Archaia Studios Press is an American comic book publishing company established by Mark Smylie in 2002.

History

Mark Smylie formed the company as a home for his comic Artesia because the publisher, Sirius Entertainment, wanted to print the third series in black and white. He quickly realised he might as well publish other titles and early titles included Mouse Guard, Robotika and The Lone and Level Sands. ^[1]

In March 2007 ASP hired Joseph Illidge, formerly at Milestone Comics, and announced a dozen new titles. ^[2] Revere joined from Alias Comics, after they moved to an all-Christian line-up, and ASP will publish the trade paperback. ^[3] Starkweather (based on a story by Piers Anthony) moved over from Arcana Studios for better "product positioning". ^[4]

Pauline Benney joined as Art Director in late 2007 after a decade working in the same position at White Wolf, Inc.^[5]

In May 2008 Aki Liao, ASP's co-publisher, decided to depart from the company for personal reasons. This started an ongoing commitment to make ASP capable of releasing new titles on time and according to schedule retailers and fans would like to see.^[6]

Rumours circulated in early October that ASP were about to be taken over by Devil's Due Publishing and Mark Smylie clarified the situation by confirming that they were bought by Kunoichi, a firm set-up by Joshua Blaylock the former-President of Devil's Due.^[7][8]

Titles

Comics published by Archaia Studios Press include:

• Artesia (by Mark Smylie)
• Awakening (by Nick Tapalansky and Alex Eckman-Lawn, 2007-)^[9]
• The Bond of Saint Marcel (by Jennifer Quintenz, with pencils by Christian Gossett and inks by Marshall Dillion, July 2008, forthcoming)^[10]
• The Devil's Panties (by Jennie Breeden, April, 2008, forthcoming)^[11]
• The Engineer (by Brian Churilla and Jeremy Shepherd, 4-issue mini-series)^{[12] [13] [14]}
• The God Machine (by Chandra Free, Fall 2008, forthcoming)^[15]
• The Grave Doug Freshley (by Josh Hechinger and mpMann, April 2008)^[16]
• Gunnerkrigg Court: Orientation (by Tom Siddell, April 2008)^[17]
• The Killer (by Matz and Luc Jacamon^[18], 10-issue limited series, tpb collects #1-4, 128 pages, September 2007, ISBN 1932386440)^[19]
• The Long Count by Jason L Blair and Leanne Buckley, 6-issue mini-series, December 2007, forthcoming)^{[20] [21]}
• The Lone and Level Sands (by A. David Lewis, with art by Marvin Perry Mann and Jennifer Rodgers) ^[22]
• Mouse Guard (by David Petersen)

• Okko (by Hub):
  • The Cycle of Water (English translation, tpb, 4-issue mini-series, 112 pages, hardcover, August 2007, ISBN 1-932386-30-0)
  • The Cycle of Earth (January, 2008, ongoing) ^[23]

• Primordia (by John R. Fultz and Roel Wielinga, September 2007)^{[24] [25]}
• Revere: (by Ed Lavallee and Grant Bond) ^[26]

• Robotika (by Alex Sheikman):
  • Robotika (tpb, 128 pages, hardcover, December 2006, ISBN 1932386211)^{[27] [28] [29]}
  • Robotika: For a Few Rubles More (October 2007-ongoing)^{[30] [31]}

• Runners: The Big Snow Job (by Sean Wang, May 2008, forthcoming)^[32]
• Scars: A Life Well-Lived (by Durwin Talon and Guin Thompson, 3-issue mini-series, December 2007, forthcoming)^[33]
• Some New Kind of Slaughter, or Lost in the Flood (and How We Found Home Again): Diluvian Myths from Around the World (by Marvin Perry Mann and A. David Lewis, a 4-issue mini-series, December 2007-June 2008)^{[34] [35]}
• Starkweather: Immortal (original story for issue #0 by Piers Anthony, adapted by David Rodriguez, with art by Patrick McEvoy, July 2007. Rodriguez and McEvoy continue the 5-issue mini-series, scheduled for bi-monthly publication.)^{[36] [37]}
• Titanium Rain (by Josh Finney and Kat Rocha, July 2008, forthcoming)^[38]
• Trial by Fire: Genesis (by Juda Tverski^[39], July 2008, forthcoming)^[40]

Archaia has also published a role-playing game based on Artesia:

• Artesia: Adventures in the Known World
• Universities of the Middle Kingdom (by A. David Lewis, forthcoming)

Awards

• 2008: Nominated for "Best U.S. Edition of International Material" Eisner Award, for The Killer.^[41]

Films

So far two comics series have been optioned for adaptation into films: The Killer and Starkweather.^[37]

Notes

References

External links

• Awakening writer Nick Tapalansky and artist Alex Eckman-Lawn talk to comiXology
• Matz talks about the Killer on It Came Out on Wednesday from comiXology
• An interview with the creators of The Long Count comic from Archaia Studios on the Comic Geek Speak podcast