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Top Cow Productions

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Top Cow Productions
Parent companyImage Comics
Founded1992
FounderMarc Silvestri
Country of originUnited States
Headquarters locationLos Angeles
Key peopleMarc Silvestri
Matt Hawkins
Fiction genresSuperhero fiction,science fiction,horror fiction
Official websitetopcow

Top Cow Productionsis an Americancomicspublisher, animprintofImage Comics.It was founded byMarc Silvestriin 1992.

History

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Top Cow President Matt Hawkins (left) speaking with fans (right) at theImage Comicsbooth at the 2012New York Comic Con.

During the early years ofImage Comics,founderMarc Silvestrishared a studio withJim Lee.In this studio, he created his firstcreator-ownedcomic book,Cyberforce,as part of Image's initial line-up.[1]After setting up his own studio, Top Cow Productions, he expanded into other comics, launchingCodename: Strykeforce,a newCyberforceseries and various spin-offs.

Top Cow attracted several professionals including artistBrandon Peterson,writerGarth Ennisand former Marvel stafferDavid Wohl.The company also helped launch the careers of various writers and artists, such asChristina Z,[2]Joe Benitez,Michael TurnerandDavid Finch.Benitez, Turner and Finch have since worked forDCandMarvel Comics.

In 1996, Top Cow briefly parted ways with Image during a power struggle with Image associateRob Liefeld.Liefeld left the company shortly after Top Cow's departure, and Top Cow returned to the partnership.[3]At the same time, Top Cow was moving more into thefantasygenre with new propertiesWitchbladeandThe Darkness.Thanks to the success ofWitchblade,Top Cow was able to expand, adding new titles to its lineup includingThe Darkness,Magdalena,Aphrodite IX,and others. Silvestri was heavily involved in training and developing new talent through the studio and Top Cow was known for a time for its "house style" (standardized elements of illustration across multiple titles produced by Top Cow), though former publisher Filip Sablik has argued that the company never truly had a house style.[4][5]

In addition to its company-owned properties, Top Cow has worked with creators to develop creator-owned properties. These properties have included Michael Turner'sFathom(which eventually ended up atAspen Comics), andJoe's Comics,created exclusively forJ. Michael Straczynski,which includedRising StarsandMidnight Nation.[citation needed]Top Cow is also known for bringingTomb Raider'sLara Croftto comics.[citation needed]

In 2006, Top Cow made a business agreement with Marvel Comics to publish crossovers such asDarkness/WolverineandWitchblade/Punisher.[6]As part of this agreement, several Top Cow artists also provided art chores on various Marvel series.[7]Tyler Kirkham worked onPhoenix: WarsongandNew Avengers/Transformers;Mike Choiworked onX-23: Target X;and Silvestri himself worked onX-Men: Messiah Complex.At the 2007San Diego Comic-Con,an announcement was made by Marvel Comics extending the deal into 2008.[8]

At the 2007New York Comic ConTop Cow announced that they would be one of the first major comics publishers to offer online distribution, through a partnership withIGN.The initial titles offered includedTomb Raider,The Darkness,andWitchblade,at $1.99 per issue.[9][10]They also announced a deal with Zannel to license their comics asmobile comics.[11]

In 2022, Top Cow Productions reprinted the early issues ofCyberforcefor the first time since 1994 in a 30th anniversary commemorative hardcover edition[12]The project was funded through Kickstarter, and the commemorative edition was exclusively available through the platform.[12]The book collectedCyberforce#0,Tin Men of War#1-4,WildCATS#5-7,Cyberforcevolume 2 #1-13,Origins#1 (Cyblade) and #2 (Stryker), andCyberforce Annual#1.[13]Later in the same year the book was reprinted in a trade paperback with the same contents.

In 2024, the company announced a newWitchbladeseries written byMarguerite Bennettand drawn byGiuseppe Cafaro.[14]

Titles

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Main article:List of Top Cow Productions publications

Media adaptations

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The Darkness

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Film

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In December 2004,Dimension Filmspaid an undisclosed six-figure sum to develop amoviebased on the comic, possibly for release in 2008.[citation needed]The film was pitched as a movie similar toThe Crow,which was also produced byDimension.There have been no further developments.

