Tag Archives: industry news

AfterShock Comics Merges with Rive Gauche Media

As reported by Forbes, AfterShock Comics has merged with reality TV distributor Rive Gauche to form a new company, AfterShock Media. AfterShock Comics is an American comic book publisher launched in 2015. AfterShock is described as a “hybrid comic book company combining the creative edge of an independent comic book publisher with the strengths and experience of a traditional powerhouse. This announcement is the latest in comics-media merger news as independent comic publishing houses expand their media capabilities into film, television, streaming, games, podcasting and other emerging channels.

AfterShock Comics is home to several best-selling comic series including Animosity, Dark Red, Babyteeth and A Walk Through Hell, plus new work such as We Live (by the Miranda Brothers) and Miles to Go (written by B. Clay Moore). 

Rive Gauche is best known for unscripted series such as Homicide Hunter, Something’s Killing Me, Very Scary People, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, Ice Cold Killer, My Strange Addiction, and My Crazy Obsession. Both companies are helmed by CEO Jon Kramer, who will assume CEO duties for the combined company.

“The significance of this strategic union cannot be understated because our ground-breaking, diverse comic IP will now have a team to support and drive its growth into TV, film, gaming and podcasts, fueled by the development, production and distribution of both scripted and unscripted content,” said Kramer. “Rive Gauche and I were looking for a way to reenter the scripted space because we saw an insatiable appetite with the proliferation of channels.”

“AfterShock Comics proved to be the perfect vehicle offering IP beyond capes and tights, instead spanning many different popular genres,” said Kramer. “Rive Gauche is committed to maintaining the caliber of unscripted programming it’s known for, by identifying and responding to industry trends and demands, while aiming to be just as quality-driven and relevant with scripted programming creation and distribution.”

Lee Kramer is set to head up the AfterShock Film & TV division as President of Film & TV for Rive Gauche while AfterShock Comics will continue to be led by Editor-in-Chief Mike Marts, CCO/Publisher Joe Pruett and President Lee Kramer.

For a full catalog of AfterShock Comics titles, click here.

A Wave Blue World Releases ‘The 27 Run: Crush’ Book Trailer

As if 27 enormous monsters ruling over post-apocalyptic Earth wasn’t enough, now there’s a new threat from outer space: Crawlies, a legion of voracious alien predators eating everything in their path. Humanity’s only chance is the Pilot Beti, her incredible Mech and her best friend, a telepathic, telekinetic dog named E.K.

Beti will face an even bigger challenge: the return of a long-lost flame. Filled with jaw-dropping visuals, spine-tingling romance and laugh-out-loud comedy, see why THE 27 RUN: CRUSH continues what Steve Orlando (WONDER WOMAN) calls, “a wasteland tale energized with dark humor and fantastic creatures.”

With the anticipation for the release, A Wave Blue World has revealed an all-new book trailer ahead of publication. To watch the full book trailer, see below. For more information on THE 27 RUN: CRUSH, click here.

Get Spooked with Manga Classics

Intended for a young adult audience, Manga Classics™ features gripping and intense stories with lush artwork that places them easily alongside today’s bestselling popular manga. With strong and accurate adaptations, Manga Classics are also a wonderful way for adult readers to rediscover their favorite classics, or experience them for the first time!

Bring in the spooky season with these horror tales!

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Manga Classics: Dracula (Softcover)

MANGA CLASSICS
9781947808065
Horror | Ages 13+
On sale: March 10, 2020

Manga Classics: Dracula (Hardcover)

MANGA CLASSICS
9781947808058 
Horror | Ages 13+
On sale: March 10, 2020

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Manga Classics: The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe (Softcover)

MANGA CLASSICS
9781772940213
Horror | Ages 13+
On sale: February 25, 2020

Manga Classics: The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe (Hardcover)

MANGA CLASSICS
9781772940206
Horror | Ages 13+
On sale: February 25, 2020

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Manga Classics: Frankenstein (Softcover)

MANGA CLASSICS
9781947808164
Horror | Ages 13+
On sale: November 10, 2020

Manga Classics: Frankenstein (Hardcover)

MANGA CLASSICS
9781947808157
Horror | Ages 13+
On sale: November 10, 2020

To view a full list of the Manga Classics catalog as well as their respective lesson plans, click here.

‘Undone by Blood’ from AfterShock Comics Heads to the Small Screen

As announced by The Hollywood ReporterUNDONE BY BLOOD from AfterShock Comics has been picked up for a television series. 

In the early 1970s, Ethel Grady Lane returns to her hometown of Sweetheart, Arizona with one thing on her mind: killing the man who murdered her family. But first, she’ll have to find him.

As Ethel navigates the eccentric town and its inhabitants, she learns that the quaint veneer hides a brewing darkness. She has no choice but to descend into a ring of depravity and violence, with her only ally an Old West novel that follows famed gunslinger Solomon Eaton. As both stories unfold simultaneously, a love of fiction informs choices in reality, for better or worse.

From the minds of Zac Thompson and Lonnie Nadler (The Dregs, X-Men, HER INFERNAL DESCENT) and artist Sami Kivelä (Abbot, Tommy Gun Wizards) comes a neo-western that depicts the hard truth of seeking vengeance in the real world.

Attached to the project is bigbaldhead productions, the company founded by Norman Reedus.

Reedus, JoAnne Colonna and Amanda Verdon will executive produce the series for bigbaldhead, with Lee Kramer and Jon Kramer exec producing for AfterShock Comics, alongside Thompson and Nadler. Reedus is being eyed to star as the series’ Solomon Eaton, the fictional cowboy whose stories mirror the primary action in each tale.

Undone by Blood was born from a place of pure passion, out of a love for Westerns, for myself and the entire creative team. At the outset, our goal was to tell a story that added to the genre by deconstructing its themes, and to make the best comic book we could,” series co-creator Lonnie Nadler told The Hollywood Reporter. “While having your book adapted is the ultimate dream for many creators, it was not for us. We wouldn’t be doing this unless we felt it was one-hundred-percent the right fit. And from our first discussion with Norman and his team at bigbaldhead, it was clear that their passion for the project matched our own with genuine enthusiasm. They understood the nuances, the world, and the characters completely.”

“Undone by Blood is a special book for us at AfterShock and we couldn’t be happier that we found the perfect creative partners in bigbaldhead productions,” Lee Kramer said. “Norman, JoAnne and Amanda’s creative sensibilities will only help to further enrich this already impactful tale for a television audience, and we cannot wait to get this exciting project underway.”

For more information on UNDONE BY BLOOD, click here.