IDW Publishing

IDW Publishing
Parent company Idea and Design Works, LLC
Founded 1999 (1999)
Founder
  • Ted Adams
  • Alex Garner
  • Kris Oprisko
  • Robbie Robbins
Country of origin United States
Headquarters location San Diego, California
Distribution Diamond Comic Distributors (comics)[1]
Penguin Random House Publisher Services (US books)
Diamond Book Distributors (international books)[2]
Key people
  • Greg Goldstein (President & Publisher)
  • John Barber (Editor-in-Chief)
  • David Hedgecock (Associate Publisher)
Publication types Comics
Imprints
  • Blue Dream Studios
  • The Library of American Comics
  • Top Shelf
  • Yoe! Books
Owner(s) IDW Media Holdings, Inc.
Official website Official website Edit this at Wikidata

IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW), itself formed in 1999, and is regularly recognized as the fifth-largest comic book publisher in the United States, behind Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, & Image Comics.[3] The company is perhaps best known for its licensed comic book adaptations of movies, television shows, and cartoons.

History

Idea and Design Works (IDW) was formed in 1999 by a group of comic book managers and artists that met at Wildstorm Productions included Ted Adams, Robbie Robbins, Alex Garner, and Kris Oprisko for an outsource art and graphic design firm. Each of the four was equal partners, owning 25%. With Wildstorm owner Jim Lee selling to DC Comics in 1999, Lee turned that company's creative service department, previously run by Adams, clients over to IDW allowing IDW to be profitable its first year. With these profits, the firm decided to fund a new venture every year. In 2000, they developed a TV show concept, getting as far as a pilot episode. For 2001's project, Adams's Ashley Wood talked to them about publishing an art book, thus starting up IDW Publishing. Una Fanta was published in March 2002. Woods had Steve Niles send Adams some of his rejected screenplays. Adams selected one, 30 Days of Night, and paired him with artist Ben Templesmith for a comic adaptation as a three issue series, beginning in August 2002. With low pre-orders, Adams personally pushed the comic with the distributor and major comic book stores. Soon the title's back issue were hot and were followed up with Wood's Popbot. [4]

In 2007, IDT Corporation purchased a 53% majority interest in IDW from the company's founders, removing Garner & Oprisko, while reducing Adams & Robbins to minority owners collectively at 47%. Then, in 2009, IDT proceeded to increase its interest to the current 76%, reducing Adams & Robbins's interest once again to the current 24%. Then, shortly afterwards, IDT created CTM Media Holdings via a tax-free spin-off. This new company consisted of the majority interest in IDW and CTM Media Group.[5] Eight years later, on April 3 2015, CTM Media Holdings announced it would continue operations under a new name, becoming IDW Media Holdings, which would continue to consist of the majority interest in IDW and CTM Media Group.[6]

The company's first traditional comic series, 30 Days of Night, created by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith started a seven-figure bidding war between DreamWorks, MGM, and Senator International, with Senator winning and Sam Raimi attached to produce.[7][8]

IDW Publishing's second title, Popbot, won two Gold Spectrum Awards.[9]

IDW Publishing also publishes comics based on the TV franchises Star Trek and CSI. The company's other licensed comics include Topps' Mars Attacks, Sony's Underworld, FX' The Shield, Fox' 24,[10] and Angel; Universal’s Land of the Dead and Shaun of the Dead; and Konami’s Silent Hill,[11] Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid, and Speed Racer. The company has also had success with comic license from toy company Hasbro brands: The Transformers (with Takara), G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, and Jem. Transformers has had as many as five different titles running concurrently.

Beginning in 2008, the company licensed the Doctor Who series from the BBC, launching two concurrent titles: Doctor Who Classics, which reprints colorized comic strips featuring the past Doctors such as the Fourth Doctor and Fifth Doctor originally published in the late 1970's-early 1980's by Doctor Who Magazine, and Doctor Who: Agent Provocateur, an original six-part limited series featuring the Tenth Doctor and overseen and written by TV series script editor Gary Russell. An additional six-part limited series titled Doctor Who: The Forgotten started in mid-2008 by Tony Lee and Pia Guerra,[12][13] as well as a series of monthly one-shot, self-contained stories. July 2009 saw the beginning of Doctor Who, an ongoing series featuring the Tenth Doctor, written by Tony Lee and illustrated by a rotating art team.[14]

In 2010, IDW Publishing released the sequel to Michael San Giacomo's "Phantom Jack" Image Comics series with "Phantom Jack: The Nowhere Man Agenda." The graphic novel is notable because it features the death of the main character, a reporter who can turn invisible.