Video games

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In March 2005,The Darknesswas licensed byMajesco Entertainmentfor aconsole gameto be developed byStarbreeze Studios.2K Gameslater obtained the rights to the game, and afirst-person shooteradaptation was released for theXbox 360andPlayStation 3console systems on June 25, 2007, in theUnited States.In the EU, the game was released forXbox 360on June 29, 2007, and forPS3on July 20 of the same year.[citation needed]

To promote the video game, a five-issuemini-serieswas released, with each issue chronicled a chapter of the game. In June 2007, the mini-series was collected into atrade paperback.[15]

In February 2012, a sequel to the video game, entitledThe Darkness II,was released forPC,Xbox 360andPlayStation 3.The script for the game was written by comic book writerPaul Jenkins,who previously worked onThe Darknesscomic series. Unlike the first game, the graphics forThe Darkness IIwere developed using acel-shading technique,emulating the aesthetic of itsgraphic novelnamesake.[16]The game received positive reviews from critics.[17]

Witchblade

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Television series

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Main article:Witchblade (2001 TV series)

Following a pilot film in August 2000, thecablenetworkTNTpremiered atelevision seriesbased on the comic book series in2001.[citation needed]The series was directed byRalph Hemeckerand written byMarc Silvestriand J.D. Zeik.Yancy Butlerstarred as Sara Pezzini. Although critically acclaimed and popular with audiences, it was canceled in September 2002.[18]The cancellation was announced as a production decision, but there was widespread speculation that the true reason for its cancellation was Butler's alcohol addiction; Butler was ordered to enter rehab foralcohol addictiona year later, after being arrested for wandering intoxicated amidst traffic.[19]

Witchbladeran for two 12–episode seasons on TNT. The first episode aired on June 12, 2001, and the last episode aired on August 26, 2002. On April 1, 2008,Warner Home Videoannounced a long-anticipated DVD release.Witchblade: The Complete Series— a seven-disc collectors set including the original made-for-TV movie, all 23 episodes of the series, and special features — was released July 29, 2008.[20]

Reboot

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In January 2017,NBCannounced that it would be developing aWitchbladereboot, withCarol MendelsohnandCaroline Driesserving as executive producers.[21]

Film adaptation

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AnAmericansuperhero filmbased on the series was announced in 2008.[22]The film was to be directed byMichael Rymer,who directed the 2002 filmQueen of the Damnedand several episodes ofBattlestar Galactica,and was to be written byEverett De Roche.[23]

The film was one of the two being produced and financed back-to-back byPlatinum Studios,IDG Films andRelativity Media.[citation needed]The film was to be produced by Arclight's Gary Hamilton andNigel Odell,Platinum Studios'Scott Mitchell Rosenberg,and Steve Squillante of Havenwood Media. Top Cow's Marc Silvestri and Matt Hawkins were to be executive producers with Platinum Studios' Rich Marincic and Greenberg Group's Randy Greenberg. Filming was announced to begin in September 2008, withChinaandAustraliaamong the possible locations being considered for filming.[24][25]Megan Foxwas approached for the role of Sara Pezzini at the 2008San Diego Comic-Con.[citation needed]

The film's website and teaser poster were released in May 2008,[22]but the project was later cancelled.[citation needed]

Anime series

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Main article:Witchblade (2006 TV series)

In 2004 Japanese animation studioGONZOannounced ananimeversion ofWitchblade,with a subsequentmangaadaptation. The anime version is considered controversial by some, because GONZO has announced that the main character of the anime is ofJapanese ethnicitybut is notItagaki,one of the previous bearers of the Witchblade.[citation needed]Instead the main character is a new character named Masane. Although this series centers around all new characters and tells a new story not contained in the source material, it is set in the same continuity as the comic book.[26]The anime series began broadcast during April 2006 and ran for 24 episodes.

