New York, NY — King Features Syndicate, a unit of Hearst and home to some of the world’s most popular entertainment characters, is growing its global publishing program under the direction of publishing director Christina Nix Lynch to develop new partnerships for original content. The expansion includes new territories, titles, formats and narratives that introduce spinoff characters and their storylines in reimagining classic intellectual properties.

As the owner of classic franchises including The Phantom, Flash Gordon, Prince Valiant, Mandrake the Magician and Popeye, the traditional publishing program has focused on comic reprints. While continuing to maintain the reprint market, King Features recently shifted the program’s focus toward developing new content for both its classic and new IP. The new publishing approach gives King Features the opportunity to introduce new audiences to their iconic properties via graphic novels, coffee table books, and YA and middle reader books.

This past year, King Features partnered with StoneBot Studios to relaunch Mandrake the Magician with a young adult comic miniseries that introduced his niece, Mandy, as the lead character. The spin-off series follows 17-year-old Mandy Paz, a magician-in-training who, unaware of her blood tie, aspires to someday be just like the legendary Mandrake. Legacy of Mandrake the Magician unveils a new generation of heroes anchored by a strong female lead who faces off against familiar Mandrake universe foes. By weaving in elements of the original storyline that first debuted more than 85 years ago, the series appeals to both old fans and new.

2020 also marked the 40th anniversary of the iconic Flash Gordon cult-classic film, a fan favorite. In celebration, Titan Publishing released Flash Gordon: The Official Story of the Film, a coffee table book filled with cast and crew interviews, never-before-seen concept art and more, allowing fans to find new things to love about the film four decades later. In addition, King Features is planning to launch a YA graphic novel series for Flash Gordon with Macmillan that offers a new twist on the classic story as the original characters are re-imagined as young adult heroes. More information, including the imprint and launch dates for the series, will be released soon.

King Features is also reaching new audiences through publishing for its incredible roster of syndicated comics and puzzles. Available now, Hermes Press is bringing Bill Holbrook’s On The Fastrack to young readers with a graphic novel centered around Dethany, one of the lead characters from the 36-year-old comic strip. A prequel story about the popular character’s middle school years, Dethany and the Other Clique, introduces the world of On the Fastrack to elementary and middle grade readers in a new format for the first time. And tapping into the surge in popularity that puzzles have seen over the last year, Leap Year Publishing is working to bring puzzle books based on King Features’ most popular syndicated puzzles to market.

Publishing also affords King Features the opportunity to grow its characters’ fanbases in global markets and in 2020, King Features’ international agents signed more than 50 publishing deals. Since the first costumed superhero’s debut 85 years ago, King Features has continued to build awareness and grow The Phantom’s fanbase internationally. In India, where The Phantom has been a beloved character for decades, Regal Publishers is releasing 77 new titles in Malayalam and English to tap into affinity for the brand and keep the character fresh for his millions of fans. They are also introducing Mandrake the Magician to the region this year with 20 new titles. Also in the territory, Shakti Comics will be releasing comics in English, Hindi and Bengali for Flash Gordon, The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician, while Lion Comics will launch Secret Agent X9, Rip Kirby, The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician comics in Tamil. The Phantom’s popularity also continues in Australia with comics from Frew, and has been thriving in the Nordics for decades thanks to the works distributed by Egmont. 

“We are always seeking fresh approaches for our classic IP by partnering with a variety of publishing partners in cutting edge,” said King Features’ Director of Licensing Christina Nix Lynch. “For both the longevity of our classic properties and the growth of newly launched or represented IP, it is critical that we find the right partners to develop unique and engaging takes on these characters that will appeal to both original fans and untapped audiences. We are thrilled to have such an incredible roster of publishers helping us achieve this and look forward to working closely together to continue bringing new content to fans worldwide.”

“Publishing is a key driver in King Features’ strategic plan to re-imagine classic brands and introduce them to new audiences,” said King Features’ General Manager and Vice President, Global Head of Licensing, Carla Silva. “And Christina’s work has been instrumental in achieving our goals. From her in-depth analysis of the category to creative thinking around formats, distribution channels and markets, while securing fresh, best-in-class publishing houses as well as emerging talent, she continues to successfully grow our program with partners that are passionate about comics and our brands. Thanks to her efforts, our publishing program is flourishing and positioned for continued growth.”

This fall, King Features and Hermes Press will release a comprehensive new coffee table-sized retrospective dedicated to the 90-plus year history of Popeye the Sailorman. Fans everywhere will be thrilled to get their hands on this highly collectible book that includes everything they ever wanted to know about the spinach-eating sailor.

And for King Features’ slate of newer IP, publishing affords the opportunity to raise awareness for the brands and build a richer, more complex world for fans to explore. One such example is the robust publishing program that King Features is developing for the acclaimed video game property, Cuphead. Ahead of the highly anticipated release of The Cuphead Show! on Netflix, King Features has signed on a full slate of global publishing partners for graphic novels, art books and middle grade readers. Dark Horse Comics has renewed their worldwide deal to further expand their existing lineup of Cuphead books. This year, Dark Horse expanded their publishing program internationally for the “Art of Cuphead” art book and the graphic novels, with Pix ‘N Love in France, Editoriale Cosmo in Italy, Norma in Spain, Comme il faut in Russia and Sebundo/G Novels in Japan. Additionally, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, who released two Middle Grade novels inspired by the video game in 2020, is expanding their program into Russia with the Exmo Publishing Group in 2021. In Spring 2022, Running Press (a subsidiary of Hachette) is joining the video game’s publishing roster with plans to release a Cuphead “Mini Kit”, consisting of a mini book and a Cuphead character figure. In the future, King Features is also planning to introduce new graphic novels and early reader books to further expand the world of Cuphead for younger audiences.or more information on King Features and its portfolio, please visit www.KingFeatures.com.

About King Features
King Features is a premier producer and distributor of the world’s most iconic intellectual properties and a leader in classic character licensing and franchise development. With one of the longest-running consumer products programs in the industry, King Features’ portfolio includes world-renowned pop culture brands such as Popeye, Olive Oyl, Cuphead, Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Hägar the Horrible, Moomin, PUCCA, Prince Valiant and Mandrake the Magician. King Features is currently producing The Cuphead Show! with Netflix Animation. As content syndication specialists, the company distributes beloved comics such as Blondie, Beetle Bailey®, Mutts™ and dozens of others as well as columns, editorial cartoons and puzzles across multiple platforms and content providers around the globe. King Features is part of Hearst Newspapers, which publishes 24 dailies and 52 weeklies, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle and Times Union (Albany, New York), and operates local digital marketing services and directories.