Comic Review: The Killer Vol. 4: Unfair Competition

The Killer Vol. 4: Unfair Competition
Collected Edition Hardcover
Story by: Matz
Art by: Luc Jacamon
Format: 128 pages, full color, hardcover
List price: $19.95
Sale date: 17 July 2013
Archaia

After his misadventures in Venezuela, our Killer retires to Mexico, but his Colombian cartel friend Mariano and the Cuban agent Katia are not far behind. Soon he finds himself drawn back into the great geopolitical game between Cuba, Venezuela, and the United States, with oil revenues and political independence at stake. Even when he finds himself in unusual territory as the shadow owner of an oil company developing Cuba’s off-shore deposits, the need for his usual skill-set is never far away. 

One of the big advantages graphic novels have over the conventional novel is--you guessed it--the pictures. Add a blatant visual component to the storytelling and a whole new dimension opens up. Such is the case when I looked at the first panel of Unfair Competition, a vibrant portrait of one bustling street in Mexico City. The buildings, the cars, the people, and even the faraway vistas all presented one page at a time in such mesmerizing detail, you'd swear you're looking at freeze frames from a high-end animated film.

Despite having not read the first three volumes of this series, Matz uses dialogue to give a keen sense of his protagonist, Asesino, a professional killer who is world weary yet reticent in his attempts to step away from the life. Teaming up with two associates, a plan is laid out to exploit Cuba's new oil resources, as well as gaining a foothold in Mexico, all with the grand guise of going legit. Big oil is hardly legit it turns out though (no surprise there), and Asesino finds himself wishing for a simpler life, but ultimately drawn back into what he does best.

If not for the absolutely breathtaking artwork in this book, I would have probably stopped reading. Because that's what I did more than anything with this graphic novel: read. The dialogue is astonishingly long and drawn out, and for a thriller about a criminal enterprise, that's about 90% of the book: guys sitting around in pretty places and talking.Had this been a straight-up novel, I would have had no problem at all with dialogue bubbles taking up half of each panel, but this is a graphic novel and the wondrous illustrations are crowded out by what felt like intrusive and incessant jaw-jacking. The silver lining to it is that the dialogue is not the least bit hokey or cliched. The characters do come through with what they say, but it would have been nice if they shut up once in a while and got some dirt under their fingernails.

I'd recommend the book for the eye-candy alone, but if you have an aversion to comic books that feel like novels, then you may want to skip this one.

3 1/2 sheep

Guest Reviewer: Gef Fox
Wag The Fox

Rust: Visitor in the Field, by Royden Lepp

All right, so to end this week of Archaia graphic novels I'm going to talk about the first volume of the Rust series by Royden Lepp, Visitor in the Field. Let me begin by saying that I absolutely loved this book and look forward to the next book in this series to come out in September of 2012.

Rust is a dieselpunk story and I want to talk a little bit about dieselpunk before I go on with the review. Some of my reviewers might be familiar with steampunk which is a genre of science fiction usually set in the late 19th century and makes extensive use of steam-based technology. Thematically speaking steampunk tends to be optimistic and includes the belief that technology will make tomorrow better than today. Dieselpunk is a little different in that it is typically in the early 20th century, specifically between the World Wars, and electricity and internal combustion engines have supplanted the steam engine as the main sources of power. Thematically dieselpunk is more an homage to the pulp adventure novels of the 30's and 40's with hard-boiled detectives, intrepid reporters and hotshot fighter pilots among other characters. Overall dieselpunk tends to be darker and grittier than steampunk thematically, but that's not always the case anymore. Today dieselpunk and steampunk stories range from highly idealistic to highly cynical and the only real way to tell between the two is their technologies. The Rust series is definitely dieselpunk with plentiful electric and petroleum-based technology.

