As first revealed in the AT&T U-Verse documentary “Comic Book Artists: Next Generation,” about the Toronto-based collective artists studio, the Royal Academy of Illustration and Design (also known as RAID Studios), award-winning publisher BOOM! Studios is pleased to announce Joyride, an upcoming original series from its Archaia imprint created by the Hacktivist team of artist Marcus To and writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing.
Based on an idea To had when he was in high school, the project was developed jointly by the trio after they enjoyed working with each other on Hacktivist, the Archaia series from earlier this year created by actress and activist Alyssa Milano. In Joyride, when the Earth of the future becomes a totalitarian nightmare, three free-thinking teenagers bust free and discover real freedom in the vast reaches of unexplored space.
“Marcus is an incredibly talented artist we’ve seen evolve by leaps and bounds on Hacktivist and on Cyborg 009 before that, so when he, Collin, and Jackson approached us for a new original series with teenagers rocketing through space, we couldn’t turn it down,” said BOOM! Studios President of Publishing and Marketing Filip Sablik. “Their chemistry was so great on Hacktivist; it’s nice to see the old band back together with Jackson and Collin writing and Marcus on art. It’s going to be a blast, and we can’t wait to take everyone along for the ride.”
“Joyride is the culmination of everything I love about comics,” said To. “We’re excited to tell relevant stories that engage our young and boisterous fans.”
“This is the book we’ve been dying to write,” said Kelly and Lanzing. “Joyride is about friendship, anarchy, punk rock, and freedom—about following your heart, even when it leads you into the vast unknown. Working with Marcus on Hacktivist was incredible, but creating a new universe alongside him has given us a whole new appreciation for his talent. We’re insanely excited to be back at Archaia, telling new stories and exploring totally bonkers new worlds.”
Additional details, including a release date, will be revealed at a later time.