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Paul Levitz – Board of Directors[8] Matt Gagnon – Editor-in-Chief[9] Filip Sablik – President of Publishing and Marketing[10] Stephen Christy – President of Development (Film and TV)[11] Lance Kreiter – Vice President of Licensing and Merchandising[12] Hunter Gorinson – Vice President of Business Development[13]
They went on to found Boom! together in 2005.[16] They had been helping to option comic book projects as producers, and working to develop them into films with the studios, but became increasingly frustrated with what they felt was the "tights and capes" focus of most mainstream comics companies.[17] When Giffen was featured as a guest at the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention,[18] he persuaded Richie to start his own outfit, Boom!.[19][20]
Boom!'s first publication wasZombie Tales #1, a horror zombie anthology, released under the Boom! and Atomeka Press logos on June 29, 2005.[2][21][22] The first edition was published by Atomeka, but released after Richie had left the company to start Boom! Studios. Giffen and DeMatteis imported theirHero Squared series from Atomeka to Boom! andHero Squared became the very first Boom! comic book sold solely under the Boom! logo.[2][23] shipping July 27, 2005.[24]
During this time in its history, Boom! focused on publishing an array of original series created by a slew of industry veterans: Giffen worked onHero Squared,Planetary Brigade,10,Jeremiah Harm, and the Tales titles likeZombie Tales andCthulhu Tales.[25] DeMatteis collaborated with Giffen onHero Squared andPlanetary Brigade and brought his own series,The Stardust Kid, withMike Ploog, over fromImage Comics.[26]Mike Mignola and Troy Nixey'sOni Press seriesJenny Finn migrated to Boom! and finally completed its story.[27] Eisner Award winner Dave Johnson created covers forZombie Tales andCthulhu Tales.[citation needed]Joe Casey createdThe Black Plague whileRafael Albuquerque's first American work debuted inThe Savage Brothers.[citation needed]
In 2006, Boom! moved into licensing for the first time with the debut ofGames Workshop seriesWarhammer 40,000: Damnation Crusade, based on the popular miniatures game of the same name.[28] In 2007, Boom! publishedSteven Grant's crime/action comic2 Guns which Cosby and Ritchie co-produced for Universal Studios in 2013.[29]
At the 2007San Diego Comic-Con, Boom! announced plans to launch its first imprint, a new line of comics for children originally announced with the name Zoom!,[30] but when the imprint launched in 2009, the imprint debuted asBoom! Kids.[31] Boom! also signed a deal with Pixar to produce comic books based on their properties and secured newsstand distribution.[32][33] The first includedThe Muppet Show by Roger Langridge andThe Incredibles: Family Matters by Mark Waid and artist Marcio Takara. In February 2011, Boom! re-branded Boom! Kids asKaBOOM!,[34] re-focusing the imprint to be appealing to all ages rather than only children.[35]
Also, during the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con, Boom! announced the appointment ofMark Waid as Editor-in-Chief.[36] This role would eventually grow to Chief Creative Officer in August 2010 before his eventual return to freelance work in December of that year.[37] While in these leadership roles, Waid also created multiple successful titles, includingIrredeemable in 2009, which became Boom!'s longest-running series at that time, lasting 37 issues, and a sister bookIncorruptible.[38]
Former Managing Editor Matt Gagnon was promoted to Editor-in-Chief in July 2010.[39]
At the beginning of 2013, the company launched its #WeAreBoom! campaign, spotlighting a philosophy that Boom! isn't just composed of its writers, artists, and staff but also of the fans that read its comics and the retailers that sell them.[40] In June 2013, Boom! acquiredArchaia Studios Press,[41] merging it into Boom! and retaining it as a stand-alone imprint. In October 2013, Boom! signed afirst-look deal with20th Century Fox giving Fox theright of first refusal to develop any Boom! comic properties into a film or TV series, and Boom! would getfirst-dollar gross on any profits. As a publisher of creator-owned works, that share would be split between Boom! and the creator(s) of the adapted work.[42]
In January 2015, Boom! launched "Push Comics Forward", a public relations campaign aimed at generating a discussion about how comic book publishing can become more inclusive and diverse.[43]
Originals under the Boom! banner explore a wide variety of genres from YA science fiction, like inThe Woods byJames Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas,[51] to horror/action like in the thrillerDay Men, which racked up "Best Inker" and "Best Cover Artist"Harvey Awards nominations[52] for series artistBrian Stelfreeze and sold toUniversal Pictures as a movie.[53] Crime noir period pieceHit garneredHarvey Awards nominations for "Best Continuing or Limited Series" and "Best Inker"[52] for artistVanesa R. Del Rey andGeorge Pérez's series for Boom!,Sirens, is a multi-genre action piece that goes from fantasy to western to science fiction.[54] Pulp science fiction mini-seriesSix Gun Gorilla, written bySi Spurrier and drawn byJeff Stokely, was nominated for multipleHarvey Awards including "Best Artist" and "Most Promising New Talent" and "Best New Series".[52] Boom! also published an original series fromClive Barker entitledNext Testament.[55][56]
