01.11.2016 - IDW Establishes New Licensing Division: IDW International

Foreign Rights Management Includes Archie Comics Representation Along With Dozens Of Worldwide Brands Today, IDW Publishing announced that it will be managing its own foreign rights catalogue for global publishing. This new division from the publisher, IDW International, will oversee all international licensing of the diverse IDW catalogue. The massive library from the publisher presents opportunities across the globe for distribution in many new territories. In addition, the International division will reach beyond IDW’s catalogue; joining IDW International is the renowned publisher Archie Comics, who for the first time will now be represented for non-English language rights. “Controlling our own global publishing was a natural  step for IDW as we continue our growth as a fully integrated media company,” said IDW CEO Ted Adams. “We're very pleased to also provide global publishing services for Archie and we'll be adding other creators and publishers as the new year progresses. Interested creators or publishers should contact Jeff Webber at jeff@idwpublishing.com.” “It’s been a longtime goal of mine to expand the Archie brand internationally in terms of translations,” said Archie Comics Publisher/CEO Jon Goldwater. “Expanding our existing partnership with IDW will help make this a reality. We are all immensely excited to help IDW launch their new International division with some of the most beloved properties in pop culture: Archie and the gang.” IDW is known as the premier publisher for licensed material, in 2015 alone debuting comic series for Back to the Future, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Orphan Black, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. These best selling, acclaimed titles join blockbuster perennial hits like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Trek, Ghostbusters, and The X-Files in the international markets through IDW International’s licensing endeavors. In addition to the esteemed licensed titles that will now be made available, IDW’s rich catalogue of unique intellectual property is available to a global audience. From classic works like Locke & Key, Parker, and The Rocketeer, to new successes like Ragnarök, Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland, and D4VE, readers from all over the world will have the opportunity to discover these celebrated books. Top Shelf’s lauded library including March, Essex County, and From Hell is also available. Archie Comics, the acclaimed and bestselling comic book publisher that is home to some of the best-known pop culture creations in the world, including Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica, Josie & The Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and the hit AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE and CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA horror series, will for the first time be available for foreign distribution through IDW International. One of the longest running brands in comics, Archie’s rich history of over 75 years can now be enjoyed everywhere. Leading the new division is Jeff Webber, formerly Vice President of Digital Publishing & Business Development who will now take on the role of Vice President of Licensing, Digital & Subsidiary Rights. “This is an exciting time for comics around the world,” stated Webber. “ There is a growing audience for American comics to be translated for other countries and languages. Additionally, we’ll be bringing some of the best international titles to the US audience.” IDW International will make its debut at Angoulême International Comics Festival held this year from January 28th – 31st. For licensing and representation opportunities or to schedule a meeting at Angoulême, contact Jeff Webber at jeff@idwpublishing.com. About Archie Comics Archie Comics is the leading mass market comic book publisher in the world and the home to a wide array of the most popular humor, action-adventure and superhero characters in entertainment, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Reggie, Kevin Keller, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Afterlife With Archie, the Dark Circle Comics superhero characters and many more. Archie Comics have sold over 2 billion comics worldwide and are published around the world in a number of languages. In addition to comics, Archie characters have been featured prominently in animation, television, film and music. Follow Archie Comics on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the Archie Comics Store.

About IDW IDW Publishing 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, MY LITTLE PONY and JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS; Paramount/CBS’s Star Trek; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Toho’s Godzilla; Twentieth Century Fox’s The X-Files; Sony’s Ghostbusters, Temple Street Productions’ Orphan Black; multiple monthly DISNEY titles; and many more licensed and creator-driven titles. IDW Publishing is also home to acclaimed imprints such as; The Library of American Comics, which publishes classic comic reprints; Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio; and the multiple award-winning IDW Artist’s Edition line. In 2015, IDW acquired Top Shelf Productions, an award-winning publisher of graphic novels. Top Shelf is known for publishing works of literary sophistication, including the #1 New York Times and Washington Post Best Seller March by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell and the authorized graphic-novel adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. IDW Games publishes both creator-owned and licensed tabletop games. The division was launched in 2014 and has quickly found success with one of the top-selling card games of the year with the Award-Winning Japanese import card game, Machi Koro.  IDW Entertainment was started in 2013 to fund, develop, and produce television series based on IDW properties. IDW Entertainment is currently in development with a slate of properties for television including Wynonna Earp, licensed to Syfy and premiering in early 2016; Brooklyn Animal Control, sold to USA Network with executive producers David Goyer (DaVinci’s Demons, Dark Knight Rises) and Circle of Confusion (Walking Dead); and Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, sold to BBC America with writer/executive producer Max Landis (Chronicle). IDW Entertainment also has several active theatrical projects in development, including Zombies vs. Robots, which is in development as a major motion picture with Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes and Sony.