ReelArt Studios Signs Licensing Agreement
With Condé Nast Publications
For Doc Savage & The Shadow Collectibles
New Port Richey, FL — January 7 2009 — Condé Nast's classic pulp characters, Doc Savage and The Shadow, are back in a big way! And old time pulp aficionados as well as those new to the thrilling adventurers couldn't be happier with the news. ReelArt Studios announced today a long sought licensing agreement with Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.'s Condé Nast Publications division to produce resin and bronze collectible statues and busts based on classic art featuring the characters. The collectibles are slated to be marketed in 2009.
"Wow, I'm blown away. I've been seeking this license for five years and it has finally come to fruition. I couldn't be more thrilled," proclaimed Michael Hudson, president of ReelArt Studios/Sequential Pulp Comics. The resurgence of Doc Savage and The Shadow popularity came about in 2006 through the efforts of Anthony Tollin and Nostalgia Ventures, Inc. with their wildly popular series of officially licensed trade paperbacks featuring the characters in reissues of their classic pulp stories. Hudson states, "With all that is going on I just felt the time was ripe to reach old and new fans of the characters."
The Doc Savage statue, which will be the first release under the license by ReelArt Studios, is based on original art by acclaimed artist Bob Larkin who successfully continued the James Bama "Steve Holland" look of the character on the Bantam reprints. States Hudson, "Although I personally love the Paul Baumhofer covers from the pulps I feel that today's audience will see Doc more as Bama, Larkin and those who have followed have envisioned him. Since the statue depicts a man larger than life we chose to go with a larger format than we usually do. At 183/4 inches from base to the top of Doc's head we hopefully will have a piece that will take prominence in most settings." There will be a strictly limited edition run of 1000 units as a pre-painted resin and 30 units as a made-to-order true bronze.
Having anticipated this project for years, project sculptor Tony Cipriano masterfully crafted an incredibly detailed three-dimensional rendering of the Larkin artwork. Tony is a huge Doc Savage fan and his enthusiasm to create a great work of art and to please Doc fans is evident in every inch of the statue. Tony readily stated, "I love these books! They are great reading. Doc fans seem to know everything about the character and I just want to be accurate. This is my new favorite piece I've ever done. I didn't think anything could surpass Frazetta's Snow Giants in that respect, but I think because of the larger scale, the subject matter, and the simple museum-style pose, this one is my new favorite."
The painted version of the statue will make its premier at the New York Comic Con February 6-8, 2009 at ReelArt Studios' Booth 828. Artist Bob Larkin will be on hand signing prints that the statue was based on. Sculptor Tony Cipriano is also scheduled to make an appearance at the booth. A true bronze version of the statue is also in the works and will be offered later this year. The pre-paint statue will be offered for pre-sale in the upcoming weeks on the ReelArt Studios web site and at a later date through Dark Horse Comics and Diamond Distribution's PREVIEWS catalog.
About ReelArt Studios/Sequential Pulp Comics:
Since 2003 ReelArt Studios has been a growing enterprise producing high-end collectibles of comic- and pulp-related character statues. The company is known for its quality licensed products created by top industry talent which meet the demands of a very demanding niche market. ReelArt Studios' statues and busts are distributed exclusively by Dark Horse Deluxe, a subsidiary of Dark Horse Comics.
About Condé Nast Publications:
Condé Nast Publications, home to many of the world's celebrated magazines and websites, is committed to journalistic integrity, influential reporting and superior design. Condé Nast is the successor to Street and Smith Publications, the original producer of Doc Savage and The Shadow stories.
