Comic licensees IDW and APE Entertainment have both confirmed to ICv2 that DreamWorks Animation’s recent announcement of a new in-house publishing operation will not affect their existing licensed properties.
DreamWorks announced the new imprint, DreamWorks Press, which will publish digital and print books for the children’s market based on the studio’s extensive IP library. This could include Shrek, Madagascar, How to Train Your Dragon, and Kung Fu Panda; as well as the properties in its "DreamWorks Classics" portfolio, which includes Harvey Comics characters, Veggie Tales, and Rocky & Bullwinkle (see "DreamWorks Acquires Classic").
However, DreamWorks has already licensed the comic rights for the famous moose & squirrel, along with other Jay Ward characters, to IDW Publishing early last year (see "IDW Gets 'Rocky and Bullwinkle'"). An IDW spokesperson confirmed that the DreamWorks announcement in no way affects their publishing plans, which includes the new Rocky & Bullwinkle comic (see "New 'Rocky & Bullwinkle' Comics").
APE Entertainment also has existing comic licenses with DreamWorks (see "Ape to Publish 'Megamind' & 'Kung Fu Panda 2' Comics"), though it currently only publishes comics for Kung Fu Panda and Penguins of Madagascar. A spokesperson for APE also confirmed that this will have no impact on their licenses.
ICv2 Asks the Comics Licensees
Posted by ICv2 on February 11, 2014 @ 10:57 pm CT
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