AudioComics Company

Last updated
AudioComics Company
Industry Sound design
Founded2010
Website audiocomicscompany.com

AudioComics Company is an audio production company that adapts comic books, graphic novels, and original works. It was founded in 2010, and expanded under the producers William Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, and Elaine Lee. [1] Their productions have earned critical acclaim and awards in the United States and abroad, and have been cited as a "game changer" [2] in the field of audio drama.

Contents

Overview

"Beyond the great acting and great scripts and great comics they’re based on, we take a 'cinematic approach' to the production side of it all, which is why we call these productions 'audio movies' instead of audio dramas and audio plays or radio dramas." [3]

-Lance Roger Axt on the approach of AudioComics Company.

The company produces full-cast audio adventures, based on licensed properties and original works from the world of comic books, graphic novels, and genre fiction, and distributes them by MP3, digital download, and CDs. The company has its origins in Play it by Ear Productions, an audio theatre company run by producer/writer/actor Lance Roger Axt to adapt original plays for radio and digital mediums. [4] Producer/actor William Dufris, known as the voice of the cartoon character Bob The Builder , co-founded AudioComics Company with Axt in 2010 initially to adapt comics and graphic novels as audio productions, with full voice casts, sound effects, and musical scores. [5]

Their first production in 2010 was an adaption of the science fiction spoof Starstruck, [6] a stage play written by its director and star Elaine Lee and designed by illustrator Michael Wm. Kaluta. Lee wrote the new audio adaption, and participated in the voice cast along with her son, actor and comedian Brennan Lee Mulligan. After the success of this project, Lee joined Dufris and Axt as a co-producer in their successive productions.

Since 2010, the AudioComics Company has adapted comics projects like Starstruck, [7] Titanium Rain , [8] Molly Danger, [9] Perhapanauts , [10] and Locke & Key . [11] They expanded to production of new stories of Pulp magazine characters like The Domino Lady in 2012; [12] actor Karen Stilwell reprised this role in the 2013 adaption of Moonstone Comics' "Battle For LA", a team-up story starring other public domain heroes like The Black Bat, The Phantom Detective, Airboy, and Secret Agent X. [13] They continued into new pulp fiction starring detective Honey West, [14] adapted by Elaine Lee from a Moonstone Comics series she had created with artist Ronn Sutton. [15] The company branched into original genre fiction with adaptations of Tom Kirkbride's young adult book Gamadin [16] and Jeffery Deaver's thriller The Starling Project. [17]


ProductionWriterAudio AdaptationDirectorComposerProducerYear
Starstruck Elaine Lee Elaine Lee William Dufris Dwight DixonWilliam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2010
Horrorscopes Poe, Bradbury, Lovecraft, etc.William DufrisWilliam DufrisWillam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt2011
Titanium Rain Josh FinneyJosh FinneyWilliam DufrisJonathan SharpWilliam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2012
Honey West: Murder On MarsElaine LeeElaine LeeWilliam DufrisWilliam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2012
The Domino Lady Rich HarveyLance Roger AxtWilliam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2012
Battle For LAC.J. HendersonLance Roger AxtLance Roger AxtWilliam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2013
Molly Danger Jamal IgleLance Roger Axt and Elaine LeeWilliam DufrisFrankie SchulmyerWilliam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2013
GamadinTom KirkbrideElaine LeeWilliam DufrisMind's Eye ProductionsWilliam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2013
Perhapanauts Todd DezagoTodd Dezago and Elaine LeeWilliam DufrisWillam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2013
The Starling Project Jeffery Deaver Jeffrey DeaverWillam DufrisShockwaveWillam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2014
Locke & Key Joe Hill Elaine Lee and Fred GreenhalghWillam DufrisPeter Van RietWillam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee2015
The X-Files: Cold Cases Joe Harris Dirk MaggsWillam DufrisMark SnowDirk Maggs, Willam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Fred Greenhalgh2017

Notable contributors

William Dufris, a noted voice actor ( Spider-Man , Bob the Builder ) and audiobook reader, [18] has contributed Direction and Sound Design for the company, as well as co-production.

Lance Roger Axt, the director of Play it by Ear Productions, has written, directed, and co-produced. [19]

Elaine Lee, an Emmy-nominated actor and writer of the Starstruck and Galactic Girl Guides comics series, has written and co-produced adaptations. [20]

Illustrators Michael Wm. Kaluta and Lee Moyer have contributed new artwork as covers for adaptions.

Denise Poirier, the voice of Æon Flux, played the lead villain in the Starstruck audioplay.

Comics artist Jamal Igle ( Supergirl ) created artwork for the audio adaption of his creator-owned character, Molly Danger.

Alfred Molina ( Raiders of the Lost Ark , Spider-Man 2 ) played the lead role in Jeffery Deaver's The Starling Project.

