AudioComics and Action labs presents Jamal Igle’s MOLLY DANGER!

For immediate release:

In 2013, the audio movie studio AudioComics will release its second AC Kids title based on the forthcoming children’s graphic novel series from industry superstar Jamal Igle (Action Comics, Supergirl, Firestorm, Daredevil/Shi): Molly Danger! Produced in association with Action Lab Entertainment, and directed by AudioComics co-founder William Dufris, the first episode in the series will record in New York for a projected summer release.

Molly is “the princess of finesse,” the most powerful ten-year old in the world. Protector of Coopersville, New York from the villainous Supermechs, including Two-Fisted Tommy and Lil’ Cavey, she has legions of devoted fans, movies and merchandise bearing her name, and more fame than anyone can fathom. But what she really wants more than anything…is a friend. A family. And a real life.

Meanwhile, the forces of evil are converging to rock Molly’s world. For 20 years she has been led to believe that she’s an immortal alien whose family died when their ship crash-landed on Earth, genetically altered by the earth’s atmosphere. She also believes that she is the last of her people. She is wrong–very wrong…

As with AudioComics’ productions of Titanium Rain, Starstruck, and Honey West: Murder on Mars, the finished work will be available on both compact disc and pay-per-Mp3 digital download, with cover art by Igle, and for sale through AudioComics’ and Action Lab’s websites, iTunes, Amazon, and at comic book and sci-fi conventions.

“This is another exciting step in getting the Action Lab brand known to comic book fans everywhere,” explained Action Lab President Kevin Freeman. “Jamal is one of the nicest guys in the industry, and not only does Molly Danger look spectacular on the printed page, but it is perfectly suited for the AudioComics treatment. We couldn’t be happier.”

Igle introduced Molly Danger in a highly-successful Kickstarter campaign last fall, and the first hardcover edition, under the Action Lab banner, will be in comic book stores in July. There will also be a preview of the book released during Free Comic Book Day on May 4 in stores nationwide.

AudioComics, under the guidance of producers Lance Roger Axt, William Dufris, and Elaine Lee, provides superior audio entertainment with its professional full-cast audio theatre productions of both licensed properties and original works from the world of comic books, graphic novels, and related media, accessible in today’s market with today’s sound. The AudioComics team is working to establish relationships with top name comic book companies, sci-fi writers, sponsors and the entertainment industry in Hollywood and New York, and to give these audio theatre pieces worldwide exposure. Productions include Starstruck, the forthcoming Bad Planet, and the first part of Titanium Rain, which has been nominated for two Audie Awards from the Audiobook Publishers Association, and is the winner of AudioFile Magazine’s Earphones Award.

Action Lab Entertainment was founded in 2010 by a group of indie-maverick comic creators with the sole intent to bring the world the most action packed, most thought-provoking, most entertaining comics available, thereby ushering in a new age of world peace under the dominating, yet benign control of the Action Lab. Action Lab Entertainment is the public front for all the activities of the Action Lab and its members. Although most of the Action Lab’s activities remain classified, Action Lab Entertainment can disclose that two of its many functions are the marketing of comic books through various sales outlets, and the expansion of their domination into other mediums.

TITANIUM RAIN Nominated For 2013 Audie Award

TITANIUM RAIN NOMINATED FOR 2013 AUDIE AWARDS

The Near-Future, Science Fiction, War Epic From AudioComics

is Chosen as Finalist in the Categories of Audio Drama and Original Work.

AudioComics is proud to announce that their 2012 “audio movie” production of Titanium Rain: Episode One, adapted by Josh Finney from the Arachia Entertainment graphic novel by Finney and Kat Rocha, has been nominated for the prestigious 2013 Audie Awards in the categories of Audio Drama and Original Work.

Sponsored and presented each year by the Audiobook Publishers Association (APA), a not-for-profit association that “advocates the common, collective business interests of audio publishers,” the Audies is considered the Oscars of the American audiobook industry, recognizing outstanding achievement in audiobooks and spoken word entertainment. The Audie Awards will be presented in New York City on May 30, 2013.

