Speakeasy Comics

Adam Fortier founded Speakeasy Comics in August 2004. Previously, Fortier had worked for comics publishers Dreamwave Productions (where he revived the Transformers licence in comics), Devil's Due Publishing, UDON, and IDW Publishing.{{cite web |date=2004 |title=Welcome to Speakeasy Comics |url=http://www.speakeasycomics.com/company.asp |author=Staff writer |website=Speakeasy Comics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060109205305/http://www.speakeasycomics.com/company.asp |archive-date=2006-01-09 |url-status=dead}}

In March 2005, the company published its first titles, the debut issues of Atomika and The Grimoire.

In a sign of trouble to come, however, that same month, Yoshitaka Amano's Hero, a highly anticipated graphic novel, was cancelled and postponed one year. It was resolicited in February 2006 for tentative publication in April 2006, but cancelled again in May 2006, and was eventually published by Boom! Studios in November 2006. In October 2005, creator Frank Espinosa announced the moving of his Rocketo series to Image Comics.

In November 2005, Speakeasy announced it had concluded a financing deal with Los Angeles-based Ardustry Entertainment: Speakeasy would now also develop comics based on licenses brought by Ardustry, while Ardustry would represent Speakeasy's comics properties in the entertainment industry (movies, videogames, etc.){{cite press release |url=http://www.speakeasycomics.com/news/news_112905.html |title=Speakeasy and Ardustry Join Forces |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051223141701/http://www.speakeasycomics.com/news/news_112905.html |archive-date=2005-12-23 |publisher=Speakeasy Comics |date=November 29, 2005}}Weiland, Jonah. [http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6241 "Looking inside the Speakeasy/Ardustry Deal with Adam Fortier,"] Comic Book Resources (Nov. 28, 2005).

Also in November 2005, Speakeasy-owned titles Beowulf, The Grimoire, and Spellgame went through several creative team changes. In that same period, only a few months after signing with the publisher, Atomika creator Sal Abbinanti split from Speakeasy to self-publish future issues Atomika.[http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=37;t=005768 "ATOMIKA # 5 IN STORES NOW,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926215940/http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=37;t=005768 |date=2007-09-26 }} COMICON.com (Dec. 15, 2005). under his own Mercury Comics label.[http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=39648 "Atomika Leaves Speakeasy To Self-Publish,"]{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Newsarama

In December 2005, Speakeasy canceled orders on two months' of previously ordered comics.[http://www.comicon.com/thebeat/2006/01/speakeasy_cancels_comics_order.html "Speakeasy Cancels Comics Order,"]{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Comicon.com's The Beat (Jan. 2006). Creator allegations of non-paymentDraper Carlsen, Johanna. [http://comicsworthreading.com/2005/12/19/speakeasy-update/ "Speakeasy Update,"] Comics Worth Reading (Dec. 19, 2005). and mismanagement of projects[http://comiccommentary.blogspot.com/2005/12/link-even-more-on-speakeasy.htm "Even More on Speakeasy,"] Comic Commentary blog (Dec. 2005).{{dead link|date=April 2020}} started circulating.

Speakeasy published no titles in January 2006. That month, creator Sal Cipriano announced he had cancelled his Bio Boy series, but was keeping The Hill there.[http://speakeasycomics.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1843 speakeasycomics.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208090255/http://speakeasycomics.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1843 |date=2006-02-08 }} Creator Matt Maxwell announced he had amicably parted with Speakeasy for his Strangeways series.[http://www.highway-62.com/blog/archives/2006/01/strangeways_news_1.htm Highway 62: "Strangeways News,"] Highway 62 blog (Jan. 2006). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927151304/http://www.highway-62.com/blog/archives/2006/01/strangeways_news_1.htm |date=2007-09-27 }} Four issues had been solicited but never published.

