Arcana Studio

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arcana Studio
Type Comic publisher
Industry Comics
Founded 2004
Founder(s) Sean O'Reilly
Key people Sean O'Reilly

Arcana Studio is a Canadian comic book publisher and art studio founded by former Coquitlam, British Columbia school teacher Sean O'Reilly in 2004.

Overview

Arcana formed in 2004 when Sean Patrick O’Reilly first published the comic book series Kade. Having now published over 250 original intellectual properties in nearly 400 graphic novels and reaching sales of over 5,000,000 units, Arcana owns one of the world’s largest libraries of graphic novels.

Since it’s first year of operation Arcana has been a sponsor for the popular event, Free Comic Book Day. To Celebrate the event Arcana has sponsored and promoted Arcana creator signings at locations including Golden Apple Comics, Galaxy of Comics, Metropolis Comics, and The Comic Book Shoppe – to name a few. Arcana is Canada’s largest publisher of comics and Graphic Novels in Canada with over 300 titles in their current library of books. Arcana covers all genres and all age groups, their award winning books are well written and have great artwork from artists and writers all over the world. Arcana’s titles have been translated into many different languages including; French, Italian, Greek, Spanish and Polish.

Not only is Arcana a publisher, they are also a fully operational Animation studio. The Animation sector of Arcana can handle anything from animated shorts, to features, to television series, to special affects. The workforce is highly skilled and all located in Vancouver, B.C. The Animation department is currently working on Kagagi: The Raven, which will air on APTN in 2014, and Pixies – the animated feature which is set to be released later in 2014.

Publishing

In ten short years Arcana has gone from publishing a single issue of Kade, to writing, collaborating, acquiring and re-publishing over 300 titles. Owning one of the largest libraries of its kind, and the largest in Canada alone, Arcana has come a long way, and is expected to do more great things in the future. Arcana is not like most publishers that focus on one brand, genre or topic, Arcana covers all genres, ideas, and age groups. It is pretty rare that a comic book fan will find nothing of interest to them in the Arcana library

Arcana Titles

Since its Founding in 2004, Arcana has produced and acquired over 250 titles making the company one of the largest publishers of comics and graphic Novels. Arcana not only works with large industry tycoons to produce original comics and GNs it also publishes titles created by indie creators, who might have to try self publishing their titles otherwise. Some of Arcana’s hit titles include;

Select titles

  • 100 Girls: The First Girl (2004–2006)
  • All Fall Down (2011)
  • American Wasteland (2007)
  • Amour - Volume 1 and 2 (2012)
  • Amnesia (2011)
  • Ant (comics): Days Like These (2004–2005)
  • Arcana Studio Presents (2004-current, Free Comic Book Day annual)
  • Ark (2013)
  • Banzai Girl (2007)
  • Blank Slate (TBD)
  • Blood, Shells, & Roses (2011)
  • The Book (2012)
  • Burn (2008) [1]
  • Champions of the Wild Weird West
  • Chaotic Soldiers (2010)
  • Corrective Measures (2008)
  • Creepsville (2011)
  • Dark Horrors (2006)
  • Dead Men Tell No Tales (2005–2006)
  • Deadly Harvest (2012)
  • Dragon's Lair (2006–2007)
  • El Arsenal: Unknown Enemy (2005–2006)
  • Eve: Vampire Diva (2007)
  • The Evil Tree (2012)
  • Ezra:
    • Ezra: Egyptian Exchange (2004–2005)
    • Ezra: Evoked Emotions (2006–2007)
    • Ezra vs. 10th Muse (2006)
  • Frozen Wasteland (2007)
  • Gearhead (2007)
  • Grunts (2006)
  • Helen Killer (2008)[2]
  • Howard and the Frozen Kingdom[3]
  • John Henry and The Steam Age (2012)
  • Jova's Harvest (2005–2006)
  • Kade:
    • Kade: Identity (2004–2005)
    • Kade: Sun of Perdition (2006–2007)
    • Kade: Shiva's Sun (2007–2008)
    • Kade: Rising Sun (2010)
    • Kade: Red Sun (2010)
    • Kade: Prodigal Sun (2011)
    • Kade: Mourning Sun (2012)
    • Kade: Tribal Sun (2014)
    • Kade: Children of the Black Sun (2014)
  • Koni Waves (2006)
    • Koni Waves (2006)
    • Koni Waves: The Headdress of the Undead (2007)
    • Koni Waves: First Wave (2007)
    • Koni Waves/Demonslayer (2007)
    • Koni Waves: Ghouls Gone Wild! (2008)
    • Avengelyne vs. Koni Waves (2009)
  • Lethal Instinct - Volume 1 (2012)
  • Marlow (2008)
  • Paradox (2005–2006)
  • Penance: Trial of the Century (2008)
  • Poe & Phillips (2011)
  • Shadowflame (2007)
  • SideShows (2011)
  • Space Ace:(2009)
  • Starkweather: Legacy (2004–2005)
  • Stranger Danger (2009)
  • Sundown: Arizona (2005)
  • The Art of ReBoot (2007)
  • The Fix (2009)
  • The Network (2008)
  • The Truman Virus(2012)
  • Velvet Rope (2008)

