Scholastic, home of such animated properties as the Magic School Bus and Clifford the Big Red Dog, has announced plans to expand its publishing business with the launch of Graphix, a new unit devoted to graphic novels. Graphix will debut in January 2005 with the publication of Jeff Smith’s award-winning series, Bone.
Graphix will publish original titles, reprints, and imports for ages 6-14. Scholastic publisher and editor-in-Chief Jean Feiwel comments, “The mission of Graphix is to bring the visual literacy and aesthetic sense of graphic novels to children, and Bone has exactly the originality and artistic vision we were looking for.”
The first Bone comic book was released in 1991 by Cartoon Books, the independent shingle Smith started with wife Vijaya Iyer in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Sometimes described as Pogo meets The Lord of the Rings, Bone tells the story of three modern Bone cousins’Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone’who find their way into a hidden, pre-technological valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures. Though originally published in black & white, Bone will get a color upgrade through Scholastic.
Bone will be officially announced at Comic-Con International 2004, and promotional items will include comic book teaser booklets, giveaways and in-store display and merchandising materials. Scholastic will also mount a national advertising and publicity campaign including author appearances at conventions and book stores. Bone will also have its own page on Scholastic.com in cross-promotion with Cartoon Books’ existing boneville.com website.
