Z2 Comics

American publisher From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Z2 Comics

Z2 Comics is an American publisher of graphic novels, comic books, and popular culture merchandise. Known for its music-related projects and partnership with musical acts,[2] the company uses "a data-driven approach to identify acts with strong followings across all musical genres, then recruits ... comics creators to produce the works."[1]

Quick Facts Predecessor, Founded ...
Z2 Comics
PredecessorZip Comics
Founded2010; 15 years ago (2010)
FounderJosh Frankel 
Headquarters(editorial) New York City
(distribution) 1812 South Parker Road, Denver, CO, 80231
Key people
ProductsGraphic novels, music, pop culture merchandise
Number of employees
30
DivisionsModern Prometheus
Websitez2comics.com
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History

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Zip Comics

The company began as Zip Comics, founded in 2010 by Josh Frankel[3] with financing from an investor.[4] The company's first publications were Frankel's own title, The Schizophrenic, illustrated by Toby Cypress;[5] and Harvey Pekar's Cleveland, a nonfiction graphic novel written by Pekar and illustrated by Joseph Remnant; the book was co-published with Top Shelf Productions and released after Pekar's death.[4]

Relaunch as Z2 Comics

The company was relaunched in 2014 as Z2 Comics,[6][7] with its first two titles being graphic novel collections from alternative comics creators Dean Haspiel and Paul Pope. In the period 2015–2016, Z2 released a couple of other graphic novels and a selection of comic book limited series.

In 2015, Frankel brought filmmaker Sridhar Reddy on board and formed Modern Prometheus, a division of the publisher designed to adapt comics to film and television. Ian McGinty's Welcome to Showside was one of the first Z2 projects targeted for this treatment.[8]

Shift to music

In 2016, Z2 Comics "began collaborating with musicians to create graphic novels centered on unique stories and exclusive music."[9] The first two such projects, published by Z2 in 2017, were The Wonderful World of Perfecto: With Paul Oakenfold and Friends, and Murder Ballads,[2] which was accompanied by an original soundtrack by Dan Auerbach and Robert Finley. 2018's Apocrypha: The Legend of Babymetal is one of the company's best-selling books.[9][10]

Z2's Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes, The Graphic Album was nominated for three 2023 Eisner Awards: Best Short Story for "Silent All These Years" by David W. Mack, Best Anthology, and Best Adaptation from Another Medium.[11]

In the fall of 2022, company founder Josh Frankel left Z2,[1][12][3] eventually joining IDW Publishing.[13] By this time, the company had grown from three employees to 30.[12]

Overview

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Z2 Comics specializes in authorized partnerships.[2] Musicians with whom Z2 Comics has worked include Gorillaz, Self Defense Family, Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, DJ Paul Oakenfold, Tori Amos, John Cooper of Skillet, Andy Biersack of Black Veil Brides, Jimmy Eat World, Machine Gun Kelly, Yungblud, Oliver Tree, and BABYMETAL.[14]

Many Z2 Comics graphic novels (or anthologies of stories) are accompanied by an original "soundtrack" by the artist/band in question. Examples include Murder Ballads (Dan Auerbach and Robert Finley, 2017),[15] Genesis 1 (Poppy, 2019), Chasin' the Bird: A Charlie Parker Graphic Novel (2020; the deluxe edition of which was packaged with vinyl recordings of two previously unreleased Parker tracks),[2] This is Where We Fall (Mitski, 2021),[16] and Superstate (Graham Coxon, 2022).[17]

Other projects use classic recordings as springboards for comics anthologies. Examples include Anthrax: Among the Living (2021),[18] The Doors: Morrison Hotel (2021), Machine Gun Kelly's Hotel Diablo (2021), Little Earthquakes, The Graphic Album (Tori Amos, 2022), Blondie: Against the Odds (2022), King Diamond's Abigail (2022), Joan Jett & the Blackhearts 40x40: Bad Reputation / I Love Rock-n-Roll (2022), Jefferson Starship: Blows Against the Empire (Paul Kantner, 2022)[19] (which included a limited edition Blows Against The Empire LP on colored vinyl),[20][19] and The Illustrated Al: The Songs of "Weird Al" Yankovic (2023).

In addition to distributing its products through the typical book and graphic novel platforms, Z2 also utilizes a robust direct-to-consumer system via its website.[2] Many Z2 Comics projects include standard and deluxe editions.[2]

Titles published

Comics series

General graphic novels

  • Dean Haspiel (w, a). Fear, My Dear: A Billy Dogma Experience, pp. 160 (July 1, 2014). ISBN 978-1940878010
  • Miss Lasko-Gross (w, a). Henni, pp. 168 (January 6, 2015). ISBN 978-1940878027
  • Harvey Pekar (w), Joseph Remnant (a). Harvey Pekar's Cleveland, pp. 128 (May 1, 2012). ISBN 978-1603090919 — co-published with Top Shelf Productions
  • Paul Pope (w, a). Escapo, pp. 160 (July 1, 2014). ISBN 978-1940878003 — reissue of a 1999 self-published work[7]
  • Koren Shadmi (w, a). The Abaddon, pp. 240 (November 10, 2015). ISBN 978-1940878058 — originally a webcomic; loosely based on Jean-Paul Sartre’s existential play No Exit[23][24]
  • Will Tracy and Gabe Koplowitz (w), Miguel Porto and Kendra Wells (a). Allen, Son of Hellcock, pp. 136 (November 14, 2017). ISBN 978-1940878089
  • Jarrett Williams (w, a). Hyperforce Neo, pp. 144 (2017). ISBN 9781940878126

See also

References

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