Speakeasy Comics

Speakeasy Comics was a Canadian publishing company of comic books and graphic novels. It was founded in August 2004 by Adam Fortier, and ceased operations on February 27, 2006.

History

In August 2004, Speakeasy Comics (based in Toronto) was founded by Adam Fortier. Previously, Fortier had worked for comics publishers Dreamwave Productions (where he revived the Transformers licence in comics), Devil's Due Publishing, UDON, and IDW Publishing.

In March 2005, the company published its first titles, the debut issues of "Atomika" and "The Grimoire".

In November 2005, it was announced that Speakeasy had concluded a financing deal with Los Angeles-based Ardustry Entertainment, for a stated two-way purpose: Speakeasy would now also develop comics based on licenses brought by Ardustry, while Ardustry would represent Speakeasy's comics properties in the entertainment industry (movies, videogames, etc.) [ [http://www.speakeasycomics.com/news/news_112905.html speakeasycomics.com ] ] [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6241 Comic Book Resources - CBR News: Looking inside the Speakeasy/Ardustry Deal with Adam Fortier ] ]

However, it was learned later (according to Ardustry's Wayne Williams, who handles Business Affairs for the company) that the deal was only an option to buy Speakeasy, which expired without materialization. Cash flow problems led to Speakeasy's demise before they could materialize various lucrative licensing deals, such as with HBO ("The Sopranos" or "Deadwood").

At 3:30pm EST February 27, 2006 Vito Delsante (who had been handling public relations for Speakeasy Comics) announced by email [http://www.comicsreporter.com/images/uploads/Delsante_E-Mail.doc] the immediate closure of Speakeasy, with all March-solicited books still shipping, April and May's being tentative, and June's being cancelled. [ [http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=61089 Speakeasy Closes Its Doors - Newsarama ] ] The company, however, didn't file for bankruptcy, officially in order to try and pay people owed money.

In March 2006, only "Beowulf #7" was published. In May 2006, Diamond Comic Distributors's monthly list of cancelled comics listed all the remaining unpublished Speakeasy comics, with the terminal cancel code 10 ("Supplier Out of Business"). [http://previews.diamondcomics.com/support/previews_docs/orderforms/archive/2006/MAY06/Cancel.txt]

Controversies

* A few months after signing with the publisher, "Atomika" creator Sal Abbinanti split from Speakeasy to self-publish issues #5+ [ [http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=37;t=005768 COMICON.com: 12/15 ATOMIKA # 5 IN STORES NOW ] ] of his series under his own Mercury Comics label. [ [http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=39648 Atomika Leaves Speakeasy To Self-Publish - Newsarama ] ]
* During the same period, Speakeasy-owned titles "Beowulf", "The Grimoire" and "Spellgame" went through several creative team changes.
* Yoshitaka Amano's "Hero", a highly anticipated graphic novel slated to debut in March 2005, was cancelled and postponed one year. It was resolicited in February 2006 for tentative publication in April 2006, but cancelled again in May 2006. It is now being published by Boom! Studios.
* In October 2005, creator Frank Espinosa announced the moving of his "Rocketo" series to Image Comics.
* In December 2005::* Speakeasy canceled orders on two months of previously ordered comics. [http://www.comicon.com/thebeat/2006/01/speakeasy_cancels_comics_order.html] :* Creators allegations of non-payment [ [http://www.comicsworthreading.com/2005/12/19/speakeasy-update/#comments Speakeasy Update » Comics Worth Reading ] ] and mismanagement of projects [http://comiccommentary.blogspot.com/2005/12/link-even-more-on-speakeasy.html] started circulating.

