Comic Nation

ARCHAIA AND METEOR ANNOUNCE ‘RUBICON’ ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL

Akira Kurosawa’s ‘The Seven Samurai’ is reimagined through the lens of the Afghanistan War in this timely story featuring Navy SEAL operators

Los Angeles, CA (April 16, 2013) – Award-winning comic and game publishers Archaia Entertainment and Meteor Entertainment are proud to announce Rubicon, a hardcover, original graphic novel that reimagines one of the greatest movie epics of all time: The Seven Samurai. Developed as an homage to Akira Kurosawa’s peerless masterpiece, Rubicon is the story of a paramilitary SEAL team who defend a remote mountain farming village in Afghanistan from the torment of marauding Taliban. Rubicon blends timely themes of fate, hope, and courage with relentless action into a triumphant tale of honor won with loyalty and death. This powerfully realized book is written by New York Times best-selling graphic novel author and Meteor Entertainment (HAWKEN) president Mark Long (The Silence of Our Friends), from an idea by Oscar®-winning writer/director Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects), and from a story by SEAL Team VI and Red Cell veteran, Dan Capel. It is masterfully composed and illustrated by newcomer Mario Stilla, whose art projects kinetic force and intense emotion. In addition, the book features a Foreword by New York Times best-selling author and the original Commanding Officer of Seal Team VI, Richard Marcinko (Rogue Warrior).

“Rubicon is a project of pure passion by the four of us—from Chris’ brilliant idea to approach the Afghan war from a character-driven classic, to Dan’s invaluable insights into the emotions and ethos of tier-one operators, and to Mario’s classically rendered, Kurosawa-esque frames,” described Long. “For me, Rubicon mixes two great passions: to become an uncompromising art-house publisher of free-to-play games and transmedia; and to personally contribute creatively to that goal.”

“We are excited about this timely and relevant story about a mission that could have happened—and maybe did,” related Archaia President & COO Jack Cummins. “This book will appeal to fans of Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker, military gamers, military buffs, past and current members of the military, as well as the public interested in a behind-the-scenes look at how our front-line troops live and die together on behalf of others.”

The Rubicon hardcover graphic novel will also come packed with a pouch envelope containing exclusive artifacts and creative collateral from the world of Rubicon, including a reproduction of the tactical map the team uses, commendations and citations, and private correspondence.

“We weren’t interested in merely spouting generic stats and glossary terms,” explained Joe LeFavi of Quixotic Transmedia, who facilitated the Rubicon deal for Archaia and served as executive editor on the book. “We wanted to dig through the pockets of the soldiers right there in the action, so that you could better understand and appreciate their motivations from a unique and personal place.”

A very special, slipcased limited edition is available for purchase only on Archaia’s webstore (store.archaia.com) and Meteor’s HAWKEN website (playhawken.com/#universe), where collectors receive an additional $10 in Meteor Credits with purchase.

Limited editions will also be available at the Archaia booth at Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif. (July 10-14) and New York Comic Con in New York, N.Y. (October 10-13), while supplies last.

Rubicon ($24.95, hardcover, 128 pages, full color, 6.625” x 10.25”) is available for pre-order now at your local comic book shop. To pre-order, provide your retailer with this Diamond Order Code: APR130799. To find your closest comic book shop, visit www.comicshoplocator.com. It is also available for pre-order through the Archaia webstore (store.archaia.com) and wherever books are sold (ISBN: 978-1-936393-97-8).

Archaia and Meteor previously collaborated on the original graphic novel HAWKEN: GENESIS, which is based on Meteor’s free-to-play, online video game, HAWKEN. It is available now in comic book shops and wherever books are sold.


About Archaia Entertainment, LLC

Archaia is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 75 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Rust, Cow Boy, Cursed Pirate Girl, Gunnerkrigg Court, and Artesia. Archaia has also published an entire line of graphic novels in partnership with The Jim Henson Company, including the multiple award-winning Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand and such beloved tales as The Dark Crystal, The Storyteller, and Fraggle Rock. Alongside these celebrated titles, Archaia has released English translations of numerous renowned foreign titles to much fanfare, including The Killer, Sergio Toppi’s Sharaz-De, and The Secret History.

In 2012, Archaia was honored with six Harvey Award nominations, two Harvey Awards, six Eisner nominations, and three Eisner Awards (Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand won for Best Graphic Album–New, Best Penciller/Inker, and Best Publication Design). Also in 2012, Archaia earned both Gold and Silver awards from ForeWord Reviews. Archaia was honored with nine 2011 Eisner Awards nominations and two Eisner Awards for Best Graphic Album and Best Anthology.

In addition to its partnership with The Jim Henson Company, Archaia has forged creative partnerships with storytellers in all facets of the entertainment industry, resulting in print and digital expansions of such noted properties as Bleedout and HAWKEN (video games), Immortals and Planet of the Apes (film), and Space: 1999 (television).

Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation within the creator community for producing meaningful, transformative content, building one of the industry’s most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels.

