ASP ANNOUNCES NEW TITLES FOR 2008
Includes books by Sean Wang, Christian Gossett, and a MOUSE GUARD roleplaying game

Kearny, NJ -- Apr 14, 2008 -- ASP announces its new titles debuting in 2008, adding to its award-winning and acclaimed line-up of idiosyncratic and creator-driven comic books and graphic novels. We’re also thrilled to announce our next role-playing game, one based on the award-winning world of MOUSE GUARD.

“Co-publisher Aki Liao, [editor] Joe Illidge, [art director] Pauline Benney, and I have pored over some amazing submissions,” said ASP publisher Mark Smylie. “And the crop of creators and titles we’ve selected we think not only fit the company’s focus and direction and mission, but will be greatly enjoyed by fans of ASP’s current titles and new readers who we’re sure will jump at these new books we’re so extremely proud to publish.”

And now, here are the new titles ready to scare, thrill, excite, humor, and entertain you throughout the year…

THE GRAVE DOUG FRESHLEY
Coming in April, THE GRAVE DOUG FRESHLEY (Writer: Josh Hechinger, Illustrator: mpMann, $3.95, 32 pages, Diamond Code: FEB08 3472), tells the yarn of a cowboy who, sworn to protect his charge, Bat McNally, keeps his promise after Bat’s Ma and Pa are killed and despite a bullet hole between the eyes and a really nasty exit wound out the top of his head. Together, Doug and Bat are hot on the trail of the Delancey gang, and they mean to dispense a little frontier justice. THE GRAVE DOUG FRESHLEY features twice the grit and all of the mayhem of a spaghetti western directed by Tex Avery.
http://www.aspcomics.com/the_grave_doug_freshley.php

GUNNERKRIGG COURT: ORIENTATION
Coming in April, ORIENTATION ($26.95, ISBN: 978-1-932386-34-9, 296-page hardcover, Diamond Order Code: FEB08 3463, Fantasy) collects Tom Siddell’s popular all-ages web comic, the story of Antimony Carver, a girl who attends school at gloomy Gunnerkrigg Court. The story is about the people she meets, the strange things that happen, and the things she causes to happen as she and her new friend, Kat, unravel the mysteries of the Court and deal with the everyday adventures of growing up at a school that has robots running around alongside body-snatching demons, forest gods, and the odd mythical creature.
http://www.aspcomics.com/gunnerkrigg_court.php

THE DEVIL’S PANTIES Vol 2
Coming in April is Jennie Breeden’s acclaimed THE DEVIL’S PANTIES Vol 2 (ISBN: 1-932386-36-X, $19.95, 296-page hardcover, black-and-white graphic novel). The Devil's Panties is NOT in fact, satanic porn. It is actually an autobiographical online comic strip about a girl in flame boots who works at a comic shop and occasionally hangs out with a pirate. Follow Jen as she goes kilt hunting at conventions with her leaf blower and discovers sparkly butterfly toys that no child should play with. Don't miss the geek auction, roller derby fun, and more in this book of panty goodness. (But it’s panty goodness for Mature Readers only.)
http://www.aspcomics.com/the_devils_panties.php

RUNNERS: THE BIG SNOW JOB
Coming in May, Sean Wang’s critically acclaimed sci-fi adventure returns…IN COLOR! Hard times have fallen on Roka Nostaco and the smuggling crew of the Khoruysa Brimia. Tired of scraping by on small-time runs for petty criminals, they take on a big job to get back into the top tier of mob-level work. But high pay comes with high risk, and if the freezing climate of Planet Ciceron doesn’t kill them, the hostile native population might.
http://www.aspcomics.com/runners.php