The adaption of Locke & Key , based on the horror comic series by writer Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez, received widespread coverage noting the participation of actors Tatiana Maslany ( Orphan Black ), Haley Joel Osment ( The Sixth Sense ), and Kate Mulgrew ( Star Trek: Voyager ). [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]

"Dufris sets up group recordings akin to old-time radio productions—but on steroids. He brings all the actors together in the studio and records the sessions in real time, rather than recording each reader individually and then piecing the tracks together later." [26]

- Publishers Weekly


ContributorProduction or RoleYear
Elaine Lee co-producer, writer, voice actor for AudioComics Company2010-2015
Michael Wm. Kaluta cover artwork for "Starstruck"2010
Denise Poirier performing in "Starstruck"2010
Brennan Lee Mulligan performing in "Starstruck" and "Locke & Key"2010
Lee Moyer cover artwork for "Honey West" [27] 2012
Mark Sporaciocover artwork for "Battle For LA"2013
Jamal Igle cover artwork for "Molly Danger"2013
Tym Stevenscover artwork for "Gamadin" [28] 2013
Alfred Molina performing in "The Starling Project" [29] 2014
Haley Joel Osment performing in "Locke & Key"2015
Tatiana Maslany performing in "Locke & Key"2015
Kate Mulgrew performing in "Locke & Key"2015
Stephen King uncredited cameo in "Locke & Key" [30] 2015

Awards and nominations

Since 2010 The AudioComics Company has received several award nominations and awards, most notably in 2013 when it was nominated for and won awards for its production of Titanium Rain. The company has also won noted industry awards for Honey West, Perhapanauts, and The Starling Project.


AwardOrganisation/YearNominationWin
Audie Award Audio Publisher's Association/ 2013Best Audio Drama: Titanium Rain, Vol. 1Nomination [31]
Audie Award Audio Publisher's Association/ 2013Best Original Work: Titanium Rain, Vol. 1Nomination [32]
Silver Mark Time AwardThe American Society for Science Fiction Audio/ 2012 Titanium Rain, Vol. 1Won [33]
Earphones Award AudioFile Magazine/ 2013 Titanium Rain, Vol. 1Won [34]
Communicator Award of Excellence in AudioCommunicator Awards/ 2014 Honey West: Murder on MarsWon [35]
Silver Ogle AwardThe American Society for Science Fiction Audio/ 2013 Perhapanauts Won [36]
Earphones Award AudioFile Magazine/ 2014The Starling ProjectWon [37]

Critical response

About the AudioComics Company adaption of Molly Danger, Major Spoilers wrote, "the creators did an excellent job of bringing the world of Molly Danger to life between the ears. There’s solid acting from everyone." [38] Geekquality wrote, "Olivia DuFord as Molly Danger manages to capture a perfect blend of childlike sweetness and sad world weariness that are to be expected from a 30-something living as an eternal pre-teen." [39]

The Chicago Tribune wrote of The Starling Project, "this smart production makes full use of all that audio allows, employing actors who create distinctive voices" [40] AudioFile Magazine wrote of the production, "With its hypnotic musical score and sound effects of gunshots, squealing tires, and all-too-close explosions, listeners may believe they’re listening to a movie soundtrack." [41]

Of the adaptation of Locke & Key, Paste Magazine wrote that the audioplay was "an immersive sonic experience brought to life by a top-flight cast of voice actors including genre icons Kate Mulgrew, Tatiana Maslany, and Haley Joel Osment." [42] io9 wrote, "The production is a stunning adaptation." [43] SFFaudio wrote, "it’s a great story as a graphic novel, and this production successfully captures it, the flawless cast and rich sound adding a new and welcome dimension to the whole." [44]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haley Joel Osment</span> American actor (born 1988)

Haley Joel Osment is an American actor. Beginning his career as a child actor, Osment's role in the comedy-drama film Forrest Gump (1994) won him a Young Artist Award. His breakthrough came with the psychological thriller film The Sixth Sense (1999), which won him a Saturn Award and earned him nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He achieved further success with the drama film Pay It Forward (2000), the science fiction film A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) which won him a second Saturn Award, the comedy film Secondhand Lions (2003) which won him a Critics Choice Award, and the animated film The Jungle Book 2 (2003). He has voiced Sora in the Kingdom Hearts video game franchise since 2002, and voiced Vanitas in the same franchise from 2010 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IDW Publishing</span> American comic book publishing company

IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW) and is recognized as the fifth-largest comic book publisher in the United States, behind Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and Image Comics, ahead of other comic book publishers such as Archie, Boom!, Dynamite, Valiant, and Oni Press. The company is known for its licensed comic book adaptations of films, television shows, video games, and cartoons.

