Abrams ComicArts teased a special announcement ahead of its “Adventures in Horror, Memoir & Sci-Fi from Abrams ComicArts” panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024… and this one was a huge surprise! Editor-in-chief Charles Kochman and editor Anita Okoye announced at the panel that after 15 years of publishing graphic novels and other longform comics projects, ComicArts is jumping into the direct market with its first-ever line of single issue comics, known simply as Abrams Comics.
This initiative kicks off in just a few months. Single issues from Abrams Comics will start to hit shelves in November of this year, and the publisher has three series lined up for its direct market launch—all helmed by huge names in the industry.
New series Human Nature is written by Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel, and Jeff Welch, with art by Martín Morazzo, colors by Chris O’Halloran, and letters by Aditya Bidikar. Issue #1 goes on sale November 20, making it the first single issue to hit shelves from Abrams Comics. It will follow a monthly release schedule.
Here’s the solicit text:
From Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky and his writing and producing partner Ari Handel, along with Jeff Welch, comes Human Nature, a social satire of a bizarre yet fathomable future. Drawn by comic book industry giant Martín Morazzo, Human Nature follows the ego-maniacal, Nebraskan chicken magnate Duke. Duke has almost all the world’s resources at his disposal. Once an everyman, Duke managed to work (and intimidate) his way into an endless fortune. Even though he has almost everything, there’s one thing even the richest man in the world can’t buy: immortality. Or can he?
Strange, thought-provoking, and, at times, gruesome, read the mini-series Human Nature to get a glimpse of a future resulting from unchecked greed, corporate corruption, and ethically questionable science.
Check out interior art from Human Nature #1 below.
Abrams’s next two single-issue series were created by Frank Miller. The first is the second arc of Pandora, starting with issue #7 on December 18 and following an every-other-month release schedule. Co-written by Miller, Chris Silvestri, and Anthony Maranville, with art by Emma Kubert and letters by Pete Carlsson, Pandora is a contemporary fairytale about a teenager named Annabeth in search of the “perfect” world.
Pandora #7 picks up where Book 1 left off: “Annabeth finds herself in another world, one overwhelmed by dark magic and demons beyond imagining. Here begins her hero’s journey to face the monsters of the netherworld and discover its secrets. How will this change her? Is she ready for this test?”
See the covers for issue #7 and Book 1 below, as well as a preview from the first volume.
Miller’s second series, Invasive Species, debuts in January and will also follow an every-other-month release schedule. In addition to a script by Miller, the series features pencils and ink finishes by Ryan Benjamin, inks by John Livesay, colors by Alex Sinclair, and letters by Carlsson. Issue #1 hits shelves January 8.
There’s currently no art available for Invasive Species, but here’s the solicit text: “Little Becky could fight the aliens if she could just get them out of her brain! Frank Miller, Ryan Benjamin, John Livesay, Alex Sinclair and Pete Carlsson bring the classic Alien Invasion story to a little town just like yours. The aliens are not OUT there, they’re IN there.”
Okoye will act as editor at Abrams Comics, which will publish monthly single issues that are eventually collected and sold in trades. Between Abrams Comics and the publisher’s new manga imprint, Kana, which also debuts this fall, ComicArts is clearly expanding its range to appeal to a wider audience of comics readers.
As the debate between readers of single-issue comics and readers of trades rages on, we’ve seen more traditional comics publishers scrambling to create imprints and publishing slates that appeal to the book market and hopefully increase sales across the board. Abrams is doing the opposite, lending credence to the argument that single issues aren’t dead in the water just yet, whatever the complaints about rising costs and lowering returns on investment.
Since Kochman launched ComicArts in 2009, it’s become well-known for its original fiction and nonfiction releases and its collaborations with high-profile publishers and IP, including Marvel, Peanuts, and The Simpsons, among others. ComicArts has received seven Eisner Awards and three Harvey Awards during its tenure, as well as accolades from dozens of creators and publications including The Beat. Expectations are high for Kana and Abrams Comics, and we’ll be following closely to see how they fare in the months and years after launch.
Don’t miss the rest of Abrams’s SDCC 2024 programming and stay tuned for more SDCC ’24 coverage from The Beat.
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