Henson Company's Farscape, and the original Mark Waid series Irredeemable. BOOM! recently launched its youth imprint, BOOM Kids!, with Pixar's The Incredibles, Cars, and Toy Story, as well as Disney's The Muppets, Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge and Walt Disney's Comics and Stories. The year 2010 sees BOOM! Studios celebrates its fifth anniversary.[2]
Prior to BOOM!, Richie and Cosby worked at Malibu Comics from 1993 to 1995. The duo left the comic book business to pursue careers in feature films and were involved producing the feature film adaptation of Mage by legendary comic book creator Matt Wagner with Spyglass Entertainment,[3] and had various projects with Mike Medavoy (Phoenix Pictures),[4] Mark Canton (The Canton Company), Akiva Goldsman, and Casey Silver.[5] Working with Dark Horse Comics, the duo set up "Damn Nation" at MTV Films/Paramount Pictures,[6] a comic book Cosby created with the partnership attached to produce.[7]
Immediately prior to BOOM!, Richie worked with Dave Elliott and Garry Leach to re-launch Atomeka Press in 2004.[8] Andrew Cosby is the co-creator of the Sci-Fi Channel TV show Eureka.[9]
At the 2007 San Diego Comic Con, BOOM! announced plans to launch a new all ages imprint producing comics for children, originally announced with the name "ZOOM!", but when the imprint launched in 2009, the imprint debuted as "BOOM Kids!".[10] Also announced during the 2007 San Diego Comic Con was the appointment of Mark Waid as Editor-in-Chief.[11][12] After three years in the position, right before the 2010 San Diego Comic Con it was announced that Waid had been promoted to Chief Creative Officer, with former Managing Editor Matt Gagnon now taking the reins as Editor-in-Chief of BOOM! Studios.[13]
On January 3, 2008, BOOM! became the first comic book company to offer a digital download of a comic book on the day and date of its release, partnering with MySpace.[14] As a result, the first issue sold out[15] and went to second printing. Sales on issues four and five increased.
One year later, on January 6, 2009, BOOM! teamed with MySpace.com again to offer a free digital day-and-date release for HEXED along with the "5 for 500" program, sending five copies at no cost to the top 500 retailers in the Direct Market.[16]
BOOM! have also signed a deal with Disney/Pixar to produce comic books based on their properties,[17][18] titles which secured newsstand distribution.[19][20] The first included The Muppet Show by Roger Langridge[21][22] and The Incredibles: Family Matters by Mark Waid and artist Marcio Takara.[23][24]
On March 4, 2009 BOOM! Studios announced Mark Sable's latest series Unthinkable.[25] To promote the launch of the book, BOOM! created an Altered Reality Game (also known as an Alternate Reality Game or ARG) to be played during the time pre-orders are due.
The company has been very active by participating in various events, including the L.A. Times Festival of Books, Heroes Con, San Diego Comic Con, Toronto Fan Expo, D23 Disney Convention, and Baltimore Comic Con.[26] At the 2009 Festival of Books, writer Kim Krizan along with Chip Mosher, Michael Alan Nelson, Gary Philips and Mark Waid participated in "Big! Bold! BOOM!: BOOM! Studios Talks Comics," discussion, which was moderated by Los Angeles Times writer Geoff Boucher.
The publisher launched another imprint in early 2010 called Boom! Town, which would be working with people like Denis Kitchen and Shannon Wheeler and focusing on "literary comics."[27]
Awards
The company was named Wizard Magazine's Best New Publisher of 2005, four months after their first book was published.[28]
BOOM! was awarded "Best Publisher" in 2010 for 2009 by Diamond Comic Distributors in an award voted on by Direct Market retailers.[29]
In 2010, BOOM! was nominated for 7 Eisner Awards[30] and 5 Harvey Awards.[31] I "The Muppet Show Comic Book" won Roger Langridge a Harvey for "Best Original Graphic Publication for Younger Readers."[32] that year.
