It’s been two and a half years since unbiased comedian ebook writer AfterShock Comics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, however now the corporate is on the comeback path, asserting plans to “reclaim its place as some of the dynamic unbiased publishers of high-quality creator-owned comics within the business.”
In a shock press launch posted on its own site — the primary since December 2 2022, forward of the corporate’s monetary woes — AfterShock introduced a return from what it described as a “voluntarily submitting for Chapter 11 due to the impression of the COVID-19 pandemic,” reporting that it was “restructured and totally ready to meet its monetary and contractual obligations.”
In accordance to the discharge, its return has been within the works for a while.
“Preferring not to give in to hypothesis, we’ve deliberately remained quiet up till now. However, actually, we’ve been discussing present and future initiatives with prime AfterShock creators for properly over a yr,” AfterShock president Lee Kramer is quoted as saying within the launch.
He provides that the corporate has “been having conversations with potential new editorial management – achieved professionals with the imaginative and prescient to construct upon our legacy of success in horror, crime, fantasy and science fiction and take it in new and thrilling instructions,” and additionally that “a number of [television] collection and movies based mostly on AfterShock books [are] in deep improvement and needs to be heading to manufacturing by the tip of this yr and the start of 2026.”
Whereas all this work has been happening behind the scenes, it’s value noting that AfterShock has not apparently met pre-existing monetary obligations rising from its bankruptcy, though it intends to. Elsewhere within the launch, AfterShock Comics CEO Jon Kramer reveals, “Excellent funds owed to creators and distributors will start shortly and will proceed till all are made complete,” including, “The quicker we are able to get again to publishing, the faster we are going to understand that objective.”
Sure, that’s proper; he says excellent funds will start shortly. The delay in compensation may need been in what Kramer described as the “intense negotiations” making ready to, in his phrases, “totally meet our monetary obligations below a plan authorized by the court docket.” How a lot of the corporate’s general bankruptcy debt — which was upwards of $17 million — stays unpaid is a thriller, however no less than collectors can admire that there’s a court-approved compensation plan in place lastly.
Lacking from AfterShock’s announcement was any concrete plans or bulletins relating to new releases; these, the corporate says, “can be revamped the following few months.” Preserve your eyes on Popverse for extra information as it emerges.