IDW Publishing formed an imprint with EA Games in late 2009, called EA Comics, to focus on adaptations of the latter's video games, with initial titles including Army of Two and Dragon Age.[15]

September 6, 2011, for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, IDW Publishing teamed up Charlie Foxtrot Entertainment and released the graphic novel Code Word: Geronimo, written by retired Marine Corps Captain Dale Dye and Julia Dye, drawn by Gerry Kissell with inker Amin Amat.[16] Code Word: Geronimo reached #22 on Diamond Comics top 100 list its first month after release.[17]

In March 2012 IDW Publishing announced it would release new comics based on Judge Dredd and The Crow.[18] Also in 2012, Hasbro licensed the use of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic for an IDW comic book series.

In February 2013, IDW Publishing announced a partnership with Cartoon Network to publish comics based on the network's television series and reprint older Cartoon Network comics.[19]

On January 6, 2015, IDW Publishing announced it had acquired Top Shelf Productions.[20]

In February 2015, it was announced that IDW Publishing made a deal with Disney to continue the publication of the following comic books: Uncle Scrooge, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, and Walt Disney's Comics and Stories.[21]

In July 2017, Sega announced a partnership with IDW to publish comics based on Sonic the Hedgehog beginning in 2018, following the conclusion/cancellation of the previous series by Archie Comics.[22][23][24]

Imprints

Yoe! Books

The Library of American Comics

The Library of American Comics

Titles

In 2008, the first volume of The Complete Terry and the Pirates received an Eisner Award for Best Archival Collection.

Worthwhile Books and Blue Dream Studios

The IDW "Creator Visions" panel at the 2013 New York Comic Con. From left to right: writers Sidney Friedfertig, Gary Gerani, Adadsam Knave, Dan Goldman, M. Zachary Sherman, Jeff Kline, and Jason Enright. At the podium is IDW Vice President of Marketing Dirk Wood.

IDW Publishing launched two new imprints in 2008: Worthwhile Books, part of their children's books division,[25] and Scott Christian Sava's Blue Dream Studios, previously a separate self-publishing venture.[26][27]

IDW Publishing acquired the G.I. Joe comics license in May 2008 (previously held by Devil's Due Publishing) and released three new series under editor Andy Schmidt,[28] from writers such as Chuck Dixon, Larry Hama, and Christos Gage. Other comics were released in time to tie-in with the summer 2009 G.I. Joe film.[29][30]

In March 2009, IDW Publishing forged an agreement with Mike Gold's Comicmix.com to publish print versions of Comicmix's online comic books. The agreement stipulates Comicmix must provide two comic books a month to IDW Publishing to publish, as well as graphic novels and trade paperbacks as demanded by the market. The books are published with both the IDW Publishing and Comicmix.com logos on the covers. As of the end of 2009, the agreement has produced print versions of the Grimjack series The Manx Cat; the Jon Sable series Ashes of Eden; Mark Wheatley and Robert Tinnell's pulp hero series Lone Justice; the graphic novel Demons of Sherwood by Tinnell and Bo Hampton; and a graphic novel collecting Trevor Von Eeden's The Original Johnson. A collection of Munden's Bar stories original to Comicmix's website is also forthcoming.[31]

In 2004, 2005, and 2006 IDW Publishing was named Publisher of the Year by Diamond Comic Distributors.[32]

Publications

Adaptations in other media

Konami acquired the video game rights, and minority ownership, in IDW Publishing’s CVO: Covert Vampiric Operations.[33]

30 Days of Night has been adapted into a film of the same name in 2007, starring Josh Hartnett and Melissa George, directed by David Slade and produced by Spider-Man director Sam Raimi. It is distributed by Columbia Pictures.

Dimension Films has an option on two Steve Niles/IDW Publishing properties: Wake the Dead, with X2 screenwriter Michael Dougherty attached to write, and Hyde, with Mike Fleiss (The Bachelor, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) attached to produce.[34][35]

The motion comic version of Transformers: Movie Prequel titled Transformers: Beginnings (albeit excluding characters not present in the movie) is included in the Transformers DVD.

Syfy announced a television adaptation of Wynonna Earp, which premiered on April 1, 2016.

