Double Take Comics

Double Take LLC, commonly referred to as Double Take Comics, was an American comic book publisher based in New York City. Founded by former Marvel Comics executive Bill Jemas as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive in October 2014, the company served as Take-Two Interactive's pilot project in comic book publishing. The company published five issues each from ten original comic book series, and was shut down in November 2016.

Double Take LLC

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Comic books
Founded	October 30, 2014; 9 years ago (2014-10-30)
Founder	Bill Jemas
Defunct	November 2016 (2016-11)
Fate	Dissolved
Headquarters	New York City , US
Key people	Bill Jemas (general manager)
Parent	Take-Two Interactive

History

Double Take Comics was founded by Bill Jemas, formerly President of Marvel Comics, as a subsidiary of video game company Take-Two Interactive.^[1] Jemas announced on December 20, 2013, that he was to preparing to launch a new comic book imprint with Take-Two Interactive, although a final direction had not yet been chosen.^[2] Take-Two Interactive had previously filed trademarks for possible names of the label, including Codex, Carante, and Double Take.^[2] Jemas settled on Double Take, and its opening was formally announced on October 30, 2014.^[3][4]

All comic book series published by Double Take were inspired by and set in an alternate reality of Night of the Living Dead.^[5][6] Jemas originally also considered creating comics on XCOM, BioShock and Civilization, three video game franchises owned by Take-Two Interactive, but could not come to terms with the respective game studios.^[7] He went Night of the Living Dead instead, seeing that the intellectual property was in the public domain, and because he felt like zombies were popular at the time.^[8] Jemas planned on distributing the comics digitally, through ComiXology and Madefire, and produce print versions later on.^[9]

The first issues of Double Take's first ten comic book series, namely Soul, Slab, Dedication, Rise, Medic, Honor, Spring, Home, Remote and Z-Men, were announced in March 2015.^[10] All ten first issues were released on September 16, 2015,^[11] with the release schedule being assisted by marketing coordinator Gabe Yocum.^[12] A movie adaptation of Z-Men, in cooperation with Lionsgate, was announced in October 2015.^[13][14] In February 2016, Double Take partnered with The Moth to bring more realism into their releases.^[15]

In September 2016, the company gave away 10,000 printed copies of their releases to visitors of the New York Comic Con.^[16] In October 2016, it was reported that Jemas was seeking US$1.2 million from private investors to purchase Double Take from Take-Two Interactive.^[17] Jemas initially denied the claim, stating "not even close", however, it was announced in November 2016 that the company was to close at the end of that month.^[18][19] Four spin-off series of their works, Z-Mart, Behold, 51 and Alphabet City, which were set to be released in December 2016, were never published.^[20]

Books published

Release	Title
September 16, 2015	Dedication #1: Dead Stock
	Home #1: Lighter than Air
	Medic #1: Flatline
	Rise #1: Sister's Keeper
	Slab #1: The Doctor Is in
	Soul #1: Friendly Fire
	Spring #1: Born Again
	Z-Men #1: Nervous in the Service
	Honor #1: Protect. Serve. Beat. Burn.
	Remote #1: Dead Air
November 11, 2015	Dedication #2: Midnight Snack
	Home #2: Thicker than Water
	Honor #2: Dead Badge of Courage
	Medic #2: Undead on Arrival
	Remote #2: Radio Silence
	Rise #2: Last Generation
	Slab #2: Fresh Flesh
	Soul #2: Good Mourning
	Spring #2: Undertow
	Z-Men #2: All the President's Men
February 24, 2016	Dedication #3: Checked Out
	Home #3: Dinner Is Served
	Honor #3: Blood Brigade
	Medic #3: Graveyard Shift
	Remote #3: Live at Five
	Rise #3: You Can't Go Home Again
	Slab #3: Bare Bones
	Soul #3: Free Fall
	Spring #3: Sink or Swim
	Z-Men #3: The Thing they Carried
June 1, 2016	Dedication #4: Clean Up on Aisle Z
	Home #4: Flesh and Blood
	Honor #4: Insurrection
	Medic #4: Intensive Scare
	Remote #4: Technical Difficulties
	Rise #4: Born Against
	Slab #4: Doctor's Orders
	Soul #4: No Saint's Day
	Spring #4: Level Up
	Z-Men #4: Home of the Grave
August 24, 2016	Dedication #5: Z-Mart
	Home #5: Reunion
	Honor #5: Justice
	Medic #5: In Stitches
	Remote #5: Play it Again
	Rise #5: Fall
	Slab #5: Rigor
	Soul #5: Rest in Peace
	Spring #5: Torrent
	Z-Men #5: Rabridge

