Broken Frontier

Like the cliffhanging pulp heroes who inspired her, Athena Voltaire has cheated death! The critically-acclaimed aviatrix returns in August, as Ape Entertainment re-launches the Eisner-nominated series.

Athena Voltaire debuted online in 2002 as part of the Modern Tales line of webcomics, eventually earning a 2005 Eisner Award nomination for “Best Digital Comic” and being featured in the book The Year’s Best Graphic Novels, Comics and Manga 2005. The first print adventure, Flight of the Falcon, launched at Speakeasy Comics in February 2006, comfortably landing in the top 300 and selling out immediately. Sales and backorder numbers combined to make it Speakeasy’s bestselling title. Unfortunately, the company closed its doors within a month of the book’s release.

“After Speakeasy folded,” says artist/co-creator, Steve Bryant, “we took some time to listen to various offers and see which company would be the best fit for Athena. Ape Entertainment really believed in what we were doing and their enthusiasm is downright contagious.”

“It is an absolute pleasure to be working with the creative team behind Athena Voltaire, the series is absolutely amazing with an intriguing story and breathtaking art.” said Ape Entertainment’s Director of Marketing Brent E. Erwin.  “Along with U.T.F. and The Black Coat, Athena Voltaire was the only other title that we chose to pursue of the many quality titles the former Speakeasy publisher had under their banner. We could not be happier that the Athena Voltaire team chose Ape Entertainment.”

Athena Voltaire follows the globetrotting adventures of a 1930s heroine as she crosses paths with Nazis and battles occult forces against a diverse backdrop of exotic locales.

Ape will kick off the re-launch of Athena Voltaire: Flight of the Falcon with a double-sized first issue, combining what would have been the first two issues of the Speakeasy series into a 48-page comic with a $4.50 cover price. Subsequent issues of the 4-issue mini-series will retail for $2.99.

“It’s gratifying to realize that we had tapped into a part of the market that wasn’t being served, as evidenced by the number of stores that sold out of that first issue. I received a number of emails from readers who wanted to get in on the adventure, but their stores had trouble getting additional copies,” Bryant says, “so the re-launch will hopefully allow readers who missed us the first time to get in on the ground floor. At the same time, it’s not redundant for people who bought the first Speakeasy issue.”

To give readers an idea of what they can expect, Ape and Team Voltaire are offering the first 22 pages of the double-sized first issue (the entirety of the Speakeasy issue) for free at www.athenavoltaire.com/preview.html. High adventure returns to the skies this summer—strap yourself in for the ride!

For more information on this and other Ape Entertainment titles, visit them online at http://www.ApeComics.com