The book opens on a battlefield which reminds me largely of World War I with gas masks and Brodie helmets, but we quickly realize that this world is not like our own when robot soldiers, giant mechanical walkers, and jetpack troopers are deployed in an increasingly deadly battlefield. We then jump forty-eight years to the "present" and meet Roman Taylor, struggling to keep his family farm running as he writes a letter to his father. Roman recently met a boy with a jetpack known only as Jet Jones who was being pursued by a leftover mech from the war. Roman and Jet manage to beat the robot and Jet has been helping the Taylor family on the farm since. There is definitely more to Jet than meets the eye because he can use his jetpack with ease but is far too young to have fought in the war, and more importantly why was that walker chasing him in the first place? Lepp leaves some tantalizing hints to Jet's true identity while layering on additional levels of mystery to his story.

I do have two complaints about Visitor in the Field and in the sense of fairness I should definitely talk about it. The first issue I had was that all of the pictures in this comic were a sepia tone brown. I understand the thematic reasons Lepp probably went with this color, imitating the colors of old photographs we have from the 30's and 40's and to his credit I can at least tell objects apart. I just like more color in my comics and that's a personal preference. The other issue I have is that I'm not quite sure when the war that forms the world's backstory ended. It's implied that the war is over, but since Roman's father is missing I wonder if the war's still going on and Roman's father is fighting on the front lines. I was wondering if the 48 years caption was a mistake but Mr. Aicot, a grandfather, served in the war as a young man so I assume it has been 48 years. I guess the only conclusion is that the war lasted around forty or more years but I feel like the devastation would have been far more widespread than it appears in the book. Sure, characters like Ava and Oswald are physically disabled and that could be a side effect of the war, but they're children who were nowhere near a battlefront so I'm left confused. I hope Lepp clarifies more in his next book, but we'll just have to see.

Timeline issues aside, I really liked Visitor in the Field. The technology is familiar and yet the same time alien. The world has an overall feel of run down and exhausted from a devastating war and I can feel the struggle of the Taylor family to just get by. We are given enough information about Jet to make his story intriguing but not boring. I'm curious to see where this story goes and maybe finding out about the world beyond the Taylor farm. I definitely recommend all my readers go and check Lepp's Rust series out and I will be looking forward to Secrets of the Cell in September.

-Kalpar

Inanna's Tears, from Archaia Comics

I have mixed feelings about this comic. Let me preface this review by saying that Inanna's Tears isn't bad, but I feel like I sort of missed whatever point Vollmar and MPMann were trying to make with this comic. I know that there was a larger overall theme to this comic because the introduction and afterword both said as much, but I am still left befuddled.

Overall I would say this comic has a mythical atmosphere. It is set in the ancient Sumer civilization of the Fertile Crescent and while the authors mentioned they did some historical research, historical accuracy was not their intended goal. And honestly I can't get too mad about lack of historical accuracy seeing as we have a hazy idea at best about what Sumerian civilization was like. The simplistic artwork actually strengthened the mythic connection in my mind and reminded me of cave paintings and early art so I would call the art style a strength rather than a weakness of this comic.

Now, since I've chosen to look at Inanna's Tears as a myth rather than historical fact, that leaves the important question what is this myth trying to say? When you get down to it all myths have an idea couched within the story. Early creation myths were mankind's attempt to understand how humanity came to exist and why we exist, while myths about George Washington's honesty and humility tried to spread a set of moral ideals to American youth. The only message I seem to get from Inanna's Tears is that any decision you take is meaningless and it left a sour taste in my mouth. To really expand on this I guess I need to spoil the plot so you've been warned.

WARNING! BELOW BE SPOILERS THE KALPAR HAS DEEMED NECESSARY FOR HIS REVIEW! WE TOLD YOU SO!

All right, so the plot of Inanna's Tears centers around the city of Birith, the holy city of the goddess Inanna, ruled over by the priesthood and lead by the high priest, or En, who also serves as Inanna's consort. While the temple of Inanna is the absolute authority within Birith, much of the power outside the city walls is in the hands of the Lugals. The Lugals, lead by a man named Belipotash, were a tribe of mountain people who once invaded Birith. In exchange for sparing the city, the Lugals were granted land allotments outside Birith and have gained considerable economic power but lack the political power and prestige of Birith's priesthood. However it appears that Belipotash may soon get the opportunity he needs.

