A new creator-centric indie comic label AMP® Comics is set to launch in April in comic book shops nationwide. Bringing together veterans of both publishing and entertainment, this brand-new publisher marches forward with a shared vision for a sustainable, creator-driven publishing model. AMP COMICS aims to benefit both creators and readers alike by prioritizing quality, transparency, and creator satisfaction. They also prioritize timely royalty statements and payments and will be available to retailers by way of Lunar Distribution’s Massive Indies initiative, as well as through Diamond Comic Distributors and Universal Distribution.
The new publisher has already secured a first-look deal with The Op., affording the board game giant the first opportunity to create games based on AMP’s books. Additionally, AMP is now the official publisher of the Script2Comic Contest, with the 2024 winner’s work set to be financed and published in partnership with Kodansha Japan, the powerhouse manga publisher behind worldwide hits like AKIRA and Attack on Titan. If that wasn’t enough, AMP has also published MC Foley’s LoveStruck, which has already been picked up for development as a television series by Ryan Reynolds’ production company Maximum Effort. AMP is also the official publisher of CHISPA Comics — the first dedicated Latinx comic publisher in the world led by comics veterans David Bowles (Clockwork Curandera) and Hector Rodriguez III (El Peso Hero).
AMP announced at ComicsPRO the 11-issue epic series NeverWars, from Thunder Comics. It’s a different take on storytelling. Here’s the premise:
The magical realms of Wonderland, Oz, and Neverland have been thrust into a devastating war that spans worlds and generations. The twisted magic of the Jabberwock transforms good into evil, turning beloved childhood figures into shadows of their former selves. In NeverWars, the heroes we grew up with must grapple with the horrors of conflict, the loss of innocence, and the fight to hold onto hope.
Told through three uniquely illustrated and completely distinct first issues, NeverWars invites readers to experience this epic saga from multiple perspectives. Readers can choose between three different character stories through which they enter the NeverWorld: Dorothy Gale, now a WWI nurse on the frontlines of the Great War, as she faces the horrors of battle and a return to Oz. Georgie Bird, a young English recruit whose stuffed rabbit leads him into Wonderland, where he discovers his grandmother, Alice, has been transformed by the Jabberwock’s evil spell into the Red Queen. Or soar alongside Petr Pfanne, a German Flying Circus spotter who crash-lands in Neverland, only to find himself unable to fly in a world torn apart by the war.
AMP® will also publish the entire Thunder Comics slate, leading off with Prodigal Son, a cowboy saga co-written by Cobra Kai star Martin Kove, with the innovative three alternate endings each with its own variant cover, so readers can choose their own ending to the series (“Good, Bad or Ugly”) or collect all three. Prodigal has been picked up for TV Development by Jeff Frost the former head of Sony Television through his Bristol Circle Banner.
Leading AMP Comics as CEO is Don Handfield, a seasoned comic creator (Dark Age, The Source, Unikorn) whose first book, The Rift, was adapted for television by Steven Spielberg for the Amazing Stories reboot on Apple+. Handfield is also a successful film producer (The Founder, Kill the Messenger) and TV creator (Knightfall). His extensive entertainment industry experience, combined with his roles as a partner in comic financier Thunder and former board member of Scout Comics, uniquely position him to guide AMP Comics into board games, video games, film, television, and other mediums.
Handfield states:
“We designed AMP to avoid the industry pitfalls we’ve all encountered. The mission of this incredibly talented team is to create a space where creators can thrive, and their stories can be released into the marketplace with the respect they deserve.”
Joining Handfield is Joshua Starnes, a former co-publisher of Red 5 Comics (The Dark Age, Afterburn, Machine Girl), who will serve as President. Meanwhile, David Byrne, creator of indie hit STAKE and former Scout Comics Co-Publisher, will oversee release and development strategy as Publisher. Joshua Malkin will serve as Editor-in-Chief, with Eshan Kamarsu as Creative Executive.
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