Set in the year 2031, during a civil war in China that has spiraled into global conflict, Titanium Rain: Episode One introduces audiences to USAF pilot Alec Killian and the members of Phoenix Squadron, a biotech-enhanced elite force who walk the line between man and machine. The audio adaptation was directed by Audie-winning AudioComics co-founder William Dufris, and has received unanimous praise from critics and fans alike:

Dirk Maggs, award-winning Director/Producer of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for BBC Radio, has called Titanium Rain, “One of the best examples of immersive entertainment in a creative field undergoing a huge renaissance at the moment.”

AudioComics’ association with the husband-and-wife team of Finney and Rocha will continue in the fall of 2013, with the recording of their “cyberpunk-meets-Trainspotting” graphic novel Utopiates, published by Finney and Rocha’s own 01Publishing company.

AUDIOCOMICS BRINGS “BAD PLANET” TO AUDIO

The AudioComics Company to adapt RAW Studios’ mini-series as a full-cast audio drama

For immediate release:

In early 2013 the AudioComics Company will again enter the recording studio, this time to record the full-cast audio production of RAW Studios’ mini-series Bad Planet. The creation of RAW founders Thomas Jane (actor in The Mist, The Punisher, HBO’s Hung) and artist Tim Bradstreet (Star Wars, Hellblazer, Human Target) with writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre, The Mystery Society), the work will be directed by AudioComics Company Co-Producer William Dufris.

An homage to the classic science fiction and horror stories of the 1950’s, Bad Planet is the universal classification given to worlds that have fallen prey to predator races. Now the planet Earth appears to be the next to fall when a race of invading “deathspiders” wreak havoc on the populace. Our only chance for salvation lies in the hands of two scientists from opposite ends of the Earth, an African child prodigy, and a Phaedon warrior whose unwitting actions led to the destruction of his race.

Thomas Jane: “I heard their production of Starstruck, and thought ‘these guys are fantastic.’ This production’s going to rock.” The AudioComics Company: “With Starstruck we set the bar. With Titanium Rain we set it higher. With Bad Planet, we’re setting the bar on fire.” As with other AudioComics productions, the Bad Planet audio will be available on both compact disc and pay-per-Mp3 digital download, and for sale through AudioComics’ and RAW’s webstores, iTunes, Amazon, and at comic book and science fiction conventions.

RAW Studios is the comics and book publishing arm of RAW Entertainment, founded by actor Thomas Jane in partnership with Eisner Award nominated illustrator/production designer Tim Bradstreet. The subjects of our books reflect our love for the heady days of EC Comics, with a dash of Creepy and Eerie, and a heavy dose of today’s top talented creators. Horror, Sci-Fi, Crime, and Fantasy – No genre is sacred or safe from our spin. What we offer is an ALTERNATIVE to the spandex and cape-wearing creations of big publishers. But ultimately, we’re here to remind folks how good comics can be.

The AudioComics Company, under the guidance of producers Lance Roger Axt, William Dufris, and Elaine Lee, provides superior audio entertainment with its professional full-cast audio theatre productions of both licensed properties and original works from the world of comic books, graphic novels, and related media, accessible in today’s market with today’s sound. The AudioComics team is working to establish relationships with top name comic book companies, sci-fi writers, sponsors and the entertainment industry in Hollywood and New York, and to give these audio theatre pieces worldwide exposure.

Releases, releases, releases, and more!

We’re happy to say that months of toil and sweat have resulted in a slew of works from The AudioComics Company, now available for purchase.

First, Titanium Rain is available through iTunes and Amazon Mp3, as well as AudioComics Digital Direct. Moreover creator Josh Finney has created an amazing website devoted to the audiomovie: www.titaniumrainaudio.com. And let’s face it, you know you’re doing good when you get this tweet from Josh: “Finished listening to the latest rough-cut of the TITANIUM RAIN audio drama. I am DEEPLY impressed. @audiocomics have done a hell of a job.” Note that CD’s are being manufactured as we speak, and you will be able to purchase them through AudioComics online store, Amazon.com, ZBS, and CDBaby.