The En of Birith, Ardru, has grown extremely old and is approaching the end of his life. Birith would normally be in a great deal of turmoil over the death of the En and the appointment of a successor, but the turmoil is increased further when Entika, a temple daughter and a woman, is appointed by Ardru to the traditionally male role of En. Aside from gender prejudice, Entika must face the problem that the old ways of doing things in Birith aren't working anymore. Fields which once provided bountiful harvests year after year have, through sustained agriculture, become leeched of all nutrients and little more than sandboxes. The city of Birith has become more and more dependent upon both trade for their survival and the records kept on clay tablets. Meanwhile an increasing number of people agree to work in the Lugal's fields as common laborers in exchange for enough food to sustain themselves. Clearly the old ways of doing things are no longer working and Entika as En is looking for alternative means to keep her city alive.

There's a subplot which I mention mainly because A. David Lewis, the man who wrote the introduction, makes a pretty big deal about it. Basically Anarin, the man in charge of the scribes who keep the records for Birith and a close friend of Entika, has been developing an alphabet so he can write down the daily prayers to Inanna. Obviously it's an important innovation and it could have long-lasting effects on Birith's society. Entika, more out of surprise than anything else, accidentally drops the clay tablet with the written prayers and shatters it. Entika interprets this as a sign of Inanna's displeasure and forbids Anarin from rewriting the prayers. Ultimately I was left with a far different impression than Mr. Lewis as to the importance of this subplot. Mr. Lewis came up with this grand thesis stating that Inanna is anti-writing and favors an oral tradition selectively revealed rather than the more egalitarian print. While I respect Mr. Lewis's opinion...I really do not see it anywhere within the story. Really what I see this event doing is pushing Entika to the position that the people of Birith must hold onto the ancient traditions and keep their faith in Inanna who will see them through these times of trouble.

The Lugals on the other hand are proponents of change, even if that change is simply placing Belipotash and his cadre in charge of Birith rather than the En and her advisers. Through a series of well-coordinated riots the Lugals manage to sow discontent and take control of Birith, imprisoning Entika and the guildmasters and effectively cutting off the head of Birith's government. Belipotash is also apparently in favor of Anarin's writing system and asks Anarin to write down a story, except...we never are told Belipotash's story or see the effects of it being written down so it's kind of a plot that gets abandoned halfway through. Belipotash seeks to cement his rule in Birith by introducing the Lugal fire god, Geru, as a consort to Inanna and thus symbolically unite the two factions through faith. Entika initially agrees to cooperate and even represent Inanna in a symbolic ritual where she and Belipotash as Geru will consecrate the temple in sexual union. Halfway through the ceremony Entika changes her mind, driving Belipotash into a rage in which he kills Entika and orders the death of all the guildmasters and leaders of Birith. And you know, it would be really interesting to see what happens as a result of Belipotash's actions except...everyone dies.

Yeah, I'm not kidding. A giant flood comes along, wipes out Birith and kills everyone.

Honestly the only message I can conclude from that ending is all of life is meaningless and it doesn't really matter what we do because we're all going to die anyway. *Shrug*

Overall I get the impression there were three or four directions that Vollmar and Mann wanted to go with this story, and just halfway through they were forced to abandon most of them. Especially with a kill-them-all and wipe out all traces ending I feel like the creators were dissatisfied with how it turned out and just wanted to see an end to the project more than anything. Of course it's very likely I am far off the mark in saying that but it's my overall impression. Especially when I consider the relative brevity of this work, five chapters of twenty-six pages each, I think Inanna's Tears would have benefited from sticking to one theme for their story rather than incorporating several disparate elements.

A final important note, this book is rated mature because of nudity, and I know that can be offensive to some people. I didn't find this nudity particularly sexual, more a side effect of these people live somewhere hot so they don't wear much clothing to compensate. I didn't find it offensive, and I'm even the anti-smut guy, but people should be aware that it's in there in small doses.