All Ages Titles

  • Clockwork Girl (2007)[4]
  • Mwumba (2008)
  • The Gwai (2008)
  • Pixies (2012)
  • Ralph Filmore, Paranormal Investigator (2011)
  • Gordon The Giraffe (2012)
  • A Cat Named Haiku (2010)
  • A Cat Named Haiku 2: The Dust Bunny (2013)
  • My Best Friends a Booger (2011)
  • Scrooge and Santa (2011)
  • The Ancient Oak (2012)
  • Summer and Monkey
  • Turning Tiger (2012)
  • Howard and the Frozen Kingdom (2009)
  • Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom (2012)
  • Howard Lovecraft and the Kingdom of Madness (2014)

Animated Films, Television Series, and Shorts

Arcana began producing their content in 2012 with the TV series Kagagi . Arcana has an experienced animation production team that receives tax credit benefits for Canadian content productions. Every member of the Arcana animation department is a graduate from one of the prestigious animation schools located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Each member excels in their department, and has been hand picked by Arcana CEO to determine the skill, talent and overall fit of the animator into the team dynamic.

Short films

The Gwaii - Based on Haida Gwaii, and The Graphic Novel of the same story. This amazing short film brings beautifully aminated creatures alive in this live action short film about human and animal interaction.

Memo – Memo is a series of 30 second segments aimed at children. Similar to the Pixar Luxo jr. clips, Memo is a curious and adventuresome creature that children of all ages will enjoy watching.

Polkarella – A cute short about an umbrella/creature hybrid. Polkarella shows the type of top quality animation work Arcana produces.

Pixies – This short film is based off the comics and Graphic Novel of the same name. You are introduced to Joe Beck, the clumsy mechanic and see a quick example of the kind of clumsy issues he is faced with daily. You are also introduced to a few pixies who are obviously the root of poor Joes’ bad luck. The feature film is currently in pre-production, so keep your eyes peeled for more of Joe and the mischievous pixies.

Animated Television Series

Kagagi: The Raven (Airing 2014 on APTN) – The first of his kind! This first nations super hero is based off the graphic Novel of the same name. Kagagi is the story of teenager, Matthew Carver, and his journey as he becomes a super hero. With support and backing from the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, and with support from Canadian Tax Credits, this 13 part television series is Arcana’s first television series and is very near completion. Keep an eye out for Kagagi later this year.

Animated Features

The Clock Work Girl – In joint production with Legacy films and Luximation, The Clockwork Girl was Arcana’s first full length Animated Film. The Clockwork Girl is based on the Graphic Novel written and Created by Sean Patrick O’Reilly and Kevin Hanna, and is published by Harper Collins. The Clockwork girl is a Steampunk tale of Romeo and Juliet and features the voice talents of

Pixies (In Pre-production) – Pixies is Arcana’s first fully created feature film. Based on the Graphic Novel, and short film of the same name comes Pixies, created by Sean Patrick O’Reilly. JOE BECK (30’s) misses the garbage day by seconds and solves his problem by dumping his trash into a nearby ravine. The garbage tumbles like an avalanche wiping out the hidden Pixie village and critically injuring Pixie Prince William. Distraught, the Pixie King then mandates that his youngest son Samuel to create a “Pixie Curse” on Joe. Samuel and his friends, Max and Twitch, curse Joe with “chronic bad luck” putting him in comedic situations. Joe meets MICHELLE and after a few dates she realizes that Joe’s karma isn’t quite right and their relationship quickly becomes strained. After a culminating ‘meet the parents’ date where everything gets sabotaged, Joe loses Michelle and is defeated. Sam realizes this curse has gone too far and he begins to work with Joe rebuilding the destroyed village. Forgiven by the King and his people, Samuel incites some ‘good luck’ and Joe reunites with Michelle. Pixies has already locked down the voice talents of