See also

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References

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  1. ^Overstreet, Robert M. (1996).The Overstreet comic book price guide: books from 1897-present included: catalogue & evaluation guide-- illustrated(26th ed.). New York: Avon Books. pp. A-50.ISBN0-380-78778-4.OCLC34703954.
  2. ^"Christina Z",Wikipedia,2022-12-11,retrieved2023-01-17
  3. ^Dean, Michael (25 October 2000)."The Image Story Part Two: The Honeymoon".The Comics Journal.Archived fromthe originalon 6 April 2012.Retrieved9 September2017.
  4. ^Tung, Tommy (2004-03-05)."A background artist steps forward in the comic book industry".UCLA Asia Pacific Center.Retrieved2023-05-17.
  5. ^Yanes, Nicholas (2009-04-08)."Filip Sablik On The Evolution of Top Cow Comics".SciFi Pulse.Retrieved2023-05-17.
  6. ^Jordan, Justin (2006-06-04)."Top Cow Surprises Fans @ WW Philly".The Verge.Retrieved2023-05-17.
  7. ^"List of Marvel Cinematic Universe television series",Wikipedia,2023-01-14,retrieved2023-01-17
  8. ^George, Richard (2007-07-27)."SDCC 07: Cup O' Joe Report".IGN.Retrieved2023-05-17.
  9. ^MacDonald, Heidi (2007-03-28)."IGN launches online digital comics shop".The Beat.Retrieved2023-05-21.
  10. ^Schleicher, Stephen (2007-03-28)."Download Comics (legally)".Major Spoilers.Retrieved2023-05-21.
  11. ^Powers, Kevin (14 September 2007)."BAM! KAPOW! BOOM! Zannel And Top Cow Team Up To Fight Mobile Boredom".Silver Bullet Comics.Archived fromthe originalon 12 October 2007.Retrieved9 September2017.
  12. ^abAvila, Mike (2021-11-18)."Exclusive: Artist Marc Silvestri Looks Back On Cyberforce's 30TH Anniversary".Syfy.Retrieved2023-05-22.
  13. ^Johnson, Rich (2021-12-14)."Four Big Hardcovers From Image Comics For 30th Anniversary In 2022".Bleeding Cool.Retrieved2023-05-22.
  14. ^MacDonald, Heidi (2024-04-19)."Witchblade is back!".The Beat.Retrieved2024-04-21.
  15. ^The Darkness: Levelsat the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)
  16. ^"Review: The Darkness II".Destructoid.Retrieved2023-01-10.
  17. ^"The Darkness 2 review: Shooting bullets off a list".Engadget.21 February 2012.Retrieved2023-01-10.
  18. ^Grossberg, Joss (5 September 2002)."Witchblade Sliced by TNT".E! Online.Retrieved9 September2017.
  19. ^Grossberg, Joss (24 November 2003)."Witchblade Star Ordered to Rehab".E! Online.Retrieved9 September2017.
  20. ^"Witchblade DVD news: Announcement for Witchblade - The Complete Series".TVShowsOnDVD. 2008-01-04. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-11-05.Retrieved2017-03-19.
  21. ^Goldberg, Lesley (January 20, 2017)."'Witchblade' Reboot From Carol Mendelsohn, Caroline Dries Set at NBC ".The Hollywood Reporter.Valence Media.Archivedfrom the original on January 26, 2017.RetrievedAugust 16,2019.
  22. ^abPBADMIN (2008-05-27)."Witchblade Teaser Poster and Site Revealed".Comingsoon.net.Retrieved2017-03-19.
  23. ^MrDisgusting (4 June 2008)."'Witchblade' Director and Writer Revealed! ".Bloody Disgusting.Archived fromthe originalon 26 August 2009.Retrieved9 September2017.
  24. ^Pamela McClintock (2005-12-12)."Pic trio wields 'Witchblade'".Variety.Retrieved2017-03-19.
  25. ^Michael Fleming (2008-05-11)."'Witchblade' sharpened for bigscreen ".Variety.Retrieved2017-03-19.
  26. ^"Top Cow Announces Witchblade Manga in 2007".Anime News Network. 2006-12-12.Retrieved2017-03-19.
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