Overall I was just kind of confused and a little disappointed with how Innana's Tears ended and I think this comic would have benefited from more story development. What ended up in the book was good, but I felt like there were a lot of ideas the creators had that had to be abandoned to meet space requirements. I would definitely suggest checking it out for yourself but maybe waiting on buying it.

- Kalpar

Awakening, from Archaia Comics

As this stupendous week of Kalpar reviews continues we take a look at Awakening from Archaia Comics. Awakening is a zombie story written by Nick Tapalansky with art by Alex Eckan-Lawn and edited by Thomas Mauer, although there is more to this comic than just zombies. The comic is set in the city of Park Falls, a normally quiet community and typical slice of Americana. However, the town has recently been beset by a string of gruesome murders and disappearances which ends up being a harbinger of far worse things.

Private detective Derrick Peters, formerly of the Park Falls police force, is investigating the disappearance of a local man. The man's car was found outside of town but no trace of the missing man leaves both Derrick and the police baffled. As the investigation continues Derrick is visited by Cynthia Ford who claims that the cause of the disappearances and murders is zombies. But since Cynthia has in the past claimed that the mayor of Park Falls sells children to cannibals up north her claims are met with considerable skepticism. But lacking any other leads Derrick decides to investigate Cynthia's claims and finds that even a blind pig occasionally finds an acorn. Soon the citizens of Park Falls discover zombies are a very real concern, especially after Dr. Daniel Howe is sent to Park Falls by the Department of Defense. Soon Dr. Howe and Derrick are racing to find answers before the outbreak consumes the world.

Overall I was actually disappointed with this comic and I have to regretfully suggest to my readers to just pass this one by. Fortunately it is not because the story of this comic is lacking at all, there is plenty going on to this comic besides just zombies. We get to see the development and motivation of characters, we see their histories which gives them a lot of depth. We also get to see how people cope with a world that is gradually overrun with zombies and how they cope on a psychological level. Overall I felt that the story was well-done and while it has a major downer ending I wasn't left dissatisfied. However a comic cannot stand on the merits of its story alone and good art is essential for a good comic.

I've scanned a couple of pages from Awakening to help illustrate my specific problems with the overall comic. And I'm willing to accept that this might just be my opinion on the matter because art is after all subjective. If you see these pictures and like the art then feel free to check out Awakening.

The first thing I noticed is the tendency for a lot of pages to be dominated by one background color, most of them some sort of shade of brown or blue-grey but some with a sort of pea soup green. I mention this because it's not just the backgrounds that are dominated by these colors, but often the people and objects in the foreground as well. Here's an example:

I picked some pages with as little dialog as possible to help focus on the art. In the above example Cynthia has just told Derrick that the murders are caused by zombies and he tells her to get out. As you may notice the page is dominated by brown and, this is just my opinion, but it looks like it's been stained with tea or coffee. In addition the skin of the characters on this page are the same color as the background. It's not so much of a problem in this instance because of the heavy lines which separate the characters from the background and the color of their clothing, but I just found it unappealing on a visual level. Unfortunately the color is a consistent problem, as illustrated in my next example.

In this page we see Derrick get attacked by and fight off a zombie, however this page is dominated by the blue-grey I was talking about earlier. Now I understand doing the zombie the same color as the background because it's sneaking up on Derrick but why is Derrick the same color as the background? It again forces us to rely on heavy lines to distinguish the characters from the background and makes everything look the same. Another point I would like to make is that the art gets very very fuzzy in this comic, almost as if I have cataracts. Again this is just me, but I prefer the comics I read to have clear, crisp lines and at least some variation of color rather than the heavy lines, dominant color single color and fuzzy edges. I did feel that the art gradually got better towards the end so I included another example.

Again, more of Derrick fighting zombies. In this case there is a little more variation in terms of color and we don't need thick lines to distinguish the characters from the background. The lines are tighter and the action is more visible. However, it still has the problem of being dominated by a single color with little variation, and it's fuzzy in some places. Overall I felt like the artwork could have been done much, much better.

