Urban Comics

Current Personnel

Vincent Montagne : President (all Media Participations group which includes Urban Comics)

François Hercouët : Editor-in-Chief

Charlène Lecaque : Marketing Development and Communications

History

In 2011, Panini Comics France lost the rights of both DC and Vertigo catalogs. At the time, DC is looking for a new editor because Panini Comics France doesn't used DC as far as Marvel that the editor publish too.

Media Participations took the rights of the DC Comics catalogs include Vertigo, MAD, DC Classic Universe, New 52 and Beyond the New 52. And the owner of Dargaud, Dupuis, Le Lombard historic BD editors created the new Urban Comics, specially for capitalize on the new infatuation of the american BD called comics in France.

In January 2012, Urban Comics started his catalog with a big Watchmen edition with the traduction of Jean-Patrick Manchette like it was initialy published in the late eighties by Zenda editor as "Les Gardiens". In 2007 and later in 2009, Panini Comics reissued the comic-book with an all-new traduction but it wasn't as good as the original version. This comic-book is the first of the "DC Essentiels" collection, later joined by Kingdom Come, All-Star Superman, The Dark Knight Returns, and more.

In February 2012, Urban Comics started three new collections as "DC Anthologie" with the DC Comics Anthologie (which contain stories as Flash of Two Worlds, The Origins of Batman (from Batman #47 of June 1948), Tygres (from Green Lantern Corps Annual #2) and others), "DC Classiques" with the first volumes of Black Mirror ("Sombre Reflet") of Scott Snyder, Superman's Superfiction (never published as collected editions in USA) and finally Wonder Woman's Odyssey ("Odyssée"). The editor published his first Vertigo collection with "Vertigo Classique" with the first volumes of "Les Dossiers d'Hellbazer" (collect some spin-off stories of the original serie), "Le Soldat Inconnu" (Unknow Soldier) and Top 10.

In February to April 2012,Urban Comics published three new magazines of two or three issues each : Flashpoint (three issues which contain Road to Flashpoint, Flashpoint, and the Batman and Superman tie-ins), Batman Showcase (two issues with the second half of Batman Incorporated in the first one because Panini Comics began the publication but don't ended it in magazines and the Batman & Robin's White Knight arc plus Batman & Robin #26), Green Lantern Showcase (two issues which collected the War of the Green Lanterns storyline). On May the 25th, UC started three on-going magazines based on the New 52 : Batman Saga (with Batman, Batgirl, Detective Comics and Batman & Robin), Green Lantern Saga (Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern : New Guardians, Red Lanterns) and DC Saga (Justice League, Superman, Supergirl, Flash). DC Saga later splited into two magazines as Superman Saga (Superman, Supergirl, Action Comics,Superman Unchained, Superman/Wonder Woman, Batman/Superman) and Justice League Saga (Justice League, Justice League Dark, Justice League of America, Green Arrow, Flash, Earth-2).

In June 2012, Urban Comics started his "DC Renaissance" collection which volumes collected New 52 series. The first series were Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Catwoman and Justice League. The same month, Grant Morrison présente Batman started the "DC Signatures" collection with a goal of collected the entire run of an anthor on multiple volumes. Always in June 2012, We3 ("Nou3") was published in the all-new Vertigo Deluxe collection.

In July 2012, the ephemeral DC Kids collection collected three comics spin-off of Batman, The Brave and The Bold animated serie under the title of "Batman, l'Alliance des Héros", and the same month "La Revanche de Bane" was published and collected multiple stories on Bane, it was the first "DC Nemesis" volume.

In September 2012, there was two "DC Premium" volumes published : Arkham Asylum (with the game) and Tower of Babel ("La Tour de Babel") with the animated movie "Justice League : Doom". The collection is now cancelled. The editor sell the animated movies in their comic counterpart's first impression. For the games, it's always on PC version and with the comics of the "Urban Games" collection started in 2015 with Injustice.

In November 2012, Urban Comics published "MAD présente Batman" as the first volume in the MAD collection.

In December 2012, the DC Deluxe collection started with Batman Noël of Lee Bermejo.

In January 2013, the Urban Indies collection started with Casanova.

In October 2013, the DC Archives collection started with the first volume of Kamandi.

In November 2013, the Urban Books collection started with the Superman Cover to Cover adaptation.

In May 2014, Urban Comics published some Black & White 75th aniversary edition for Batman. It was a worldwide premiere, since that, DC began to publish the same B&W in english obviously.

In November 2014, Urban Comics started a new label called "Suzarette" which contain the My Little Pony comic book. The same month was published the first volume of the Arrow comics in the new collection Urban Series.

Politic of Edition

Urban Comics editorial politic is about the author. The author have a large place and Urban have some good connections with them. On French convention, the editor have already present Lee Bermejo, Jock, Eddy Barrows, Scott Snyder, Sean Murphy, David Finch, Peter Tomasi and others to the fans.

The collected edition of Urban Comics are always hardcover. The standard ones are black and matte.

Urban Comics published some magazines like Batman Saga, Superman Saga, Justice League Saga or Green Lantern Saga (recently became trimestrial). The mensual magazine and their special issues contain the equivalent of 5 to 6 US issues for the low price of 5 € 60. Green Lantern Saga collect the equivalent of 7 to 9 US issues for only 6 € 50.