Blue Juice Comics
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Predecessor | Blue Juice Films, Inc |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Thomas Mumme, Adam Miller, Michael Misconi, Jeremy Schneider |
| Headquarters | Orlando , United States |
| Products | Comic books, picture books, prose works |
Blue Juice Comics is a U.S.-based publisher specializing in comic books, picture books, and prose works. Established in 2012 as the publishing arm of Blue Juice Films, Inc, many of its publications originated from concepts initially developed for film or animation.
History
Blue Juice Films, Inc was founded in 2005 in Orlando, Florida by Thomas Mumme, Adam Miller, Michael Misconi, and Jeremy Schneider with a focus on producing short films, music videos, and feature-length movies. Although they found success creating short films and music videos, financing for feature films proved challenging. In 2011, Mumme and Schneider worked alongside screenwriter R.F.I. Porto on AMC’s Comic Book Men. This collaboration sparked the idea to use comics as a proof of concept for cinematic projects. After evaluating Porto's scripts, they chose the sci-fi narrative The Accelerators for comic adaptation.
Blue Juice Comics was officially launched in January 2012 to publish The Accelerators. During this period, Mumme’s interactions on the set of Comic Book Men led hosts Mike Zapcic and Ming Chen, who co-host the comic podcast I Sell Comics!, to invite Blue Juice Comics to provide weekly progress reports. These updates chronicled their development from scriptwriting through publication over more than a year, supported by social media posts that highlighted artwork creation. Additionally, they involved their audience through polls regarding pricing decisions.
Although they had no product at the outset, Blue Juice obtained a promotional booth at the 2012 New York Comic Con. The distribution of their first issue through Diamond Comic Distributors and Comixology delayed its release until May 2013. Their second title, Anne Bonnie, written and illustrated by Tim Yates—who also colored The Accelerators—was released in March 2014. The publisher aimed to maintain a quarterly release schedule to ensure consistent market visibility but postponed their third comic, Aether & Empire, until 2016.
The Accelerators
Originally conceived as a film project before being transformed into a comic book series by Blue Juice Comics, The Accelerators is a time travel adventure written by R.F.I. Porto. The artwork is by Gavin Smith, with colors provided by Tim Yates and lettering by Crank!. Its debut issue was published on May 22, 2013. The series holds an average critic score of 8.1/10 on Comic Book Roundup. It is distinguished within its genre by featuring time travel that moves exclusively forward. To date, twenty issues have been released on an irregular schedule. Walt Flanagan created cover art for the first five issues before Gavin Smith took over that role.
Aether & Empire
Set against an 1879 Mars expedition backdrop, Aether & Empire is a steampunk adventure comic described by creator Mike Horan as "Jules Verne meets Star Trek." Initially written as a screenplay, it was adapted into comic form by Blue Juice Comics. The series features illustrations by Bong Ty Dazo, with cover art and coloring done by Tim Yates. The first issue was released on April 13, 2016, earning an average critic rating of 8.9/10 on Comic Book Roundup. This six-issue series was published monthly and received the 2016 Spacie Award for Best Independent Comic. Reviewers highlighted Dazo's vivid artwork that effectively conveys action even in the absence of dialogue.
Anne Bonnie
Anne Bonnie is an action-adventure comic series centered on a young female protagonist with dreams of becoming a pirate. Created by Tim Yates and lettered by Crank!, the inaugural issue was released on March 19, 2014, and quickly sold out its initial print run of 3,500 copies within seven days. After issuing two quarterly editions in 2014 and taking a brief pause, the series continued with three additional issues in 2015. A seventh installment was planned for release in October 2018. Critics offered mixed feedback, commending the imaginative artistic style while noting some concerns regarding story pacing.
Dudley and the Toy Keeper’s Chest
Dudley and the Toy Keeper's Chest, a children's picture book authored by Patrick Algermissen, was published on July 14, 2015. This work is an adaptation of Algermissen’s 2005 puppet short film and has been praised for its enchanting narrative and its ability to captivate the imagination of young readers.
Growing Dark
Growing Dark is a collection of horror prose stories written by Kristopher Triana, first appearing on July 28, 2015. The anthology received positive remarks for its compelling storytelling and vivid imagery, establishing Triana as a promising new voice within the horror genre.