Last week, we got the sad news that Zdarsky Comic News, the comics magazine from writer Chip Zdarsky, will be ending in December. Well, from the ashes of ZCN, and some of the folks behind that venture comes… COMICS! The Magazine.
Specifically from Prana: Direct Marketing Solutions, and while ZCN was a cheeky look focused through the lens of Zdarsky, COMICS! The Magazine will take a light, but somewhat more serious look at the industry.
“We wanted to make something that reminds everyone why comics are so special — the thrill of discovery, the community at your local shop, and the creators who pour their hearts into every page. COMICS! The Magazine is a love letter to the whole culture — from lifelong readers to anyone picking up their first issue,” Atom! Freeman, Publisher, Prana: Direct Market Solutions said via a press release provided to Comic Book Club.
The creative team behind the new mag is a powerhouse, too: Editor-in-Chief is Joseph Keatinge, Rico Renzi is Art Director, Gabe Yocum is Director of Sales, and Freeman works as publisher.
“Comic books thrive in print, and their magazines are no different,” Keatinge said. “We’re building something new from the legacy of magazines like Wizard, Hero Illustrated, Flux, Feature, Amazing Heroes, Comics Journal, Comics Interview, Comics Scene, and Comixscene. Comics! The Magazine will be the new central hub for the comics conversation.”
Planned to be published monthly, per PR the magazine will feature “Pullbox Power Rankings, exclusive creator spotlight interviews, COMICS 101 columns, staff picks, actual comics from actual comic book creators, and guest articles and art from some of the most respected voices in the medium.”
Curious to know more? A #0 issue will be available starting today at New York Comic Con during the professional Retailer Day programming, as well as additional copies at Baltimore Comic Con next weekend, at the Prana booth (#1610). The #0 issue will feature an interview with Chew and Farmhand‘s Rob Guillory, and a one-page comic from Everything Sucks’ Michael Sweater.
You can check out bios on the creators and a cover, below.
Full disclosure: Comic Book Club is an advertiser in the zero issue.
Meet the Team Behind the Pages
Joseph Keatinge, Editor-in-Chief — Executive Editor of the Eisner- and Harvey-winning anthology Popgun; writer of Shutter, Glory, Ringside, Tech Jacket, Marvel Knights: Hulk, and Adventures of Superman; co-founder of the Creators for Creators grant; color flatter for Savage Dragon, Invincible, and Jack Staff. He worked in comics retail for San Francisco, CA’s Neon Monster and Portland, OR’s Floating World Comics, and in printing, distribution, sales, and marketing for one of the industry’s biggest publishers.
Rico Renzi, Art Director — The original Spider-Gwen colorist and designer, known for fearless neon palettes and clean, high-impact layouts that define modern comics visual branding.
Gabe Yocum, Director of Sales — From Midtown Comics’ purchasing desk to AWA’s Director of Sales, seasoned event sales pro, and now Prana’s Sponsorship & Business Development lead alongside The EXP, Yocum turns relationships into sustainable business for publishers and retailers alike.
Atom! Freeman, Publisher — Eisner-winning retailer, former ComicHub VP of Sales & Business Development, one of the principal architects of Valiant’s re-emergence, and co-founder of Bad Idea Comics. As founder of Prana: Direct Market Solutions, Freeman now supports publishers, creators, and retailers through data-driven business solutions and strategic partnerships.
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