References

1. Suth, Jamie (March 30, 2016). "EXCLUSIVE: General Manager For Double Take Comics Bill Jemas Talks NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, Marvel & More". Comic Book Movie. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
2. Arrant, Chris (December 20, 2013). "HE's BAA-AACK: BILL JEMAS & TAKE TWO Partner To Take On Comics 'ULTIMATE-Style'". Newsarama. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
3. Arrant, Chris (October 30, 2014). "BILL JEMAS' New DOUBLE TAKE Ready to Launch with Zombies". Newsarama. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
4. Diaz, Eric (October 31, 2014). "Comics Relief: Halloween Humble Bundle, WALKING DEAD Rumors Debunked, Plus Spidey & Mary Jane Reunite?". Nerdist. Archived from the original on February 12, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
5. Hallam, Scott (November 18, 2014). "Bill Jemas Talks Take-Two Interactive's New Night of the Living Dead Inspired Comic Series". Dread Central. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
6. Hoffman, Taylor (September 16, 2015). "Double Take Comics Takes on "The Ultimate Night Of The Living Dead"". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
7. MacDonald, Heidi (November 3, 2016). "Comics publisher Double Take is shutting down at the end of the month". Comics Beat. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
8. Johnston, Rich (November 3, 2016). "So What Happened To Double Take's X-COM/Civilisation/Bioshock Crossover Anyway?". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
9. McWhertor, Michael (November 19, 2014). "The publisher of GTA and Borderlands is getting into the comic book business". Polygon. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
10. Burlingame, Russ (March 27, 2015). "Night of the Living Dead Comics Coming From Bill Jemas' Double Take Comics". Comic Book. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
11. Newsarama Staff (May 6, 2015). "JEMAS' Double Take Launches Ten 'Ultimate' Titles in September". Newsarama. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
12. Wickline, Dan (August 26, 2015). "Talking Double Take And Their 10 Title Launch With Gabe Yocum". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
13. Hipes, Patrick (October 13, 2015). "'Z-Men' Graphic Novel Getting Movie Treatment Via Lionsgate". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
14. McNary, Dave (October 13, 2015). "'Z-Men' Zombie Comic Book Movie Adaptation in Works". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
15. Towers, Andrea (February 23, 2016). "Bill Jemas explains new partnership with Moth Storytellers". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
16. MacDonald, Heidi (September 23, 2016). "NYCC '16: Double Take promotional banners banned for being "suggestive" – NSFW". Comics Beat. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
17. Johnston, Rich (October 10, 2016). "Will Someone Give Bill Jemas $1.2 Million To Buy Double Take From Take Two Interactive?". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
18. Terror, Jude (November 2, 2016). "SCOOP: Bill Jemas's Double Take To Close Down At End Of Month". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
19. Donnelly, Joe (November 3, 2016). "Take-Two's comic book arm to close – XCom, Civilization and Bioshock combined universe was almost a thing". PC Gamer. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
20. Moore, Debi (October 28, 2016). "Double Take Announces Four New Comic Series: Behold, 51, Z-Mart, and Alphabet City". Dread Central. Retrieved February 12, 2018.