Do you love the Rabbids as much as my kids do? Have you purchased the Rabbids gun and fire it off a million times a day? Marc Silvestri has one, and there are a number of you who we know enjoy playing the video games and watching the online animated series. You’re about to get a lot more Rabbids thanks to Papercutz.
The publisher has announced it has partnered with Ubisoft to publish a series of graphic novels featuring the Rabbids characters.
Originally appearing in the popular RAYMAN franchise, the Rabbids have become a genuine trans-media phenomenon. To date, RABBIDS video games have sold over 14 million copies worldwide, their videos have received over 77 million views on YouTube, and their Facebook page has almost 1.5 million likes. In 2013, the RABBIDS came to television, quickly becoming the #1 show in their timeslot and the #4 animated show on Nickelodeon. With a second season on the way from Nickelodeon, a major line of RABBIDS toys from McFarlane Toys launching earlier this year, and a trade publishing line debuting this fall from Simon & Schuster, the RABBIDS were perfectly positioned to make the jump to graphic novels.
“The Rabbids are bawdy and irreverent,” explained Papercutz Editor-In-Chief Jim Salicrup in a prepared statement. “But they’re not malicious. I think it’s that signature mix of unpredictable silliness and disregard for the rules that makes them appealing to kids and adults alike. That sense of no restrictions on their antics makes them perfectly suited for comics. With our ‘unlimited budgets’ we can place the Rabbids in any type of environment or situation we like, providing the perfect vehicle for fully exploiting the humorous potential of the Rabbids’ adventures.”
Instead of doing a big launch of the series, Papercutz has decided to follow the soft launch approach by handing out Rabbids promotional items (including giant magnets) at the convention. If you are a fan of the Rabbids, series writer Eric Esquivel will be at the Papercutz booth (#2546) on Friday and Saturday to sign items.
Rabbids #1: Bwaaaaaaaaaah! arrives October 1, 2014.