About Meteor Entertainment™
Based in Seattle, Meteor Entertainment is focused on successfully publishing free-to-play games globally, with an emphasis on compelling content and setting the standard for customer service and community engagement. Meteor Entertainment’s first title, HAWKEN, was developed by Adhesive Games. Download HAWKEN and play it for free at www.playhawken.com.

“CODE MONKEY SAVE WORLD” KICKSTARTER DOUBLES GOAL ON SECOND DAY

Pak and Coulton announce expanded page count for graphic novel

New York, NY – April 16, 2013. The “Code Monkey Save World” graphic novel Kickstarter launched yesterday morning by Greg Pak and Jonathan Coulton has already reached $79,000 on its second day, more than doubling its initial goal of $39,000.

As a result, Pak and Coulton will increase the page count of the final graphic novel from 60 pages to 80 pages. All backers who choose rewards that include the book will receive the expanded book at no extra cost. All backers who choose mailed rewards will also receive “Code Monkey Save World” stickers at no extra charge. Because stickers are awesome.

“We had a feeling this was a good idea, but I think we’re both overwhelmed by the response,” says Coulton. “It’s wonderful to feel so well-supported, but mostly I’m excited about what other cool stuff we might be able to create with this unexpected windfall. Maybe jetpacks!”

“Seriously, y’all, we love you,” says Pak. “I’m not even kidding. This project started because Jonathan and I had a big, goofy idea we fell in love with. But it’s becoming real because of the support and excitement of hundreds of awesome Kickstarter backers. You guys are the best.”

The Kickstarter will run until May 15 and can be reached via www.codemonkeycomix.com.

“Code Monkey Save World” is a graphic novel written by Greg Pak (“Planet Hulk,” “Batman/Superman,” “Magneto Testament”) and drawn by Takeshi Miyazawa (“Runaways”) based on the songs of internet superstar musician Jonathan Coulton. , Jessica Kholinne (“X-Treme X-Men”) will color, and Simon Bowland (“Incredible Hercules”) will letter. The book will be distributed digitally by Monkeybrain Comics via Comixology.

The book follows Code Monkey, the put-upon coding monkey from the eponymous Coulton song, as he teams up with the seething, lovelorn super-villain from Coulton’s song“Skullcrusher Mountain.” The unlikely duo fight robots, office worker zombies, and maybe even each other as they struggle to impress the amazing women for whom they fruitlessly long.

Other characters include office-worker-turned-action-heroine Matilde (the “you” to whom the song “Code Monkey” is sung), Laura the Robo Queen (from the song “The Future Soon”), Zombie Bob (from “Re: Your Brains”) and the heroic curler (from “Curl”).

ABOUT THE CREATORS

Greg Pak is a comics writer and filmmaker best known for his feature film “Robot Stories” and comics such as “Planet Hulk,” “Magneto Testament,” and “Doctor Strange Season One” for Marvel and the upcoming “Batman/Superman” for DC. His acclaimed graphic novel “Vision Machine” is now available as a free iPad app. For more about Pak and his work, visit www.gregpak.com. 

Jonathan Coulton is a musician, singer-songwriter, and internet superstar best known for his nerd-friendly songs such as “Code Monkey,” “Re: Your Brains,” and “Still Alive” (the credit song from the video game “Portal”). Coulton shot to fame in 2005 after launching his “Thing a Week” project, during which he released a new song on the internet every week for a year. For more about Coulton, visit www.jonathancoulton.com. 

Takeshi Miyazawa is a Japanese Canadian artist whose work includes pencilling “Runaways” for Brian K. Vaughan and co-creating the Marvel character Amadeus Cho with Greg Pak. Aside from comic work he has also been involved with storyboarding for games and design work for film. For more about Miyazawa, visit www.takmiyazawa.com

Jessica Kholinne is an Indonesian comic colorist who grew up loving comic books, movies and games. Her recent projects include “X-Treme X-Men,” “Voodoo,” “Weirding Willows,” and many more. Kholinne is also part of a bigger studio called STELLAR Labs. For more on Kholinne’s work and STELLAR Labs, visit http://jessicakholinne.deviantart.com and http://www.facebook.com/STELLARLabs

Born and bred near Manchester, England, Simon Bowland has been lettering comics since 2003 and has worked on titles such as Marvel’s “Incredible Hulk,” “Spider-Man,” “Incredible Hercules,” and “Alpha Flight.” His work can currently be found in the pages of the UK’s “2000AD” and Judge Dredd Megazine publications, as well as titles such as “The Boys,” “Red Sonja,” “Battlefields,” and “Kirby: Genesis” for Dynamite Entertainment, and “HAPPY!” for Image Comics, collaborating with the likes of Grant Morrison, Garth Ennis, Kurt Busiek, Kevin Smith, Darick Robertson, and Matt Wagner. What little spare time he has is usually spent obsessing over football and motor-racing. Visit him on Twitter at twitter.com/simonbowlad