Also in January, Chimaera Studios announced they were moving their eight series — Mutation, Of Bitter Souls, Super Crazy TNT Blast (renamed Twilight Men), Smoke & Mirror, Lonebow, Wargod, Project Eon, and Silent Ghost — from Speakeasy to the British publisher Markosia.[http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=55026 "Chimera Leaves Speakeasy, Joins With Markosia,"]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Newsarama. Creators Jose Torres and Chris Dibari announced they were also moving their series The Hunger to Markosia.[http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=55872 "The Hunger Leaves Speakeasy For Markosia"]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Newsarama.

In addition, Jonathan Martin's Speakeasy Comics Archive (a blog dedicated to Speakeasy-related news){{cite web |url=http://www.comicon.com/thebeat/2006/01/blogging_speakeasy.html |title=Blogging Speakeasy |work=The Beat |date=10 January 2006 |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |publisher=Comicon.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205071619/http://www.comicon.com/thebeat/2006/01/blogging_speakeasy.html |archive-date=2007-02-05 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://loosepgs.blogspot.com/2006/01/update-update-shoot-small-presses-dont.html |title=They Shoot Small Presses, Don't They? |date=10 January 2006 |last=Lewis |first=A. David |website=Loose Pages |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060116212614/http://loosepgs.blogspot.com/2006/01/update-update-shoot-small-presses-dont.html |archive-date=2006-01-16 |url-status=dead}} was shut down, presumably under "trademark infringement" litigation.

In February 2006, creators of the series O.C.T. - the Occult Crimes Taskforce announced their move to Image Comics.[http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=60357 "ROSARIO DAWSON'S O.C.T MOVES TO IMAGE/12 GAUGE,"]{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Newsarama.

On February 27, 2006, Vito Delsante, Speakeasy's "unofficial" public relations director, announced via email{{cite web |last=Vito |first=Delsante |url=https://www.comicsreporter.com/images/uploads/Delsante_E-Mail.doc |title=Delsante email |publisher=The Comics Reporter |date=27 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930202904/http://www.comicsreporter.com/images/uploads/Delsante_E-Mail.doc |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status=live}} the immediate closure of Speakeasy, with all March-solicited books still shipping, April and May's being tentative, and June's being cancelled.[http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=61089 "Speakeasy Closes Its Doors,"]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Newsarama. The company, however, didn't file for bankruptcy, officially in order to try to pay its outstanding bills.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}

Comics reporter Tom Spurgeon characterized the company's demise this way: "... right now you have to have sustainable capital, publishing skill, marketing ability, something some people want, and enough perspective to let those factors and not personal ambition define the enterprise. I didn't see any of that with Speakeasy...."

It was later revealed (according to Ardustry Entertainment's business affairs manager, Wayne Williams){{citation needed|date=June 2013}} that the November 2005 deal between Speakeasy and Ardustry had only been an option to buy Speakeasy, which expired without materialization. Cash-flow problems led to Speakeasy's demise before they could materialize various potentially lucrative licensing deals, such as with HBO (The Sopranos and Deadwood).{{cite web |title=Speakeasy Comics Shuts Down |date=7 March 2006 |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6313554.html |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |department=PW Comics Week |website=Publishers Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070224131638/https://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6313554.html |archive-date=2007-02-24 |url-status=dead}}

Speakeasy intended to collect some series in trade paperbacks (such as Atomika, Grimoire, and Beowulf), but all solicited TPBs were eventually cancelled. In March 2006, only Beowulf #7 was published. In May 2006, Diamond Comic Distributors's monthly list of cancelled comics listed all the remaining unpublished Speakeasy comics, with the terminal cancel code 10 ("Supplier Out of Business").[http://previews.diamondcomics.com/support/previews_docs/orderforms/archive/2006/MAY06/Cancel.txt Monthly list of cancelled comics] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120713123840/http://previews.diamondcomics.com/support/previews_docs/orderforms/archive/2006/MAY06/Cancel.txt |date=2012-07-13 }}, Previews (May 2006).

