GI JOE ARTIST ROBERT ATKINS TEAMS WITH U.S. ARMY ON AMERICA’S ARMY COMICS Atkins Creating Four Covers and Pencil Work for America’s Army Comics San Diego, CA (December 17, 2014) – IDW Publishing announced today that acclaimed GI JOE artist Robert Atkins is the guest artist for four issues in the America’s Army comic series, (http://comics.americasarmy.com), the free official digital comic book series from the United States Army. Released today by IDW, America’s Army Issue #12: “Crescendo” (http://bit.ly/1m5VwF0), features cover artwork by Atkins, and fans will see him assume interior pencilling duties on the series  starting with Issue #13. The America’s Army comic series is available free through IDW Publishing on the web and virtually every digital platform including the IDW Comics app, ComiXology for iOS, Android and web, Kindle Fire, Nook, Apple iBooks, and Kobo. “I’ve had to really up my game with the military realism to make sure everything is authentically Army with the series,” said Atkins. “It’s been a great experience working with the U.S. Army and writer M. Zachary Sherman to be able to tell Soldier stories and to give a behind the scenes look at the types of missions they lead; it’s very exciting for me.” Atkins has worked as a penciller, inker and colorist within the comic industry and is most well known for his work on IDW's Snake Eyes and the relaunch of GI JOE, totaling over 30 issues and 80 covers. In addition to his pencilling work on America's Army, he recently worked on ABC's Castle for Marvel Comics. Atkins has also worked on Amazing Spider-man, Venom, Heroes for Hire, Ultimate Fantastic Four and The Savage She Hulk for Marvel comics. Other works include Legion of Superheroes for DC comics, Snake Eyes: Declassified and Forgotten Realms for DDP. “It is a wonderful opportunity for us to work with one of the industry’s best artists. Especially one like Robert who has proven himself time and time again with every company from IDW to Marvel,” said Mike Barnett, executive producer of the America’s Army comics. “Robert is renowned in the military comic space so we are honored to have him bring his distinctive and incredible artwork to the America’s Army comic.” The America's Army comic series provides an inside perspective into the world of Soldiers in the U.S. Army, their jobs and the challenges they face. Based on the highly successful PC game, the America’s Army comic follows American forces deployed to the small nation of Czervenia where President-General Kazimir Adzic and his advanced army launch a genocidal war against the neighboring country of the RDO, setting in motion a mysterious plan that could change the course of world power. A Coalition led by America's Army must form new experimental combat teams and fight to stop the General's plot before time runs out.   America’s Army Comics are free and can be found on the web at http://comics.americasarmy.com. About America's Army America's Army (www.americasarmy.com) products use innovative technology to provide authentic and entertaining Army experiences that reflect the lives, training, technology, skills, careers and values of a United States Army Soldier. The America's Army PC Game is the official game of the U.S. Army. For over twelve years America's Army game players have been able to experience Army-influenced training and missions as they learned about the necessity of values, teamwork and leadership for success.  It's rated T for Teen and can be downloaded free from Steam (http://bit.ly/17zwDcZ).

About IDW Publishing IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE and MY LITTLE PONY; Paramount’s Star Trek; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; 2000AD’s Judge Dredd; The Rocketeer; Toho’s Godzilla; V-Wars from New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry; Ragnarök from Eisner Award-winner Walter Simonson; Winterworld, created by Chuck Dixon and Jorge Zaffino; and Little Nemo from the award-winning duo of Eric Shanower and Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio, and the multiple award-winning Artist's Edition imprint. IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot; Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Warner Brothers are producing a film based on Ashley Wood's Lore; Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film, Kurtzman/Orci are producing a movie based on Locke & Key at Universal.