Prior to AudioComics’ first meeting with Josh Finney and Kat Rocha, Josh had already contemplated audio movie versions of 01′s creations Titanium Rain and Utopiates; we are all fans of the works produced by Big Finish from Doctor Who to Judge Dredd, why not do the same here? But here’s where he took it a step further: he commissioned BBC composer Jonathan Sharp to create original soundtracks to go with the graphic novels. You can hear Sharp’s labor of love in the finished production of TR; AudioComics has taken it a step further with its first ever soundtrack release. The 12 tracks from the production are available as Titanium Rain: The Original Soundtrack. You can purchase it from all of the usual suspects, with links at www.titaniumrainaudio.com. In the meantime, here is the Mp3 art from Josh and Kat to tide you over…

From legendary comics writer Steve Englehart: “When my oldest son was little, he told me he didn’t like black and white movies, and I told him that it’s not the medium, it’s the skill of the people using the medium that matters. From there he went on to silent movies, and opera…and radio dramas. The new Domino Lady is a fully professional radio drama, with all the skill of the 1940s and the technological superiority of the 2010s. This is not a scratchy MP3 made from an old acetate – this is radio drama at its finest, with real actors and real writers — so spend some evenings with the Domino Lady.”

What a great idea! You can purchase a copy of All’s Fair in War here from our store, from iTunes or Amazon Mp3, and it will be on Rhapsody, eMusic, and Nokia in the coming months. Plus we have an additional review, care of Airship 27′s own Ron Fortier: http://www.pulpfictionreviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/domino-lady-alls-fair-in-war.html.

Honey West: Murder on Mars can be purchased through iTunes, Amazon Mp3, and AudioComics Digital Direct. CD’s are likewise being manufactured as we speak, and again you will be able to buy them via AudioComics online store, Moonstone Entertainment’s online store (does that make it a Moonstore?), Amazon.com, ZBS, and CDBaby.

We are also happy to announce that HW writer and co-Producer Elaine Lee has written an article on creator-owned comics for THE HUFFINGTON POST! The article on “Fair Trade Comics” is here. Feel free to “like” and make a comment! The more comments we get, the better the chances of her first HP blog continuing.

Finally, The Batsons: The Trouble with Fang! is going through it’s final mastering due to some technical difficulties, but we will have it ready to go by mid-month. In the meantime, you can buy the Mp3 of Carmilla’s Crush through AudioComics Digital Direct, Amazon Mp3, and CDBaby.

A “Titanium Rain” change:

Hi folks, Lance here:

As we speak, Bill Dufris is taking a much needed day off from the final mix of Titanium Rain. This past weekend I flew to Maine where we bounced ideas off of each other in Bill’s studio, spending close to 15 hours a day mixing and layering SFX and Jonathan Sharp’s soundtrack. It was here that Bill made a fateful decision, one that we all agree with: the piece as a whole was approaching the 90 minute mark. It will most likely be longer. Obviously longer than a single CD release. With that in mind, we have decided to make the first volume of TR a double CD, akin to that of the release of Starstruck. The simple reality is that we could make cuts…but said cuts would simply diminsh the quality of the piece, of Josh’s script, and what Bill has managed to do with it. We couldn’t bring ourselves to trim any of it. As it was with Starstruck, the new price is $22.95 for the CD, and $9.95 for digital downloads sold through the AudioComics store (obviously, the price will be different for Mp3′s sold through iTunes, Amazon Mp3, etc. as is always the case with third party digital distributors). For anyone who purchased a CD or Mp3 prior to this announcement, the price change does not affect your purchase.

15 hours a day was spent fine tuning 15 minutes at a time. What I heard through Bill’s speakers blew me out of the water. I kid you not. You will not be disappointed.

So what are you guys up to?

