Extra Support For Top Shelf

By pghhead -

NOTES:  It was less than a year ago that Top Shelf published CENTURY, the latest League of Extraordinary Gentlemen tale by Alan Moore.  That was my first introduction to Top Shelf Comix, an independent company dedicated to bringing worthy independent works to publication.  Shortly after that  I discovered great reading by Robert Vendetti, Jeff Lemire and others.  It’s great to see a small company get an influx of capital to help with future growth and ensure that they can continue to do what they do best.  It’s also encouraging to learn that the principal owners who started the business will continue to have control of the company.  What follows is an excerpt from the official Top Shelf press release:

January 13, 2010 - - - Atlanta / Portland / New York - -  Co-Publishers Chris Staros and Brett Warnock of independent graphic novel and comic book publisher Top Shelf Productions (www.topshelfcomix.com) announced today that it has entered into a capital investment deal with new media entrepreneur John S. Johnson, and independent film producer Anthony Bregman.

top shelf logo

Johnson, and Likely Story, Bregman’s film production company, have purchased a 33% interest in Top Shelf Productions, Inc.  Johnson will join the board of Top Shelf, and Likely Story will get a first-look deal for all new Top Shelf publications for possible film and TV development.

This deal represents a supportive investment in the company; one that leaves Chris Staros and Brett Warnock as majority stockholders (and firmly in control of the company), but also brings to bear the resources, skills and connections of John and Anthony in helping the company expand and grow over time.

too_cool_to_be_forgotten

The first project slated for development by Likely Story is Alex Robinson’s critically acclaimed “Too Cool To Be Forgotten,” named one of Amazon.com’s Top Ten Graphic Novels of the Year and considered his best work to date.

“Too Cool To Be Forgotten” tells the story of a 40-something father of two who undergoes hypnosis therapy to quit smoking, only to transport back to 1985 and his formative years as a gangly, awkward teenager.  Forced to live through his high school years with all the knowledge of his later life; uncertain whether he is destined to relive the mistakes of his past or if he has been given a second chance to get things right.

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