First, let's see that press release:
Archie rebrands superhero imprint, plans slate of ‘cinematic’ and ‘literary’ titles
in the vein of hit AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE series
Today, Archie Comics announced plans to relaunch its superhero imprint with a new name: Dark Circle Comics. The name change signals a new direction for the superhero titles, which will feature a more cinematic, literary and mature approach to the characters told in accessible stories that will appeal to new and longtime fans.
Previously known as Red Circle Comics, the new imprint will announce a slate of titles in advance of Comic Con International: San Diego later this month. The imprint news broke in USA TODAY via an interview with Dark Circle Comics Editor Alex Segura. The story also debuted the imprint’s new logo.
“When we brought Alex onboard to oversee our superhero imprint, we knew we needed to be bold and decisive with how these books were presented, in every way. They couldn’t just be more of the same,” said Archie Comics Publisher/Co-CEO Jon Goldwater. “This is a fresh start and a new direction for these iconic characters. It all boils down to story – tales that feature compelling characters by some of the best talent in comics. Alex – with the help of myself, our President Mike Pellerito, CCO Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Editor Paul Kaminski – has carefully curated a line of comics that will hopefully be seen as the definitive interpretations of these characters for a long time. We couldn’t be more excited.”
“These will be creator-driven books telling new, genre bending stories with some of the best characters in comics,” said Segura. “They’ll be more akin to cable television shows like Boardwalk Empire, True Detective and Orange is the New Black. Unique voices telling stories about flawed characters from a range of genres, including crime, superhero adventure and off-the-wall action. These are definitely not all-ages comics – they’ll compete with the best Image, DC and Marvel have to offer. They won’t be bogged down by continuity while still carrying on the legacy of these heroes. Fans are in for a treat.”
Stay tuned for more exciting news from Dark Circle Comics in the coming days.
My two cents:
Personally, I think it's the right time to launch an endeavor such as this. With recent successes like Afterlife With Archie and The Fox, not to mention the rise of creator owned titles from publishers such as Image, I think Dark Circle can carve out a nice niche in the comic book community. I'm looking forward to seeing more of The Fox and his other cohorts that were formerly of the Red Circle brand. They seem to have high hopes for it and if they've already attracted creators like Mark Waid, J.M. DeMatties, and Dean Haspiel, one has to wonder what other top talents wil join the fold.