Here’s a surprise announcement from the world of traditional publishing: Naval Institute Press is starting up their own graphic novel imprint. Tentatively called “Dead Reckoning,” based on the navigation jargon, and set for a Fall 2018, launch, they’ll be publishing ” full-length original graphic novels and collections of classic comics with a special focus on military and naval history, military and naval biography, general history, and stories of the high seas.”
Naval Institute Press is the publishing department of the U.S Naval Institute, a non-profit who’s mission statement is “Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.”
They’re not lightweights in publishing, either. Particularly in the military and espionage fiction area. A couple of their more famous books are The Hunt for Red October, the first book in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series, and Flight of the Intruder, the debut novel for Stephen Coonts which launched it’s own series in the techno-thriller sub-genre.
If you’re looking for mainstream acceptance of the graphic novel format, this would be an indicator.
Official PR follows:
Naval Institute Press, the vaunted publisher of military histories and classics like The Hunt for Red October and Flight of the Intruder, announced today that it is diving into the world of graphic novel publishing.
Launching in Fall 2018, Dead Reckoning* will publish full-length original graphic novels and collections of classic comics with a special focus on military and naval history, military and naval biography, general history, and stories of the high seas. With both fiction and nonfiction narratives, Dead Reckoning* will expose a new audience to exceptional stories of service both past and present. Whether bringing to life true stories of heroism or plunging into the real-life complexities of national security through the safe confines of fiction, Dead Reckoning* will bring a unique new voice to the established world of graphic novel publishing.
“The audience for comics and graphic novels has been growing for years. As that audience has expanded, there’s been a growing demand for a greater variety in terms of the books being published,” said Gary Thompson, lead editor at Dead Reckoning*. “From Harvey Kurtzman’s Frontline Combat to Doug Murray & Michael Golden’s The ‘Nam, war stories have represented some of the highest quality storytelling the medium has to offer. We feel now is the time to make military themed comics a vibrant genre again and to introduce a whole new generation of graphic novel readers to the power of these stories.”
The U.S. Naval Institute, of which the Naval Institute Press is the book-publishing arm, has always had a mission to “provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.” With graphic novels, the Naval Institute can push forward its mission and achieve its objectives of enhancing the understanding of the contributions of the services and keeping alive the lessons of military history for current and future generations. This highly accessible format lets the Naval Institute Press reach a whole new audience for its mission.
“People have an intense interest in history,” said Thompson. “But even the most dedicated history enthusiasts can miss out on fascinating events because they can only be found in dense academic texts. With Dead Reckoning*, we aim to provide a wide array of entry points for historical events all over the world, using thrilling narratives that can put readers in the very shoes of the men and women who serve. Of course, we’ll also have a number of fiction titles that not only use these historical events as a backdrop but also convey the feeling and experiences of the men and women involved in these conflicts. I’m sure our readership will be a mix of people looking to learn more about particular events and people who are simply looking for entertaining stories in graphic novel form.”
Publishing consultant Sven Larsen believes the launch of Dead Reckoning* is a significant milestone in the emergence of graphic novels in the mainstream publishing world. “Graphic novels were once the ‘red-headed stepchild’ of the book publishing industry,” noted Larsen. “Now they’re the fastest growing part of the book business. Seeing a house as prestigious as the Naval Institute Press begin publishing in this medium confirms that the category is here to stay and reminds us that there remain a wide variety of stories still to be told. I’m sure future students of graphic novel history will look at the launch of Dead Reckoning* as one of those milestones that’s indicative of the medium ‘coming of age’ and tapping its full potential.”
The new imprint will launch with an initial list of five titles and then expand to 10-12 titles per year in 2019. Subject matter ranges from infamous settings like World War I and the Vietnam War to more recent conflicts like the war in Afghanistan as well as memoirs and biographies. Thompson notes that this is just the beginning for the imprint. “With all of history to draw from, readers will see a tremendous variety of subjects and settings for our books,” noted the editor. “We’re not even limited by events that actually happened. It wouldn’t surprise me if at some point we end up publishing a military-themed science fiction graphic novel or something equally innovative.”
“In navigation, a dead reckoning is a way to figure out where you are by taking a previously known position and then advancing it. That’s what we’re looking to do here—take what readers have previously known and enjoyed about war comics and use that to create what’s next for the genre.”
ABOUT DEAD RECKONING*
Dead Reckoning* is a publisher of graphic novels and an imprint of the Naval Institute Press, located in Annapolis, Maryland. It publishes nonfiction and fiction with a special focus on military and naval history, military and naval biography, general history, and stories of the high seas. It is committed to publishing new and established talents from the worlds of both independent and traditional comics while bringing the rich complexities of history and military service to an enthusiastic, sophisticated readership. http://www.deadreckoning.org*
ABOUT NAVAL INSTITUTE PRESS
The Naval Institute Press is the book-publishing arm of the U.S. Naval Institute. The Institute, established in 1873, is an independent, non-profit, membership association for sea service professionals and others who share an interest in naval and maritime affairs. http://www.usni.org
*Permission Pending
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