Radical Comics

Infobox Company
company_name = Radical Comics
company_
company_type = A subsidiary of Blatant Entertainment, Inc.
company_type = Comic Publisher
company_slogan = Welcome to the Radical Universe
foundation = 2007
founders = Barry Levine, Jesse Berger, David Elliott, Matthew Berger
key_people = Barry Levine, Publisher, President David Elliott, Co-Publisher Jesse Berger, Vice President Matthew Berger, General Counsel
location = Los Angeles, California
industry = Comics
homepage = [http://www.radicalcomics.com/ RadicalComics.com]

Radical Comics is comic book company owned by Radical Publishing, Inc., a division of Blatant Entertainment, Inc.

The Company is currently developing projects with writers, artists, creators and companies such as, Johnny Depp's production house Infinitum Nihil, Jim Steranko, Steve Moore, Steve Niles, Ian Edginton, John Bolton & Bill Sienkiewicz.

Radical Comics is a publisher of the next generation of fully painted comic book properties. The company recently teamed with Singapore-based concept art, comics, and illustration studio Imaginary Friends Studios [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=15887 Getting to Know Your Imaginary Friends] , Comic Book Resources, April 7, 2008 ] who is illustrating Hercules and Caliber. [ [http://weblogs.variety.com/bags_and_boards/2007/09/barry-levine-ge.html Bags and Boards: Barry Levine gets Radical] , "Variety"] The company's first projects include Hercules, Caliber, a new book byYoshitaka Amano, and Aladdin. [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=11018 CCI: Radical Concepts] , Comic Book Resources, July 29, 2007]

History & Future

Founders

Barry Levine - President & Publisher

Barry Levine, 60, is a founding member, President and Publisher at Radical Publishing [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/11126.html ICv2 News - Radical Publishing's Ambitious Agenda ] ] , set up to introduce the next generation of the comic book medium via a multi-vertical, intellectual property brokerage business model for all media sectors.

Mr. Levine is widely regarded as one of the top handful of executives in the comics-to-film world that combines expertise in both sourcing as well as producing high-concept filmed media based on comic book properties.

Prior to Radical Publishing, Mr. Levine was a producer with a first look deal in the comics-to-film entertainment division of Dark Horse Comics, the largest independent comic book publisher in the world. In his three-year tenure, he set up 9 Dark Horse comic book properties as films or television properties with nearly every major studio including Universal, Sony, Paramount/MTV Films, Warner Bros., Disney/Miramax.

Mr. Levine’s producing credits include New Line’s Detroit Rock City, as well as “Driftwood,” and “Splinter” under Dark Horse Entertainment Independent. Mr. Levine is currently set to produce Rex Mundi,” (Johnny Depp is attached to star), and is an Executive Producer on R.I.P.D at Universal. [ [http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/05/23/radical-new-comic-book-publisher/ The Beat » Blog Archive » Radical new comic book publisher ] ] Levine started working in the motion picture business in 1987 as a music supervisor, and work on such films as Driving Miss Daisy, Guilty By Suspicion, Judge Dredd, Street Fighter and Die Hard With A Vengeance.

Mr. Levine’s career began as one of the top rock photographers in the world, photographing the major bands of the 70s and 80s including KISS, Motley Crue, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Beatles, Elton John and hundreds others.

David Elliott - Co-Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

David Elliott, 43, is a founding member and has served as Radical Publishing’s Co-Publisher and Editor-in-Chief since September 2006. [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/11126.html ICv2 News - Radical Publishing's Ambitious Agenda ] ] Day-to-day, Mr. Elliott oversees the creation of all Radical titles in every division and works closely with established and non-established talent on story editing, layout design and printing specifications, as well as overseeing production with Imaginary Friends Studios. Mr. Elliott has over 20 years of executive publishing experience in the comic book industry, working as Publisher and Editor for A1, Epic Illustrated (for Marvel Comics), Penthouse Comix, Penthouse.com, Deadline Magazine, and Heavy Metal Magazine, working on such diverse titles such as A1, Deadline, Heavy metal, Penthouse Comix, 2000 AD, Transformers, G.I. Joe and Doctor Who. In the early 1990’s Mr. Elliott took the biggest selling “adults-only” comic in England called VIZ (at one point selling a million and a half copies per issue) and created a children’s version that sold over a million copies called The Pathetic Shark’s Bumper Special. Recently Mr. Elliott wrote and published the Halloween bestseller Field Guide To Monsters, is currently writing the comic book series Sharkman for Thrill-House Comics, being distributed by Image Comics, and just completed writing Field Guide To Aliens.