Damn good question. Right now Bill Dufris is holed away in the studio, finishing mixing on his four pieces, while Lance continues to mix The Domino Lady and prep for the opening of our website store in the next week, and work with CJ Henderson the adaptation of Battle for LA. Elaine is updating the Starstruck website, and is starting in on the scripts for the Galactic Girl Guides series, with every episode clocking in at 10 – 15 minutes. A lot of potential projects have come our way, and we’re still sorting through the 30 or so projects that came our way last year. One major announcement for everyone: the first five AudioComics pieces of 2012 (Honey West: Murder on Mars, Titanium Rain Vol. 1, The Domino Lady: All’s Fair in War, and The Batsons: Carmilla’s Crush and The Trouble with Fang) will be released in May.

However, there is one thing we can share with you, and that is the artwork for the Mp3 of our first Domino Lady piece, Rich Harvey’s “All’s Fair in War.” There are a number of artists we plan to work with in the future on CD and Mp3 art, especially on original pieces: Lee Moyer is one, Jay Piscopo is on the radar…we can add Paul Sizer to the list. Paul’s art was originally part of Warren Ellis’ “Remake/Remodel” project; he kindly made a few changes, and voila!

Ain’t she purty?

“Starstruck: The Website”

We are now taking pre-orders for Titanium Rain, Vol. 1, Honey West, The Domino Lady, and The Batsons! The link to purchase is here!

Okay, science fiction, space opera and web comics fans, listen up: on February 17, 2012, Elaine Lee and Michael Wm. Kaluta will be launching a new Starstruck website at http://starstruckcomics.com/

They will be posting the story pages that appeared in the Starstruck Deluxe Edition, but making them interactive, so that they link to glossary entries. Moreover the site will include the glossary, history, intro to the book, and links to Starstruck reviews and articles. Later, they’ll be adding things like timelines, sound files from the play’s music and the audio play, pictures from performances, and heretofore unpublished material. And you can buy the book, a download of the play, or a T-shirt, too!

“Ultimately, we’re hoping to draw enough new audience to make creating more Starstruck a worthwhile endeavor (monetarily speaking).”

We love Starstruck. AudioComics and Starstruck are linked big time; the playscript was our first production, and there is a Galactic Girl Guidesseries for kids in the works. We’re thrilled that this site is taking off, and hope you’ll come along for the ride.  Again, the site address is: http://starstruckcomics.com/ If it worked for Elfquest, it’ll work for Elaine and Michael, too.

The cast of “Titanium Rain”

Lance Roger Axt: Alec Killian

Colin O’ Leary: Piso

Elizabeth Knowelden: Happy/Easy Girl/BBC Newscaster/Aliazeera Newscaster

Carrington MacDuffie: Sky Eye/Doctor Abby/Mary Kenner

Tom Walsh: Buffalo/Major Kameron/Tower Control

Jaimie Schwartz: Cpt. Anders/Arthur Bramford

Christopher Reiling: Rios/Crewman Bryan

Mark Freidlander: Peanut/Shaper/Crewman Colbert

Paul Drinan: Jamie

Erik Moody: Doc Hammond

Michael Johnson: Jimmy/Ebonstorm

Christopher Price: Major Graves

Phil Wells: The Chief/Major Rocha

Jennywren Walker: F35X Computer

William Dufris: James Dee, Strategic Analyst and Rep. Homer Lea

Michael Howard: Mac Larsen

David LaGraffe: Prof. Alger

Brent Askari: Emperor Kao Shen

Christine Marshall: News Announcers

Richard McGonagle: Announcer/Narrator

with special appearances by Peter David, Rich Johnston, and Josh Finney

Adapted for audio (from the graphic novels) by Josh Finney

Directed by William Dufris

Recording in Portland, ME November 5, 2011

We can’t thank you enough.

