IDW launches new A-TEAM comics

In anticipation of the summer movie event The A-Team, starting in March, IDW Publishing, in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising (Fox Licensing), will launch two A-Team comic book series, entitled A-Team: Shotgun Wedding and A-Team: War Stories. The original stories penned and inked by some of the industry’s biggest names, will give fans an in-depth look at the upcoming action-adventure from Twentieth Century Fox – The A-Team – which will hit theatres June 11, 2010. Each series will be available as single issues in March and April, and collected into individual graphic novels in May.

“Like many, I was a huge fan of the original A-Team television series in the 80’s,” said A-Team comic editor and co-writer Tom Waltz.  “I’m happy to report, after reading the new movie script, the updated A-Team movie has all the wit, swagger and kick-ass action of the original series, but tells a story much bigger than was possible on the show.  For our comics, we’ve worked directly with the filmmakers to build a solidly action-packed foundation for a new generation of A-Team fans.”

“This comic project is the ideal collaboration between the studio, the production, the filmmakers and the publisher maximizing everyone’s talents for the best product. IDW has demonstrated their ability to bring on some of the best writers and artists in the comic book industry and work closely and effectively with all the constituents. The A-Team has a huge following and these comics, much like the upcoming film, contemporize this enormously popular action-adventure franchise and deliver fresh, compelling stories and art to the fans,” said Virginia King, Vice President U.S. Sales for Fox Licensing & Merchandising.  

Taking inspiration from the eagerly anticipated feature film – The A-Team – the comic book series provides the back story for the characters in the film and documents several of the team’s first missions. War Stories features four stand-alone, bi-weekly issues that each focus on a different member of the team, offering details of their Desert Storm adventures as Army Rangers before each joins The A-Team.

Co-written by comics great Chuck Dixon (G.I. JOE) and Erik Burnham (Nanovor: Game Day), the series kicks off with Hannibal and B.A. in March, followed by Face and Murdock in April.  Each team member’s story will feature a different artist in order to best bring out every character’s individual personality.  Hugo Petrus (Marvel Illustrated) will provide interior art for Hannibal, and Casey Maloney (G.I. JOE: Rise of Cobra) tackles B.A. in March.  In April, Alberto Muriel (Legion: Prophets) revives Face, followed by Guiu Vilanova (After the Fire), who delivers Murdock. Fan-favorite artist Michael Gaydos (Alias) will provide covers for every issue. “I was a devoted A-Team fan from the first episode and love all of these characters. Pure action and excitement,” said Chuck Dixon.  “I jumped at the chance to join Erik and work on this property and it’s been better than expected. The dialogue and characterizations came so naturally to me, it was scary.”

Also starting in March, A-Team: Shotgun Wedding, a bi-weekly four issue series, gives fans a taste of the team’s missions after they’ve officially formed The A-Team.  This original adventure, co-plotted by the movie’s director, Joe Carnahan, and Waltz (who also handles the scripting) follows the team from frigid Alaska to sunny San Diego and onto a wedding cruise that becomes utter chaos. Artist Stephen Mooney (Angel: After the Fall) adds heat to every explosion,  while John K. Snyder III offers eye-catching covers.


Please visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books. 

IDW releases for February 17, 2010

Angel #30

Bill Willingham (w)

Brian Denham & Jenny Frison & David Messina (a & c)

Things are not going so well for either our famously intrepid hero or his ‘merry’ band of assistant heroes. Spike and Gunn finds themselves committing rooftop shenanigans, Connor is in over his head back at the office, and Angel is starting to wonder if anyone is going to find him before he dies of boredom. And just what is Connor ‘chosen’ for, anyway?

Army of Two #2

Peter Milligan (w)

Dexter Soy (a)

Chester Ocampo (c)

Trans World Operations’ first mission is off to a bad start. With one operative dead, Salem and Rios find themselves in the middle of what looks like a civil war. Now, with trust eroding between them, Rios and Salem have to put their lives on the line as they’re drawn deeper into the violent world of a murderous Mexican street gang known as the Maras.

Ghostbusters Holiday Special: Tainted Love

Dara Naraghi (w)

Salgood Sam (a)

Nick Runge (c)

Love is in the air-literally!-as Winston befriends an attractive woman with a ghostly problem in her apartment. But trapping the love-struck apparition proves to be more complicated than the Ghostbusters originally thought. Can Winston step up and save the day? Just how far will Peter go to find a date? And do Ray and Egon ever stop to think about girls, or is it always about trans-dimensional ectoplasmic anomolies with those two?

GI JOE: COBRA II #2

Mike Costa & Christos N. Gage (w)

Antonio Fuso (a & c)

General Hawk’s new operative has found Chuckles… who’s in no mood to be rescued. And considering how his last handler ended up, maybe she should take his advice and leave him alone. Meanwhile, delve deeper into Cobra’s twisted inner circles as Tomax and Xamot are called before the high command

Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows #3

Joe Hill (w)

Gabriel Rodriguez (a & c)

The Eisner- and Scream Awards-nominated series continues! Dodge takes possession of the crown of shadows, and darkness falls upon Keyhouse… with a vengeance.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Fools Gold #3

Scott Tipton & David Tipton (w)

Fabio Mantovani (a)

Sharp Brothers & David Messina (c)

As the temperature rises aboard Deep Space Nine, Captain Sisko, Kira and Odo come closer to getting to the bottom of the mystery. Can Sisko calm the volatile situation and restore order before another riot breaks out? And what does Garak have to do with all that has transpired?

Transformers: Bumblebee #3

Zander Cannon (w)

Chee & Guido Guidi (a & c)

‘Things Fall Apart,’ Part 3 - After leaving a decoy for the Skywatch colonel, Bumblebee embarks on a solo quest to find the device that will free the Autobots. He befriends the child of the one man who holds the device they need, and finally has to ask himself if what he’s doing is right.

Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers #2

Nick Roche & James Roberts (w)

Trevor Hutchison (a)

The Autobots’ finest begin their descent into hell, and all bets are off. The true nature of the Wreckers’ mission is revealed and the reappearance of an old enemy drastically reduces the chances of anyone making it back alive. Nick Roche and co-writer James Roberts start lining up the body bags.

Weekly World News #2

Chris Ryall (w)

Alan Robinson & Thom Zahler (a & c)

In the second chapter of ‘The Irredemption of Ed Anger,’ the first-ever Weekly World News comic series, Ed hits the road in his attempt to discredit Bat Boy and runs into Manigator and Nessie the Lake Erie Serpent, even as Chaos Cloud gives him a nightmare at 20,001 feet…! Bonus back-up: more classic articles from the Weekly World News!

James Patterson partners with IDW

IDW Publishing is thrilled to announce an exclusive partnership with worldwide bestselling author James Patterson to publish original comic stories and graphic novel adaptations of his top-selling novels. This groundbreaking alliance launches in May 2010 with a spellbinding, five-part story spinning out of Patterson’s acclaimed young adult novel, Witch & Wizard.

“Graphic story-telling is a compelling and unique way to experience a story, and I look forward to working with IDW to introduce new stories and transform my existing novels into this medium,” said Patterson. “With the brand-new material, adaptations and related stories, we will offer fans of reading a whole new way to enjoy my books.”

Under this partnership, Patterson will develop completely new, page-turning comic book stories, exclusively with IDW. IDW will also create and publish gripping comics and adaptations based on Patterson’s chart-topping books. “James is an incredibly creative, successful, and prolific writer and we are honored to partner with him,” said Greg Goldstein, chief operating officer of IDW. “There aren’t many writers who hold a Guinness World Record, and we’re looking forward to adding a few bestsellers to his title.”

Beginning in May and based on Patterson’s bestselling first young adult novel, Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland takes the beleaguered siblings, Whit and Wisty Allgood, on an all-new, exciting adventure in their struggle against the magic-hating New World Order. Comics mainstay writer Dara Naraghi brings all the action Patterson fans love to this new story of magical powers and inter-dimensional evil, under careful direction of the famed author himself. Artist Victor Santos brings the incredible adventure to life and provides eye-catching covers. Fan-favorite artist J.K. Woodward also contributes a painted cover for the debut issue of this five-part comic series in May.

A comic adaptation of Patterson’s smash hit, non-fiction book, The Murder of King Tut, begins in June with fellow novelist and comic writer Alexander Irvine (Daredevil: Noir) and features two acclaimed comics artists dividing the interior art. Christopher Mitten (Wasteland) will transport readers back to ancient Egypt in the time of the Boy King, while Ron Randall will depict the 1920’s search for Tut’s tomb, conducted by archeologist Howard Carter. The award-winning artist Darwyn Cooke will provide covers.

Witch & Wizard #1 (of 5, 32 pages, full color, $3.99) will be available in stores in May. The Murder of King Tut #1 (of 4, 32 pages, full color, $3.99) will be available in stores in June. Visit IDWPublishing.com to sign up for updates and learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

IDW releases for February 10, 2010

From The Ashes Vol1 TPB

Bob Fingerman (w & a & c)

Bob Fingerman’s speculative memoir (starring Bob and his wife Michelle) set in a post-apocalyptic and nuclear ravaged New York City is a surprisingly perky take on Armageddon. A hip satirical romp though Manhattan’s ruins, From the Ashes is a new spin on the old autobiographical comics genre.

Jon Sable Freelance Ashes of Eden #5

Mike Grell (w & a & c)

Ashes of Eden comes to its explosive conclusion as Jon Sable and Maggie the Cat battle to save not only their own lives but those of all of New Yorkers! How will one man’s greed and a nuclear terror plot change America’s future?

Starstruck #6

Elaine Lee (w)

Michael Wm. Kaluta, Charles Vess (a)

Kaluta (c)

Sentenced to life on abandoned Omega Disque 6, Molly helps a tribe of Amazons defeat their enemies… but during the post-battle ritual, the newly minted Galatia is accidentally shot off the Disque in an ancient escaped pod, but is saved by a traveling trio of Troikani actors. Will the actors’ plans for a glorious suicide mean the end of Galatia 9?

Star Trek Nero TPB

Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (w)

David Messina (a)

From STAR TREK writer/producers Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman and artist David Messina, comes an all-new story set within the events of the hit film! Not an adaptation, this exclusive story follows the villainous Nero as he seeks to destroy the Federation.

IDW releases for February 3, 2010

Angel Hole In The World #3

Scott Tipton (w)

Elena Casagrande (a & c)

Continuing the harrowing story of one of the Angelverse’s most controversial characters, Fred continues to be gutted from the inside out as Angel and Spike discover that the cost of saving her might be more than they can sacrifice.

Doctor Who #8

Tony Lee (w)

Al Davison (a & c)

Paul Grist (c))

“Tessaract” Part 2 (of 2): With the TARDIS breached by invaders and with only moments before both vessels implode, The Doctor and his friends must find a working console and escape the fifth dimension. But what happens when the clock runs out—and everything ends? What happens to a Time Lord when his song finally ends?

GI Joe Origins #12

Marc Andreyko (w)

Ben Templesmith (a & c)

Tom Feister (c)

The Baroness was once part of a respectable, aristocratic family, before leaving them in search of her own destiny. Soon, she would meet the man that changes her path in life forever. Now a deadly COBRA operative, The Baroness seeks this man once more, but perhaps rescue is not her intention.