New York, NY, On Jun. 5, 2008 Vanguard Animation announced their plans to team with Platinum Studios to launch a comics imprint named Vanguard Comics, designed to develop properties that can simultaneously be launched as comicbooks or graphic novels as well as feature films. It was quickly noted by many including Diamond Comics Distributors VP, Bill Schanes; Publishers Weekly journalist, Heidi MacDonald; and Vanguard Productions chief counsel, Charles W. Grimes, Esq.; that there was already a Vanguard in the publishing industry whose products included comics and graphic novels.
Active since October 1990, Vanguard is a noted publisher of pop culture books, graphic novels, mystery, science fiction, comic books, and more. Vanguard is best known as the world's leading producer of art book biographies on illustrators and cartoonists and has garnered acclaim from The New York Times, The Village Voice, Time Out New York, The IPPY Awards, Starlog, National Public Radio, Video Watchdog, The Eisner Awards, Entertainment Weekly, Fangoria, Publishers Weekly, The Society of Illustrators, Rue Morgue Best of the Year, Variety, science fiction’sHugo Awards, Amazon.com, Library Journal, The Rondo Awards, Locus Best Science Fiction Reading, and more. Publisher, J. David Spurlock is currently expanding Vanguard's video projects as well as working on new books on illustrators J. Allen St. John, Marshall Arisman, Joe Kubert, and various popular musicians. Vanguard's biography on Hal Foster inspired the Society of Illustrators to induct the Prince Valiant creator into their Hall of Fame, and inspired Foster's hometown to erect a life-size bronze statue.
Vanguard’s publications have been widely distributed through Diamond Distributors since 1993 with expanded trade distribution through nearly every major distributor including Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Watson-Guptill, MPS, etc. since 2000. Vanguard likewise keeps a high profile presence through tradeshows including San Diego Comic-Con (this year marks Vanguard’s 16th consecutive year at Comic-Con), Book Expo America (often with their longtime associates, Watson-Guptill)
Vanguard, commonly known in the publishing industry as Vanguard Press, is the owner of various trademarks including Vanguard Publishing, Vanguard Magazine, Vanguard Comics, Vanguard Studio, and, U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3,429,227 for the trademark Vanguard Productions for publishing. Additional Vanguard related trademark properties include, The EDGE, The Space Cowboy, Kid Spider among others.
Vanguard Animation chairman John H. Williams, produced the "Shrek" series. Vanguard Animation produced Fox's animated film "Space Chimps" and is partly owned by Starz Media. Having been brought up to date on the long established Vanguard in the publishing industry, Vanguard Animation chairman John H. Williams proposed an agreement between the two companies in which Vanguard Animation agrees not to publish using the name Vanguard and Vanguard Productions agrees not to use either of the names Vanguard Animation or Vanguard Films in regards to their own video/film/DVD projects. The agreement was signed on October 15, 2008. Announcement of the agreement was delayed while Vanguard Animation considered new names for their comics-related project.
Press Contact:
J. David Spurlock
Vanguard Productions
786.953.7401
New York, NY
vanguardpub@
http://www.vanguardproductions.net