Upcoming projects

References

  1. ↑ "Contact – IDW Publishing". www.idwpublishing.com.
  2. ↑ "IDW moves to Penguin Random House for book distribution". 13 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Albert, Aaron. "Here is a List of the Top Comic Book Publishers and Companies". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  4. ↑ Bradley, Drew (16 February 2015). "IDW: The Small Press Days". Multiversity Comics. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  5. ↑ "CTM HOLDINGS". ctmholdings.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-22. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  6. ↑ IDW MEDIA HOLDINGS (3 April 2015). "CTM MEDIA HOLDINGS (CTMMA; CTMMB) TO BECOME IDW MEDIA HOLDINGS". idwmediaholdings.com. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  7. ↑ SignonSanDiego.com (July 2006) A Hollywood ending
  8. ↑ IGN.com (2007) 30 Days of Night
  9. ↑ Locus index to SF awards: 2002 Spectrum Awards https://web.archive.org/web/20151104210653/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Spectrum12002.html.
  10. ↑ Weiland, Jonah (March 2004). "IDW Publishing to Release Comic Based on TV Show "24"". Comic Book Resources.
  11. ↑ Weiland, Jonah (July 2003). "IDW Publishing Joins Konami for 'Silent Hill' Comic Book". Comic Book Resources.
  12. ↑ The Timeline Of A Time Lord: Lee talks "Doctor Who". Comic Book Resources. June 26, 2008
  13. ↑ Tony Lee and The Doctors in the House, Newsarama. July 14, 2008
  14. ↑ "Tony Lee on the Doctor Who Ongoing Series". Newsarama. July 10, 2009
  15. ↑ "EA and IDW Launch Army of Two and Dragon Age Comics". (press release), Reuters. October 5, 2009
  16. ↑ Gustines, George Gene. "Graphic Books Best Sellers: True Life Comics".
  17. ↑ "Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. - Top 100 Graphic Novels: September 2011". Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  18. ↑ "Chiller". Chiller. Archived from the original on 13 April 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  19. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20151208154058/http://www.idwpublishing.com/news/article/2507/
  20. ↑ "IDW Publishing Acquires Top Shelf Productions". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  21. ↑ "Disney Comics in Stores April 2015". IDW Publishing. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  22. ↑ @sonic_hedgehog (21 Jul 2017). "SEGA and IDW are thrilled to announce a partnership to bring Sonic Comics to fans new and old. The new series arrives 2018!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ Frank, Allegra (9 October 2017). "Sonic the Hedgehog's next comics get a fantastic facelift (correction)". Polygon. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  24. ↑ Devore, Jordan. "Sonic comics return April 2018 with writer Ian Flynn". destructoid. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  25. ↑ "IDW Launches New Children's Division and Imprint". Comic Book Resources. January 10, 2008
  26. ↑ "Blue Dream becomes imprint of IDW". Newsarama. March 4, 2008
  27. ↑ Dueben, Alex (December 3, 2008). "Scott Christian Sava Talks 'Dreamland Chronicles'". Comic Book Resources.
  28. ↑ "Schmidt to Oversee G.I. Joe at IDW Publishing". Comic Book Resources. June 4, 2008
  29. ↑ "IDW Announces GI Joe Plans". Newsarama. September 9, 2008
  30. ↑ Jensen, Van (September 23, 2008). "IDW Launches G.I. Joe Invasion". Publishers Weekly.
  31. ↑ "IDW and ComicMix Join Forces". ComicMix. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  32. ↑ "IDW's Gem-Award Triple Crown". Diamond Comic Distributors. April 2006. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011.
  33. ↑ "IDW Continues Popular Franchise With 'CVO: Covert Vampiric Operations—Rogue State'". Silver Bullet Comics. Archived October 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  34. ↑ Comics2Film.com Books "HYDE" Film Rights https://web.archive.org/web/20131015114305/http://www.comics2film.com/FanFrame.php?f_id=4537/Dimension
  35. ↑ Horror.com (November 2003) Dimension to "Wake The Dead"
  36. ↑ Fleming Jr, Mike (14 June 2012). "Hideo Nakata To Direct Graphic Novel Adaptation 'The Suicide Forest'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  37. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "'Brooklyn Animal Control' Comic Gets USA Drama Pilot Order, David Goyer Producing". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  38. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "USA To Redevelop 'Brooklyn Animal Control' Pilot, Passes On 'Poor Richard's Almanack'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  39. ↑ "Par gains 'Arcane' rights". Comics2Film.com (June 2004) Archived February 14, 2005, at the Wayback Machine.
  40. ↑ McNary, Dave. "Jim Carrey, Eli Roth Team on Horror Film 'Aleister Arcane'". Variety.com. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  41. ↑ Otterson, Joe (September 28, 2018). "Netflix Orders Three Sci-Fi Shows, Including Kate Bosworth Produced 'I-Land'". Variety. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  • Official website Edit this at Wikidata
  • IDW Media Holdings
  • IDW's Drusilla/Angel Comic at FEARnet
  • Dueben, Alex (January 17, 2008). "In-Depth with IDW Publisher Chris Ryall". Comic Book Resources.
  • "IDW's Drusilla/Angel" https://web.archive.org/web/20131105035521/http://www.fearnet.com/news/b16032_exclusive_5_pages_from_idws.html. FEARnet.
  • Gustines, George (September 9, 2011). "Graphic Books Best Sellers: True Life Comics". New York Times. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
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