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Heavy Metal Announces Magma Comix Imprint

By | October 8th, 2020
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Cover by menton3, and Gil Lazcano

Long running sci-fi/fantasy magazine Heavy Metal has announced its new creator-owned imprint, Magma Comix. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the magazine promises “original and sophisticated genre fiction” from the new publishing line when it launches next spring.

Overseeing Magma is former IDW Publishing managing editor Denton J. Tipton, who is also writing the dark fantasy launch-title “Chasing the Dragon,” illustrated by Menton J. Matthews III (aka menton3), and Gil Lazcano. “Chasing the Dragon,” Magma’s first release, will hit shelves on February 24, 2021. Following this will be “Amber Blake,” a graphic novel thriller from Jade Lagardère, Butch Guice, Dan Brown, and Gil Lazcano on March 31, 2021, and “The Modern Frankenstein,” a five-issue “romantic horror” from Paul Cornell, Emma Vieceli, Pippa Bowland, and Simon Bowland on April 28, 2021.

“To me, Heavy Metal represents unbridled creativity,” Tipton says of the new project. “From Moebius and Bilal to Wrightson and Frazetta — and so, so many more — Heavy Metal is a true champion of creators. It’s an honor to be part of that legacy, and I promise to uphold its standing as the leader in science fiction, fantasy and horror.”

Heavy Metal CEO Matt Medney credits the inception of the line to a phone conversation with Tipton. “We originally got on the phone to discuss a property he was editing,” Medney says. “Two hours later, I was so awed by his knowledge, professionalism and career that I knew we had to figure out a way to bring him into the family.”

Tipton had been working on his own publishing line when he was tapped by the magazine. He had worked for IDW as both a writer and editor since 2008, working with properties such as Doctor Who and Transformers. In 2018, he was given the 2018 Disney Worldwide Publishing Best New Licensee award for “Star Wars Adventures,” which he edited. He was released from the company in May 2020 when COVID-19 forced layoffs. He had been freelancing as both a writer and editor when Medney and Heavy Metal Publisher/Chief Creative Officer David Erwin offered tapped him to run Magma Comix.

“Denton’s sensibility and proven experience for great storytelling, complements our vision to be in the forefront of fiction genres,” Erwin says of Tipton.


Chris Cole

Chris Cole lives in a tiny village built around a haunted prison. He is a writer, letterer, and occasional charity Dungeon Master. Follow his ramblings about comics and his TTRPG adventures on Twitter @CcoleWritings.

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