Now, if you will permit me I will include an example from one of my favorite webcomics, The Zombie Hunters by Jenny Romanchuk. Again I have picked an image with minimal dialog to help focus on the art.

In this page we have the character Katie McWilliams inspecting an alley when a zombie suddenly jumps behind her for a surprise attack. As you'll notice both Katie, the zombie and the background all have clear, crisp lines which provide a great level of detail. Furthermore we can clearly tell both the zombie and Katie from the background through the use of both color and lines. Although Katie and the zombie are both wearing mostly drab colors, the colors are distinct from the green of the fence on one side and the tan of the wall on the other. This helps us separate Katie and the zombie from the background and prevents the page from being dominated by one color. I don't think I can stress the use of color enough in my review here. In The Zombie Hunters most of the backgrounds have brown, grey or other drab colors and provides an overall mood that this is a dying world overrun with zombies. However the characters have little splashes of color which first provides little hints of personality and second helps distinguish them from the background: Katie's red coat, Jenny's orange bear hat, Samantha's blue hair. They help show that these characters are little scraps of life left in a mostly-dead world. Maybe an opinion, but I feel like it's important.

I feel like color could have been used to greater extent in Awakening because we get to see the world slowly be overtaken by the undead menace. In the beginning of the comic there could have been a variety of colors to help imply the vitality of the world before the fall. But as the zombie menace grows they could have incorporated more and more drab colors like brown and grey to help imply that the life is slowly being leached out of the world. It would have been a far more powerful use of color than just brown and grey throughout the whole comic.

Ultimately the story was good and raised some interesting points, but the story alone was not enough for this comic. I found the art to be visually unappealing and detracted from my reading experience. Really I can only suggest picking this book up if you liked the examples of the art that I included in this review. If this is your cup of tea then go for it, otherwise I would just say avoid Awakening.

- Kalpar

Oh, all images are copyright of their respective owners and used under fair use.

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, by David Petersen

"But Kalpar!" my two readers are exclaiming at this moment, "Today is Tuesday and you update on Thursdays. What sorcery is this?" Fear not, gentle reader, for this review is simply a harbinger of a Kalpar-filled week for everyone. The lovely people over at Archaia Comics sent me four shiny comics to read and write reviews about. Now normally my review schedule is one per week, but I'd hate to stretch these reviews out over a month, especially with my ever-growing to be read pile. So I've decided that for this week I shall bring my readers four nice and shiny new reviews Tuesday through Thursday this week. Without further ado let's get to Mouse Guard: Fall 1152.

Mouse Guard as a series is an on-going bimonthly comic book written and drawn by David Petersen. Mouse Guard originated as an idea Petersen had, "Mice have a culture all their own; too small to integrate with other animals." Petersen continued to expand and elaborate on this idea until 2005 when he began producing Mouse Guard. Today Mouse Guard is a highly-praised comic book which continues to detail Petersen's imaginative world and has won an Eisner Award. (Basically an Oscar for comics.) The book that I am reviewing today is Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, a collection of the first six comics of Mouse Guard and resolves the first story arc.

I must admit, I initially had significant hesitations about reading Mouse Guard. I read the Redwall series a long time ago as a kid and ended up having two specific issues with the series which has made me hesitant to read other stories of anthropomorphic animals. The first problem is the fact that Redwall Abbey and the mountain fortress of Salamandastron seem to be the only settlements of any note on the entire continent. As a result Brian Jacques's world feels underdeveloped and lacking serious depth. (It also raises the question, where are all these huge armies of vermin coming from?) The other main issue I had with the Redwall series was the undercurrents of racism, specifically the assumption that all rats, stoats and other "vermin" are inherently evil. The most blatant example is in Outcast of Redwall where Veil the ferret, who was raised by the "good guys" at Redwall ends up evil anyway. You can argue it was because he was poorly treated by the residents of Redwall and pushed him towards evil, but the book explicitly states that he is inherently evil. I know that in many fantasy novels this casual racism is an unfortunate side effect, but to be frank it still bothers me. Fortunately Petersen manages to avoid both of these specific issues in his story.

