Massive Publishing Partners with King Features to Release
Eye Lie Popeye, an Anime-inspired Reimagining of the Classic Character
Popeye the Sailor Man, one of the most recognizable figures in comic book and animation with a rich 95-year history, makes his triumphant return to comic shops this Saturday, May 4th with a special 24-page preview of the upcoming EYE LIE POPEYE #1. The Eye Lie Popeye series is being developed by Massive Publishing, recognized for its of top-quality comic book publications, and King Features Syndicate, owner of Popeye and home to some of the world’s most popular entertainment characters. The introduction to the anime-influenced reimagining of Popeye’s world will be available at the annual Free Comic Book Day 2024 event which draws huge crowds to over 2,000 participating retail shops and is responsible for millions of comics being given away to fans for free each year.
Massive, who recently made headlines (Source: IGN) with their tour de force crowdfunding campaign for Zorro: Man of The Dead, will be following up their promotional Free Comic Book Day release with a mega-sized 40-page debut issue which can be preordered now at comic fans’ favorite local or online comic book retailers. The 5-issue miniseries will launch later this Summer and be offered monthly through the Deluxe Publisher’s exclusive partner for periodical comics, Diamond Comics Distributors, and on their webstore.
“This is such a special moment to be a part of, getting to reintroduce such a legendary character in an exciting new style to readers on the biggest day of the year for Comic Book shops. What we hope to see are new and old fans walking away from FCBD holding their new favorite comic in their hands,” said Michael Calero, CEO/Co-Publisher, Massive Publishing.
In this brand-new series, the classic comic strip and cartoon character has been reimagined for the modern age by writer/artist Marcus Williams (Marvel’s Captain America). Eye Lie Popeye updates the pop-culture icon in a high-energy, manga-inspired take that channels the action of top-selling manga staples like One Piece and Dragon Ball. This new incarnation of the classic cast will appeal to both traditional comic fans and younger manga readers alike as it explores Popeye’s past and finally reveals the century-long mystery of how he lost his eye! Was it an epic battle or some nautical accident? The truth finally comes out as an old enemy from the sea returns to face off against the Sailor Man himself.
“Marcus’ manga-inspired take on Popeye was an instant hit with fans, and we are thrilled to be working with Massive to release a print edition of the miniseries for fans to read and collect,” said Alex Garcia, Director, Direct to Consumer Comics, King Features. “We love bringing Popeye’s fans new lore around the character to dive into 95 years after his first debut and look forward to offering new Popeye adventures in the future.”
Kevin Roditeli, President/Co-Publisher, Massive Publishing, added, “This series is everything you want from a comic. When I saw King Features and Marcus Williams sharing the work in progress of Eye Lie Popeye online, I couldn’t stop thinking and talking about it. I became obsessed. We met with the awesome team at King and now here we are about to release tens of thousands of copies for one of the biggest events of the year, Free Comic Book Day.”
About King Features:
King Features is a premier producer and distributor of the world’s most iconic intellectual properties and a leader in classic character licensing and franchise development. With one of the longest-running consumer products programs in the industry, King Features’ portfolio includes world-renowned pop culture brands such as Popeye®, Cuphead, Flash Gordon™, The Phantom™, Hägar the Horrible, Moomin, Prince Valiant® and Mandrake the Magician. King Features produced the Emmy-nominated series The Cuphead Show! with Netflix Animation which debuted in 2022. As content syndication specialists, the company distributes beloved comics such as Blondie, Beetle Bailey®, Dennis the Menace™ and dozens of others as well as columns, editorial cartoons, and puzzles across multiple platforms and content providers around the globe. King Features is part of Hearst Newspapers, which publishes 24 dailies and 52 weeklies, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, and Times Union (Albany, New York), and operates local digital marketing services and directories.
About Popeye:
Sailor. Tough guy. Hero. Legend. That’s Popeye. He’s an underdog with bulging forearms, a mean uppercut, and a love of canned spinach; he is unassuming, unsophisticated, and undeterred by a challenge. From the minute he walked into the comic strip “Thimble Theatre” and muttered his famous “Ja think I’m a cowboy?” line, Popeye the Sailor Man captured the hearts of millions of fans around the globe. As the star of his own comic strips and animated content on the big screen and small, Popeye became quickly ingrained in American culture and today remains one of the most recognizable pop culture icons in the world. Popeye is celebrating his 95th anniversary in 2024. For more information, visit www.popeye.com.
About Massive Publishing:
BUILD SOMETHING MASSIVE
Massive Publishing was founded in 2022 by Michael Calero, Trevor Richardson, and Kevin Roditeli, and launched with its first imprint Whatnot Publishing, a partnership with the social commerce platform, Whatnot. After distributing over 800,000 units to retailers in their first six months, Massive was added to the Deluxe Publisher Tier of Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise. Massive is distributed to the book market through Simon & Schuster.
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