Boom! generally does not focus on superhero material but has published some titles, includingGrace Randolph'sSupurbia.[57] Two of its original series,Irredeemable andSuicide Risk, have gathered accolades.Mark Waid's seriesIrredeemable ran for 37 issues, received several Harvey and Eisner award nominations, and spawned a sister series calledIncorruptible which ran 30 issues.[38]Mike Carey's seriesSuicide Risk received nominations for "Best New Series" and "Best Single Issue or Story".[58]
In 2013, Boom! also teamed up withSay Anything singerMax Bemis to publish his first limited mini-series about a bipolar hero calledPolarity. Fox optioned the right to create this story into a TV series.[59] In 2014, they announced an ongoing series written by Bemis calledEvil Empire, which ended after 12 issues.[60][61]
In October 2020, Boom! publishedBRZRKR, a comic book series created and written byKeanu Reeves andMatt Kindt and drawn byRon Garney.[62][needs update] The comic follows an immortal warrior, known as Berzerker, as he fights his way through the ages.[63]
Boom!'s published many adaptations of popular films. ItsPlanet of the Apes series of comics is the longest-running adaptation of the series.[64] Boom!'s series include:Planet of the Apes (16 issues plus an annual, a "giant" issue, a "special" issue, and a "Spectacular"),Betrayal on the Planet of the Apes (4 issues),[65]Exile on Planet of the Apes (4 issues), andPlanet of the Apes: Cataclysm (12 issues). Just before the release ofRise of the Planet of the Apes Boom! serialized a one-shot prelude to the movie online as a free webcomic. AtSan Diego Comic-Con in 2014, they published a one shotDawn of the Planet of the Apes: Contagion bridgingRise of the Planet of the Apes andDawn of the Planet of the Apes.[66] They followed this with a six-issue limited series calledDawn of the Planet of the Apes, in the modern movie continuity.[67] The originalPlanet of the Apes movie continuity crossed over withStar Trek: The Original Series in a co-publishing deal withIDW Publishing.[68]
Boom! has published a number of series that are based on television shows likeSleepy Hollow[78] andSons of Anarchy andJim Henson'sFraggle Rock.[79] New stories withFarscape began in 2009 and ran for 6 subsequent mini-series and a 24-issue ongoing series. All of Boom!’sFarscape series were co-written by show creator Rockne S. O’Bannon and take place in official show continuity immediately after thePeacekeeper Wars. Boom! also published a tie-in toSyFy's showEureka and well as new stories featuring TV'sThe Avengers, also known asSteed and Mrs. Peel so as not to be confused with theMarvel Comics characters of the same name.[80] On January 28, 2012, Boom! released a reprint of the Steed and Mrs. Peel mini-series written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Ian Gibson and previously-published byEclipse Comics.[81] Boom! acquired the license forMighty Morphin Power Rangers in June 2015 and released a monthly comic starting in January 2016.[82][83] Soon after its launch they announced a spinoff limited series,MMPR: Pink, which launched in June 2016.[84]
Boom! has licensed games as well. In 2006 they launchedGames Workshop properties ultimately publishing 42 comic books collected into 9 graphic novels.[89] 5 mini-series featuredWarhammer 40,000:Damnation Crusade (Black Templars),Blood and Thunder (Orks),Exterminatus (The Inquisitors),Fire and Honour (Imperial Guardsmen), andDefenders of Ultramar (Ultramarines).Warhammer Fantasy series includedForge of War (Empire vs. Chaos),Condemned by Fire (Witch Hunters), andCrown of Destruction byKieron Gillen depicting The Empire fighting Skaven. Boom! also produced aBlood Bowl mini entitledKiller Contract. The last Boom!/Games Workshop comics series shipped in 2009.[citation needed]
In July 2018, Boom! announced that they had acquired the comic book and graphic novel publishing license toJoss Whedon'sFirefly with plans to release new monthly comic book series, limited series, original graphic novels and more.[92]
In May 2020, Boom! was announced to have acquired the comic book and graphic novel rights to the 1999 prequel novelDune: House Atreides with plans to adapt it into a 12-issue adaptation written by the original authorsBrian Herbert andKevin J. Anderson.[93]
KaBOOM!, initially launched asBoom! Kids, publishes series that are aimed at readers of all ages.[94]
Roger Langridge's seriesSnarked! ran 12 issues (3 graphic novels) from 2011 to 2012 and won anEisner Award.[95] New seriesAbigail and the Snowman was launched in December 2014.[96]
Boom! published a number ofPixar series featuring nearly the entire catalogue of the company's characters:The Incredibles in a 4-issue mini-series and a 16-issue ongoing,Cars in two 4-issue mini-series and an 8-issue ongoing,Toy Story in two 4-issue mini-series and an 8-issue ongoing,Wall-E with 8 issues,Finding Nemo with two 4-issue mini-series, andMonsters, Inc. in a single 4-issue mini-series.
