Via Bleeding Cool, Massive Publishing have ended their partnership with Heavy Metal Entertainment, canceling the planned relaunch of “Heavy Metal” magazine, and other titles from the company. Michael Calero, CEO and co-publisher of Massive, said, “We’ve had to push back the launch solicitations of volume two, several times now. We, however, cannot continue to kick the ball down the road, [and] it is clear that, given the circumstances, we will not be able to deliver on the vision we had for the relaunch of this iconic magazine.” Heavy Metal did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
Massive and Heavy Metal originally partnered up late last year, amid reports the magazine’s namesake was having financial problems, and struggling to pay staff. The 320th and last issue of their flagship title was released this April. While their official shop remains online, a tweet from former associate editor Ari David indicates Heavy Metal is indeed “dead.” Similarly, Magma Comix — an imprint of Heavy Metal launched in 2020 — announced yesterday that they would be going independent, further suggesting the company’s publishing days are de facto over.
“Heavy Metal” was founded as an English version of the French sci-fi magazine “Métal hurlant” (published by Humanoids, who remain quite active) by National Lampoon Communications in 1977. As columnist Rob Salkowitz put it, “Over the next 30 years, ‘Heavy Metal’ lost some of its luster, as its innovative offerings of European science fiction, steampunk, erotica, and dark fantasy comics material spread in the U.S. market, influencing American superhero comics as well as indie comics publishers.”
In 2019, the company’s current owners appointed Matthew Medney as CEO to revitalize its comics. The publishing line expanded with the creator-owned Viper and Magma imprints, and other titles (including a miniseries for the Heavy Metal movie’s Taarna, by Stephanie Phillips and Patrick Zircher.) While their online sales grew by 65 percent, the publisher’s problems reemerged, and Medney stepped down at the start of 2023.
You can check out all of the solicited titles that are now in limbo at Bleeding Cool. Interestingly, at least one title planned under Medney’s expansion will see the light of day, with The Who revealing “Life House” — the graphic novel based on Pete Townshend’s unproduced screenplay, first announced back in 2019 — will receive a limited edition release from Tower Records on October 25.
