Old Comics Made New at Moonstone

This story originally appeared in PW Comics Week on February 14, 2006 Sign up now!

by Chris Arrant, PW Comics Week -- Publishers Weekly, 2/14/2006

For over 10 years, Chicago-based Moonstone Books has catered to a broad range of readers with graphic novels featuring classic, new and even retro characters. Moonstone's list has grown to incorporate classic characters such as Sherlock Holmes alongside more contemporary creations like Buckaroo Banzai. Moonstone has also worked to create modern adaptations of these old favorites as well as continuations of the original series. In 2005 Moonstone released 12 graphic novels and plans for 20 this year, distributing to the direct market and the book trade through Diamond Distribution.

Looking at the Moonstone list, characters such as Sherlock Holmes and Lee Falk’s classic jungle superhero The Phantom immediately stand out. And there are characters that hark back to the days of dramatic radio productions such as Kolchak: The Night Stalker and Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons. "We wanted to publish books that had a more universal appeal by using familiar characters," says publisher Joe Gentile. "The idea here is to have a different type of product available to retailers and libraries that appeals to more than the [conventional] comic buyer."

One of its more popular characters, the Phantom, is steeped in comics history, first appearing as a newspaper strip in 1936 and predating superhero icons like Superman and Batman. Created by Lee Falk the Phantom crusades against pirates and crime in the African Jungle. "There should always be room for this kind of hero," Gentile explains. "Not all heroes need to be dark and gritty, although there’s room for those, too," Moonstone's adaptations of the character set the story in contemporary times. Coming in March is an original graphic novel, Phantom: Legacy by Ben Raab, that retells the origins of "the ghost who walks" as told through the Phantom's own journals.

Moonstone’s newest release is Buckaroo Banzai: Return of the Screw. Based on the 1984 cult movie The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, it follows the exploits of adventurer/surgeon/rock musician Buckaroo Banzai and his band as they battle forces bent on exterminating mankind. "[Buckaroo Banzai] was something that we have a personal interest in. It was something we wanted to read," the publisher says. "It was also not superhero, per se, and has great doses of action and humor alike."

Moonstone's game plan is to reach wider demographic by offering a variety of characters and genres. "We look for character recognizability, as well as a great story," Gentle says. "And we still believe comic storytelling should not be limited to the superhero."