Known for its graphic novels, the New York City-based boutique publisher will expand into periodicals this fall.
Z2 Comics, publisher of Paul Pope's Escapo, Dean Haspiels' Fear My Dear and Harvey Pekar's Cleveland, will branch out from graphic novels into periodicals with a new line debuting this fall.
Formerly Zip Comics, the New York-based boutique publisher will start with three creator-owned titles: Welcome to Showside, by Bravest Warriors comic artist Ian McGinty; Carver, by Pope protege Chris Hunt (12 Reasons to Die); and Allen: Son of Hellcock, the comics debut of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver writer Will Tracy.
"There’s no house style to Z2 Comics, because our comics are spectacularly diverse,” Publisher Josh Frankel said in a statement. “We have an all ages comic book chock full of demons and monsters about the eternal tension between a slacker son and his ambitious father who literally wants to take over the universe. There’s a world trotting caper full of sex, intrigue and adventure. And then there’s a hilarious fantasy story about an aspiring cartoonist who must avenge his father’s death.”
The 32-page comics will be available in print through Diamond Comic Distributors and digitally through comiXology. See a full breakdown of the opening lineup below.
WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE by Ian McGinty
October, 2015
Following his stint as artist on the BRAVEST WARRIORS comic book, Ian McGinty will publish his creator owned debut as a writer/artist with Z2 Comics. WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE features the adventures of Kit, a lovable kid with a monstrous secret: his dad is the Great Shadow King and he wants Kit to take over the family business of destroying the world.
“Kit is a fun-loving dude who wishes he didn’t have a care in the world,” said Ian McGinty. “But as much as he wants to skateboard, eat rad food, and hang with his buds like any kid would, well, his father is the Shadow King, Ruler of the Nexus, and that means sometimes Kit and his friends have to defend the town of Showside from ghosts, demons and monsters.”
CARVER by Chris Hunt
November, 2015
After an absence of five years, globe trotting and notorious gentleman of fortune Francis Carver returns to Paris in 1923. He has come back to aid Catherine Ayers, the wife of a wealthy Parisian socialite and the only woman he has ever loved. Her daughter has been kidnapped by the leader of a crazed anarchist gang, a man named Stacker Lee. In order to bring the girl home, Francis will have to crawl through the underbelly of the city while confronting the demons of his past, before being faced with a final choice: succumb to the man he has become, or take that mask off and be the hero he always wanted to be.
“CARVER is my homage to CORTO MALTESE,” said Chris Hunt, “I’m bringing a modern edge and sensibility to classic, serialized adventure storytelling, starting with the first storyline CARVER: A PARIS STORY.”
ALLEN: SON OF HELLCOCK by Will Tracy, Gabe Koplowitz, Miguel Porto
December, 2015
Allen is cowardly, directionless, and less physically menacing than a daffodil. He’s also the only son of the mightiest hero ever to plunge his sword hilt-deep into the dark heart of evil… the mighty HELLCOCK! Enjoy the ride as Allen is thrust sword-first into a not-so-classic fantasy quest that, frankly, he would rather just sit out. ALLEN: SON OF HELLCOCK is the comic book debut of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver writer Will Tracy, co-writer Gabe Koplowitz and artist Miguel Porto.
“ALLEN: SON OF HELLCOCK has it all: washed-up sorcerers and swordsmen, terrifying horse-donkeys, sensitive ogres, fashionable elves, ornery minotaur landlords, an exceedingly polite retired despot, a black-hearted but oddly lovable villain, and an idealistic young woman who’s the only one with any brains,” said Will Tracy.
“Uh, don't forget Allen,” said Gabe Koplowitz.
“Did you mention the horrid horse-donkeys already? Oh god... the horse-donkeys..." said Miguel Porto.
