Ape Entertainment was founded in 2003 by Brent E. Erwin, with a background in film production, and David Hedgecock, with experience in comic book retail and editing. Bringing on managing editor C. Michael "Mike" Hall, Erwin took on the role of marketing director and Hedgecock that of finance director.
The company's first print offerings were in 2004, including such titles as theApe OMNIBUS Vols. 1 and 2, the 2-issue seriesA Different Pace, theAtomic Age Treasury of Pulp Action by David Wharton, andMake Your Own Comics: The Small Press Primer by Mike Hall. During this time, Ape Entertainment also published a selection of originalwebcomics, many of which were produced by managing editor Mike Hall.
In 2010, Ape Entertainment changed direction. It began publishing comics based on video games, starting withPocket God and thenCut the Rope in July 2011.[1] The company made news in late 2011 when it was revealed that it had sold 150,000 units of thePocket God #1 digital comic (while selling fewer than 1,000 print copies).[2] The success ofPocket God demonstrated the potential of adapting content from emerging digital platforms into traditional comic book formats.
By 2010, Ape Entertainment had made licensing deals withDreamWorks Animation. The company debuted its family-friendlyKizoic imprint with theFree Comic Book Day (FCBD) flip book comic,Kizoic Presents:Penguins of Madagascar FCBD 2010 /Kizoic Presents:Shrek FCBD 2010.
In 2011, Ape Entertainment acquired the rights to the legacyHarvey Comics charactersRichie Rich andCasper the Friendly Ghost.[3] Ape Entertainment updated the Richie Rich character by emphasizing his altruistic side; "a mix ofJames Bond andIndiana Jones with the world's biggest bank account, Richie is an altruistic adventurer who travels the world helping the less fortunate!"[4] The new Richie was joined by updated versions of his robot maid Irona and his butler Cadbury.[5]
In 2012, the company produced a comic book based onMadagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. The comic,Madagascar Digest Prequel: Long Live the King!, was released on June 12, 2012.[6][7]
In early 2013, the company partnered with the (essentially defunct) publisherSirius Entertainment to bring back the lateDrew Hayes' comicPoison Elves, published under a new Ape Entertainment mature readers imprint:Outlaw Comics. A continuation of the original series,Drew Hayes Poison Elves #1 was based on Hayes' outline for future issues.[8] Three issues ended up being published.
In the spring of 2013, Ape Entertainment announced a partnership withSesame Workshop, as well as plans to release a number ofSesame Street-themed comics.[9]
By mid-2013, the company's fortunes appeared to take a downturn. That summer, Ape Entertainment editor-in-chief Brent E. Erwin, who had a background in retailing, acquired two locations ofBuddy Saunders'Lone Star Comics chain.[10] In August of that year, Ape Entertainment CEO David Hedgecock left the company to joinIDW Publishing.[11] At that point, the two remaining founders, Erwin and Hall, canceled Ape Entertainment's upcoming titles[12] and reorganized the company.[13][14]
The company managed to release twoSesame Street comics in 2015,[15] but has not published anything since then.
Sullengrey by Drew Rausch and Jocelyn Gajeway (4 issues, 2005–2006)[21]
Super Human Resources by Ken Marcus and Justin Bleep (4 issues, 2009)[22]
Teddy Scares by writer Jim Hankins and artists Christine Larsen, Rolando Mallada, Drew Rausch, Rob Guillory, Chris Moreno, and Dave Perillo (4 issues, 2007)
U.T.F. (Undead Task Force) by Scott Reynolds and Tone Rodriguez (3 issues, 2006)
Athena Voltaire: The Collected Webcomics (TPB, 2006, ISBN 0-9741-3989-0) — collection of comics serialized online between 2002 and 2004; foreword byMark Schultz
Atomic Age Treasury of Pulp Action by David Wharton (Jan 2004)
Go-Go Gorilla & The Jungle Crew Summer Fun Special by David Hedgecock, Mike Hall, and Dustin Evans (2005)
Justice City Chronicles vol. 1 by Marcus DiGesu, Anthony Figaro, and Joel Rasmussen (2005)
The Trouble with Katie Rogers by Des Taylor (Sep 2009)
Make Your Own Comics: The Small Press Primer by Mike Hall (Jan 2004)
Nightmare World: The Long Hard Road Out of Hell by writer Dirk Manning and artist Jeff Welborn, Len O'Grady, Jason Jam, and Josh Ross (2007) — solicited as a 4-issue series; only one issue published
Pan-Gea (2005)
Point Pleasant (2004) by writer Chad Lambert
Prodigal: Egg of First Light byGeoffrey Thorne and Todd Harris (GN, 2010)
Walled In by Roger Mincheff and Dennis Calero (Apr 2009) — graphic novel accompaniment to the horror-thrillerfilm of the same name; produced by Spacedog
White Picket Fences by Matt Anderson, Eric Hutchins, Micah Farritor, Brian Mead, and Tim Lattie (2008)
2007Ape Entertainment's Comic Spectacular — sample stories of six features: Athena Voltaire, White Picket Fences, TheGoblin Chronicles, Teddy Scares, Go-go Gorilla and the Jungle Crew, and Bizarre New World
2008Cartoonapalooza #1
2009Cartoonapalooza #2 -- sample stories including R.P.M. by Matt Shepherd and R.A. Height.
2010Kizoic Presents: Penguins of Madagascar /Shrek
