Legendary Comics teams with Eisner and GLAAD Award-nominated
writer Lilah Sturges for New Graphic Novel The Science of Ghosts
The original story centers around a transgender parapsychologist
and features artwork by award-winning
artist Alitha E. Martinez
LOS ANGELES, June 25, 2020 – Legendary Comics announced today a new original graphic novel, The Science of Ghosts, written by Eisner and GLAAD Award-nominated writer Lilah Sturges (Jack of Fables; Lumberjanes). The story—centered around Joy Ravenna, a transgender parapsychologist—will feature art by veteran comic book artist Alitha E. Martinez (known for her work on the Eisner Award winner Black Panther: World of Wakanda) and will be available in stores and online in Summer 2021.
While on the verge of losing a research grant that would jeopardize her academic life work, Joy Ravenna is approached by a wealthy young heiress who claims to have encountered malevolent paranormal activity at the family’s estate. As Joy, who is accustom to navigating the mysteries of the afterlife, dives deeper and deeper into the investigation, she comes face-to-face with the very real challenges of her own past and present—her first post-transition relationship with new girlfriend Cat, a hostile ex-wife, and clues to a murder long forgotten—that will test her at every twist and turn. For Joy, working with ghosts is way easier than dealing with the living.
“Having been a fan of Lilah and Alitha for so long, I am honored to be able to work with them on The Science of Ghosts,” said Jann Jones, the graphic novel’s editor for Legendary Comics. “Watching this come to life has been amazing, and I am very proud of this book. Authentic representation is important, and the world needs more characters like Joy and Cat.”
“The Science of Ghosts brings together so many things that fascinate me: psychology, dream logic, the symbolism of ghost narratives, and... queer love stories,” said Sturges. “It is certainly a horror story: it's chock-a-block with dark basements, abandoned hotels and ghosts a plenty. And it's also a murder mystery: twists and turns and clues and secrets
“I'm very much enjoying the worldbuilding and getting to know the characters that Lilah created,” said Martinez. “Illustrating new books provide their own unique challenges, and I love a challenge.”
Lilah Sturges is the writer of numerous comics, including the PRISM Award-winning Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass and The Magicians, as well as many other titles from DC, Marvel, IDW, and others. She lives in Austin, Texas with two daughters and two cats.
Alitha E. Martinez is the Einser Award and GLAAD Award winning artist of the Black Panther: World of Wakanda series. Her professional career began in 1999 penciling Iron Man for Marvel Entertainment. She has since worked on such titles as: X-Men: Black Sun; Marvel Age Fantastic Four; Black Panther and Black Panther: World of Wakanda; X-Men Gold Annual; Moon Girl; Mark Morales’ Spiderman; Fearless; Voltron; NBC’s Heroes; New 52 Bat Girl; Archie Comic’s New Crusaders and Riverdale; Omni for Humanoids; WWE Superstar, WWE Slam City, and Barbie for Paper Cutz. She has worked on graphic novels including: Vampire: My Boyfriend Bites; Kung Fu Masters; and Quest for Dragon Mountain for Lerner Publications, as well as political cartooning for the New York Post. In her spare time, she works on her creator-owned titles: Yume and Ever and Foreign, which she publishes through her company Ariotstorm Productions, LCC. Alitha is also a professor at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, as well as participates in the U.S. State Department’s World Speaker Program, traveling to parts unknown to teach comic book workshops and bring the art of storytelling to people who would have no other way of getting such information.
About Legendary Comics:
Legendary Comics was born out of a passion for mythic entertainment, seeking out new talent and working with the best and the brightest in the industry to create transportive worlds, inspirational characters, and spectacular adventures that leap off the page. Founded in 2011, Legendary Comics has produced an exciting catalogue of original titles that continues to grow and evolve. From partnerships with industry legend Frank Miller to Grant Morrison’s Eisner-nominated Annihilator, Legendary Comics has a passion for innovative new stories, including the fantasy graphic novel The Heart Hunter, the historical fiction story Championess (based on the true story of Elizabeth Wilkinson) and Jessica Chobot and Erika Lewis’ hit webseries, Firebrand: The Initiation of Natali Presano. In addition to original titles, Legendary Comics also expands the scope of the cinematic universes of its parent company Legendary Entertainment, by bringing big-screen adventure exploding onto the comic book page. Working with the visionary filmmakers and the architects of Legendary’s Monsterverse, they have delivered the level of quality and authenticity our fans demand with New York Times best-sellers such as Godzilla: Aftershock, Pacific Rim: Aftermath, and Skull Island: The Birth of Kong, to name a few. http://www.legendary.com/comics