I do not know if it is a tribute to the extinct editorial line that he published Marvel in Spain from January 1983 to December 2004, but the fact is that Planet DeAgostini has decided to call this the new commitment to the national comic, although there would be a lot to talk about to believe everything they say. To begin with, what they would have to do, is to put a contact address to send projects once and for all, and not that they continue with their policy of making people get fed up (and I'm not just speaking in their own name) of asking the happy way to send samples in the consultation section, where they only seem to want to answer questions about the publication of material that they plan to publish. I leave you with the press release below.
Men wanted for dangerous travel. Reduced salary. Biting cold, long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success."
The mythical advertisement that Sir Shackleton is said to have used as a claim by a brave crew for his Antarctic adventure on the Endurance, would serve us well to talk about the authors who will become the spearhead of Forum, the new editorial line of Planeta DeAgostini Comics. Surely, this bet is one of the most ambitious of those that have been launched in terms of national comic book production.
At the end of last year we could already savor a good preview of what was really to come in 2009. As the first compilation of Mot's adventures, by Azpiri & Nacho; Notebook of Storms, David Rubín's most personal work; the catalog of illustrations from the Seville exhibition by José Luis Ágreda, called Letter to my five wives; the first album together by Robin Wood and Juan Rubí, Víctor, or the first number of the great children's series Porquinho, by Àlex López.
But let's talk about what the future holds. With a view to this year's Barcelona International Comic Fair, we have a few surprises in store. We started with the edition of the first volume of the series Darwin's journey. Taking advantage of the bicentennial of Charles Darwin, JM Fonollosa describes his historic journey on the Beagle until the publication of his magnum opus The Origin of Species.
We will have the honor of having the prolific Victor Santos double in the collection. As the full author on Black Kaiser, an action-packed noir graphic novel in which he will once again astonish us with his tremendous narrative. And as a screenwriter, forming an unstoppable tandem with Pere Pérez as a cartoonist, in The Blood of the Valkyries. A duo of winners. May Odin welcome you to Valhalla!
The great epics, the most epic adventures, will have their continuation with what was the last great journey of the Modern Age: Endurance. Luis Bustos, in a very personal version and with surprising graphic quality due to its rawness, tells us the story of the trans-Antarctic imperial expedition. This expedition, led by Sir Shackleton, turned that handful of brave volunteer sailors who enlisted on the Endurance into one of the greatest paradigms of camaraderie, human improvement and teamwork. The will to live imposing itself against the most ferocious and savage nature.
There are three authors for whom we had a special interest in including them in our own production catalog. Calo, who we have not heard from for a long time, will pleasantly surprise us with a very colorful and fresh work: Bacteria. Esteban Hernández, in Sweater, shows us the most twisted of human thought and the ravings into which the most everyday situations that we face daily can drag us. And Tomeu Pinya, from the Balearic Islands, compiles us the best stories that arrive every summer at the bar of Un pueblo blanco. Located in the warmest of our Mediterranean Sea, it exudes softness, sweetness and love in an album full of all those sensations and memories of our best summers on the coast.
Another new line is here to stay. Dazzling picture books are the new bet we are also working on. A very succulent collection of jewels that starts at the Barcelona show with Realms, by Kerem Beyit. Fans of new fantasy art and digital illustration will recognize in his work one of the award-winning authors of the CG Society and the CG Channel, and a regular in Ballistic publications. We will not forget to edit one more book of illustrated Gothic narrative. Medussa Dollmaker will surprise us with Cabaret, a beautiful journey through the best-known cabarets around the world under a set of precious illustrations. And among these titles that will see the light in this line from now on and before the end of the year, shining with its own light, one of the projects that most excite us: Spectrum. The comprehensive compilation of Alfonso Azpiri's work as an illustrator of video game covers.
And to finish with the disembarkation prepared for the Barcelona Show, we will be able to complete our collection of Mot, by Azpiri & Nacho, with the second compilation of their adventures, and enjoy the second installment of Porquinho, by Àlex López. Communion of our “king sports and genre” in this country: football and humor go hand in hand once again with the fantastic setting of the Barcelona Show.
You really can't ask for more quality, variety and color at the beginning of the year. But what awaits us next is not far behind. Keep reading this preview of news from the Forum line.
We do not go into details, as there will already be an opportunity to expand the information on each release. Merely by way of example, we would like to indicate the following editorial exits.
We do not want to leave the little ones in the house without good readings. The aforementioned Porquinho will be joined by Josep Busquet and Pol Cunyat's The Smile of the Monkey; Andrea Aubergine, also from Àlex López; Dracodomus, by David Ramírez; The Duke of Lie by JA Fideu and Javier Martínez, and the Victoria Squad by Sam García. New works of quality children's comics for a new, more demanding generation.
The adventure, in the purest classical style, will see the light through authors like Josep Busquet and Pere Meján in El emisario; Óscar Julve with Ocho de Macías; Santiago García and Javier Peinado with Héroes del Espacio; Ángel Pintor and Miguel Canosa in The Adventures of León Duvet; Stygryt and Milan Rubio in Capitán Sargasses, and Vicente Cifuentes and JA Fideu, with Antonio Casquero in colors, will do the same in their album Alma.
And a very special title for us. From the other side of the pond, we will have the fantastic winning work of the First International Comic Prize of Planeta DeAgostini, which went to the work Planeta extra, by Diego Agrimbau and Gabriel Ippóliti. That will dazzle us with their particular vision of the future full of science fiction and social criticism.
In addition, it fills us with pride to be able to begin the reissue of the work of a master in this comics. Finally, the Horacio Altuna collection starts, which is going to be full of surprises. We started with Las Puertitas del Señor López, to continue with its most anticipated classics, ready to delight new and old readers. Many surprises and "pampitas" from the hand of Altuna for this 2009!
And if this is not enough, Pasqual Ferry is preparing to surprise us with a totally new and personal project: Graceland. A very special bet from this great author about which we will soon have more news to communicate to you.
All this and much more at Forum, Planeta DeAgostini Cómics' own consolidated production line. Take advantage of the opportunity to get hold of these albums, because this collection, surely, will give a lot to talk about ... don't let others tell you about it.