Hot Property: Radical Publishing

In August of 2014, Dwayne Johnson will be playing Hercules in a big screen adaptation of the graphic novel Hercules: the Thracian Wars, which grounds the mythological hero in a gritty real world. Hercules: the Thracian Wars, released in 2008, was the debut title from Radical Publishing. A year after the company formed, a monthly report on geek trade site IcV2 listed it as the #7 comic book company in the world based on market share
 
            Founded in 2007 by Barry Levine, David Elliott, Jesse Berger and Matthew Berger, Radical started with an intriguing goal: create compelling stories and characters for comics, which will be the basis for feature films, television series, video games and other merchandise. Of course all of that is easier said than done, but Barry Levine, who previously worked at Dark Horse Entertainment and produced such films as Detroit Rock City, knew how to muscle Radical’s way into the crowded comic book marketplace. First, they would release their comics as monthly serials, and then combine them into high quality hardcover collections. On top of this, Radical’s comics are 48 pages, instead of the industry standard 22. Radical’s, er, radical idea has paid off in a big way: as of 2012 they have published 20 different titles, several of which are set to become films; Caliber is being produced by Johnny Depp’s Infitum Nihil, Freedom Formula: Ghost of the Wasteland is set up at Bryan Singer’s Bad Hat Harry, and Oblivion starring Tom Cruise is set to open in April 2013.
 
            Other titles currently not set up: F.V.Z.A. by David Hine and Roy Allan Martinez about the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency fighting the re-emergence of Vampires and Zombies; City of Dust, by Steve Niles and illustrated by ZID, Garrie Gastonny and Brandon Chng, is set in a post apocalyptic future where imagination has been outlawed, and a homicide detective must deal with a villain who is able to merge fantasy with reality; Time Bomb, by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, is about a group of soldiers who must travel back in time to stop Hitler from using an ultimate weapon. Since Radical produces their comics with an eye towards film and TV, these titles are high quality, high concept and primed for the big screen.
 
For more information:
http://radicalpublishing.com/?home
http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/11126.html
 
Next week:
Radical’s editor in chief David Elliot sets up a new comic book venture: Titan Comics.
 
Previous Hot Property: Archaia Entertainment