Jesse Berger - Vice President & CEO

Jesse Berger, 27, is a founding member and Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Office for Radical Publishing. Mr. Berger has been instrumental in structuring the company’s finance and operations, devising financial projections, overseeing bottomline budgeting, and structuring the organization’s financial and corporate models since commencement. [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/11126.html ICv2 News - Radical Publishing's Ambitious Agenda ] ]

Prior to the Radical enterprise, Mr. Berger worked as a business manager in the business and legal affairs department of Berger & Marx, LLP and as an independent film producer producing films in the $1 million range. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465666/ What's Up, Scarlet? (2005) ] ]

Mr. Berger earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Brooks Institute of Motion Picture in 2005, majoring in motion picture development and producing, with a minor in business management.

Matthew Berger - General Counsel

Mr. Berger, 57, is a founding member of Radical Publishing, and a founding partner in the law firm of Berger & Marx, LLP. Mr. Berger serves as general counsel to all Blatant and Radical companies, providing representation in all matters concerning the corporations, including the formation of operating entities (corporations, limited liability companies, joint ventures, and partnerships), financing, shareholder relations, employment, intellectual property (trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets), equipment financing and leasing, operating issues, licensing, distribution, insurance, and real property leasing. Mr. Berger is charged with the primary responsibility for all of the Company’s legal and intellectual property matters.

Prior to the formation of the Blatant Companies, Mr. Berger had represented the creator and producer relative to the contractual arrangements for the “Making of” CD-ROMs for the films Rob Roy and Stargate, including licensing, merchandising, and ancillary matters.

Mr. Berger has more than 28 years experience as an attorney in corporate and business law [ [http://www.mbergerlaw.com/ Berger & Marx, LLP - Attorneys in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Ventura ] ] , and he has worked extensively with start-up and mature companies in the Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and California Central Coast markets, as well as China and India, advising corporations and other business organizations in various start-up, financing, operational, licensing, distribution, real property, and intellectual property matters. Mr. Berger has provided and continues to provide representation for filmmakers, musicians, songwriters, authors, and multi-media artists, among others.

Titles

Hercules

Fourteen hundred years ago, a tormented soul walked the earth that was neither man nor god. Hercules was the powerful son of the god king Zeus, for this he received nothing but suffering his entire life. After twelve arduous labors and the loss of his family, this dark, world-weary soul turned his back on the gods finding his only solace in bloody battle. Over the years he warmed to the company of six similar souls, their only bond being their love of fighting and presence of death. These men and woman never question where they go to fight or why or whom, just how much they will be paid. Now the King of Thrace has hired these mercenaries to train his men to become the greatest army of all time. It is time for this bunch of lost souls to finally have their eyes opened to how far they have fallen when they must train an army to become as ruthless and blood thirsty as their own reputation has become.

Caliber

The Arthurian legend as retold in the American Old West, with all of its great symbolism, magic and spirit of adventure. The Knights of the Round Table are all gunslingers bound by the code of honor to protect the weak and defend the innocent until they are undone from within by their own moral corruption. In this tale, Caliber itself is tattooed six-gun given to Arthur by the Indians and imbued with supernatural power. The secret of the gun is that it is never loaded with bullets, but when a man with justice on his side is holding it, it can fire. When it does, it fires thunder itself and never misses. [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16290 Arthur & The Knights of the OK Corral: Sarkar talks "Calbier"] , Comic Book Resources, May 5, 2008]

John Woo has been penciled in to direct a film adaptation. [ [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117989053.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562 John Woo fires off 'Caliber'] , "Variety", July 16, 2008]

Freedom Formula

In a future where corporations rule the city states, extreme high speed racing exosuits called Vicious Cycles (VXs) race for entertainment on the track driven by captive members of a bloodline genetically bred solely for speed. Zee, the son of an escaped driver, returns to the city manipulated by his father to fulfill his fate as a savior for the enslaved racers. Despite realizing this, Zee joins the illegal street race known as the Freedom Formula- a path that will rush him to a fate with an exacting price. FREEDOM FORMULA questions what freedom and redemption truly mean

Yoshitaka Amano's Mateki; The Magic Flute

World famous Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano combines both his talents as a writer, as well as an artist, for his project, Mateki: The Magic Flute. This compilation of imagery and prose is inspired by the opera of The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mateki tells the tragic story of young prince Shanna battling evil forces to rescue his love, Kouran, from Yasha, the evil lord of darkness. Yasha was jealous of Shanna's ability to play the magic flute and created a beautiful temptress, Kouran, to betray Shanna. Kouran was unable to do this for she too had fallen in love with Shanna which overwhelms Kouran with anger, desiring revenge.

Note - "Mateki" (magic flute) is the Japanese name given to a particular make of flute that is extremely responsive to the artists personal playing style.