* In January 2006::* Creator Sal Cipriano announced he cancelled his "Bio Boy" series at Speakeasy, but was keeping "The Hill" there. [ [http://speakeasycomics.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1843 speakeasycomics.com ] ] :* Creator Matt Maxwell announced he had amicably parted with Speakeasy for his "Strangeways" series. [ [http://www.highway-62.com/blog/archives/2006/01/strangeways_news_1.htm Highway 62: Strangeways News ] ] Four issues had been solicited but still not published.:* Chimaera Studios announced moving their 8 series ("Mutation", "Of Bitter Souls", "Super Crazy TNT Blast" renamed "Twilight Men", "Smoke & Mirror", "Lonebow", "Wargod", "Project Eon", and "Silent Ghost") from Speakeasy to Markosia. [ [http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=55026 Chimera Leaves Speakeasy, Joins With Markosia - Newsarama ] ] :* Jonathan Martin's "Speakeasy Comics Archive" (a blog dedicated to Speakeasy-related news [http://www.comicon.com/thebeat/2006/01/blogging_speakeasy.html] [http://loosepgs.blogspot.com/2006/01/update-update-shoot-small-presses-dont.html] ) was shut down, presumably under "trademark infringement" litigation [http://speakeasycomics.blogspot.com/] , however this has not been verified.:* Creators Jose Torres and Chris Dibari announced moving their series "The Hunger" to Markosia. [ [http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=55872 The Hunger Leaves Speakeasy For Markosia - Newsarama ] ] :* No comic was published by Speakeasy this month.

* In February 2006, creators of the series "O.C.T. - the Occult Crimes Taskforce" announced their move to Image Comics. [ [http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=60357 ROSARIO DAWSON'S O.C.T MOVES TO IMAGE/12 GAUGE - NEWSARAMA ] ]

Publications

During its operation, Speakeasy Comics:

* Published numerous comics series in monthly pamphlets (such as "The Grimoire #1-7", a modernization of "Beowulf #1-7", "Gatesville Company #1-2", "Spellgame #1-3", "Hero At Large #1-2", "Helios: In With the New #1-2", "Athena Voltaire: Flight of the Falcon #1", etc.).
* Had published comics series which later went to other venues before Speakeasy's demise (such as "Atomika #1-4", "Rocketo #1-6", "Of Bitter Souls #1-3", "Mutation #1-3", "Smoke & Mirror #1-2", "Super Crazy TNT Blast #1", "Lonebow #1", "Wargod #1", "Adventures of Bio Boy #1-2", "The Hunger #1-5").
* Had published the web comic Butternutsquash.net as a quarterly title. Butternutsquash #1 was published in November 2005 but the second issue was never solicited due to the company closure.
* Had announced or solicited comics series which went to other venues before publication (such as "Strangeways", "Project Eon", "Silent Ghost", "O.C.T. - the Occult Crimes Taskforce").
* Intended to collect some series in trade paperbacks when sufficient material had been created, however all solicited TPBs were eventually cancelled (such as "Atomika Volume 1", "Grimoire Volume 1", "Beowulf Volume 1"). Usually didn't reprint sold-out monthly issues, except for "Atomika #1". [ [http://speakeasycomics.com/news/news_32505.html speakeasycomics.com ] ]

Also, on a business model not unlike that of Image Comics, they:

* Collected out-of-print creator-owned comics series (such as "2020 Visions #1-12" previously serialized at DC/Vertigo, the first miniseries of "Phantom Jack #1-5" previously serialized at Image Comics, or "Elk's Run #1-3 Collected Edition" previously self-published).
* Had started publishing creator-owned independent series (such as hosting the previously self-published "Elk's Run" (for #4 only), or the second miniseries of "Phantom Jack: The Nowhere Man Agenda" (for #1 only), etc.).
* Published original graphic novels (such as "Parting Ways: the Near Life Experiences of Peter Orbach" by Andrew Foley, [ [http://www.speakeasycomics.com/preview.asp?pid=5 speakeasycomics.com ] ] or "The Living And The Dead") and graphic novellas (such as Rich Johnston's "The Flying Friar").

