Dark Horse Comics is already in the business of bringing digital-first comics to print thanks to their agreement with Comixology. Now the publisher is adding a different digital comics platform to their print catalog, as today Dark Horse announced a deal with Tapas Entertainment to bring series from the popular webcomics platform to print, starting with four titles later this year. The initial lineup of releases includes Animalheads, Signals, The Flying Ship, and Tomahawk Angel.
Here’s info on the four series coming to print beginning in October 2023:
Animalheads by writer Son M (Thief of the Heights, Death’s Diner) and artist Sam Curtis (A Vampire in Paris, Drac, Son of Dante) is a slam-dunk of an action thriller comic! When four best friends enter adulthood with no job prospects and the insatiable pressures of family hanging over them, they get creative—the more dangerous the gig, the richer the reward. What starts off as a part-time venture scaring people quickly spirals out of control, pulling them headfirst into a waking nightmare when they unknowingly cross a violent crime syndicate. Now, their survival is on a knife’s edge as they become the newest outfit in the criminal underworld.
Signals is a psychic suspense story that features writing and art by Nika (Love Debut, Secrets in the Silk). Mel Song is an unlikely fit for a crack investigator. In her downtime she loves watching soap operas in her pajamas, eating instant ramen, and internet shopping. But she has one secret weapon: the ability to read minds. Still, Mel can’t afford to get complacent. Not when there is a fresh threat brewing in the shadows of New York City…
The Flying Ship is a young adult LGBT+ fantasy story by writer and artist Jem Milton (Polly Who?, The Pronoun Book), sure to transport readers to a mystical world of intrigue! After being stranded in a forgotten military outpost, grumpy Dobrinia sets out on a quest to marry a princess. But in the vast Tzardom of Glas, where magic has been outlawed, troubled histories can catch up with even a flying ship. Queer adventure, humor, and heartfelt friendships star in this fantastical tale that truly feels like it’s for everyone.
Tomahawk Angel is a story written and illustrated in a traditional manga format by award-winning creator Odysseas Theodoratos, aka Mangaka Ody (Subject Zero, After Darkness). In the year 2050, an 18-year-old amnesiac wakes up to a ruined world overrun by monsters. Guided by an artificial superintelligence, a ruthless scientist unleashes hell on Earth to preserve only a fraction of humankind. Love and war await as the mysteries of this corrupt new world unfold!
In a statement announcing the agreement, Tapas Entertainment Senior Director of Publisher development Alex R. Carr expressed the appropriate enthusiasm. “We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership,” Carr said. “Seeing these creators and their stories in the Dark Horse pantheon is a dream come true for all involved.”
The announcement of the deal is the first major piece of 2023 news for Tapas Entertainment, which last year saw at least 30% of their staff laid off, as well as the departure of the company’s founder and CEO, Chang Kim. It’s also Tapas’s latest foray into bringing their vast stable of webcomics to print. The company has previously partnered with Andrew McMeel to bring a number of other series to print, with multiple books released last year and more to come.