City of Dust (Originally "Khrome")

The year is 2166. Since the 20th century the entire world has collapsed. Records show the Earth we know was consumed by religious wars and rebuilt from the ruins of the old world right on top of their prior foundations into a dark global metropolis. There is no religion. It was made illegal for everybody’s safety as were Fairy Tales, Science Fiction, Horror or anything else from the imagination. This is the real world and the powers that be intend to keep it that way.

Aladdin

Aladdin is the story of a young man whose dreams of traveling the world become a reality and he soon realizes he should be more careful what he wishes for. After his father is murdered by the dark magician Maugrah, Aladdin is tricked into opening a secret cave to find a magic lamp. Soon realizing he was fooled he quickly discovers how to use the magic lamp for his own means. But the magician is not going to give up easily and steals not only the lamp but the princess that Aladdin has fallen in love with. The only hope he has to find the magician and retrieve the lamp is by enlisting the help of a greedy, ambitious pirate called Sinbad. Aladdin can only hope that the hotheaded Sinbad will keep his word to captain his motley crew across the sea halfway around the world to darkest Africa and help him defeat the magician and the genie of the lamp.

Corporate Affiliates

Imaginary Friends Studios

On July 30th 2007 Radical Publishing agreed in principle to a deal with Imaginary Friends Studios (IFS) out of Singapore for IFS to serve as a full-time art and illustration production house for Radical Publishing. The engagement will include Radical taking a 5% stake in IFS in exchange for representation within the various entertainment and media industries and guidance in developing and co-owning original, Singaporean intellectual properties for international distribution in all media forms. The multi-faceted engagement between Radical Publishing and IFS involves several different levels of coordination including: interior art, cover art and variant cover art production for Radical Comics, Radical Books and Radical Art, character designs for comic book and film production design, film production set-piece renderings for Radical Comic intellectual property, as well as assist in the development of IFS as a full service company that eventually provides film, interactive, animation and CGI services in addition to its current capabilities.

This relationship is expected to facilitate the success of Radical Publishing’s enlarged 2008 comic book release slate. This increase in production is based on the plethora of A-list properties that were pitched to Radical Publishing at Comic Con 2007 between July 25th and July 29th and in the weeks directly after the convention. With so many top priority projects, coupled with the magnitude of the release of HERCULES in May 2008, Radical has been actively searching for talented, capable, and enthusiastic companies to engage in various elements of the business to streamline, organize, and manage the increasing scope of the Radical Publishing’s production needs.

IFS has a track record and an affiliation resume that reads like the who’s who of the comic book and publishing business. It has done work for all the majors, including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Top Cow Comics, and Vertigo Comics. It has the capability to handle last minute assignments to help save production deadlines while even going so far as to match preexistent art renderings for specific projects. In addition, many top creators in the comic business are familiar with IFS’s work and have particular preferences for artists and styles that they have worked with before and want to work with again.

Illustration & Design Studio

Imaginary Friends Studios will bring its studio and work force of 45 artists to function as the core production infrastructure for the Radical Publishing intellectual properties. IFS will be in charge of all Radical designs that range from comic book layout, design and title creations, to advertisement production in all media releases. In addition, IFS will be assigned to specific projects for cover art, interior art illustrations, and/or character renderings that will serve as a basis for visual reference when commissioning other artists.

Radical Comics has commenced production on 5 top priority projects with IFS doing full service artwork for each property including concept art, cover art work, and the interior art illustrations and painting for Radical’s original concepts, HERCULES and ALADDIN, Sam Sarkar from Infinitum Nihil’s CALIBER, Steve Niles’s KHROME, and the IFS original high-concept titled FREEDOM FORMULA. With IFS’s involvement, Radical Publishing has each one of these properties in full-swing production while simultaneously developing each IP’s translation into motion picture production through the creation of set-piece production renderings that will serve as a visual template to inspire filmmakers and writers from all sectors of the business.

Another important aspect of coordination between IFS and Radical Publishing is the development of videogame bibles for Radical Publishing intellectual properties that will serve as the foundation for engaging videogame developers prior to negotiating with American studios for the distribution of the film. By initiating the development of a videogame based on a high-concept at an early stage, Radical Publishing is able to reserve the videogame rights from the negotiations with the studio or, at the very least, enhance the definitions attributed to the deal. Radical’s principals have had previous success with this strategy on two high-profile films, one with Warner Bros. and one with Paramount/MTV Films and consider this strategy an important component of Radical Publishing business model.

ingaporean Government

Radical Publishing’s relationship with IFS is also orientated towards the growth and expansion of the studio into an entity similar to Peter Jackson’s WETA WORKSHOP. Radical Publishing and IFS have begun specific discussions with Info-communications & Media under the Singapore government’s [http://www.edb.gov.sg Economic Development Board] , regarding various government incentives and investment programs that can be geared towards fully expanding IFS into a WETA-type production house based in Singapore. The EDB’s primary focus is to help bring foreign commercial interests into Singapore. The primary difference between IFS and these other major entities that the EDB has supported with their transition into Singapore is that IFS is already established in Singapore and will be branded as a homegrown entity as opposed to a foreign brand purely being set up in Singapore for the benefit of the country’s economy.