Boom! published several series featuringThe Muppets with two different editorial approaches: a main seriesRoger Langridge wrote and drew based onThe Muppet Show that started with the 4-issue mini-seriesThe Muppet Show Comic Book in March 2009 and was followed by the 4-issue mini-seriesThe Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson with an ongoing after which ran until October 2010. The second approach published a series of mini-series featuring different writers and artists creating public domain fairy tales with The Muppets including Robin Hood.
In September 2009, Boom! Kids began publishing a line of comic books featuring the Disney "Standard Characters" such asMickey Mouse,Donald Duck,Goofy, andPluto, the earliest characters animated by Walt Disney Studios. The line ultimately grew to six ongoing series:
Uncle Scrooge continued the numbering fromGemstone Publishing series with issue #384 from September 2009 to issue #404 in June 2011. From issue #392 to issue #399, the series reprintedDuckTales comics from the early 1990s featuring Uncle Scrooge before spinning off a stand-aloneDuckTales series featuring new original stories. With issue #400 to its ending with #404, the series re-focused on reprinting past classics fromCarl Barks,Don Rosa,Daan Jippes, andRomano Scarpa.
Mickey Mouse and Friends picked up the numbering ofGemstone Publishing's series with issue #296 by importing and translating the worldwide hitWizards of Mickey series for the first time in English. The feature ran through issue #299 before Boom! Kids spunWizards of Mickey off into its own series. With issue #304 the title was renamedMickey Mouse and shifted focus to reprinting classic work fromFloyd Gottfredson andPaul Murry along with new-to-the-US stories byNoel Van Horn,Romano Scarpa, andByron Erickson.
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories continued the numbering from theGemstone Publishing run with issue #699 in September 2009 through issue #720 in June 2011. Boom! Kids also released an archival collection ofWalt Disney’s Comics and Stories first few issues in one volume calledWalt Disney’s Comics and Stories Archives.
In June 2010, Boom! Kids began publishing a line of comic books based on series and characters fromDisney Afternoon television shows. The line ultimately grew to three series starringDisney Afternoon characters. Boom! began publishing comics based on theDarkwing Duck TV show. Eighteen issues were published before the series wrapped up in October 2011. A 4-part crossover story with Disney'sDuckTales titled "Dangerous Currency" ran before the series ended, with parts 1 and 3 inDuckTales #5 and #6 and parts 2 and 4 running inDarkwing Duck #17 and #18. Launching in May 2011, KaBoom! published six issues based on the television showDuckTales. Notable video game designerWarren Spector wrote the series and the fifth and sixth issues featured a crossover withDarkwing Duck in the storyline "Dangerous Currency".[97]
Spinning out ofWalt Disney's Comics and Stories,Disney's Hero Squad featured the Ultraheroes in their own adventures for eight issues before the series ended.[98]
On December 27, 2011, KaBoom! announced it had acquired the rights to publish comic books based on the TV showAdventure Time fromCartoon Network. The series is written byRyan North, author of the webcomicDinosaur Comics, with art fromIce Age: Iced In artists Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb.
KaBoom! published the original series Snarked written and drawn by two-timeHarvey Award winnerRoger Langridge. The series launched with a stand-alone $1 #0 issue in August 2010.[100] It ended in September 2012.
