Markosia Unveils Serial Artist


Typically, when someone is described as "serial," it's usually in reference to their penchant for demonstrating psychopathic tendencies manifested in a spate of killings. In Markosia's case, they prefer to use to the term to describe someone else. Serial Artist is the chilling story of a fine arts gallery painter who has declared to the world that the subjects of his paintings are his murder victims and that all the clues necessary to solve his crimes are hidden in his works of art. Approached in the fumetti style, the 152 page graphic novel was photographed and painted by Netherlands-based artist Kevin Storm and written by American creator Robert Randle, who also provided the artwork for the Serial Artist’s controversial paintings.

“Markosia is very pleased to be the company to publish Serial Artist,” says publisher Harry Markos. “The book seems to have had a pretty profound effect on everyone who has read it so far, and I’m glad for the opportunity to share that experience with readers around the world.”

It’s one part fast-paced murder mystery, one part mind-bending meditation on the decay of western civilization and one part tour through the roiling psychosis of a disturbed young painter. Mix in the guiding hand of the I-Ching, render the illustrations using Adobe Photoshop, and you get Serial Artist, a four-part, underground graphic novel that strikes uncomfortably close to home. And that home is America: a capitalistic, parasitic, self-indulgent totem of rampant materialism, whose once-world renowned value system has spun off its axis and now breeds a race of slouching, mindless dependents. Here in the long shadow of the leviathan, the basest impulses govern existence, and the wanton pursuit of excess has sown the seeds for the empire’s own eventual reckoning. From the churning bile of this mire emerges a once-in-a-generation figure, a firebrand visionary whose métier is the deification of murder and whose rabid fan base brings new meaning to the term “cult following.”

The Serial Artist softcover will debut in March 2014 retailing for 
£14.99p/$18.99 and will be simultaneously released digitally in both graphic novel format for $4.99 and as four individual chapters for 99 cents each through ComiXology, iVerse, DriveThruComics, and other platforms. Additionally the Serial Artist graphic novel will be available on the Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Google play, Nook and iBooks.

Full press release below.
Markosia Unveils Serial Artist This March 
A Darkly Existential, Multi-Faceted Crime Epic With A Disturbing Premise That Could Be Ripped From The Headlines... Any Day Now.
Hertfordshire, England (February 10th, 2014) – Known as a bastion for challenging graphic fiction, Markosia Enterprises has given a home to the genre-defying photonovella Serial Artist; the chilling story of a fine arts gallery painter who has declared to the world that the subjects of his paintings are his murder victims and that all the clues necessary to solve his crimes are hidden in his works of art. Approached in the fumetti style, the 152 page graphic novel was photographed and painted by Netherlands-based artist Kevin Storm and written by American creator Robert Randle, who also provided the artwork for the Serial Artist’s controversial paintings.
It’s one part fast-paced murder mystery, one part mind-bending meditation on the decay of Western Civilization, and one part tour through the roiling psychosis of a disturbed young painter. Mix in the guiding hand of the I Ching, render the illustrations using Adobe Photoshop, and you get Serial Artist, a four-part, underground graphic novel that strikes uncomfortably close to home.
And that home is America: a capitalistic, parasitic, self-indulgent totem of rampant materialism, whose once-world renowned value system has spun off its axis and now breeds a race of slouching, mindless dependents. Here in the long shadow of the leviathan, the basest impulses govern existence, and the wanton pursuit of excess has sown the seeds for the empire’s own eventual reckoning. From the churning bile of this mire emerges a once-in-a-generation figure, a firebrand visionary whose métier is the deification of murder and whose rabid fan base brings new meaning to the term “cult following.”
Serial Artist is a power-trip journey that ensnares readers by weaving the ultimate fantasy of not just upsetting the dominant paradigm but destroying it—not just calling evil by its name, but sliding the blade in between the ribs and giving a twist. It is the rare book that speaks truth to power, confronts the cancerous cysts of celebrity-worship, and wrestles with the grim
trappings of unbridled privilege. When you finally set it down, the world is somehow a darker
generation figure, a firebrand visionary whose métier is the deification of murder and whose rabid fan base brings new meaning to the term “cult following.”
Serial Artist is a power-trip journey that ensnares readers by weaving the ultimate fantasy of not just upsetting the dominant paradigm but destroying it—not just calling evil by its name, but sliding the blade in between the ribs and giving a twist. It is the rare book that speaks truth to power, confronts the cancerous cysts of celebrity-worship, and wrestles with the grim trappings of unbridled privilege. When you finally set it down, the world is somehow a darker place.
-From Benjamin Shaffer’s “He is the Thing that Shouldn’t Exist” Fumetti, I-Ching, and Americanism: the story of Serial Artist
“Markosia is very pleased to be the company to publish Serial Artist,” says publisher Harry Markos. “The book seems to have had a pretty profound effect on everyone who has read it so far, and I’m glad for the opportunity to share that experience with readers around the world.”
The Serial Artist soft cover will debut in March 2014 retailing for
£14.99p / $18.99 and will be simultaneously released digitally in both graphic novel format for $4.99 and as four individual chapters for 99 cents each through ComiXology, iVerse, DriveThruComics, and other platforms. Additionally the Serial Artist graphic novel will be available on the Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Google play, Nook, and iBooks.
A free seven page preview is available to view at: http://www.markosia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Serial-Artist-Preview.pdf and is currently available for download on iVerse Media’s ComicsPlus app platform: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/comics-+/id323397665?mt=8
   