In 2011, Shannon Wheeler's I Thought You Would be Funnier was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Humor Publication[33]. The first book by BOOM! Studios' alt-lit imprint BOOM! Town, Wheeler's I Thought You Would Be Funnier took home the Eisner Award and was accepted by author Shannon Wheeler and BOOM! Studios Marketing Director Chip Mosher, who edited the volume.
Titles
Original titles and spin-offs
- The Anchor (by Phil Hester, with art by Brian Churilla)[34]
- 2 Guns - Undercover cops end up on the same case, unbeknownst to each other
- Challenger Deep (concept by Andrew Cosby, written by Andy Schmidt with art by Chee, 4-issue mini-series)[35]
- Cold Space (co-written by Samuel L. Jackson, Eric Calderon and Jeremy Rock, with art by Dave Johnson)
- Cover Girl (co-written by Andrew Cosby) - A Hollywood action star finds himself at the mercy of a female bodyguard
- Cthulhu Tales (written by Steve Niles, with art by Chee) - An ongoing series springing from the one-shot.[36]
- Dead Run (by Andrew Cosby/Michael Alan Nelson and artist Francesco Biagini)[37][38]
- Dracula: The Company of Monsters (by Kurt Busiek/Daryl Gregory and artist Scott Godlewski)
- Enigma Cipher - DaVinci Code-style mystery
- Fall of Cthulhu - (written by Michael Alan Nelson, with art by Jean-Jacques Dzialowski (volume 1), Greg Scott (volume 2) and Mat Santolouco (volume 3)) - Nyarlathotep plots Cthulhu's downfall in this ongoing
- The Dominion - aliens have invaded Earth by way of viruses that mutate people
- Fear the Dead - Zombie Survival Handbook
- Foundation -
- Galveston (written by Tom Peyer and Mark Rahner, with art by Greg Scott, 6-issue mini-series, October 2008)[39][40]
- Giant Monster (written by Steve Niles) - An astronaut arrives back on earth, turned into a giant monster. Three prestige format comic books.[41]
- Hero Squared (by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis) - A real superhero from one dimension ends up in another.. where he did not get superpowers and is a slacker
- High Rollers (written by Gary Phillips, with art by Manuel Magalhaes)[42][43]
- Hunter's Moon - from James L. White, the screenwriter of the film Ray, an African American man goes on a hunting vacation with his son, who is kidnapped in a white-only town.[44]
- Incorruptible - (created/written by Mark Waid with art by Jean Diaz) - A spin-off of Irredeemable. A super-villain decides to turn over a new leaf.
- Irredeemable (created/written by Mark Waid with art by Peter Krause) - A Superman-level powered superhero becomes the world's greatest supervillain
- Jeremiah Harm (written by Alan Grant and Keith Giffen) - A criminal is released to track down more criminals
- Last Reign: Kings of War (written by Michael Alan Nelson)[45]
- Left on Mission - (written by Chip Mosher,[46] with art by Francesco Francavilla and colors by Martin Thomas[47]) - A mysterious government Agent must stop the sale of a critical hard drive
- Mr. Stuffins - Stuffed bear gains Artificial Intelligence
- Necronomicon (written by William Messner-Loebs, with art by Andrew Ritchie, 4-issue mini-series)[48][49][50]
- North Wind - Post Apocalyptic, Antarctic Adventure
- Potter's Field (written by Mark Waid) - A man wants to find the identity of an unidentified grave. This series was supposed to be published near the start of Boom!'s launch, with the title John Do.
- The Remnant (created by Stephen Baldwin and Andrew Cosby, written by Caleb Monroe, with art by Julian Totino Tedesco)[51]
- Salem (written by Chris Morgan and Kevin Walsh)[52][53][54][55]
- Salvador - a genetically engineered being, who can fly but is made out of glass, becomes his peoples' savior.
- Savage Brothers (written by Andrew Cosby and Johanna Stokes) - Post-apocalyptic zombie tale.[56][57][58]
- Scream Queen (written by Brendan Hay)[59]
- Second Wave - Invading Martians return to Earth. Sequel to War of the Worlds.
