Broken Frontier

Villard Books, an imprint of Random House Inc., announced today the acquisition of the trade paperback rights to MOUSE GUARD: FALL 1152 by David Petersen. MOUSE GUARD: FALL 1152 (A Villard trade paperback, $19.95; February 2008) collects the first 6-issue MOUSE GUARD series, including 12 pages of bonus material. Villard Books purchased world rights to the trade paperback edition in a deal brokered by Archaia Studios Press.

In MOUSE GUARD: FALL 1152 we are introduced to the fearless guards Saxon, Kenzie, and Lieam, dispatched to find a missing merchant mouse that never arrived at his destination. In this fanciful, dangerous and medieval world, where mice struggle to live safely and prosper among all of the world’s harsh conditions and predators, Saxon, Kenzie, and Lieam stumble onto much more than they bargained for…intrigue, betrayal, and a deadly, traitorous plot to overthrow the stronghold of Lockhaven.

“It’s been quite a ride,” said MOUSE GUARD creator and giddiest artist alive, David Petersen. “It’s already been a pleasure and an honor to be working with ASP for the past year, then to have such a long-established and prestigious publisher as Random House come knocking…I’m doubly blessed. I’m looking forward to continuing both the ASP relationship and to building a new one with Random House. Of course, none of this would’ve been possible without the support of every last reader and fan of MOUSE GUARD out there. I can’t thank you enough.”

Acquiring editor Tricia Narwani at Villard said, “As soon as I read MOUSE GUARD, it was easy to see why it’s already enchanted so many readers. MOUSE GUARD already looks and feels like a classic, and David Petersen’s mastery of storytelling and illustration is extraordinary. We’re extremely pleased to add MOUSE GUARD to Villard’s graphic novel list.”

Archaia Studios Press will publish the hardcover edition of MOUSE GUARD: FALL 1152 (ISBN 978-1-932386-57-8, $24.95, a 192-page full-color graphic novel) in April 2007, in addition to the next 6-issue MOUSE GUARD series, WINTER 1152, beginning bimonthly in July 2007. Recommended for ages 10 and up.