HarperCollins and Fox Atomic Join Forces For Graphic Novels Launch

Posted on July 19, 2006

HarperCollins has joined forces with Fox Atomic to create and distribute a line of graphic novels. HarperCollins will publish books based on films made by Fox Filmed Entertainment, which concentrates on films made for the youth market. Some of the books will be based on original content.

While HaperCollins will focus on marketing the titles and establishing in-store awareness for them (the HC sales team will also be distributing the titles), Fox Atomic will publicize the books online and through theatrical channels. Speaking to the partnership, HC head Jane Friedman said it allows HarperCollins to "expand our brand in the rapidly growing graphic novel market and within the core demographic of 16 � 34 year old male genre fans."

The first title scheduled from Fox Atomic Comics, in September 2007, is 28 Days Later: The Aftermath (which follows a chain of events that occurs between the 2002 film, 28 Days Later, and its sequel, due out in May 2007, 28 Weeks Later). Following that is The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning (based on the 2006 remake of the same name and its forthcoming sequel, The Hills Have Eyes 2), and a recurring collection of short tales called The Nightmare Factory (based on an anthology series by Thomas Ligotti). Both HC and Fox are owned by News Corp.

It's a good move for HarperCollins: the graphic novels market continues to grow. And although the books are generally targeted at young men, more and more girls are also turning to genre-based graphic novels.

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