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. Their productions have earned critical acclaim and awards in the United States and abroad, and have been cited as a "game changer" in the field of audio drama.
Overview
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.Emily Bowles. "Featured Member: Play it by Ear Productions", Fractured Atlas Blog, March 5, 2009. 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."About AudioComics Company ", ACC.
Their first production in 2010 was an adaption of the science fiction spoof Starstruck,"Starstruck: the recording (with casting) , ACC, April 29, 2010. 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,Heidi MacDonald . "Starstruck Radio", The Beat, August 17, 2010. Titanium Rain,"Titanium Rain Comes To Audio ", Comic Related, June 23, 2011. Molly Danger,"Molly Danger gets AudioComics treatment", Major Spoilers, April 2, 2013. Perhapanauts,"The Perhapanauts: Monsters Among Us, or, Chimaera Wanna Tellya Somethin'!", Audible release, December 24, 2013. and Locke & Key."About Locke & Key", AudioComics Company, October, 2015. They expanded to production of new stories of Pulp magazine characters like The Domino Lady in 2012;Ron Fortier. "Domino Lady: All's Fair In War", Pulp Fiction Reviews, May 3, 2012. 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.Bobby Nash. "Audio Comics Takes the Battle to LA", ComixMix, August 27, 2013. They continued into new pulp fiction starring detective Honey West,"Honey West Murder on Mars", AudioFile Magazine, September, 2012. adapted by Elaine Lee from a Moonstone Comics series she had created with artist Ronn Sutton."Honey West: femme fatale adventure by Elaine Lee & Ronn Sutton", Comic Book Bin, March 4, 2011. The company branched into original genre fiction with adaptations of Tom Kirkbride's young adult book Gamadin"Gamadin Book Series Comes To AudioComics ", ACC., December 7, 2012. and Jeffery Deaver's thriller The Starling Project.Fred Greenhalgh. "Review: The Starling Project", Radio Drama Revival, November 26, 2014.
Production Writer Audio Adaptation Director Composer Producer Year Starstruck Elaine Lee Elaine Lee William Dufris Dwight Dixon William Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2010HorrorscopesPoe, Bradbury, Lovecraft, etc. William Dufris William Dufris Willam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt 2011 Titanium Rain Josh Finney Josh Finney William Dufris Jonathan Sharp William Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2012Honey West: Murder On Mars Elaine Lee Elaine Lee William Dufris William Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2012 The Domino Lady Rich Harvey Lance Roger Axt William Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2012Battle For LA C.J. Henderson Lance Roger Axt Lance Roger Axt William Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2013 Molly Danger Jamal Igle Lance Roger Axt and Elaine Lee William Dufris Frankie Schulmyer William Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2013Gamadin Tom Kirkbride Elaine Lee William Dufris Mind's Eye Productions William Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2013Perhapanauts Todd Dezago Todd Dezago and Elaine Lee William Dufris Willam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2013The Starling ProjectJeffery Deaver Jeffrey Deaver Willam Dufris Shockwave Willam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2014 Locke & Key Joe Hill Elaine Lee and Fred Greenhalgh Willam Dufris Peter Van Riet Willam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Elaine Lee 2015The X-Files: Cold CasesJoe Harris Dirk Maggs Willam Dufris Mark Snow Dirk Maggs, Willam Dufris, Lance Roger Axt, Fred Greenhalgh 2017
Notable contributors
William Dufris, a noted voice actor (Spider-Man, Bob the Builder) and audiobook reader,"William Dufris", LinkedIn. 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."Lance Roger Axt", LinkedIn.
Elaine Lee, an Emmy-nominated actor and writer of the Starstruck and Galactic Girl Guides comics series, has written and co-produced adaptations."Elaine Lee", LinkedIn.
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).Alex Zalben. "Locke & Key’ Is Coming Back — With Tatiana Maslany And An All-Star Cast", Mtv News, July 7, 2015Steve Foxe. "Welcome Back to Lovecraft: Joe Hill Talks Audible’s Locke & Key Audio Adaptation", Paste Magazine, October 5, 2015.Jonathon Dornbush. "Tatiana Maslany, Haley Joel Osment among cast for Locke & Key audio play", Entertainment weekly, July 7, 2015.Stacie Sells. "Take a Listen to Audible’s Locke & Key, Available for Free from Now Until November", The Mary Sue, October 5, 2015."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.
Contributor Production or Role Year Elaine Lee co-producer, writer, voice actor for AudioComics Company 2010-2015 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""Honey West: Murder on Mars ", Lee Moyer Design & Illustration, 2012. 2012 Mark Sporacio cover artwork for "Battle For LA" 2013 Jamal Igle cover artwork for "Molly Danger" 2013 Tym Stevens cover artwork for "Gamadin""Tym Stevens", LinkedIn. 2013 Alfred Molina performing in "The Starling Project"Audible. "An Interview with Alfred Molina, Star of The Starling Project", Audible video, November 14, 2014. 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"Alex Zalben. "Locke & Key’ Is Coming Back — With Tatiana Maslany And An All-Star Cast", Mtv News, July 7, 2015 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.
Award Organisation/Year Nomination Win Audie Award Audio Publishers Association/ 2013 Best Audio Drama: Titanium Rain, Vol. 1 NominationBrett Schenker. "Archaia's Titanium Rain Nominated For Audiobook Highest Honor", Graphic Policy, March 22, 2013 Audie Award Audio Publishers Association/ 2013 Best Original Work: Titanium Rain, Vol. 1 Nomination"Daniel Handler to Emcee the Audie Awards Gala ", Audio Publishers Association, February 20, 2013 Silver Mark Time Award The American Society for Science Fiction Audio/ 2012 Titanium Rain, Vol. 1 Won"The Mark Time Award Winners", The Mark Time Awards. Earphones Award AudioFile Magazine/ 2013 Titanium Rain, Vol. 1 Won"Titanium Rain", AudioFile Magazine, January, 2013. Communicator Award of Excellence in Audio Communicator Awards/ 2014 Honey West: Murder on Mars Won"20th Annual Communicator Award Of Excellence Winners", The Communicator Awards, 2014. Silver Ogle Award The American Society for Science Fiction Audio/ 2013 Perhapanauts Won"The Charles Ogle Award Winners", The Mark Time Awards. Earphones Award AudioFile Magazine/ 2014 The Starling Project Won"The Starling Project", AudioFile Magazine, January, 2015.
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."Stephen Schleicher. "Review: Molly Danger AudioComics", Major Spoilers, November 28, 2013. 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."Tanya. "Review: Molly Danger Audiocomic", Geekquality, December 4, 2013.
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"Jenni Laidman. "Audiobook roundup: Jeffery Deaver's 'Starling Project,' others", Chicago Tribune, December 18, 2014. 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.""The Starling Project", AudioFile Magazine, January, 2015.
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."Steve Foxe. "Welcome Back to Lovecraft: Joe Hill Talks Audible’s Locke & Key Audio Adaptation", Paste Magazine, October 5, 2015. io9 wrote, "The production is a stunning adaptation."Andrew Liptak. "Locke & Key Is Just As Haunting As An Audio Drama As It Is A Graphic Novel", io9, October 3, 2015 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."Scott D. Danielson. "Review of Locke and Key", SFFaudio, October 7, 2015
References
External links Official homepage