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Sumerian Comics

From Alfawiki
Sumerian Comics
Company typePrivate
IndustryComic book publishing
Founded2020
FounderNathan Yocum, Ryan Swanson
Headquarters
Nashville, Tennessee
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Nathan Yocum, Ryan Swanson
ProductsComic books, graphic novels
OwnerSumerian Publishing Group
ParentSumerian Publishing Group

Sumerian Comics is a Nashville, Tennessee-based American comic book publisher. Established in 2020 by Nathan Yocum and Ryan Swanson under the name Behemoth Comics, the company distributes more than 500,000 comic books annually and secured the 8th position in overall market share in 2021. The publisher is recognized for producing licensed comics linked to movies such as American Psycho, The Crow, and Basic Instinct. Additionally, it has collaborated with musicians including Bad Omens, Guns N' Roses, and Sleep Token. Sumerian Comics maintains partnerships with prominent corporations like Ubisoft and Netflix, among others. Its publications are circulated worldwide through distributors Simon & Schuster and Diamond Comic Distributors. Owned by the Sumerian Publishing Group, the company adopted the Sumerian Comics brand in July 2022.

2020–2022: Behemoth

Behemoth Comics was launched in 2020 following the acquisition of Spain’s Amigo Comics and made its first appearance in Diamond Comic Distributors’ March Previews catalog. The debut of its initial titles was postponed until July 2020 due to Diamond’s temporary closure amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 25, 2020, Bloody Disgusting announced Behemoth’s plan to publish Hotline Miami: Wildlife, an eight-issue comic miniseries released monthly beginning September 2020.

In November 2020, the first issue of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, penned by filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour, sold over 10,000 copies in its initial print run and went into a second printing prior to release. Shortly thereafter, Behemoth secured a global distribution agreement with Simon & Schuster for trade paperback editions and attained managed publisher status on Amazon Kindle as well as ComiXology. The company also gained film and television representation through Hollywood agency Grandview/Automatik, founded by producer Brian Kavanaugh-Jones. Meanwhile, Diamond continued to distribute Behemoth’s comics and graphic novels to retail hobby outlets globally.

At the ComicsPro conference on February 22, 2021, Behemoth revealed plans to publish MFKZ, a comic adaptation of a Netflix film. Soon after, You Promised Me Darkness #1 became Behemoth’s highest-selling debut issue with 55,000 copies sold, while MFKZ #1 reached sales of 40,000 copies. That year, Behemoth also sponsored the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards.

Among new licensed projects, Behemoth announced a prequel comic series for the cult film Turbo Kid, which launched in September 2021. Following this release, Ubisoft collaborated with Behemoth on a comic series based on Watch Dogs: Legion, which premiered on November 3, 2021.

By the conclusion of 2021, Behemoth had sold over half a million comics and graphic novels within its first full year of business.

Late in 2021, Behemoth introduced Kult Cable, a comic series connected to New Jersey hip-hop/punk band Ho99o9 and actor Jack Black’s variety show sharing the same title. This served as a precursor to an expanded series featuring additional celebrity appearances.

On January 25, 2022, GamesRadar+ offered a preview of an upcoming licensed comic from Behemoth inspired by the open-world RPG video game Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

2022

On March 23, 2022, Behemoth was acquired by Sumerian Entertainment Group. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Behemoth’s original comic series Paranormal Hitmen, created by Brett Murphy and Wilson Gandolpho, would be adapted into a television series through Entertainment One and Hasbro.

In July 2022, Behemoth underwent rebranding to become Sumerian Comics. Under this new identity, Billboard disclosed a collaboration with renowned Latin artist Ozuna on an action-driven comic book project. Ozuna expressed excitement about partnering with Sumerian to develop innovative content that resonates with his audience and cultural roots.

2023

In March 2023, Sumerian joined forces with mathcore group The Dillinger Escape Plan to create a graphic novel inspired by their 2013 album One of Us Is the Killer. Guitarist Ben Weinman actively promoted the project at WonderCon, with the book scheduled for release in February 2024. This launch coincided with exclusive edition bundles, including a vinyl repressing commemorating the album’s tenth anniversary.

The Hollywood Reporter revealed that actress Brooklynn Prince, known for her role in Cocaine Bear, would debut her first comic book through Sumerian titled Misfortune's Eyes. The narrative follows a young girl who gains the ability to perceive human auras. Running from February to April 2024, Prince took part in promoting the series and shared insights into its creative origins.

