Riftworld Legends Comic Expands to Print this February After Critical Acclaim for Digital Edition
– Television Series and Mobile Game Also Planned –
Toronto, February 20, 2018 – Sienna Films, First Love Films and Joe Books are thrilled to announce the print release of Riftworld Legends, a ten-part, digital-first comic. As of February 28, 2018, Issue #1 will be available at comic book stores across North America.
Created and written by Jonathan Williams, with art by Daniel Wong, colours by Paris Alleyne, and edited by Jennifer Hale, Riftworld Legends , recent winner of the 2017 EIW Award for Best Fantasy and Best Art in a digital comic book, marks the first major expansion of the Riftworld Universe from the award-winning digital series Riftworld Chronicles. Also, in the works are a one-hour television series and mobile game, Riftworld Heroes.
“We couldn’t be more excited to bring Riftworld into print. This next step in expanding Riftworld is a direct result of the incredible fan support for the digital series and online comic. We can’t wait to keep telling more Riftworld stories,” said Andrew Nicholas McCann Smith, Producer, First Love Films.
The comic, set in the 1400s, revolves around two young mariners left for dead on an island somewhere in the North Atlantic—or so they think. Only as the hostile landscape reveals itself to be full of magical power and mythical beasts do they realize they’ve left their own world entirely. What begins as a struggle for survival turns into an epic saga of worlds colliding as the two wayward deckhands must embrace new heroic roles or perish in the trying.
The multi-platform franchise originated with Riftworld Chronicles , the CBC digital series created and written by Jonathan Williams, starring Tahmoh Penikett ( Battlestar Galactica ) and Erin Karpluk ( Being Erica ) that won multiple awards including Best Web Series and Audience Award at Vancouver Web Fest, Best Drama at the New York Television Festival, and the Audience Award and Virgin Award at SeriesFest. In 2016, the series was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award. With an audience of over one million viewers, expansion to television, comics and other media was a natural next step.
“The comic acts as backdrop for the web series and a super in-depth origin story for the world we meet in the web series,” says digital series creator and writer, Jonathan Williams. “It was amazing to have the opportunity to flesh out the fantasy side of Riftworld from the web series in a new format that is perfectly suited for colourful, action-packed adventure.”
What people are saying about Riftworld Legends :
“ Riftworld Legends is one of the comic books of the year…It’s Lost meets Castaway meets King Kong , with the added complexity of the Riftworld layering a whole new depth previously unheard of.” —Comic Buzz 9/10
“With a gripping, adventurous, and mysterious story, this is something everyone should check out.” —PopnComics 8.8/10
“ Riftworld Legends puts a very unique spin on the trope of a person from Earth falling into a fantasy world….Altogether, Riftworld Legends #1 is a good start to a fantasy series.”
—Comics Verse
Published by Joe Books and produced in collaboration with First Love Films and Sienna Films, Riftworld Legends is made with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation. The digital edition of the comic launched on June 28, 2017, and issues are available on ComiXology, Apple, Amazon, and Kobo. Riftworld Legends: Part One: Here be Magic , the trade bind-up of the first five issues, will be available in stores this fall.
Digital series Riftworld Chronicles was written and directed by Jonathan Williams and produced by First Love Films’ Andrew Nicholas McCann Smith and Laura Perlmutter, and executive produced by Sienna Films’ Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny. It was made with the support of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the Independent Production Fund. Riftworld Chronicles can be seen on CBC, CONtv, and Geek & Sundry. For more information, please visit www.riftworld.io.