TRIAL BY FIRE: GENESIS
Expected in July, writer and illustrator Juda Tverski takes us to the edge of doomsday. In 1956, a shepherd stumbled upon the Dead Sea scrolls buried inside a cave. The deciphered writings predicted future events and doomed the fate of mankind. One prophecy spoke of a Great War fought for New Jerusalem, a war that would lead to the inevitable end of days in 2012. Mankind’s last hope is an underground crusade led by two ex-Mossad agents and a beautiful Second Templar Knight. With the shadows of damnation around every corner their greatest battle will be to find their way to redemption.
http://www.aspcomics.com/trial_by_fire.php

TITANIUM RAIN
Coming in July, Josh Finney and Kat Rocha, the team behind the acclaimed cyberpunk series, Utopiates, will bring TITANIUM RAIN, a sci-fi war epic for the post-millennial age. In year 2031 mankind’s survival instinct is put to the test when a civil war in China spirals into global conflict. Nations are destroyed. Millions are killed. And for many, like US Air Force pilot Alec Killian, survival will mean shedding some of his humanity in exchange for biotech and machine.
http://www.aspcomics.com/titanium_rain.php

THE BOND OF SAINT MARCEL
Also in July, writer Jennifer Quintenz and five-time Eisner nominee Christian Gossett take us inside a mysterious order of priests who for centuries have guarded the secret of the Bond of Saint Marcel: an occult ritual that enabled priests of the Order to enslave vampires and use them as unwilling soldiers against their own kind. When 16-year-old Kat Johnstone inherits an ancient family signet ring she is swept into a centuries-old quest for vengeance. But Kat has also inherited the power to command a vampire, and he may be her only hope of survival.
http://www.aspcomics.com/saint_marcel.php

THE GOD MACHINE
And in summer 2008 writer/illustrator Chandra Free introduces us to Guy Salvatore. Stricken with grief from the death of his girlfriend Sith, Guy can’t go through a morning without hallucinations of monsters coming out of the bathroom mirror to torment him, or without being harassed at school with friends’ nauseating concern over his well-being. One night Guy seeks solace in the graveyard by Sith’s tombstone. There, he learns that Sith might be alive. It seems that the two Gods that govern all of existence let her be stolen from her world, now left to float aimlessly in and out of dimensional planes. Implored to take action and call upon his latent power to break through his world’s plane, search out Sith, and take vengeance upon the vile Gods that caused this atrocity, Guy has to decide whether he’s going out of his skull, or if he should believe the suspiciously cliché and creepy man in the graveyard.
http://www.aspcomics.com/the_god_machine.php

MOUSE GUARD ROLEPLAYING GAME
In August, it will be everyone’s duty to join the Mouse Guard and defend the Mouse Territories against predators and dangers in this role-playing game for the MOUSE GUARD comic book series! The game is intended for all ages and levels of game-playing experience and is designed by award-winning game designer Luke Crane and is based on a simplified version of his Burning Wheel rules system (also used for the Origins Award winning RPG of 2007, Burning Empires). Includes art and extensive background material on the Mouse Territories specially prepared by Mouse Guard creator David Petersen. The details: ISBN-13: 978-1-932386-88-2, $29.95, 240-page hardcover, 8” x 8”.

All ASP titles are available worldwide at finer comic book shops, bookstores, amazon.com, Indie Press Revolution (www.indiepressrevolution.com) and electronically at DriveThruComics.com.

ABOUT ARCHAIA STUDIOS PRESS
Mark Smylie founded Archaia Studios Press (ASP) in 2002 as a new home for his epic fantasy comic book, Artesia (first published by Sirius Entertainment). Artesia, winner of ForeWord Magazine’s Best Graphic Novel of 2003, and its sequels -- Artesia Afield and Artesia Afire -- gave ASP its foundation. Artesia: Adventures in The Known World, a roleplaying game written by Mark, expanded ASP into the world of gaming; the game won the Origins Award for Role-Playing Game of 2005. Now Mark and publishing partner Aki Liao have expanded ASP to include a line of idiosyncratic and creator-driven comic books and graphic novels in the fantasy, science fiction, and horror genres, as well as translations of several of Europe’s best titles. More information can be found at www.aspcomics.com