ComiXology Launches ComiXology Originals with  
BOOM! Studios and Cartoon Network Enterprises
Adventure Time Marshall Lee Spectacular

Available today exclusively on comiXology and Kindle for $3.99 &
free to comiXology Unlimited subscribers

January 18th, 2017 – New York, NY – ComiXology, Amazon’s premier digital comic shopping & reading platform, launches their comiXology Originals program with the fun, all-ages title Adventure Time Marshall Lee Spectacular from BOOM! Studios and Cartoon Network Enterprises. Unveiled last October, comiXology Originals is a new program featuring exclusive comic content available only on comiXology and Kindle. Adventure Time Marshall Lee Spectacular is available today for $3.99 on comiXology and Kindle or free at launch to comiXology Unlimited subscribers and as part of the comiXology Unlimited 30-day free trial.

Based on Cartoon Network’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning Adventure Time, the Adventure Time Marshall Lee Spectacular from BOOM! Studios and Cartoon Network Enterprises features the fan-favorite character Marshall Lee, the Vampire King. Marshall Lee is the male counterpart of Marceline the Vampire Queen from the hugely popular Fionna and Cake universe.

Framed by a fully painted cover by cartoonist Fábio Moon (Daytripper), the 22-page Adventure Time Marshall Lee Spectacular contains three all-new original Marshall Lee stories and an original song:

• “Not Funny” by writer Mariko Tamaki and artist Audrey Mok. The lead story features New York Times bestselling writer Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer, Supergirl) with artist Audrey Mok (Josie and the Pussycats) and follows Marshall Lee and his uncontrollable laughter at unfunny things.

• “The Bravest Prince” by Melanie Gillman and artist Trungles. Writer Melanie Gillman (As the Crow Flies) teams up with artist Trungles (Fresh Romance) for a story in which Prince Gumball witnesses Marshall Lee’s fear of… flowers.

• “Disqualified” by S.M. Vidaurri and artist Asia Kendrick-Horton. Writer S.M. Vidaurri (Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Witches) joins with artist Asia Kendrick-Horton (Steven Universe) for a story in which Prince Gumball attempts to win a competition by trying to be more villainous than Marshall Lee.

• “It’s Not Hard To Be Bad” Written and drawn by S.M. Vidaurri. Vidaurri closes out the issue by composing a song for Marshall Lee to sing while playing guitar in a spectacular one pager.

Keep reading

A comiXologist Recommends:
Jen Keith recommends Casanova: Acedia #1

“What else have I forgotten I remember?” 

Once upon a time, Matt Fraction (mattfractionblog), Gabriel Bá, and Fábio Moon (10paezinhos) came together and created a cross-dimensional sci-fi spy story featuring thief turned double-crossing secret agent, Casanova Quinn. In Casanova: Acedia #1, Casanova Quinn returns as…Quentin Cassiday?

If you haven’t read the first two volumes or don’t remember what happened, then…don’t worry! Casanova doesn’t remember either. He’s a stranded amnesiac in Los Angeles, working for a rich criminal with a past, or lack thereof, similar to Casanova himself. Some things haven’t changed: Casanova still loves his job even if he doesn’t exactly recall why he’s so good at it. With mysterious occultists claiming the world is about to end, familiar faces showing up, and the secret to his and his benefactor’s lives still mired in mystery, Casanova will have plenty of chances to prove he’s still the man he doesn’t remember he is.

Writer Matt Fraction, to the surprise of no one, writes an engaging, rhythmic and playful story from page one. There are two distinct voices, the bodiless narrator and Casanova himself, giving us insight into the inner goings on of both characters and scenes, and Dustin K. Harbin’s lettering does a great job of delineating the two for a smooth read. Artists Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá create a beautifully graphic noir atmosphere for LA, and colorist Cris Peter is the cherry on top of setting the mood with careful thought to the gorgeous color palettes of each scene. This perfect storm of talent is rounded out with Pulitzer Prize winning author Michael Chabon writing the backup story about a rock band of fierce ladies known as The Metanauts.

As a sucker for word play and surrealistic sci-fi, I plan to stick around for more multi-dimensional shenanigans. Casanova Quinn aka Quentin Cassiday has a new job, and I can’t wait to find out how he’s going to love it.

[Read Casanova: Acedia #1 on comiXology]

Jen Keith is a Digital Editor at comiXology, comic artist, music addict, and regularly stays up way too late reading comics even after looking at comics all day.

A comiXologist Recommends:
Harris Smith recommends Vertigo Quarterly: CMYK

Comics printing is based on four colors, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (black).  Though these colors are part of the fusion of elements that comprise how we view sequential narratives, they have rarely been the basis for the conceptual vision of comics, until now.  This week, Vertigo launches their new anthology Vertigo Quarterly: CMYK.  The artists and writers contributing to this intriguing new series were given a color from the CMYK model and asked to represent it within their narrative, be it in terms of theme or mood, or as an element of the plot, or a visual motif.

Unlike previous Vertigo anthologies, such as Strange Adventures and Ghosts, Vertigo Quarterly: CMYK eschews big name creators in favor of up-and-coming talent, and the result, in this first issue, is a very rich and varied collection of unique and original voices and visions across a variety of genres and styles, all based, in sometimes ingenious ways, around the blued hues of Cyan.

In Shaun Simon and Tony Akins’s sly, E.C. Comics-inspired horror story, the color pops up as a grim punchline.  Amy Chu and Alitha Martinez’s “So Blue” uses the color deceptively, the title suggesting a tale of depression but delivering something darkly humorous instead.  Death Sentence creator Monty Nero and artist Al Davison use the color as a striking visual cue in their smart sci-fi story , which is otherwise in black and white.

Concept aside, CMYK presents a refreshing breadth of diverse, intelligent stories by emerging voices in the comics world, in genres ranging from sci-fi and horror to crime and fantasy.  It’s a fun and thoughtful read for comic fans who like some ideas and vision along with their entertainment.

[Read Vertigo Quarterly: CMYK on comiXology]

_{Harris Smith is a Brooklyn-based comics and media professional. In addition to his role as a Senior Production Coordinator at comiXology, he edits several comics anthologies, including Jeans and Felony Comics, under the banner of Negative Pleasure Publications. He’s also the host of the weekly radio show Negative Pleasure on Newtown Radio.}