<i>Starstruck</i> (comics) American sci-fi comic book series

Starstruck is an American science fiction comic book series. It is based on the off-Broadway stage play of the same name written by Elaine Lee, with contributions from Susan Norfleet Lee and Dale Place. An audio drama has also appeared.

Elaine Lee is an American actress, playwright, producer, and writer, who specializes in graphic novels. She has also received recognition and awards for her work as a creator and producer of audio books and dramas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirk Maggs</span> British writer and director

David George Dirk Maggs is a British freelance writer and director. During his career as a Senior Producer in BBC Radio he made radio drama adopting a cinematic-sounding approach, combining filmic story construction, layered sound effects, orchestral music and digital recording technology. Maggs introduced productions in Dolby Surround in BBC Radio and termed the result, "Audio Movies".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatiana Maslany</span> Canadian actress (born 1985)

Tatiana Gabriele Maslany is a Canadian actress. She rose to prominence for playing multiple characters in the science-fiction thriller television series Orphan Black (2013–2017), which won her a Primetime Emmy Award (2016), two Critics' Choice Awards, and five Canadian Screen Awards (2014–2018). Maslany is the first Canadian to win an Emmy in a major dramatic category for acting in a Canadian series.

<i>The Vault of Horror</i> (comics) American comic series

The Vault of Horror was an American bi-monthly horror comic anthology series published by EC Comics in the early 1950s. Along with Tales from the Crypt and The Haunt of Fear, it formed a trifecta of popular EC horror anthologies. The Vault of Horror hit newsstands with its April/May 1950 issue and ceased publication with its December/January 1955 issue, producing a total of 40 issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Neely</span> American comics artist

Brad Neely is an American comic book artist and television writer/producer known for his work on television series such as South Park, China, IL and Brad Neely's Harg Nallin' Sclopio Peepio, the web series I Am Baby Cakes and The Professor Brothers, and Wizard People, Dear Reader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Lee</span> British comics writer, screenwriter, audio playwright, and novelist

Tony Lee is a British comics writer, screenwriter, audio playwright, and novelist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Dufris</span> American voice actor (1958–2020)

William Duffy known professionally as William Dufris or Bill Dufris, was an American voice actor and audiobook narrator.

<i>Shamans Tears</i>

Shaman's Tears was an American comic book series created by Mike Grell and published by Image Comics.

Play it by Ear Productions was an audio theatre production company devoted to the development and distribution of original plays for radio, the internet, and compact disc; the company was founded in 2002 by actor/playwright/producer Lance Roger Axt in New York City, New York. From July 1, 2003 - December 31, 2010, Play it by Ear Productions was based on the Central Coast of California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domino Lady</span> Comics character

The Domino Lady was a masked pulp heroine who first appeared in the May 1936 issue of Saucy Romantic Adventures.

<i>Titanium Rain</i> Limited series written by Josh Finney

Titanium Rain is a limited series published by Archaia Studios Press, written by Josh Finney, with art by Josh Finney and Kat Rocha.

<i>Locke & Key</i> American comic book series

Locke & Key is an American comic book series written by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodríguez, and published by IDW Publishing.

Starstruck is a 1980 science fiction comedy play written by Elaine Lee, with contributions from Susan Norfleet Lee and Dale Place. It was performed in New York City in 1980 and 1983, and spawned a graphic novel and comic book mini-series in 1984-85 and audioplays.

Lee Moyer is an American painter, illustrator, graphic designer, and web designer. Notable works include posters for musicians Tori Amos and Melissa Auf der Maur, as well as Laurel and Hardy paintings for the covers of their DVD box set collections, and the cover for the documentary Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown.

<i>Orphan Black</i> 2013 Canadian science fiction thriller television series

Orphan Black is a Canadian science-fiction thriller television series created by screenwriter Graeme Manson and director John Fawcett and starring Tatiana Maslany. The series focuses on Sarah Manning, one of several genetically identical human clones, and later on some of the other clones. The series raises issues about the moral and ethical implications of human cloning and its effect on identity.

<i>She-Hulk: Attorney at Law</i> 2022 Marvel Studios television miniseries

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is an American television miniseries created by Jessica Gao for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character She-Hulk. It is the eighth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It follows Jennifer Walters, a lawyer specializing in cases involving superhumans who also becomes the green superhero She-Hulk. Gao served as head writer and Kat Coiro led the directing team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Maslany</span> Canadian actor

Daniel Joseph Maslany is a Canadian actor, producer and composer. He is known for playing Bondurant Smit in CBC's offbeat and absurd comedy series Four in the Morning, Llewellyn Watts in the series Murdoch Mysteries and Townes Linderman in the series Impulse on YouTube Premium.

