Independent publisher Apex Comics Group enters its seventh year of releasing comics and graphic novels by such stars as Stan Lee, Tom DeFalco, Fabian Nicieza, Ron Frenz, Sal Buscema, Chris Batista and many others.
And even more comics stars will be announced at the
APEX COMICS GROUP
COMIC-CON PANEL
featuring
Mariano Nicieza, Malik Yusef, Brad Hudson, Phillip Russertt,
David Lucatch and Barry Eldridge
Thursday, July 21, 2022 4 – 5 p.m. PST Room 23-ABC
Join Apex Comics Group publisher MARIANO NICIEZA as he introduces exciting partnerships with COLECOVISION, indie-comics publisher PHILBO ENTERTAINMENT, multitalented rapper-composer-filmmaker MALIK YUSEF’S SUPREME COMICS and the one-and-only legend JIM STERANKO with a surprise announcement 50 years in the making!
Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Coleco’s ColecoVision platform, Apex Comics Group is releasing three comic-book series based on classic videogames:
- Coleco Cosmic Avenger — A modern take on this landmark outer-space shooter
- Coleco Venture— A sword-and sorcery quest for treasure and the unexpected
- Coleco Pepper II — Heaven and Hell … but not too seriously
These videogame concepts are brought to comic-book life by an amazing team of writers and artists including Mariano Nicieza, Ron Lim, Ron Frenz, Scott Hanna, Ariel Olivetti, Walter Figueroa, Pete Botsis, Brad Hudson, Joe DelBeato, Frank Lovece and more to be announced!
“The most exciting part of working with Apex Comics Group is watching a group of talented artists transform iconic characters into modern depictions with expanded storylines,” said ColecoVision partner Chris Cardillo.
“We take very seriously the opportunity and the responsibility for shepherding these classic ColecoVision properties into comics and other media,” said Apex Comics Group publisher Mariano Nicieza. “We played these ColecoVision games back in the day, and can’t wait for fans to see new stories that take off from the spirit of the originals.”
Additionally, Apex Comics Group announces a collaboration with one of the superstars of the entertainment universe, from cinema to comics, Jim Steranko, who with Executive Replicas will showcase a Steranko concept created 50 years ago that is now slated for international release! Plus: An Executive Replicas announcement about Phazer Universe!
Additionally, Apex Comics Group announces a partnership with Phillip Russertt’s Philbo Entertainment, in a crossover between his star character Breath of the Dragon and the Phazer Universe’s Biomek and Blue Sultan. Russertt, Mariano Nicieza and Brad Hudson form the creative team.
Plus: Factory Entertainment’s Barry Eldridge previews new tie-in products and collectibles … including a 3-pack of special cold-foil covers of The Outer Space Men #1, Phazer Universe #1 and The R.I.G.H.T. Project #1 on sale at the Factory Entertainment booth (# 2743).
And: Aftermath Islands Metaverse and Liquid Avatar Technologies CEO David Lucatch announces new projects from their continuing partnership with Apex Comics Group and with the classic action-figure line THE OUTER SPACE MEN.
Also in the panel previews:
- Variant covers for writer Fabian Nicieza and artist Chris Batista’s The Outer Space Men #1, based on the hit action-figures — including one by the legendary Outer Space Men creator Mel Birnkrant. Sign up at Indiegogo to get a FIRST LOOK!
- Variant covers by superstar Darick Robertson and others for Mariano Nicieza and Matt Gaudio’s flagship series, Phazer Universe
- Variant covers for The R.I.G.H.T. Project, the latest comic from the iconic team of writer Tom DeFalco, penciler Ron Frenz and inker Sal Buscema
CAPSULE BIOGRAPHIES
MARIANO NICIEZA is a publisher and producer with credits that include writing, illustration, design and art direction in digital and print books, comic books, magazines, trading cards, posters, brochures and dozens of commercial projects for Marvel Entertainment, Disney, Malibu Publishing, Fleer, Paramount and Panasonic. Recent productions include William Shatner’s War Chronicles and Stan Lee’s ‘God Woke.’
JIM STERANKO revolutionized comics as the innovative writer-artist visionary of Nick Fury: Agent S.H.I.E.L.D. and Captain America, and as artist of some of the most legendary images of the X-Men, Superman and Batman. He authored the definitive Steranko History of Comics, and created one of the first modern graphic novels: Chandler: Red Tide. As concept artist of Raiders of the Lost Ark, he visualized the iconic look of Indiana Jones for George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, and he collaborated with Francis Ford Coppola as concept designer on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. With relentless energy, Steranko continues to shape pop culture today with his touring fine-art museum exhibit Steranko and the American Hero.
FABIAN NICIEZA, with over 1,000 comic-book credits and more than 200 million comics sold, co-created the hit character Deadpool and many other important figures in the Marvel universe. He has written or edited every major comic book, from Avengers to X-Men, Batman to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As Chief Innovation Officer of Starlight Runner Entertainment, he developed multiplatform content for dozens of major franchises including Pirates of the Caribbean, Men in Black, Amazing Spider-Man,Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and James Cameron’s Avatar. His two prose novels, the mysteries Suburban Dicks and The Self-Made Widow, have garnered praise from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and other mainstream critics.