Live Action Features

Paradox - Based on the Graphic Novel of the same name, Paradox is the story of homicide detective Sean Nault, a cop on a parallel Earth whose technology is powered exclusively by magic. Sean investigates a baffling series of murders committed by a means he's never seen before: science. With the aid of Lenoir, a member of the ridiculed subculture of "pragmatists" who believe science is more than the stuff of myths & children's stories, and the 130-year-old sorcerer Winston Churchill, Sean uncovers an ominous plot that will lead him to another dimension and the realization that, unless he prevents it, both earths could well be destroyed. The television movie was aired in 2010 and the cast includes

Motion Comics

Arcana has turned some of their comics and graphic novels into motion comics. Arcana motion comics that are currently available are;

Arcana Apps

Arcana has developed lots of apps, including read-along apps, motion comics, software and store apps.

The Arcanaverse

The Arcanaverse is the world all the Arcana Characters live in. Currently over 3000 individual indexed characters and creatures who call the Arcanaverse home. From the Arcanaverse stem new stories and adventures including the comic book series The Intrinsic.

The Intrinsic

The Intrinsic was first debuted on Free Comic Book Day 2012, and was the first Arcanaverse title. The series features hit Arcana Characters; Kade, Philosopher Rex, Kore, Candice Crow and cameos from lots of others. The group comes together, becomes a great force to be reckoned with and saves the day, like any great team of super heroes should! The Intrinsic also make a guest appearance in the animated tv series Kagagi (2014). The Intrinsic Volume 2 debuts at Free Comic Book Day 2014 and is written by Sean Patrick O’Reilly, and Chris ‘Doc’ Wyatt.

Awards

Arcana won the Shuster Awards for publisher of the year in 2005.

Arcana was a finalist for the CME's two years in a row.

Arcana has been awarded a Moms Choice award for three titles so far – The Clockwork Girl (2010) , The Gwaii (2010) and Pixies (2013).

Arcana was named Most Promising Company at the 2013 Digi Awards. Arcana’s CEO, Sean Patrick O’Reilly was also named a finalist for Executive of the year at the 2013 Digi Awards.

Arcana CEO, Sean Patrick O’Reilly, received Playback (website)’s Ten to Watch award in 2013

Arcana was named Best Visual Features 2013 by Arlene Dickinson's YouInc

The Steam Engines of Oz

The Steam Engines of Oz was Arcana’s first experience with a crowd-sourcing project. The Steam Engines of Oz, was first introduced for Free Comic Book Day, 2013 . The idea was to release issues FCBD, 1, 2, 3 the collected trade, then if the Kickstarter campaign proved to be a success a second Volume of The Steam Engines of Oz would be released . The Steam Engines of Oz: The Geared Leviathan was successful and was produced thanks to the supporters on Kickstarter.

Notable People/Companies Arcana has worked closely with on projects

Charitable Work

  • Donated thousands of Clockwork Girl comics to the Boys and Girls Club of America under the REACH Literary Program.[5]
  • Arcana is proud to participate in Free Comic Book Day’s additional services of supplying Libraries and Military services with free comics.

Sponsorship

  • Arcana is a sponsor of Vancouver Improv group The Fictionals, supplying prizes for their monthly show Improv against Humanity.
  • Arcana proudly donates comics and graphic novels to reviewers, bloggers, libraries and schools to use for their personal contests promotions and giveaways.

Notes

  1. ↑ Camilla d’Errico Feels the "Burn", Comic Book Resources, May 22, 2008
  2. ↑ Review of Helen Killer, Comics Bulletin
  3. ↑ Pitts, Lan (March 19, 2010). "Indie Writer Tells an H.P. LOVECRAFT Story... For Kids?". Newsarama. Retrieved April 1, 2020. 
  4. ↑ Clockwork Girl profile, samples and interview with Sean O'Reilly, Comic Book Resources, May 30, 2007
  5. ↑ Arcana Donates All Ages Books

References

External links

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