Praise for Serial Artist:
"Robert and Kevin have crafted a gripping, disturbing, and challenging take on society's obsession with celebrity and violence -- I couldn't put the book down. Check it out, but be ready to be up till the wee hours of the morning -- and to be thinking about it days later."
-Mark Powers (Drafted, This Haunted World, G.I. Joe)
“With its stunning photo-artwork and startling divinatory layouts, Serial Artist is what books about serial killers should be, but rarely are. So powerfully written I found it hard to get through ... but read it until the end and then think about the truly horrific implications. Amazing work.”
-Steve Moore (Hercules, Somnium)
"Randle and Storm have crafted a grisly, thought provoking piece of work. The kind of book that stays with you for weeks after finishing it. Do not wait. Read it now. With the lights ON. "
- Joshua Hale Fialkov (I, Vampire, Echoes, Tumor)
“Serial Artist features great writing from Robert Randle that would make CSI and Dexter fans feel right at home and Kevin Storm’s visceral artwork will bring back memories of McKean’s work on “Arkham Asylum”. Highly Recommended!”
-Peter Simeti (Publisher, Alterna Comics)
Consumers wishing to place pre-orders can do so on Markosia’s website (http://www.markosia.com/titles/serial-artist/). Retailers seeking wholesale purchases should contact Quick Comics (http://www.quickcomics.com ) for US or Canadian based stores or UK Comics (http://ukondisplay-com.mybigcommerce.com/products.php?product=Serial-Artist) for those based in Europe. Exclusive editions can also be created for interested parties.
   
About Markosia
Markosia was established in 2005 and has become one of the UK’s leading publishers of graphic novels. Based in London, it has gained a reputation for producing a diverse range of comic books and graphic novels that cover almost all genres, with the highest possible production values.
Some of the creators that have worked on Markosia titles include ‘Midnight Kiss’ artist Ryan Stegman (Superior Spider-Man), ‘Starship Troopers’ artist Neil Edwards (Fantastic Four), ‘Of Bitter Souls’ artist Norm Breyfogle (Batman), ‘Dark Mists’ artist Lee Garbett (Batman),‘Scatterbrain’ artist Szymon Kudranski (30 Days of Night) and many more.
Their varied range continues to impress as the company goes from strength to strength. 2014 promises to be the most exciting year to date for this dynamic company as they embark on a range of thrilling new ventures designed to take them to even greater heights as they strive to take their stories to the masses.
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