First, Petersen appears to have created an incredibly detailed world and the map shows somewhere between twenty and thirty mouse settlements. I liked the level of depth and detail to his world and found myself believing that it could actually be real. I also feel that Petersen manages to avoid the issue of racism in this book by having the conflict be an internal mouse vs. mouse affair rather than mice vs. vermin. Petersen's ability as a storyteller and a world-builder are highly apparent and I actually look forward to exploring more of the Mouse Guard series.

This specific book introduces us to Petersen's world of a secret mouse civilization. In constant fear of predators the mice have built their cities in isolated and hard-to-reach places such as beneath trees and rock outcroppings. As a result most of these settlements are self-governing but are in contact with and trade with the other mouse settlements across their territories. However travel between settlements is very dangerous and travelers depend upon the brave members of the Mouse Guard as guides and protectors.

We are introduced to Lieam (green cloak), Kenzie (blue cloak), and Saxon (red cloak) who are investigating the disappearance of a grain merchant who was travelling alone. The guards discover that the grain merchant was tragically eaten by a snake but far more concerning is he possessed a detailed map of Lockhaven, the fortress of the Mouse Guard. Clearly someone has betrayed the Mouse Guard and the race is on to warn the officers of the Guard at Lockhaven before the traitors can act.

Overall I actually enjoyed this book. The world was well-fleshed out and I was left wanting to learn more about this Petersen's world. However if you're a parent looking for something your kids might enjoy I would definitely suggest looking through it first. There is some violence and while it isn't particularly graphic some people might find it unnerving. It's definitely interesting enough for both adults and kids to enjoy and I recommend you check it out.

-Kalpar

Press Release: HAWKEN and Archaia Get Graphic Together

Note: The following is a press release from Archaia Comics. Thanks goes to Mel Caylo, Marketing Manager, for sharing this information with us. 

Graphic Novel Will Explore the Rich World Behind the Eagerly Anticipated, Free-To-Play Mech Game

SEATTLE, WA (EMERALD CITY COMICON/March 31, 2012) – Meteor Entertainment and Eisner Award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment have teamed up to produce and publish a hardcover graphic novel for HAWKEN, Meteor’s upcoming First-Person-Shooter (FPS).  HAWKEN is already generating major online buzz as a fan-favored underdog within the gaming community. Produced by Adhesive Games, an independent game studio based in Pasadena, HAWKEN has been praised for groundbreaking gameplay and visuals that rival most AAA console titles. HAWKEN is the first title from indie publisher Meteor Entertainment.

Meteor is holding a panel at Emerald City Comic Con in their hometown of Seattle, WA on Saturday, March 31st from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM in Room TCC 102 in the Washington State Convention Center. Representatives from both Meteor and Archaia will share more details about their publishing partnership and hint at some big announcements for Archaia’s next appearance in Chicago, IL at C2E2, in Chicago April 13-15, 2012.

HAWKEN is the story of a post-apocalyptic, human-colonized planet that has been industrialized to the point of collapse. This crumbling world is the setting for a hunt for vital resources and a brutal battle for survival. Writing the graphic novel for Archaia is Jeremy Barlow, whose recent work on the Mass Effect 3 comic books made him an easy choice for another high-profile games-to-comics translation. In addition to Barlow’s script, Archaia is assembling a team of popular artists, including Moritat (Elephantmen, Transmetropolitan), Stefano Gaudiano (Daredevil, Amazing Spiderman), and Khang Le (Flight), with more names to be announced at C2E2.
Eisner Award-nominated Flight writer/artist and Adhesive Games co-founder Khang Le crafted HAWKEN’s vast mythology, which was later extrapolated alongside DJ2 Entertainment, a new LA-based production company that specializes in transmedia brand development.  “It’s amazing to look around and see so many trusted friends behind HAWKEN. With 1.2 million views on YouTube and 250,000+ users already registered for our 12/12/12 beta release, it’s hard to believe how far we’ve come,” said Le. “Just goes to show that, with a great team behind you, anything is possible.”