The mandate of the Singapore government is to bring more money and jobs to the Singapore economy and, unlike Hong Kong, the Singapore government operates with high security, and the only union is state controlled. We also are informed that there is no government corruption. All this is geared towards creating an ideal environment for international entities to set up businesses. In addition, from an infrastructure point of view, the technology and logistics in Singapore are as solid as any major cosmopolitan city in the world.

The current mandate between Radical and IFS is to align IFS with an animation house in China or Hong Kong in order to further establish IFS original content and designs and promote their emergence in all entertainment media on a more immediate basis while simultaneously developing these same capabilities and media-production capacities within Singapore. In addition, IFS has begun discussions with the following agencies to help bolster and streamline its growth:

* [http://www.iesingapore.gov.sg/wps/portal International Enterprise Singapore] (IE Singapore) - an agency that helps local businesses venture into foreign markets and assists foreign companies that wish to open offices in Singapore.
* [http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.www/aboutus.aspx Media Development Authority] of Singapore (MDA) - an agency that promotes growth in the media industry (comics, publishing, film, TV, videogames, etc) and assists in co-financing/investment funding opportunities and grants for original Singapore content and/or co-production type incentives on a per project basis.
* [http://www.wda.gov.sg/ Workforce Development Authority] of Singapore (WDA) - a program that helps companies set up training facilities, which will assist IFS in training more talent in the industry for its operation. The WDA is also looking to arrange financial aid for IFS and for students interested in specific careers.

Intandem Films

Intandem is a UK based feature film production and finance group, listed on the alternative investment market specializing in international sales and marketing and executive production. Intandem Films was established in 2003 by Gary Smith and Andrew Brown, formerly, respectively, Chief Executive and Senior Vice President International Sales and Marketing of Winchester Entertainment Plc. Management was strengthened in May 2004 when Billy Hurman joined the Group from ContentFilm Plc, where he was Senior Vice President International Sales and Marketing.

The management team has marketed films at major film markets and festivals, such as Cannes, Sundance, Berlin and Toronto, and has been involved in the acquisition, financing and international sales of approximately twenty films; including "And When Did You Last See Your Father?", starring Colin Firth, "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People", starring Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, and Jeff Bridges, "Gallowwalker", starring Wesley Snipes, "Shooting Fish," staring Stuart Townsend and Kate Beckinsale, "Last Orders" starring Michael Caine and Helen Mirren, and "Heartbreakers", starring Sigourney Weaver and Gene Hackman, each of which were released in cinemas in North America by a US Studio. Intandem focuses on two main activities within the feature film industry, namely: executive production, international sales and marketing.

Intandem’s strategy is to act as executive producer and an international sales company for commercial, revenue generating films. The range of budgets will vary depending on genre and cast but the group is currently in negotiations in relation to films with individual budgets of up to £15 million.

In July 2007, Intandem acquired a 5% stake in Radical Comics parent company Radical Publishing for an undisclosed amount [ [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i89e4f40c1678880c14a9d4e56a3674ce Intandem has Radical idea for content ] ] . On top of this investment Intandem will be working with sister movie company Blatant Pictures as an exclusive sales agent and receiving an executive producer credit on all projects. [ [http://www.intandemfilms.com/news/Radical_Intandem.htm Intandem Films: Intandem successfully acquires shareholding in Radical Publishing ] ]

Corporate Information

Company Overview

Via parent company Radical Publishing, Radical owns and manages four areas of operation: Radical Comics, Radical Books, Radical Art and Radical Kidz. Radical Comics is the creator and publisher of comic books, Radical Books is the creator and publisher of original and hybrid graphic novels, Radical Art is the creator and publisher of large-format art books featuring the top artists in the world, and Radical Kidz is a brand focused on manufacturing intellectual property orientated for the youth marketplace.

Radical Publishing is differentiating itself by utilizing a range of painted techniques for both its comics cover art and its interior art illustrations. This entirely painted stylization positions Radical and it's products as premium brands in both the direct sales and mass markets.

Mission Statement

Radical Publishing is founded on a platform where creators are supported and protected in bringing their ideas and concepts to fruition. With the infrastructure of a family of like minded professionals, Radical facilitates an atmosphere to allow creators to do what they do best and be creative with people who respect their craft. The Company has a focus on quality and is unveiling a new generation of painted stylization in its line up of comic books and graphic novels.

References

External links

* [http://radicalcomics.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12710 Barry Levine talks Radical Comics Launch] , Comic Book Resources, February 27, 2008