Book entertainment and media company Legible Inc. has just announced that it will partner with Kartoon Studios, the controlling partner of Stan Lee Universe, LLC, to launch Stan Lee Comics, a line of digital and print comic books based on never-before-released stories and characters created by Stan Lee, best known for his work for Marvel Comics.
Kartoon Studios selected Legible as a leading online book streaming platform and multimedia publisher to develop and distribute approximately twelve original comic book series, based on Stan Lee’s creations, across Legible’s broad publishing and reading platform, making them accessible to a global market.
The news follows an announcement back in May that Legible had secured print and digital print rights to bring a selection of Kartoon Studios’ IP to life through multimedia-enriched eBooks, featuring audio, video, animations and print comic books.
“We are celebrating Stan Lee’s 100th birthday this year and what better way to honour this true legend than to launch Stan Lee Comics, with a logo that Stan had created himself, and bring his never-before-seen creations to life through this series of new digital and print comic books,” stated Jon Ollwerther, Kartoon Studios Executive Vice President of Business Development.
“We are also excited to expand our relationship with Legible, who we believe is the ideal partner to help us bring these exciting Stan Lee creations to his legions of True Believer fans throughout the universe. With the never-before-seen comics, Stan also left us his unique editorial page as well, Yakkin’ with Stan, which will highlight each comic.
“Not unlike Stan’s Soapbox, which graced every Marvel Comic, Yakkin’ with Stan will speak to all the ‘True Believers’, leaving Stan’s unique take on everything from superheroes to world affairs, and of course ending in his signature, “EXCELSIOR!”
“Legible is honoured to be selected by Kartoon Studios as the partner to bring Stan Lee Comics and Stan Lee’s heretofore unseen incredible stories and characters to the public for the first time,” said Legible Inc. Founder and CEO, Kaleeg Hainsworth. “We know that this is only the beginning for these properties and the brands they will give rise to, and we’re thrilled to bring these new worlds, fantastic characters, powerful stories, and visionary themes to Stan Lee’s fans and to a global audience as never before in digital and print. Legible is bringing publishing and reading into the twenty-first century, and there is just no better way to do so than with Stan Lee, who was always ahead of his time.”
Kartoon Studios kicked off Stan Lee’s Centennial Celebration on 28th December 2022 — what would have been Stan’s 100th birthday — with the launch of a new online store, exclusively featuring three Stan Lee collections: Stan Lee Comic, Stan Lee Retro, and Stan Lee Centennial, with additional product categories debuting throughout 2023.
Initiatives have included the critically-acclaimed premiere of Marvel Studios’ Stan Lee Documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival in June, followed by its debut on Disney +.
On 18th July, in advance of the annual San Diego Comic-Con event, a first-ever exhibit, “Excelsior! The Life and Legacy of Stan Lee,” will launch at the Comic-Con Museum, featuring never-before-seen items donated by auction houses and private collectors. Many more initiatives and product launches are planned into 2024.
Stan Lee is considered one of the most prolific and legendary American comic creators of all time. As Marvel’s editor-in-chief, Stan “The Man” Lee helped create and build a universe of interlocking continuity, one where fans felt as if they could turn a street corner and run into a superhero from Spider-Man to the Fantastic Four, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and more. Stan went on to become Marvel’s editorial director and publisher in 1972 and was eventually named chairman emeritus.
Stan also appeared in some of the most popular films of all time, his well-known cameos in Marvel films beginning in the 1989 telefilm The Trial of the Incredible Hulk. After the release of X-Men in 2000, he appeared in nearly every Marvel film and television project until his passing in 2018.
Among Stan’s many awards is the National Medal of Arts, awarded by President Bush in 2008, and the Disney Legends Award, received in 2017. He was also inducted into the comic industry’s Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame and Jack Kirby Hall of Fame.
Kartoon Studios is a global end-to-end creator, producer, distributor, marketer, and licensor of entertainment brands.
The Company’s IP portfolio includes original animated content, including the Stan Lee brand, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel!; Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal, on Kartoon Channel!, and a broad distribution platform, Rainbow Rangers, on Kartoon Channel! and Netflix; the Netflix Original, Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, and more.
The company’s wholly-owned digital distribution network, Toon Media Group, consists of Kartoon Channel!, Kartoon Channel! Worldwide, a globally distributed entertainment platform, Frederator Network, and Ameba.
Legible Inc. is a book entertainment and media company with a mission: millions of books for billions of readers, globally. Legible provides innovative eReading experiences to anyone anywhere with an internet-enabled device.
Legible has developed two high-value verticals: a browser-based, mobile-first B2C eBook entertainment platform delivering a global online bookstore, streaming over two million eBooks and reading system for the emerging web with high-growth potential called Legible.com; and a global B2B eBook conversion and production service with high revenue potential called Legible Publishing.
Legible is transforming the digital publishing industry and gaining market share through innovative, 21st century publishing and global reading experiences, and embraces core values of sustainability, accessibility, and global literacy.
• Kartoon Studios are online at: kartoonstudios.com
• Visit Legible.com and discover the place where eBooks come to life
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Comics, Digital Media, downthetubes News, Other Worlds, US Comics
Related Articles
-
America’s “most banned graphic novel”, “Gender Queer, adapted as audiobook
-
New comics publisher DSTLRY, launches, top international talent on board, anthology “The Devil’s Cut” first title
-
Cancelled “Scooby-Doo and Krypto Too” leaked online, Warner clamps down on piracy
-
“Something is Killing the Children” heads to Neflix