Double Take Comics

{{Infobox company

| name = Double Take LLC

| logo = Double Take Logo.png

| type = Subsidiary

| industry = Comic books

| fate = Dissolved

| founded = {{Start date and age|2014|10|30}}

| founder = Bill Jemas

| defunct = {{End date|2016|11}}

| hq_location_city = New York City

| hq_location_country = US

| key_people = Bill Jemas (general manager)

| parent = Take-Two Interactive

}}

Double Take LLC, commonly referred to as Double Take Comics, was an American comic book publisher based in New York City. Founded by former Marvel Comics executive Bill Jemas as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive in October 2014, the company served as Take-Two Interactive's pilot project in comic book publishing. The company published five issues each from ten original comic book series, and was shut down in November 2016.

History

Double Take Comics was founded by Bill Jemas, formerly President of Marvel Comics, as a subsidiary of video game company Take-Two Interactive.{{cite web |url=https://www.comicbookmovie.com/comics/exclusive-general-manager-for-double-take-comics-bill-jemas-talks-night-of-a132832 |title=EXCLUSIVE: General Manager For Double Take Comics Bill Jemas Talks NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, Marvel & More |first=Jamie |last=Suth |date=March 30, 2016 |website=Comic Book Movie |access-date=February 12, 2018}} Jemas announced on December 20, 2013, that he was to preparing to launch a new comic book imprint with Take-Two Interactive, although a final direction had not yet been chosen.{{cite web |url=https://www.newsarama.com/19866-he-s-baa-aack-bill-jemas-take-two-partner-up-to-take-on-comics.html |title=HE's BAA-AACK: BILL JEMAS & TAKE TWO Partner To Take On Comics 'ULTIMATE-Style' |first=Chris |last=Arrant |date=December 20, 2013 |website=Newsarama |access-date=February 12, 2018}} Take-Two Interactive had previously filed trademarks for possible names of the label, including Codex, Carante, and Double Take. Jemas settled on Double Take, and its opening was formally announced on October 30, 2014.{{cite web |url=https://www.newsarama.com/22606-bill-jemas-new-double-take-ready-to-launch-with-zombies.html |title=BILL JEMAS' New DOUBLE TAKE Ready to Launch with Zombies |first=Chris |last=Arrant |date=October 30, 2014 |website=Newsarama |access-date=February 12, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://nerdist.com/comics-relief-halloween-humble-bundle-walking-dead-rumors-debunked-plus-spidey-mary-jane-reunite/ |title=Comics Relief: Halloween Humble Bundle, WALKING DEAD Rumors Debunked, Plus Spidey & Mary Jane Reunite? |first=Eric |last=Diaz |date=October 31, 2014 |website=Nerdist |access-date=February 12, 2018 |archive-date=February 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212201940/https://nerdist.com/comics-relief-halloween-humble-bundle-walking-dead-rumors-debunked-plus-spidey-mary-jane-reunite/ |url-status=dead }}

All comic book series published by Double Take were inspired by and set in an alternate reality of Night of the Living Dead.{{cite web |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/79168/bill-jemas-talks-take-two-interactives-new-night-living-dead-inspired-comic-series/ |title=Bill Jemas Talks Take-Two Interactive's New Night of the Living Dead Inspired Comic Series |first=Scott |last=Hallam |date=November 18, 2014 |website=Dread Central |access-date=February 12, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/villainsmash/2015/09/16/double-take-comics-takes-on-the-ultimate-night-of-the-living-dead/ |title=Double Take Comics Takes on "The Ultimate Night Of The Living Dead" |first=Taylor |last=Hoffman |date=September 16, 2015 |website=Bloody Disgusting |access-date=February 12, 2018}} Jemas originally also considered creating comics on XCOM, BioShock and Civilization, three video game franchises owned by Take-Two Interactive, but could not come to terms with the respective game studios.{{cite web |url=http://www.comicsbeat.com/comics-publisher-double-take-is-shutting-down-at-the-end-of-the-month/ |title=Comics publisher Double Take is shutting down at the end of the month |first=Heidi |last=MacDonald |date=November 3, 2016 |website=Comics Beat |access-date=February 12, 2018}} He went Night of the Living Dead instead, seeing that the intellectual property was in the public domain, and because he felt like zombies were popular at the time.{{cite web |url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/11/03/so-what-happened-to-double-takes-x-com-civilisation-bioshock-crossover-anyway/ |title=So What Happened To Double Take's X-COM/Civilisation/Bioshock Crossover Anyway? |first=Rich |last=Johnston |date=November 3, 2016 |website=Bleeding Cool |access-date=February 12, 2018}} Jemas planned on distributing the comics digitally, through ComiXology and Madefire, and produce print versions later on.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/11/19/7247039/take-two-comics-double-take-night-of-the-living-dead |title=The publisher of GTA and Borderlands is getting into the comic book business |first=Michael |last=McWhertor |date=November 19, 2014 |website=Polygon |access-date=February 12, 2018}}