- Station (written by Johanna Stokes, with pencils by Leno Carvalho and inks by Ed Dukeshire)[60]
- Tag (written by Keith Giffen) - A man falls victim to a plague that is eating his body. Optioned as a film.
- Tag: Cursed - Tag's sequel
- Talent (written by Christopher Golden and Thomas E. Sniegoski) - A plane crashes, with one survivor... who inherits the talents of the others. Optioned as a film.
- The Unknown (by Mark Waid and Minck Oosterveer)[61]
- Unthinkable (by Mark Sable)
- What Were They Thinking - Comic books under public domain are parodied
- X Isle (written by Andrew Cosby and Michael Alan Nelson) - Researchers land on a mysterious island full of beasts
Graphic Novels/One-Shots/Tales
- 10 (written by Keith Giffen) - Ten people are each given a gun and 10 bullets... and forced to hunt each other down
- Black Plague (written by Joe Casey) - The mob goes to war with a supervillain empire, while another criminal wages war on both
- Cthulhu Tales - One-shots containing short Lovecraftian horror stories. Three exist: "Cthulhu Tales",[62] "Cthulhu Tales: Tainted"[63] and "Cthulhu Tales: The Rising";[64] which have been collected in a single volume (ISBN 1-934506-15-X).
- Fused Tales (written by Steve Niles) - A man becomes fused in a robotic suit
- GI Spy (by Andrew Cosby) - World War II based spy comic
- In The Blood (created by Steve Niles) - Werewolf horror
- Ninja Tales - Ninja short stories
- Pirate Tales - Pirate stories
- Shmobots - (written by Adam Rifkin) - Helper robots created by the lowest bidder turn out as lazy slackers, 'shmo robots'. A story about 3 such Shmobots and their human roommate.
- Zombie Tales - Short story anthology featuring zombies. Three Exist, plus the Two part Death Valley. The One-shot, The War at Home, was later serialised in three parts in the ongoing series.
Carry Over Series
Reprints
- Jenny Finn - BOOM! reprinted the first two issues of this series (originally released by Oni Press) in Jenny Finn: Doom, then completed the rest of Mike Mignola's story in the 56 page Jenny Finn: Messiah.[65]
- Trencher (by Keith Giffen) - Image comic series, published as a trade paperback
Licensed titles
Boom! also produce comics based on licensed properties which include:
Warhammer
In 2006, BOOM! Studios attained the license from Games Workshop to produce a line of comic books and graphic novels based on international hit tabletop miniatures games Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000.[73][74] These comics are particularly notable for featuring the work of fan favorite Warhammer novelist and comic writer Dan Abnett.
Series so far include:
- Warhammer Fantasy:
- Blood of the Empire Omnibus (400 pages, February 2009, ISBN 1-934506-72-9) collects:
- Convention Special
- Blood Bowl: Killer Contract (by Matt Forbeck, with art by Lads Helloven)[81]
KABOOM!
Their imprint based on Disney/Pixar properties includes
KABOOM! also assumed the license to publish the traditional Disney comic book characters. They currently appear in the following titles:
Since Boom lost the Disney licenses, new titles have appeared in their place
Film adaptations
Notes
- ^ "Company Info+Contact." BOOM! Studios. Retrieved on May 5, 2009.
- ^ http://blog.boom-studios.net/contact/
- ^ Unusual Suspects at Hollywood.com
- ^ March 2003 Script Sales
- ^ Mage Site News
- ^ Daniel Saney. "MTV sinks teeth into 'Damn Nation'". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a23002/mtv-sinks-teeth-into-damn-nation.html.