The graphic novel is set to release in March 2013 following the 12-12-12 beta release of HAWKEN the game. While the game showcases the visually stunning and high action FPS experience, the graphic novel will expose the world’s vast mythology and explore the key characters and events motivating the war in-game. Reading the graphic novel is designed to not only serve as a narrative counterpart to the game, but also enrich the gaming experience with secret clues and codes that unlock special features in-game. “We wanted to do something special in publishing, but we needed a partner with enough artistic integrity and proven quality to pull it off,” said Mark Long, game veteran and CEO of Meteor Entertainment.

The Meteor-Archaia partnership was facilitated by Joe LeFavi of Quixotic Transmedia, who spearheads business development for Archaia’sBlack Label division, a unique development pipeline designed to work alongside entertainment brands eager to launch and expand into publishing. “What excited us most about Hawken was their determination to revitalize, if not redefine, how people see and appreciate mechs,” said LeFavi, who will serve as executive editor and Archaia’s transmedia producer on the book. “Boasting influences from Blade Runner andTekkonkinkreet to Nausicaä and Ghost in the Shell, Hawken is a breathtaking portrait of a war-torn world where greed is good, war is life, and survival is for the few with the most ammo. To find such a gritty and grounded vision of our future was inspiring. Sure, the game is gorgeous and really fun, but Meteor isn’t simply creating a great game. They’re creating an entire universe fans can enjoy and explore for years to come.”


About ArchaiaArchaia is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 50 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Return of the Dapper Men, Gunnerkrigg Court, Awakening, The Killer, Days Missing, Tumor, Syndrome, Artesia, The Engineer, and an entire line of The Jim Henson Company graphic novels. Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for producing meaningful content that perpetually transforms minds, building one of the industry’s most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels. Archaia was named Graphic Novel Publisher of the Year according to Ain’t it Cool News, Graphic Policy and Comic Related, and was honored with nine 2011 Eisner Awards nominations. Archaia has also successfully emerged as a prolific storyteller in all facets of the entertainment industry, extending their popular brands into film, television, gaming, and branded digital media.

About Meteor EntertainmentBased in Seattle, Meteor Entertainment is a newly formed video game publisher focused on building out a top tier roster of talent to successfully publish F2P games globally, with an emphasis on compelling content and setting the standard for customer service and community engagement.  Meteor’s 12/12/12 launch of HAWKEN, created by Adhesive Games, will be its first tentpole title. To learn more about Meteor Entertainment visit www.meteor-ent.com <http://www.meteor-ent.com>  and be sure to check out www.playhawken.com.

About DJ2 EntertainmentBased in Santa Monica, California, DJ2 is an independent, multi-platform production company that develops and produces content for theatrical, television, mobile and videogame platforms. DJ2 is also a full service management company representing a roster of top writers, actors, directors, artists and creatives. Leveraging decades of experience and outstanding industry relationships with film and TV studios, comic publihers, talent agencies, game developers and game publishers, DJ2  provides a one stop shop for project development, career guidance and management.  www.dj2.co/

About Quixotic TransmediaQuixotic is an entertainment consultancy that specializes in transmedia brand development, formulating innovative strategies and turnkey creative solutions that inspire brands to unearth their cross-platform potential. As the business of storytelling continues to evolve, Quixotic Transmedia is committed to serve as a trusted guide for brands eager to develop, produce, and promote their ideas across multiple forms of media. Here we provide a friendly and informed perspective on the transmedia space, enabling our clients to overcome the bewildering learning curve and seize the many opportunities of this ever-evolving marketplace. Our unique process is designed to educate brands on how to produce rich content incorporating media both new and old, utilize emerging technologies and social media as dynamic storytelling and marketing tools, and open an array of accessible entry points that engage fans on multiple levels. In support of this mission, Quixotic has fostered a vast network of quality vendors in every facet of the industry, ensuring that clients make the right friends and align their brands with industry pioneers capable of bringing their ideas to life. Learn more about how you can change the way that you share stories with the world at www.quixotictransmedia.com.