In March 2010, KaBoom! released an originalPeanuts graphic novel that was an adaptation of theHappiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown animated special.[102] Then in November 2011, KaBoom! released a $1 stand-alonePeanuts #0 one-shot as an introduction to new, original stories debuting inPeanuts #1–4 (January–April 2012).
In agreement withPaws, Inc., Boom! Studios launched in May 2012 a monthlyGarfield comic book, with the first issue featuring a story written byMark Evanier (who has supervisedGarfield and Friends andThe Garfield Show) and illustrated by Jim Davis's long-time assistant Gary Barker.
A comic book adaptation ofBravest Warriors was announced atSan Diego Comic-Con on July 12, 2012, by Boom! The series began publication on October 24, 2012.
An eight-issue comic book series based onSteven Universe was first released in August 2014. It was written by Jeremy Sorese and illustrated by Coleman Engle. It ended in March 2015. In 2016, a four-issue miniseries namedSteven Universe and the Crystal Gems was released. It was written by Joseceline Fenton and illustrated by Chrystin Garland featuring covers by Kat Leyh. In February 2017, an ongoing series was released, written byMelanie Gillman and Grace Kraft, and illustrated by Katy Farina, Rii Abrego, Meg Omac, and Kat Hayashida. In August 2018, a five-issue miniseries namedSteven Universe Harmony was released. It is written by S.M. Vidaurri, illustrated by Mollie Rose, and covered byMarguerite Sauvage. In April 2015, a one-shot issue called theGreg Universe Special was released. It featuresLiz Prince, Jeremy Sorese, Kelly Turnbull, and Lauren Zuke. In December 2016, another one-shot issue called the2016 Special was released, and features Ayme Sotuyo.
A five-issue miniseries named Ruinworld was released in July 2018. It is written and illustrated by Derek Laufman.
A four-issue miniseries named Capture Creatures ran from November 2014 to February 2015. It was written byFrank Gibson and illustrated by Rebecca Dreistadt.
A four-issue miniseries named Abigail and the Snowman ran from December 2014 to March 2015. It was created byRoger Langridge.
A five-issue miniseries named Mega Princess ran from November 2016 to April 2017. It was written byKelly Thompson and illustrated byBrianne Drouhard.
An eight-issue comic book series based onThe Amazing World of Gumball ran from June 2014 to March 2015. The comic book series was created by Frank Gibson andTyson Hesse.
An eight-issue comic book series based onRocko's Modern Life ran from December 2017 to September 2018. It was written by Ryan Ferrier and illustrated byIan McGinty.
A four-issue miniseries named Brave Chef Brianna ran in 2017. It was written bySam Sykes and illustrated by Selina Espiritu.
An 11-issue comic book series based onBee and Puppycat ran from May 2014 to April 2016. Based on the series created byNatasha Allegri, the comic book series features Allegri, Garrett Jackson, Frank Gibson, Rebecca Dreidstadt, Tait Howard, Madeline Flores,Ian McGinty, Anissa Espinosa, T. Zysk, Madeline Rupert, Coleman Engle, Amy Fleck, Pranas Naujokaitis, Chrystin Garland, Flynn Nicholls, Meredith McClaren, Andrew Lorenzi, Joy Ang,Carey Pietsch, Wook-Jin Clark, Shanna Matuszak, David Caleron, Liz Fleming, Reimena Yee, Patrick Seery, Ji in Kim, Ko Takeuchi, and Mami Harada.
Boom! Box launched withThe Midas Flesh fromRyan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb, the same team behind Boom!'sAdventure Time comic.[103] It followed this series up withLumberjanes fromND Stevenson, Grace Ellis, editor Shannon Watters, and artist Gus Allen. Originally published as a mini-series,Lumberjanes was a big enough hit to become an ongoing,[104] ultimately running for 75 issues and a one-shot finale, with spin-off comics consisting of 3original graphic novels and 4 annual one-shot specials. Since issue 18, all Lumberjanes comic books are written by Watters and Kat Leyh. Other Boom! Box series include Teen Dog by Jake Lawrence,Giant Days byJohn Allison and Max Sarin, and aCyanide & Happiness collection,Punching Zoo.[105]
An eight-issue miniseries named The Backstagers ran from August 2016 to March 2017. It was written byJames Tynion IV and illustrated by Rian Sygh.
A 12-issue miniseries namedJonesy ran from February 2016 to April 2017. It was written bySam Humphries and illustrated by Caitlyn Rose Boyle.
