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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Nov 3, 2016 13:23:58 GMT -6
www.bleedingcool.com/2016/11/02/scoop-bill-jemass-double-take-close-end-month/SCOOP: Bill Jemas’s Double Take To Close Down At End Of Month Bleeding Cool has learned that Double Take, the comic book company started by former Marvel publisher Bill Jemas as part of Take-Two Interactive, will close down at the end of the month. Double Take launched their comic line in a little over a year ago with ten interconnected titles set in the universe of the 1960s classic film Night of the Living Dead. The company innovated the use of Super Packs, containing ten issues of their ongoing comics for $19.99, and offered their single issue comics for $2.50. They also offered free digital reading on their website, and famously gave away more than 10,000 graphic novels at New York Comic Con earlier this month. Z-Men, one of Double Take’s ten ongoing series, was optioned for a movie adaptation with Lionsgate last October. Last week, Bleeding Cool reported that Double Take planned to launch four new books in December, still set in the Night of the Living Dead universe, but expanding into other genres. Earlier in October, however, Bleeding Cool reported that Jemas was seeking an investor to buy Double Take from Take-Two for $1.2 million, a story which Jemas denied, saying, “Not even close.” A representative from Double Take had no comment for Bleeding Cool when contacted about this story. More to come soon.
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Nov 4, 2016 12:26:04 GMT -6
icv2.com/articles/news/view/35976/double-take-shut-downDOUBLE TAKE TO SHUT DOWN At End of Month Posted by Milton Griepp on November 4, 2016 @ 3:40 am CT Double Take, the comic publishing arm of video game company Take Two Interactive (Grand Theft Auto, Bioshock) will shut down at the end of November, ICv2 has confirmed. Besides its deep-pocketed backer, the company was also notable for its publisher, Bill Jemas, COO at Marvel during a turbulent time in the early 00s. Double Take had just announced four new series, including three spun out of its original Night of the Living Dead-based universe and one new original IP. The company launched with ten titles in September 2015, and in a packaging innovation sold all ten issues in a Superpack, and continued the all-in-one package through the five issues of the initial miniseries. That allowed placement in bookstores and higher ticket sales in comic stores. Double Take also launched a digital app for reading its titles. Jemas reflected on the launch of Double Take in two interviews with ICv2 over the last few months, with perhaps his most noteworthy observation, comparing his experience at Double Take with Marvel, was “how difficult it is to run an indie company.” "I was very, very spoiled at Marvel,” he said, noting "…just how few retailers, relatively speaking, have the willingness and/or wherewithal to place an indie publisher. That has been much harder than I thought. I’m happy with the retailers who have taken us. They’re happy and we’re happy with the sell-through rates. But that initial placement, that’s really banging through a brick wall with your head. Because you don’t have many tools--just banging with your head and little bit of money. That’s been much harder than I thought it’d be." In an ICv2 feature article focusing on lessons learned, Jemas was philosophical about the launch. "I’m not complaining about our launch. I just think it could have been better. If you look at the books, look at the reviews, look at the stores that really ‘get’ us and the results they’re getting, it’s good. And it’s replicable. I don’t worry about trying and failing. I think the only mistake is not trying." Double Take did not respond to a request for comment in time for this article. The news of the shutdown was first reported by Bleeding Cool.
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Nov 4, 2016 12:43:34 GMT -6
www.comicsbeat.com/comics-publisher-double-take-is-shutting-down-at-the-end-of-the-month/Comics publisher Double Take is shutting down at the end of the month The boom in comics periodical publishers over the last few years has a first casualty: Double Take. The division of video game company Take Two Interactive, which was headed by former Marvel publisher Bill Jemas will shut down at the end of the month. The news was first reported at Bleeding Cool and independently confirmed by The Beat. Double Take had a very unorthodox publishing model: bundled monthly packs of 10 titles all spinning out of Night of the Living Dead, a public domain zombie tale. The books were often plotted by writers whose main experience was live storytelling (see Storytellers From ‘The Moth’ Join Jemas and Double Take for ‘Living Dead’ Line.) The shut down appears to have been sudden, as just last week the publisher announced four new titles, and at New York Comic Con they had a huge giveaway of 10,000 free graphic novels. In a subsequent post, BC quoted an unnamed industry insider with a story of how the line was originally supposed to adapt Take Two games such as X-com, Civilization and BioShock, a plan that was scuttled due to personality conflicts and business concerns. This led to a hasty plan of adapting Night of the Living Dead in a series of interconnected books, according to the insider. Double Take tried a lot of innovative marketing and format initiatives– Jemas has always been a trailblazer and he had some intriguing ideas here. But the material wasn’t that strong and lacked recognizable creator names. (You can read the first issues of all 10 titles here for free to see if you disagree.) Selling bundles and books outside the DM seemed like a good tactic but with other publishers putting out stellar work, competing creatively is a key to survival. Although Double Take had deep pockets, that could only go so far. Jemas as also rumored to be seeking an investor to buy the company, although that rumor was expressly denied by Jemas. I’ve been waiting for one of the newer comics publishers to bow out for a while now, and Double Take isn’t the only one that has had hiccups…or had to look at the financing to see how long they would remain viable. The comics publishing business overall is good, but, again, it’s a highly competitive market creatively, with few sure things. I doubt that Double Take will be the only casualty over the next 12 months. And as for Jemas? I doubt we’ve heard the last of him. He’s got comics in his blood.
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