Comics publisher Mad Cave Studios today announced that its young readers imprint Papercutz will publish a series of comics and graphic novels featuring characters from Disney and Pixar starting in May. The deal with Disney is a big step for the Florida-based publisher, which is celebrating its tenth year in business in 2024.
According to the announcement, Papercutz will publish its first seven titles from May through August. These include:
· Disney’s Encanto & Turning Red Free Comic Book Day Special (May 04, 2024): Kick off the magic with a special treat for comic book enthusiasts of all ages.
· The New Adventures Of: Turning Red Vol. 1 (May 14, 2024): Dive into the colorful world of Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red and experience the excitement in graphic novel form.
· Phineas & Ferb Vol. 1 (June 11, 2024): Join the hilarious duo on their epic adventures in this must-have comics collection.
· The New Adventures Of: Encanto Vol. 1 (June 25, 2024): Explore the extraordinary world of Disney’s Encanto in a graphic novel that will capture your heart.
· Frozen: Olaf’s Comics Collection (July 16, 2024): Beat the summer heat with Olaf’s charming and laugh-out-loud comics collection.
· Disney Fairies 4 in 1 Vol. 1 (July 23, 2024): Delve into the magical realm of fairies with this enchanting 4-in-1 collection.
· 101 Dalmatians Early Readers (August 13, 2024): Introduce young readers to Disney’s 101 Dalmatians in an accessible and delightful format.
“Disney has a great record of storytelling,” said Mark London, founder/CEO of Mad Cave Studios in a phone interview last week. “It’s really an honor for a company like Mad Cave to be able to publish Disney content, and bring IPs to readers that that they actually grew up with.”
Mad Cave Studios founder/CEO Mark London
London said the intergenerational appeal of the content, which Millennial parents remember from their own childhoods and can now share with their kids, brings more fans into comics and fits with Mad Cave’s own strategy of providing a path for younger readers to get deeper into the medium of graphic storytelling.
“We have a very diverse team of creators and editors who can provide different voices, so whether you’ve been reading comics for 40 years or this one is your first graphic novel, we can make it enjoyable,” he said.
Mad Cave Studios acquired Papercutz, one of the pioneering publishers of comics for younger readers, in August, 2022. London said he hopes the licensing deal with Disney will help reinvigorate sales, which have slumped after the huge boost that all comics saw during the pandemic.
Disney has been licensing its owned IP, including content from Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar, Fox and other sources, to various publishers of comic books and graphic novels over the years. This will be Mad Cave Studio’s first deal with the mouse.