A 12-issue miniseries namedBy Night ran from June 2018 to June 2019. It was written byJohn Allison and illustrated by Christine Larsen.
A four-issue miniseries namedWelcome to Wanderland ran from September 2018 to February 2019. It was written by Jacqueline Ball illustrations by Maddi Gonzalez.
There are 4 one-shot issues based on Lumberjanes. In 2015,Beyond Bay Leaf was released, and featuresFaith Erin Hicks andRosemary Valero-O'Connell. In 2016,Making the Ghost of It was released, and featuresKelly Thompson,Jen Wang, Savanna Ganucheau, andChristine Norrie. In 2017,Faire and Square was released, and featuresHolly Black, Gaby Epstein, Marina Julia, and cover artist Ru Xu. In 2018,A Midnight Summer's Scheme was released, and features Nicole Andelfinger, Maddi Gonzalez,Brittney Williams, and cover artist Natacha Bustos.
A three-issue graphic novel miniseries calledNuclear Winter was released in May 2018, January 2019, and September 2019. It is written and illustrated by Caroline Breault, who is credited as Cab.
A four-issue miniseries namedSlam! ran from November 2016 to February 2017. It was written byPamela Ribon and illustrated byVeronica Fish. A sequel miniseries calledSlam! The Next Jam ran in late 2017. It was written by Ribon and illustrated by Marina Julia, featuring covers by Fish.
An ongoing series calledFence was first released in November 2017. It is written byC. S. Pacat and illustrated by Johanna the Mad. Since Issue 7, the covers are done by Hamlet Machine.
A four-issue miniseries calledDodge City ran from March 2018 to June 2018. It is written byJosh Trujillo and illustrated by Cara McGee.
Boom! initiated an ongoingMunchkin comic book series beginning January 2015.[106] It ended in January 2017.
A graphic novel based onClueless called Senior Year was released in August 2017. It is written byAmber Benson &Sarah Kuhn and illustrated by Siobhan Keenan.
The publisher launched an imprint from 2010 to 2012 called Boom! Town focusing on "literary comics". The first release through the imprint was a set of Robert Crumb Trading Cards.[107] The first book published via the imprint, Wheeler'sI Thought You Would Be Funnier won the Eisner Award in 2011.[108]
"The Show Must Go On" — collecting uncollectedRoger Langridge series including "Fred the Clown" material as well as "Mugwump" strips. (October 2011)[109]
Boom!'s graphic novels have been distributed to the book trade viaSimon & Schuster in the United States since 2009,[112][113]HarperCollins in Canada,[6]Titan Books in the United Kingdom,[7] and Diamond Book Distributors internationally.[4]
On January 3, 2008, Boom! became the first comic book company to offer a digital download of a comic book on the day and date of its release, partnering withMySpace Comic Books.[136]
One year later, on January 6, 2009, Boom! teamed with MySpace Comic Books again to offer a free digital day-and-date release forHexed along with the "5 for 500" program, sending five copies at no cost to the top 500 retailers in the direct market.[137]
On March 23, 2011, the same day as the publication of the first issue of the comic book series based onHellraiser, Boom! released a free originalPrelude to Hellraiser short story co-written by Clive Barker as a downloadable PDF to promote the release.[138]
To promote the release in July 2011 of the first issue ofElric: The Balance Lost, Boom! published theElric Free Online Prelude featuring a free eight-page web comic.[139]
In anticipation of the opening of the filmRise of the Planet of the Apes, Boom! serialized a free digital comic story that served as a prelude to the film.[140]
On March 4, 2009, Boom! Studios announced Mark Sable's latest seriesUnthinkable. To promote the launch of the book, Boom! created analternate reality game to be played during the time pre-orders were due.[141]
^abICv2 (November 12, 2013)."Diamond Does BOOM!".ICv2.Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. RetrievedOctober 12, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^abjoint venture with Amperwelle Studio München Programmanbietergesellschaft,Axel Springer AG, Burda, Studio Gong, m.b.t. Mediengesellschaft der bayerischen Tageszeitungen für Kabelkommunikation, Medienpool and Radio Bavaria Rundfunkprogrammgesellschaft.
^joint venture with Verlagsgesellschaft Madsack, Studio Gong Niedersachsen and Brune-Rieck-Beteiligungs.
^joint venture with Axel Springer, Heinrich Bauer Verlag, Lühmanndruck Harburger Zeitungsgesellschaft and Morgenpost Verlag.
