Broken Frontier

Archaia Studios Press (ASP) and Caption Box announce that THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS, the A. David Lewis and Marvin Perry Mann book that takes a unique perspective in the retelling of the Book of Exodus, has been nominated for both the Glyph Awards and the Howard E. Day Memorial Prize. The ASP hardcover edition of THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS is up for the Glyph Awards’ Best Reprint Publication. The original black-and-white Caption Box version of THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS has been short listed for the Day Prize for best small press and alternative comics in the business.

The Day Prize winner is announced May 13 at the annual Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE); the Glyph Awards are held on May 19 at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC).

“I just write because I love to,” said Lewis, writer of THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS. “But when your work is recognized as something special, something that stands out amongst the tens of thousands of titles published every year, it’s an extremely rewarding bonus.”

Mann, illustrator of THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS, said, “Dave and I researched like mad for this book. We wanted to get it right in as many ways as possible and we put our hearts into this project like nothing I’ve worked on before. We couldn’t be happier to see that hard work translate into recognition and nominations for some outstanding awards.”

“We’re a young company, all things considered,” said ASP publisher Mark Smylie. “Our expansion into new titles just hit stores in December. But in the last few weeks we’ve been fortunate to see THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS nominated for two awards---standing shoulder-to-shoulder with books from long-time publishers Marvel, Fantagraphics and Dark Horse. Plus ASP’s Mouse Guard sold out in a week. This is a great start to ASP’s new creator-owned books!”

The full-color, hardcover edition of THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS is up for the Glyph Awards in the Best Reprint Publication category. Sponsored by the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC), the awards recognize the best in comics made by, for and about people of color. While it is not exclusive to black creators, it does strive to honor those who have made the greatest contributions to the comics medium in terms of both critical and commercial impact. The awards ceremony will take place at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, with the convention to be held the following day at Temple University's Ritter Hall.

Named for late Canadian comic book artist Howard Eugene Day and selected by his protégé Dave Sim (CEREBUS), the Day Prize draws from a pool of self-published and small press comics submitted at the annual Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE) in Columbus, OH. The black-and-white Caption Box edition of THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS joins Icreamlandia #2, "Justin's Big Chance" from Slam Bang #7, "Maxwell the Demon" from Attic Wit #6, Point Pleasant #1, Static Dreaming, and Zig Zag #1 on the Short List. More information on the Day Prize can be found at http://backporchcomics.com/space.htm

THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS (Archaia Studios Press (ASP), ISBN: 1-932386-12-2, $17.95, 160-page hardcover graphic novel, full color) presents a retelling of the Book of Exodus through the eyes of Pharaoh Ramses II, the man who is perhaps either its greatest leader or its worst villain: a man trying to rule wisely, love his family well, and deal justly in the face of a divine wrath. Laced with subtle messages for our time and exhaustively researched, Lewis and Mann drew from the Bible---both Old Testament and New Testament---the Qur’an, Egyptian mythology, anthropology, archeology, and even modern pop presentations of the story of Pharaoh and Moses in preparing their version.

THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS is recommended for Young Adults and up.