Southside Chicago poet turned rapper MALIK YUSEF is a force unto himself — a multitalented hip-hop artist, actor, composer and filmmaker. A longtime collaborator of Kanye West’s, and a co-writer of Beyoncé’s “Sandcastles,” he has garnered 10 Grammy Award nominations and, as Malik Jones, shared a Best Rap Song Grammy Award as a writer of West’s “All of the Light.” He launches his SUPREME COMICS at SDCC, teasing future partnerships with Apex Comics Group.
Brothers MARTIN and WINSTON DUNLOP of the family-owned high-end toy company EXECUTIVE REPLICAS have been producing action figures and statues for 15 years. They work with top-quality factories to bring collectors some of the most sought-after characters of fantasy, horror and science fiction, including from the Golden Age and Silver Age of Comics.
DAVID LUCATCH is CEO, President & Chair of Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc., and co-founder of Aftermath Islands Metaverse. As a member of the Forbes Business Council, The Rolling Stone Culture Council, and the Cointelegraph Innovation Circle, David is a blockchain and marketing-technology visionary who leads organizations that empower individuals to manage, control and create value from their identity and related personal data.
CHRIS CARDILLO is a well-known retro-toy collector. Co-author of Collecting & Completing Your G.I. Joe Figures and Accessories and author of the first visual guide to NES games, The Complete Guide to Collecting Nintendo Entertainment System Video Games, he is also a feature-film producer and a recording artist. His love for toys led him to become a partner in Coleco in 2016.
Former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief TOM DeFALCO was a driving force introducing creative concepts used to this day in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With toy manufacturer Hasbro, he led the creative team that relaunched the phenomenally successful G.I. Joe action-figure line and animated TV show. He is the author of dozens of graphic novels and hundreds of comic book stories starring Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor, the Justice League of America, Archie and Scooby Doo. With artist Ron Frenz, he is co-creator of the New Warriors and Spider-Girl.
RON FRENZ has drawn some of comics’ greatest characters, including Spider-Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, She-Hulk, the Silver Surfer, Green Lantern and Superman. He received the 2009 Nemo Award for Excellence in the Cartoon Arts.
Renowned artist SAL BUSCEMA has been a fixture in the comics industry for almost 60 years, primarily with Marvel where he spent long runs as artist of The Avengers, The Defenders, The Spectacular Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, as well as too many additional contributions to count. For DC Comics, he drew for the series Action Comics, Batman, Catwoman, Detective Comics, Green Arrow, Superboy, Superman and Wonder Woman, among others.
CHRIS BATISTA was born and raised in Manhattan. One of four boys of a Scottish mother and a Puerto Rican father, Chris began drawing in early childhood, and eventually graduated from the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts — the famed Fame school. Attending college at the premier institution the School of Visual Arts, he was taught by such comics legends as Gene Colan and Klaus Janson. His first work as a professional artist was in an issue each of Marvel Comics’ The Avengers and X-Factor, and his subsequent credits include such hit series as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2099, Professor Xavier and the X-Men and G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero, and DC Comics’ various Legion of Super-Heroes, Green Lantern and Justice League titles.
WALTER FIGUEROA is a proud Bronx native who brings New York realness to his slick and vivid art. He attended The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, then got his first big break from none other than Marvel Comics’ then editor-in-chief, Tom DeFalco. Walter’s work includes the Moonstone Books graphic novel Kolchak: The Night Stalker: Eve of Terror and that publisher’s series Twilight Crusades: Gabriel — and also album covers for death-metal bands!
PHILLIP RUSSERTT is the writer of Tragedy, his and artist Ricardo Silva’s series following a young Irish-American ballerina turned assassin who must also battle her inner demons. Her rival, Chinese-Mafia assassin The Breath of the Dragon, is among the most formidable martial artists on the planet. Look for a crossover between the worlds of Russertt’s Philbo Entertainment and Apex Comics Group’s Phazer Universe.
Apex Comics Group Editor-in-Chief FRANK LOVECE is the author of Atomic Age for Marvel Comics’ Epic Comics imprint, alongside artists Mike Okamoto and Al Williamson, and of Marvel’s Hokum & Hex and Nightstalkers, featuring Blade the Vampire Hunter. Later the senior editor of the Syfy website, he wrote / edited sites for the network’s Battlestar Galactica, Farscape, Stargate SG-1 and other series. The author of several books including Citadel Press’ The X-Files Declassified, he is a widely published journalist and a reporter for the New York newspaper Newsday. He edited the award-winning Stan Lee’s ‘God Woke,’ Marvel impresario Lee’s last published graphic novel during his lifetime.
Apex Comics Group Art Director WILSON RAMOS JR. is a veteran illustrator and designer for Marvel Comics, DC Comics and others, who has worked on comic books and trading cards featuring Wolverine, Thor, Deadpool, Star Wars and The Walking Dead. He has been nominated twice for an Eagle Award and for an Eisner Award for his coloring and lettering work. Ramos is co-creator of Section 8 Comics’ Team Kaiju.
For more information, visit APEX Comics Group