References

  1. ↑ "About AudioComics Company". ACC. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  2. ↑ "Comics Break the Sound Barrier". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Mighty Retailer Spotlight: The AudioComics Company" . Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  4. ↑ Emily Bowles. "Featured Member: Play it by Ear Productions", Fractured Atlas Blog, March 5, 2009.
  5. ↑ "About AudioComics Company Archived 2012-07-17 at the Wayback Machine ", ACC.
  6. ↑ "Starstruck: the recording (with casting) Archived 2016-02-02 at the Wayback Machine , ACC, April 29, 2010.
  7. ↑ Heidi MacDonald . "Starstruck Radio", The Beat, August 17, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Titanium Rain Comes To Audio Archived 2016-03-06 at the Wayback Machine ", Comic Related, June 23, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Molly Danger gets AudioComics treatment", Major Spoilers, April 2, 2013.
  10. ↑ "The Perhapanauts: Monsters Among Us, or, Chimaera Wanna Tellya Somethin'!", Audible release, December 24, 2013.
  11. ↑ "About Locke & Key", AudioComics Company, October, 2015.
  12. ↑ Ron Fortier. "Domino Lady: All's Fair In War", Pulp Fiction Reviews, May 3, 2012.
  13. ↑ Bobby Nash. "Audio Comics Takes the Battle to LA", ComixMix, August 27, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Honey West Murder on Mars", AudioFile Magazine, September, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Honey West: femme fatale adventure by Elaine Lee & Ronn Sutton", Comic Book Bin, March 4, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Gamadin Book Series Comes To AudioComics Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine ", ACC., December 7, 2012.
  17. ↑ Fred Greenhalgh. "Review: The Starling Project", Radio Drama Revival, November 26, 2014.
  18. ↑ "William Dufris", LinkedIn.
  19. ↑ "Lance Roger Axt", LinkedIn.
  20. ↑ "Elaine Lee", LinkedIn.
  21. ↑ Alex Zalben. "Locke & Key’ Is Coming Back — With Tatiana Maslany And An All-Star Cast", Mtv News, July 7, 2015
  22. ↑ Steve Foxe. "Welcome Back to Lovecraft: Joe Hill Talks Audible’s Locke & Key Audio Adaptation", Paste Magazine, October 5, 2015.
  23. ↑ Jonathon Dornbush. "Tatiana Maslany, Haley Joel Osment among cast for Locke & Key audio play", Entertainment weekly, July 7, 2015.
  24. ↑ Stacie Sells. "Take a Listen to Audible’s Locke & Key, Available for Free from Now Until November", The Mary Sue, October 5, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Locke & Key, Acclaimed Graphic Novel by Joe Hill, Reimagined in Audio by a Full Cast Featuring Haley Joel Osment and Tatiana Maslany", MarketWatch, October 5, 2015.
  26. ↑ Lance Eaton. "Comics Break the Sound Barrier", Publishers Weekly, March 7, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Honey West: Murder on Mars Archived 2015-10-18 at the Wayback Machine ", Lee Moyer Design & Illustration, 2012.
  28. ↑ "Tym Stevens", LinkedIn.
  29. ↑ Audible. "An Interview with Alfred Molina, Star of The Starling Project", Audible video, November 14, 2014.
  30. ↑ Alex Zalben. "Locke & Key’ Is Coming Back — With Tatiana Maslany And An All-Star Cast", Mtv News, July 7, 2015
  31. ↑ Brett Schenker. "Archaia's Titanium Rain Nominated For Audiobook Highest Honor", Graphic Policy, March 22, 2013
  32. ↑ "Daniel Handler to Emcee the Audie Awards Gala Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine ", Audio Publishers Association, February 20, 2013
  33. ↑ "The Mark Time Award Winners", The Mark Time Awards.
  34. ↑ "Titanium Rain", AudioFile Magazine, January, 2013.
  35. ↑ "20th Annual Communicator Award Of Excellence Winners", The Communicator Awards, 2014.
  36. ↑ "The Charles Ogle Award Winners", The Mark Time Awards.
  37. ↑ "The Starling Project", AudioFile Magazine, January, 2015.
  38. ↑ Stephen Schleicher. "Review: Molly Danger AudioComics", Major Spoilers, November 28, 2013.
  39. ↑ Tanya. "Review: Molly Danger Audiocomic", Geekquality, December 4, 2013.
  40. ↑ Jenni Laidman. "Audiobook roundup: Jeffery Deaver's 'Starling Project,' others", Chicago Tribune, December 18, 2014.
  41. ↑ "The Starling Project", AudioFile Magazine, January, 2015.
  42. ↑ Steve Foxe. "Welcome Back to Lovecraft: Joe Hill Talks Audible’s Locke & Key Audio Adaptation", Paste Magazine, October 5, 2015.
  43. ↑ Andrew Liptak. "Locke & Key Is Just As Haunting As An Audio Drama As It Is A Graphic Novel", io9, October 3, 2015
  44. ↑ Scott D. Danielson. "Review of Locke and Key", SFFaudio, October 7, 2015
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.