TKO Studios is an American comics publisher founded by Tze Chun & Salvatore Simeone in 2017.A New Comics Publisher Aims to Shake Things Up. The New York Times, December 19, 2018.
History TKO Studios was founded in 2017 by Tze Chun & Salvatore Simeone. Unlike the majority of other American comic book publishers, TKO sold their books directly to consumers and comic book shops, completely bypassing distributor Diamond Comic Distributors. In 2020, TKO Studios signed a deal Ingram Publisher Services / Publishers Group West to handle book distribution.
The first wave of books launched December 10, 2018 and contained four miniseries: The Fearsome Doctor Fang by Tze Chun, Mike Weiss, and Dan McDaid; Goodnight Paradise by Joshua Dysart and Alberto Ponticelli; Sara by Garth Ennis and Steve Epting; and The 7 Deadly Sins by Tze Chun and Artyom Trakhanov. Their first wave of books were all released in three formats; a trade paperback collection, a box set of single issues, and digitally in single or collected editions. During their initial release the first issue of each series was available free digitally so consumers and retailers could preview the series before purchasing the rest.New Publisher TKO Studios Plans to Change How Readers Buy Comics. The Hollywood Reporter, December 10, 2018.
The second wave launched on October 28, 2019, using the same release format for another four miniseries: The Banks by Roxane Gay and Ming Doyle; Pound for Pound by Natalie Chaidez and Andy Belanger; and Sentient by Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Walta.TKO Studios Releases Second Wave of Comics Outright Geekery, November 1, 2019
In 2020, Sentient became the first title from TKO to be nominated for an Eisner Award, when the series picked up a nomination for Best Limited Series.2020 Eisner Awards Nominations Comic-Con, 2020
The third wave of books launched on November 9, 2020, with three comic book miniseries: “Lonesome Days Savage Nites” by Salvatore Simeone and Steve Niles The Pull by Steve Orlando and Ricardo López Ortiz; and Redfork by Alex Paknadel and Nil Vandrell.TKO Studios announces new wave of books from Steve Orlando, Steve Niles, other non-Steve creators The Comics Beat, September 24, 2020 In addition the three miniseries, TKO released an illustrated prose collection Blood Like Garnets by Leigh Harlen with illustrations by Maria Nguygen and a new series of one-shot comic books under the banner TKO Shorts with three titles Seeds of Eden, The Father of All Things and Night Train.TKO Studios adds zine-sided Knockout Shorts, illustrated prose to Wave 3 offerings The Comics Beat, October 16, 2020
In 2021 Lonesome Days Savage Nites was a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award
TKO Rogue In November 2021, TKO announced TKO Rogue, an imprint focused on prose works. The first two books from this imprint will be Brood X and One Eye Open, coming out January 2022.
Published works Comics miniseries Release dateTitleStoryArtCover(s)ColorsLettersMiniseries boxed setTrade paperbackWAVE ONEDecember 10, 2018The Fearsome Doctor FangTze ChunMike WeissDan McDaidDaniela MiwaSteve WandsGoodnight ParadiseJoshua DysartAlberto PonticelliGiulia BruscoSaraGarth EnnisSteve EptingElizabeth BreitweiserRob SteenThe 7 Deadly SinsTze ChunArtyom TrakhanovGiulia BruscoJared K. FletcherWAVE TWOOctober 28, 2019The BanksRoxane GayMing DoyleJordie BellaireAriana MaherPound for PoundNatalie ChaidezAndy BelangerDaniela MiwaSentientJeff LemireGabriel WaltaSteve WandsWAVE THREENovember 9, 2020RedforkAlex PaknadelNil VendrellGiulia BruscoRyan FerrierThe PullSteve OrlandoRicardo Lopez OrtizTriona FarellThomas MauerLonesome Days, Savage Nights: The Manning Files Vol. 1Salvatore SimeoneSzymon KudranskiThomas Mauer
Comics shorts Release dateTitleStoryArtCoverColorsLettersCollected inWAVE ONENovember 9, 2020TKO Shorts #1: Seeds of EdenLiana KangasJoe CoralloPaul AzacetaJeff PowellTKO PresentsTales of Terror (TPB)November 15, 2021TKO Shorts #2: Father of All ThingsSebastian GirnerBaldemar RivasSteve WandsTKO Shorts #3: Night TrainSteve FoxeLisandro EstherrenPatricio DelpecheWAVE TWOFebruary 28, 2021TKO Shorts #4: Dame from the DarkRob PilkingtonKit MillsAriana MaherTKO Shorts #5: Hand Me DownAlex PaknadelJen HickmanSimon BowlandTKO Shorts #6: KilliamsburgErick FreitasJelena Đorđević-MaksimovićSteve WandsWAVE THREEJune 1, 2021TKO Shorts #7: River of SinKelly WilliamsChas! PangburnTKO Shorts #8: RoofstompersAlex PaknadelIan McEwanHassan Otsmane-ElhaouTKO Shorts #9: The WalkMichael MoreciJesús Hervás
Prose novels Release dateTitleStoryArtCoverColorsISBNNovember 9, 2020Blood Like GarnetsLeigh HarlenMaria NguyenMaria NguyenJared K. FletcherMaria Nguyen (TPB)January 11, 2022Brood XJoshua DysartM.K. Perker (TPB)One Eye OpenAlex GrecianAndrea Mutti (TPB)
Original graphic novels Release dateTitleStoryArtCover(s)ColorsLettersISBNJune 1, 2021 (preorders)July 6, 2021 (retail)DjeliyaJuni Ba (TPB) (HC)Scales & Scoundrels – Book 1:Where Dragons Wander1Sebastian GirnerGalaadJeff Powell (TPB) (HC)Scales & Scoundrels – Book 2:The Festival of Life2 (TPB) (HC)November 15, 2021 (preorders)GraveneyeSloane LeongAnna Bowles (TPB) 1Originally published by Image Comics in 2017–2018 as Scales & Scoundrels #1-10
2Originally published by Image Comics in 2018 as Scales & Scoundrels #11-12 plus 250 pages of original content.
Media adaptions In August 2020 The Banks was put into development as a feature film by production company MACRO with Gay returning to pen the script with Charles D. King, Poppy Hanks, Jelani Johnson, Tze Chun and Jatin Thakker serving as producers.Roxane Gay to Adapt Graphic Novel 'The Banks' for TKO Studios, Macro The Hollywood Reporter, August 12, 2020.
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