- ^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3idd7290014145867f10c52f8559c65536
- ^ Atomeka Press#2004 relaunch
- ^ http://forums.syfy.com/index.php?showtopic=2000355
- ^ SDCC '07: The Boom Panel, Newsarama, July 28, 2007
- ^ Mark Waid Named EiC of Boom! Studios, Comic Book Resources, July 27, 2007
- ^ Richie & Cosby on The Future of Boom!, Comic Book Resources, September 13, 2007
- ^ Kiel Phegley. "BOOM! Promotes Waid & Gagnon". Kiel Phegley. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?id=27282&page=article.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ Mark Waid Talks New BOOM! Studios/ Disney-Pixar Deal, Newsarama, July 23, 2008
- ^ Editor Paul Morrisey Talks BOOM!/ Disney-Pixar Deal, Newsarama, July 23, 2008
- ^ BOOM!'s Disney/Pixar Line to Get Newstand Distribution, Comic Book Resources, March 25, 2009
- ^ Boom! Signs Newsstand Distribution Deal, Newsarama, March 25, 2009
- ^ CCI: Waid Talks Pixar and Muppets Comics, Comic Book Resources, July 23, 2008
- ^ Welcoming the Muppets Back to Comics, Newsarama, January 27, 2009
- ^ Mark Waid on The Incredibles, Comic Book Resources, January 21, 2009
- ^ Mark Waid: Bringing The Incredibles to Comics, Newsarama, January 26, 2009
- ^ Mark Sable Does the “Unthinkable” at BOOM!, Comic Book Resources, March 6, 2009
- ^ Boom! Studios events
- ^ Jensen, Van (January 25, 2010). "Boom! Studios to Launch New Imprint". Publishers Weekly. http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6716430.html. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
- ^ Boom! Studios awarded Best New Publisher by Wizard Magazine, Boom! Studios press release, January 17, 2006.
- ^ Michael Doran. "Diamond Announces GEM AWARDS; DC Comics Big Winners". NEWSarama. http://www.newsarama.com/comics/diamond-gem-awards-dc-100128.html.
- ^ [4]
- ^ Marc Alan Fishman. "2010 Harvey Awards Announced!". ComicMix. http://www.comicmix.com/news/2010/08/29/2010-harvey-awards-announced.
- ^ [5]
- ^ List of Eisner Award Winners for Best Humor Publication
- ^ Advanced Preview: The Anchor #1 – First 10 Pages + Character Designs by Brian Churilla!, Hypergeek, August 25, 2009
- ^ Andy Schmidt on Boom's Challenger Deep, Newsarama, August 20, 2008
- ^ We Are But Ants: Mark Waid & Steve Niles Talk Lovecraft, Comics Bulletin, February 1, 2008
- ^ Cosby & Nelson Make a “Dead Run” at BOOM!, Comic Book Resources, April 21, 2009
- ^ Waid, Cosby & Nelson on Boom's 'Dead Run', Newsarama, April 24, 2009
- ^ Peyer, Rahner, the Pirate, and the Pioneer: Galveston, Newsarama, July 10, 1008
- ^ Pirates + Cowboys = "Galveston", Comic Book Resources, July 14, 2008
- ^ “Giant Monster” Daily from CBR & Boom!, Comic Book Resources, March 30, 2008
- ^ Greg Rucka Talking to Gary Phillips about High Rollers, Newsarama, April 28, 2008
- ^ Review of High Rollers #1, Comics Bulletin, July 3, 2008
- ^ Under a Hunter's Moon with Writer James L. White, Comics Bulletin, September 18, 2007
- ^ Boom Announces Last Reign: Kings of War (press release), Newsarama, July 18, 2008
- ^ Chip Mosher: A Left on Mission Field Report, Comics Bulletin, May 17, 2007
- ^ Martin Thomas: On His Return to Comics with BOOM!, Comics Bulletin, November 28, 2007
- ^ William Messner-Loebs Opens the "Necronomicon", Comic Book Resources, June 2, 2008
- ^ Waid & Loebs Talk About The Necronomicon, Newsarama, June 4, 2008