The first issues of Double Take's first ten comic book series, namely Soul, Slab, Dedication, Rise, Medic, Honor, Spring, Home, Remote and Z-Men, were announced in March 2015.{{cite web |url=https://comicbook.com/2015/03/27/night-of-the-living-dead-comics-coming-from-bill-jemas-double-ta/ |title=Night of the Living Dead Comics Coming From Bill Jemas' Double Take Comics |first=Russ |last=Burlingame |date=March 27, 2015 |website=Comic Book |access-date=February 12, 2018}} All ten first issues were released on September 16, 2015,{{cite web |url=https://www.newsarama.com/24418-double-take-comics-september-2015-solicitations.html |title=JEMAS' Double Take Launches Ten 'Ultimate' Titles in September |author=Newsarama Staff |date=May 6, 2015 |website=Newsarama |access-date=February 12, 2018}} with the release schedule being assisted by marketing coordinator Gabe Yocum.{{cite web |url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/08/26/talking-double-take-and-their-10-title-launch-with-gabe-yocum/ |title=Talking Double Take And Their 10 Title Launch With Gabe Yocum |first=Dan |last=Wickline |date=August 26, 2015 |website=Bleeding Cool |access-date=February 12, 2018}} A movie adaptation of Z-Men, in cooperation with Lionsgate, was announced in October 2015.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2015/10/z-men-movie-lionsgate-double-take-1201579428/ |title='Z-Men' Graphic Novel Getting Movie Treatment Via Lionsgate |first=Patrick |last=Hipes |date=October 13, 2015 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=February 12, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/z-men-zombie-comic-book-movie-adaptation-1201616880/ |title='Z-Men' Zombie Comic Book Movie Adaptation in Works |first=Dave |last=McNary |date=October 13, 2015 |website=Variety |access-date=February 12, 2018}} In February 2016, Double Take partnered with The Moth to bring more realism into their releases.{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2016/02/23/bill-jemas-moth-storytellers/ |title=Bill Jemas explains new partnership with Moth Storytellers |first=Andrea |last=Towers |date=February 23, 2016 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=February 12, 2018}}

In September 2016, the company gave away 10,000 printed copies of their releases to visitors of the New York Comic Con.{{cite web |url=http://www.comicsbeat.com/nycc-16-double-take-promotional-banners-banned-for-being-suggestive/ |title=NYCC '16: Double Take promotional banners banned for being "suggestive" – NSFW |first=Heidi |last=MacDonald |date=September 23, 2016 |website=Comics Beat |access-date=February 12, 2018}} In October 2016, it was reported that Jemas was seeking {{US$|1.2 million|link=yes}} from private investors to purchase Double Take from Take-Two Interactive.{{cite web |url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/10/10/will-someone-give-bill-jemas-1-2-million-to-buy-double-take-from-take-two-interactive/ |title=Will Someone Give Bill Jemas $1.2 Million To Buy Double Take From Take Two Interactive? |first=Rich |last=Johnston |date=October 10, 2016 |website=Bleeding Cool |access-date=February 12, 2018}} Jemas initially denied the claim, stating "not even close", however, it was announced in November 2016 that the company was to close at the end of that month.{{cite web |url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/11/02/scoop-bill-jemass-double-take-close-end-month/ |title=SCOOP: Bill Jemas's Double Take To Close Down At End Of Month |first=Jude |last=Terror |date=November 2, 2016 |website=Bleeding Cool |access-date=February 12, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/take-twos-comic-book-arm-to-close-xcom-civilisation-and-bioshock-combined-universe-was-almost-a-thing/ |title=Take-Two's comic book arm to close – XCom, Civilization and Bioshock combined universe was almost a thing |first=Joe |last=Donnelly |date=November 3, 2016 |website=PC Gamer |access-date=February 12, 2018}} Four spin-off series of their works, Z-Mart, Behold, 51 and Alphabet City, which were set to be released in December 2016, were never published.{{cite web |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/197264/double-take-announces-four-new-comic-series-behold-51-z-mart-and-alphabet-city/ |title=Double Take Announces Four New Comic Series: Behold, 51, Z-Mart, and Alphabet City |first=Debi |last=Moore |date=October 28, 2016 |website=Dread Central |access-date=February 12, 2018}}