A report out of Forbes has announced that Dark Horse Comics and Studio MDHR are teaming up to deliver an original Cuphead graphic novel in Summer 2020 — Cuphead: Comic Capers & Curios.
The graphic novel is being written by Zack Keller and drawn by Shawn Dickinson. Cuphead’s story picks up after the end of his and his brother Mugman’s adventures in the video game were they won their souls back from Satan. Fans can expect to see their two favorite 1930s porcelain headed whipper snappers in new adventures on the Inkwell Isles.
“The world of Cuphead feels so alive because literally anything can come to life,” said Keller in a statement to Forbes. “I strove to capture the spirit of the original game — a celebration of the wonderful, inventive, and often bizarre early days of animation — while digging into what happens to Cuphead and his pals when they’re not walloping one another (and sometimes when they are!). Studio MDHR created such memorable, instantly iconic bosses, that I couldn’t help but use nearly every single one in the book. It truly was swell writing for such a fan-favorite franchise. I hope folks enjoy another run and gun through this jazz and ink wonderland.”
It was revealed in July of this year that Netflix will be adapting Cuphead into a new comedic animated series called The Cuphead Show!. There’s no word available on when the show is expected to premiere.
The extremely popular and difficult side-scroller indie game arrived in 2017 from Studio MDHR and became an instant hit, selling over 4 million copies worldwide in just over two years time. Cuphead has won numerous awards since its release, including Best Debut, Best Independent Game, and Best Art Direction at the 2017 Game Awards. The game is also highly regarded for its beautiful hand drawn art.
“As a fan of traditional 1930’s animation, I’m excited to see Cuphead continue to gain popularity,” Dickinson said. “From the very first moment I saw Cuphead, I fell in love with the aesthetic elements of it, because although it’s a video game (an otherwise digital medium), I personally enjoy looking at all of the hand-made artwork involved: hand-drawn and inked animation, painted watercolor backgrounds, even a real jazz orchestra providing the soundtrack. It all comes alive so well, and these characters are so visually appealing, that they lend themselves to comic books perfectly. I’m THRILLED to draw stories featuring these characters because it feels as though I’m working with some of my favorite classic cartoon stars…and it’s really fun!”
Cuphead: Comic Capers & Curios goes on sale June 17, 2020.
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