Circulation

Speakeasy titles had sales judged disappointing by some. Based on pre-order sales through Diamond Comic Distributors reported by industry resource site ICv2 [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/1850.html ICv2 News - ICv2's Top 300 Comics & Top 100 GN's Index ] ] , Speakeasy's top-selling monthly comics during its year of operation were:

* (2005.03) 7,756 copies (rank 190) for "Atomika #1" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/6751.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-March 2005 ] ]
* (2005.04) 6,116 copies (rank 187) for "Atomika #2" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/6904.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-April 2005 ] ]
* (2005.05) 3,305 copies (rank 213) for "Grimoire #3" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7058.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-May 2005 ] ]
* (2005.06) 5,726 copies (rank 231) for "Atomika #3" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7257.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-June 2005 ] ]
* (2005.07) 3,717 copies (rank 208) for "Beowulf #3" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7375.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-July 2005 ] ]
* (2005.08) 6,381 copies (rank 203) for "Atomika #4" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7534.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-August 2005 ] ]
* (2005.09) 2,019 copies (rank 251) for "Smoke & Mirror #1" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7710.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-September 2005 ] ]
* (2005.10) 2,946 copies (rank 250) for "The Grimoire #6" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7812.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-October 2005 ] ]
* (2005.11) 3,130 copies (rank 248) for "Beowulf #5" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7956.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-November 2005 ] ]
* (2005.12) 2,463 copies (rank 273) for "The Grimoire #7" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/8067.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-December 2005 ] ]
* (2006.01) -- no comics published this month [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/8247.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-January 2006 ] ]
* (2006.02) 2,718 copies (rank 246) for "Beowulf #6" [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/8384.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-February 2006 ] ]
* (2006.03) -- one issue published but not ranked in Top 300 (i.e. less than 2,632 copies) [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/8516.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-March 2006 ] ]
* (2006.04) -- no comics published this month [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/8714.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-April 2006 ] ]
* (2006.05) -- no comics published this month [ [http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/8855.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-May 2006 ] ]

References

General references:
* [http://www.popimage.com/content/speakeasy2005.html "Speaking Easy with Adam Fortier"] - January 2005 interview at the launch of Speakeasy (by Jonathan Ellis at PopImage)
* [http://www.thefourthrail.com/reviews/snapjudgments/120505/speakeasy.shtml "Spotlight on Speakeasy Comics"] - Overview of Speakeasy's output at the end of 2005 (by Randy Lander at The Fourth Rail)
* [http://www.buzzscope.com/features.php?id=1226 "Speakeasy Shakes Things Up"] - December 2005 investigation into Speakeasy's new policies (by Guy LeCharles Gonzalez at Buzzscope)
* [http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6298175.html "The Class of 2005: A Tough Year for Comics Start-Ups"] - January 2006 look at Alias' and Speakeasy's problems (by Heidi MacDonald at Publishers Weekly)
* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6796 "Speakeasy Comics Shuts Its Doors, Fortier Speaks"] - February 27, 2006 wrapup (by Jonah Weiland at CBR)
* [http://www.comicbookgalaxy.com/blog/2006/02/rise-and-inevitable-fall-of-speakeasy.html "The Rise and Inevitable Fall of Speakeasy Comics"] - February 28, 2006 editorial (by Alan David Doane at CBG)
* [http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/speakeasy_comics_shuts_its_doors/ "Speakeasy Comics Shuts Its Doors"] - February 28, 2006 editorial and links report (by Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter)
* [http://www.the-engine.net/forum/index.php?webtag=ENGINE&msg=1987.1 "Speakeasy Closes Its Doors"] February-March 2006 discussion between comics pros (at Warren Ellis' forum The Engine )
* [http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6313554.html "Speakeasy Comics Shuts Down"] - March 7, 2006 analysis of the crisis and future of the various comics (by Heidi MacDonald at Publishers Weekly)

Footnotes

Specific references:

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20050403204723/http://www.speakeasycomics.com/ Speakeasy Comics.com] (cached, from April 2005)