• Athena Voltaire: Flight of the Falcon #1 (2006) — moved to APE Entertainment
• Atomika #1-4 (2005) — moved to Mercury Comics
• Beowulf #1–7 (2005–2006)
• The Adventures of Bio Boy #1–2 (2005)
• [http://www.butternutsquash.net Butternutsquash] #1 (Nov. 2005) — webcomic planned for quarterly publication
• Death Valley (2005) by Scott O. Brown and {{ill|Horacio Lalia|es}}
• Elk's Run #4 — creator-owned series
• The Gatesville Company #1-2 (2005)
• The Grimoire #1-7
• Helios: In With the New #1-2
• Hero@Large #1-2 (2005)
• The Hunger #1–5 (2005) — moved to Markosia
• Lonebow #1 (2005) — moved to Markosia
• Mutation #1–3 (2005) — moved to Markosia
• Of Bitter Souls #1–3 (2005) — moved to Markosia
• Rocketo #1–6 (2005–2006) — moved to Image Comics
• Seasons of the Reaper #1 (2005)
• Shotgun Wedding #1 (2005)
• Smoke & Mirror #1–2 (2005) — moved to Markosia
• Spellgame #1-3
• Super Crazy TNT Blast #1 (2005) — moved to Markosia as Twilight Men
• Wargod #1 (2005) — moved to Markosia

• Hero by Yoshitaka Amano — TPB published by Boom Studios in 2006
• The Hill by Sal Cipriano and Jok — TPB published by Markosia in 2006
• O.C.T.: Occult Crimes Taskforce{{cite web |title=Speakeasy Announces Rosario Dawson Comic |date=8 January 2006 |url=https://icv2.com/articles/comics/view/8043/speakeasy-announces-rosario-dawson-comic|last=Staff writer |website=ICv2 |publisher=GCO, LLC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106132653/https://icv2.com/articles/comics/view/8043/speakeasy-announces-rosario-dawson-comic |archive-date=2023-11-06 |url-status=live}} – #1–4 published by 12 Gauge Comics and Image in 2006{{cite web |title=Image Comics & 12 Gauge to Publish O.C.T. This July |date=22 February 2006 |url=http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/news/114058912318291.htm |last=Olson |first=Kevin Noel |website=Silver Bullet Comics |publisher= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060909102226/http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/news/114058912318291.htm |archive-date=2006-09-09 |url-status=dead}}
• Phantom Jack: The Nowhere Man Agenda — TPB published by IDW in 2010
• Project Eon — #1–3 published by Markosia in 2006
• Silent Ghost — #1–2 published by Markosia in 2006
• Superunknown{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}
• Strangeways — TPB published by Highway 62 Press in 2008

• The Flying Friar (2005) by Rich Johnston
• The Living And The Dead (2005) by Todd Livingston and Robert Tinnell
• Parting Ways: the Near Life Experiences of Peter Orbach (2005) by Andrew Foley[http://www.speakeasycomics.com/preview.asp?pid=5 speakeasycomics.com]{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Ravenous (2005) by Dawn Brown

• 2020 Visions — collects #1–12 previously serialized at DC/Vertigo
• Elk's Run Bumper Edition — collects #1–3 previously self-published{{cite web |title=Speakeasy Comics Press Release |date=3 July 2005 |url=https://insidepulse.com/2005/07/03/39981/ |last=Stevens |first=Tim |website=Inside Pulse |publisher= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814112722/https://insidepulse.com/2005/07/03/39981/ |archive-date=2020-08-14 |url-status=live}}
• Phantom Jack - The Collected Edition — collects #1–5 previously serialized at Image Comics{{cite web |title=An Interview with Comics Writer Michael San Giacomo |date=11 December 2012 |url=https://www.wredfright.com/2012/12/an-interview-with-comics-writer-michael.html |last=Wright |first=Fred |website=Fred Wright's Blog |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001152241/https://www.wredfright.com/2012/12/an-interview-with-comics-writer-michael.html |archive-date=2020-10-01 |url-status=live}}