On June 8, 2023, Revolver Magazine announced that Sumerian was behind the inaugural comic series for the band Bad Omens. Vocalist Noah Sebastian co-authored the four-issue storyline, which expands upon themes from their third album, The Death of Peace of Mind.

Reports from Entertainment Weekly and Deadline confirmed that Sumerian acquired the rights to adapt the 2000 movie American Psycho into a four-issue limited comic series set to debut in October 2023. The agreement included permission to use Christian Bale’s likeness and featured a dual narrative approach.

In August 2023, Deadline and Comic Book Resources disclosed Sumerian’s licensed comic adaptation of the ’90s thriller Basic Instinct, starring Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas. This series was slated for release in November 2023.

2024

March 2024 saw Flickering Myth preview a new licensed Sumerian title based on John Carpenter’s 1980 film The Fog, serving as a sequel set four decades after the original events in Antonio Bay.

Revolver and Alt Press reported that for Underoath’s 20th anniversary tour celebrating their 2004 album They're Only Chasing Safety, Sumerian planned to issue a comic loosely inspired by the record. Initially available exclusively to VIP ticket holders, expanded editions were anticipated for later distribution.

In May, Kerrang! premiered Puscifer’s original track "The Algorithm," created specifically for Sumerian’s soundtrack accompanying their American Psycho comic series. The soundtrack includes artists such as Perturbator, Ramsey, and Unlike Pluto, collectively achieving over 677,000 streams. Additional cover versions by Ice Nine Kills, Reel Big Fish, and Carpenter Brut were also announced, with the full soundtrack set to launch alongside the graphic novel in October.

During San Diego Comic-Con, Sumerian revealed they had secured licensing rights to reprint and publish new stories within The Crow franchise.

Sleep Token announced a graphic novel titled Sleep Token: Teeth of God, produced under Sumerian’s banner.

In October, The Offspring introduced their inaugural official graphic novel, Come Out and Play, which became available for pre-order following the release of their album Supercharged.

2025

Early in 2025, Sumerian collaborated with alternative rock band Anberlin to publish Godspeed, a graphic novel co-written by bassist Deon Rexroat. Shortly thereafter, Sumerian partnered with Interpol on a graphic novel tied to their 2004 album Antics, featuring Norman, the animatronic puppet from their Evil music video.

At the 2025 MCM London Comic Con, Sumerian and The Used announced All That I've Got, a graphic novel commemorating the band’s 25th anniversary and inspired by one of their song music videos.

On September 29, 2025, Sumerian alongside Guns N' Roses unveiled Axl Rose: Appetite For Destruction, a graphic novel co-written by Axl Rose and Sumerian co-founder Nathan Yocum. This project represents the first installment of a trilogy set within the Guns N' Roses universe.

Amigo Comics

Established in Spain in 2012 by Juan "El" Torres, Amigo Comics is best known for compiling Torres's series originally published through Image Comics, such as Nancy in Hell and Drums. Beyond Torres's works, the publisher has also issued various creator-owned and licensed projects independent of him. In 2019, Amigo earned a nomination for the Eisner Award in the Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips category for Sky Masters of the Space Force: The Complete Sunday Strips in Color. On February 24, 2020, Behemoth Comics acquired Amigo, assuming responsibility for its US distribution while maintaining the Amigo brand identity. This transition enabled Juan Torres to dedicate his efforts solely to his personal creations.

Prominent Licensed Film and Television Titles

Distinguished Licensed Video Game Titles

Noteworthy Licensed Artist Projects

Significant Original Titles

  • You Promised Me Darkness #1-5 (April 14, 2021 - August 15, 2021) — over 55,000 copies sold
  • Until My Knuckles Bleed #1-3 (January - March 2022)
  • Paranormal Hitmen #1-4 (February - May 2021)
  • Nancy in Hell Vol. 1: The Long Road (June 2021)
  • Osaka Mime Vol. 1 (May 2021)
  • Follow Me Into the Darkness #1-4 (February - May 2022)
  • Heavy Metal Drummer #1-6 (February - July 2022)
  • Dark Beach #1-6 (April - September 2022)
  • Sara Lone #1-4 (October 2022 - January 2023)
  • How I Became A Shoplifter #1-3 (January - March 2023)
  • Children of the Comet #1-5 (July - December 2023)
  • Misfortune's Eyes #1-3 (March - May 2024)

External links

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