CrossGen

CrossGen (abbreviation for CrossGeneration Comics ) is a publisher of Comic S founded in 1998 by the business man Mark Alessi.

This company had as a characteristic not to propose stories of Super-héros but of the Fantasy and a Science-fiction. In addition, it was based on an operation in studio, all the artists having to move in with Tampa in Florida to work together in the buildings of the company. Their creed was to publish comics of quality regularly, contrary to some their competitors whose publications were very irregular.

History

To launch its company, Alessi engaged the draftsman Brandon Peterson as artistic director, and the scenario writers Ron Marz and Barbara Kesel.

They started by launching 4 monthly titles in June 2000: Meridian (by Barbara Kesel/Joshua Middleton), Mystic (by Ron Marz and Torch Peterson), Scion (Ron Marz/Jim Cheung) and Sigil (Barbara Kesel/Lay Ben), in addition to quarterly the Crossgen Chronicles . All these series, although occurring in various worlds with very distinct universes, were connected by Sigil, a mysterious mark affixed without their knowledge on the body of the heroes, often called Marqués, and which confers capacities to them which chamboulent their lives.

After a few months, Lay Ben (and his Ray brother, inking) and Joshua Middleton, the initial draftsmen engaged by the company, although not deprived of talents, had to leave their titles following various problems with management.

Several other titles were launched later with the reinforcement of the scenario writer Mark Waid and several artists, professionals and beginners trained in the company by carrying out Fill-in (episodes of fillings, to allow the regular authors of the titles to rest), like The First in November 2000 (Ron Marz/Bart Sears), Crux in April 2001 (Mark Waid/Steve Epting), Sojourn in June 2001 (Ron Marz/Greg Land), Ruse in October 2001 (Mark Waid/ Butch Guice), Negation in November 2001 (Mark Waid and Tony Bedard/Paul Furrier), The Path in February 2002 (Ron Marz/Bart Sears), Brath in February 2003 (Chuck Dixon/Andrea Di Vito), Solus in April 2003 (Barbara Kesel/George Perez)…

The company undertook to emphasize its catalog by yielding licenses for publications abroad, film adaptations or in video games, like in baptized anthologies Forge and Edge .

Unfortunately, success did not arrive. The company undertook to diversify by publishing comics in creator-owned (of which the rights belong to their creators), and of the series nonrelated to the universe of Sigil: Road 666 (title of horror), KIS KIS Bang Bang (espionage), Lady Death , The Crossovers …

Finally, the company had to be declared in bankruptcy in 2004, leaving certain unfinished titles. The Walt Disney Company repurchased the company and the rights of the characters in November 2004.

Certain Crossgen series were published in France in kiosks or bookstores by Semic.

It is their passage at Crossgen which allowed the discovery of Steve McNiven, become a star at Marvel Comics, of Joshua Middleton, Andrea Di Vito, or the explosion of the talent of Jim Cheung.

Publications

(the titles followed of one * were translated into French)

Promotional titles

  • CrossGen Sampler (a free promotional comic including several pages of each of the first five CrossGen titles) *
  • CrossGen To precede (a promotional comic sold with a number of Wizard Magazine, a magazine on the comics) *publ
  • Wizard CrossGen Special (a later promotional comic sold with Wizard)
  • CrossGen Illustrated (large size delivers to flexible cover with drawings and information on several titles of Sigilverse)

Titles of which the rights did not belong to CrossGen

  • Abadazad
  • The Crossovers (with the French draftsman Mauricet) *
  • R.A. Salvatore' S Demon Wars
  • Death Lady: In Medieval
  • Lady Death Bruises: The Wild Hunt
  • Red Star
  • Space Ace
  • Dragon' S Lair
  • Masters off the Universe
  • American Power (cancelled, ever published after a controversy)

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