Titan Comics snags rights to critically-acclaimed game and animation series Wakfu

By John Freeman on September 23, 2015

Titan Comics is to launch a new licensed comic series based on the Wakfu multiplayer video game property created by Ankama Games on 11th November 2015.

Titan’s eight-issue series re-publishes the French comics written by Kahel, with art by Mig (Shak Shaka, Le Messager).

Initially released in 2012, the Wakfu massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a tactical turn-based game, the sequel to Ankama’s game Dofus, which takes place 1000 years earlier, adding notions of ecology and citizenship.

Wakfu has spawned an animated series as well as online and console video games and comic books. Each adventure is an original creation which can be lived separately, although exploring the brand through multiple media delivers a richer experience.

The Wakfu animated series was first shown on French national TV channel France 3 in 2008, with 52 episodes and a further three special episodes broadcast to date. It’s screened by Netflix in the US and the UK, and shown in Australia through Network 10, with the Cartoon Network broadcasting the series through most Asian countries.

The series and its creators have won numerous awards including International Studio of the Year at the 2010 Cartoons on the Bay awards in Italy. In addition, season two was named best non-Japanese animated series of 2011 by the readers of French magazine Animeland.

Titan’s acquisition of Wakfu is further indication of the success of gaming as a source of new comics as well as its TV iteration – and an area several British comic publishers, particularly Egmont, have been keen to develop in recent years.

• For more information, on the game visit the official Wakfu website at www.WAKFU.com

John Freeman

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.