- ^ Portrait of Cthulhu as an Old God: Woodward & Ritchie on "Necronomicon", Comic Book Resources, June 17, 2008
- ^ Stephen Baldwin & Andrew Cosby Create "The Remnant" for BOOM! (press release), Comic Book Resources, July 16, 2008
- ^ CCI, Day 2: Chris Morgan – A "Wanted" Screenwriter, Comic Book Resources, July 26, 2007
- ^ Meet The Wickedest Witch Of All In Salem, Comic Book Resources, July 18, 2006
- ^ WANTED and FAST AND FURIOUS Screenwriter Drifts into BOOM! Studios with SALEM, Comics Bulletin, September 11, 2007
- ^ The Wicked Witch Returns in BOOM!'s "Salem", Comic Book Resources, October 12, 2007
- ^ Offers up Savage Brothers #1 online free, press release, Comic Book Resources, October 16, 2007
- ^ Crafting "Pirate" & Sci-Fi Stories with Johanna Stokes, Comic Book Resources, September 4, 2006
- ^ The Z Word, October 3, 2007
- ^ Brendan Hay talks "Scream Queen" at BOOM!, Comic Book Resources, February 25, 2008
- ^ Review of Station #1, Comics Bulletin
- ^ The Unknown's "Unknown" - Artist Minck Oosterveer, Newsarama, April 24, 2009
- ^ "Cthulhu Tales" at the Comic Book DB
- ^ "Cthulhu Tales: Tainted" at the Comic Book DB
- ^ "Cthulhu Tales: The Rising" at the Comic Book DB
- ^ Read Pages 1-29 of Mike Mignola's "Jenny Finn: Doom Messiah", Comic Book Resources, March 28, 2008
- ^ Boom Announces 28 Days Later Comic (press release), Newsarama, April 4, 2009
- ^ "Die Hard comic chronicles John McClane’s first year". Robot6.comicbookresources.com. 2008-07-23. http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2009/05/die-hard-comic-chronicles-john-mcclanes-first-year/. Retrieved 2009-05-30.
- ^ Brendan Hay Talks "Eureka" Comics, Comic Book Resources, February 2, 2009
- ^ Tommy Patterson: Bringing Farscape to Life for Boom, Newsarama, March 12, 2009
- ^ CCI: Rockne O'Bannon on BOOM!'s "Farscape" Comics, Comic Book Resources, July 25, 2008
- ^ Jones, Brent (September 2, 2009). "'Jennifer's Body' creeps into theaters ... and comics". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/communities/popcandy/post/2009/09/jennifers-body-creeps-into-theaters--and-comics/1. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Robert E. Howard's "Hawks of Outremer" Comes to BOOM! in June". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?id=25603&page=article.
- ^ Games Workshop announcement about Damnation Crusade
- ^ Boom! Studios press release
- ^ Only War Omnibus details at,Boom! Studios
- ^ Blood and Thunder profile at Boom! Studios
- ^ Exclusive Preview: "Warhammer 40K: Blood and Thunder", Comic Book Resources, October 24, 2007
- ^ Talking Warhammer with Ian Edginton, Newsarama, May 20, 2008
- ^ Preview: Condemned by Fire #2, Comic Book Resources, June 16, 2008
- ^ Kieron Gillen on Warhammer: Crown of Destruction, Newsarama, October 13, 2008
- ^ Preview: Blood Bowl: Killer Contract #1, Comic Book Resources, June 16, 2008
- ^ Universal Pictures to Adapt Tag, Superhero Hype
- ^ Uni bids big Boom for 'Talent' comic, The Hollywood Reporter, June 9, 2006
- ^ Paramount Pictures Builds The Foundation, SuperheroFlix.com
- ^ Ice Cube wants to do a comic book movie... which one?, Ain't It Cool News
- ^ Davis acquires 'North Wind' rights, Hollywood Reporter
- ^ Mekhi Phifer in 'Moon', Hollywood Reporter
- ^ Universal picks up rights to '2 Guns', Hollywood Reporter, August 1, 2008
- ^ CBS Films acquires rights to 'Station', Variety, May 7, 2009
References
External links