Based on pre-order sales through Diamond Comic Distributors reported by industry resource site ICv2,[http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/1850.html ICv2 News - ICv2's Top 300 Comics & Top 100 GN's Index] Speakeasy's top-selling monthly comics during its period of operation were:

• (2005.03) 7,756 copies (rank 190) for Atomika #1[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/6751.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-March 2005]
• (2005.04) 6,116 copies (rank 187) for Atomika #2[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/6904.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-April 2005]
• (2005.05) 3,305 copies (rank 213) for Grimoire #3[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7058.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-May 2005]
• (2005.06) 5,726 copies (rank 231) for Atomika #3[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7257.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-June 2005]
• (2005.07) 3,717 copies (rank 208) for Beowulf #3[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7375.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-July 2005]
• (2005.08) 6,381 copies (rank 203) for Atomika #4[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7534.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-August 2005]
• (2005.09) 2,019 copies (rank 251) for Smoke & Mirror #1[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7710.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-September 2005]
• (2005.10) 2,946 copies (rank 250) for The Grimoire #6[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7812.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-October 2005]
• (2005.11) 3,130 copies (rank 248) for Beowulf #5[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/7956.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-November 2005]
• (2005.12) 2,463 copies (rank 273) for The Grimoire #7[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/8067.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-December 2005]
• (2006.01) -- no comics published this month[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/8247.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-January 2006]
• (2006.02) 2,718 copies (rank 246) for Beowulf #6[http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/8384.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-February 2006]
• (2006.03) -- one issue published but not ranked in Top 300 (i.e. less than 2,632 copies)[http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/8516.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-March 2006]
• (2006.04) -- no comics published this month[http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/8714.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-April 2006]
• (2006.05) -- no comics published this month[http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/8855.html ICv2 News - Top 300 Comics Actual-May 2006]

• Ellis, Jonathan. [https://web.archive.org/web/20061115072512/http://www.popimage.com/content/speakeasy2005.html "Speaking Easy with Adam Fortier,"] PopImage (Jan. 2005).
• Lander, Randy. [https://web.archive.org/web/20051207041418/http://www.thefourthrail.com/reviews/snapjudgments/120505/speakeasy.shtml "Spotlight on Speakeasy Comics"] The Fourth Rail (Dec. 5, 2005) — overview of Speakeasy's output at the end of 2005
• Gonzalez, Guy LeCharles. [http://www.buzzscope.com/features.php?id=1226 "Speakeasy Shakes Things Up,"] Buzzscope (Dec. 2005).
• MacDonald, Heidi. [http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6298175.html "The Class of 2005: A Tough Year for Comics Start-Ups,"] Publishers Weekly (Jan. 2006) — look at Alias' and Speakeasy's problems
• Weiland, Jonah. [http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6796 "Speakeasy Comics Shuts Its Doors, Fortier Speaks"] Comic Book Resources (Feb. 27, 2006).
• Doane, Alan David. [http://www.comicbookgalaxy.com/blog/2006/02/rise-and-inevitable-fall-of-speakeasy.html "The Rise and Inevitable Fall of Speakeasy Comics,"] Comics Book Galaxy (Feb. 28, 2006)
• [http://www.the-engine.net/forum/index.php?webtag=ENGINE&msg=1987.1 "Speakeasy Closes Its Doors"] February–March 2006 discussion between comics pros (at Warren Ellis' forum The Engine)
• MacDonald, Heidi. [http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6313554.html "Speakeasy Comics Shuts Down,"] Publishers Weekly (Mar. 7, 2006)

{{Reflist|2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050403204723/http://www.speakeasycomics.com/ Speakeasy Comics.com] (cached, from April 2005)
• {{gcdb publisher|id=2556|title=Speakeasy Comics}}

Category:Defunct comics and manga publishing companies

Category:Comic book publishing companies of Canada

Category:Canadian companies established in 2004

Category:Companies based in Toronto