As of 7pm PST on October 13, the Titanium Rain campaign on Kickstarter acheived it’s funding goal plus 14%. Thank you thank you thank you! Let’s see if we can get 150% funded before the 23rd…whattaya think? http://kck.st/p93Hg7

Odds and ends…

We’re back, if only for a brief interlude:

The next month-and-a-half is about to be a busy one, to say the least, with four projects being recorded, not to mention Lance’s work with the NATF in less than two scant weeks, and the remaining days of our crowdfunding extension, so let’s get to it:

First, we want to give a big thanks to those who supported Titanium Rain on IndieGoGo:

James Cornell, Algernon D’Ammassa, Caine Door, Thaddeus Howze, Elizabeth Knowelden, Patrick McEvoy, Judy Molner, Keith Reagan, Stephen Edward Vale, JK Woodward, Rodger Axt, David Hammond, Karen Stilwell, Michael Thomas, Adam and Comfort Withers, Lewis Davis, Craig Foley, Bryan Glass, Fred Greenhlagh, Christopher Schager, Sandy Sherr, Kevin Donnelly, Mike Rocha, and Kevin Lansford (along with our “anonymous” contributors).

Right now we are just over two weeks into our Kickstarter extension at http://kck.st/p93Hg7. Currently we are at 43% funded, and eleven days remaining; make a contribution! And remember that a $10 contribution can go a long way and is thoroughly appreciated, not to mention you are pre-paying for your digital download of Titanium Rain!

All names from both campaigns will eventually find their way to the AudioComics Company website, which is undergoing a slow make-over. In the next few months expect to see more pages and a different layout, all on a different server, courtesy of our wonderous web designer Kat Rocha.

On November 5 and 6, The AudioComics Company will re-enter The Studio in Portland, ME to record Titanium Rain on Saturday, and Honey West on Sunday. Bill Dufris will direct both works, with Jim Begley, one of the best engineers in Maine, supervising in the control room. Josh Finney and Kat Rocha, and Elaine Lee will all be in attendance, and our acting company for the weekend currently includes Lance Roger Axt, Carrington MacDuffie, Elizabeth Knowelden, Phil Wells, Brent Askari, and Gary Guzzo (with more actors to be announced later). Maria Myshrall will also be hand as our official photographer.

Then on November 19, Lance Roger Axt will take the director’s chair at Broken Radio in San Francisco to record the first two Pulp Adventures pieces, The Green Lama and the Curse of Liberty Island and The Domino Lady: All’s Fair in War. The previously announced third piece, The Green Lama and the Case of the Forgotten Gods, will record in 2012 (also in the Bay Area), giving writer Algernon D’Ammassa more time to re-work the script (he’s a very busy guy right now). The cast features the previously announced Craig Neibaur as The Green Lama and Karen Stilwell as The Domino Lady, as well as Perry Aliado, Mandy Brown, Peter Carini, Bill Chessman, Kevin Donnelly, Suzan Lorraine, and Peter Papadopoulos.

In addition, Lance is co-producing the upcoming National Audio Theatre Festivals Tony Hawkins Advanced Workshop in Los Angeles October 21 – 23 focusing on voice-over in the animation industry, with workshops (in and out of the studio) with Lucien Dodge (Pokemon), Corey Burton (Thundercats, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), and comics/animation legend Mark Evanier (The Garfield Show, Dungeons and Dragons, Scooby and Scrappy Doo). There are still a few slots available, but only a few: you can register at https://www.regonline.com/audioartofanimation. Plus Elaine is working on several other scripts and an exciting Starstruck project, Bill is editing and mixing and editing and mixing, and Lance is working on the adaptation of …okay, we can’t talk about that yet.

It should also be noted that the planned audio adaptation of the romance webcomic Somewhere in Between has also been moved to 2013, as creator/writer/artist Megan Levens, much like Green Lama writer Algernon D’Ammassa, is inundated with projects (as are we) and thus we’ve moved the piece up a bit (okay, A LOT) to accomodate everyone’s schedules.

Finally, we can announce that in late February, we will take pre-orders for the digital downloads of The Batsons: Carmilla’s Crush, The Batsons: The Trouble with Fang!, The Domino Lady: All’s Fair in War, Titanium Rain Volume One, Honey West: Murder on Mars, and the compact disc releases of Titanium Rain Volume One, and Honey West: Murder on Mars, all of which will be released in spring. Then we gotta start prepping for the rest of the year!

So it’s going to be a busy-as-hell month-and-a-half for everyone, but we can’t wait for you to hear the results!

Finally, the Kickstarter link one last time: http://kck.st/p93Hg7!