For Immediate Release

 

RUSE GETS A NEW WRITER
Scott Beatty to Take Over RUSE, As Mark Waid Departs

 

TAMPA, FL., June 13, 2002 - The adventures of master detective Simon Archard and his femme fatale assistant, Emma Bishop, have a new wordsmith at the helm in writer Scott Beatty, who will be taking over the writing chores for the title with issue #13. Current RUSE writer Mark Waid will be leaving the title.

Scott Beatty has written extensively for DC Comics with credits including Joker: Last Laugh, Robin: Year One, Robin, over 27 different issues of Secret Files, and the upcoming Batman: Gotham Knights beginning with issue #33. Beatty will not be relocating to Tampa as he will only be working on this single title, but will be writing from his home in Pennsylvania. He will be making frequent trips to the CrossGen studio to interact with the creative team and discuss the title's direction with head writer Barbara Kesel.

"Obviously, Mark helped to set the bar very high on RUSE," noted Beatty. "I'm quite excited to be following him on the book, and I very much look forward to working with Butch, Mike, and Laura in chronicling the continuing exploits of Simon and Emma."

Beatty was CrossGen's choice for replacement based on the extremely high recommendation of current CrossGen writer Chuck Dixon. Dixon has collaborated with Beatty in the past and has served as something of a mentor to him.

"The choice of Scott Beatty to take over RUSE was a natural from the start," said Dixon. "From his educational background to his deft grasp of characterization, he has all the requirements needed to chronicle the further adventures of Simon and Emma. He and I have worked together extensively and I was always amazed at his ability to drop in and perfectly nail the tone and 'voice' of any character. He's going to have fun on this book and I think readers will too."

While Mark Waid was the writer of the title, he enjoyed a fully collaborative relationship with the other members of the RUSE creative team. A difference of opinion on the future direction of the title led to Waid's decision to step down and allow a new writer to take his place.

"I greatly enjoyed working on RUSE during my run. Since the team wanted RUSE to go in a different direction than I did, we decided to part ways. It's unfortunate, but these things happen in a dynamic creative environment. I am pleased that someone I respect, such as Scott Beatty, has been chosen to take over the writing chores. I will very much miss working on RUSE, and I wish the team and CrossGen all the best of luck in the future."

Waid's influence on RUSE will last through issue #12. Beatty will take over the title full-time beginning with RUSE #13.

"In a perfect world, creators working together on the same project all have the same ideas, are all on the same page and work toward exactly the same vision," RUSE colorist Laura DePuy said.

"Unfortunately," added RUSE penciler Butch Guice, "it's not a perfect world and it doesn't always work out that way. Understanding that, the whole team is excited to welcome Scott Beatty aboard. He comes very highly regarded by Chuck and others, and from what we've seen so far, the book won't miss a beat."

Waid's departure ends his one and a half year tenure with CrossGen.

"As I've said many times before, Mark Waid has done a commendable job writing RUSE and the title would not be as widely-acclaimed without him helping his team launch it," said CrossGen Publisher and CEO Mark Alessi. "On behalf of the entire CrossGen staff, I want to thank him for his work on the title and wish him luck with all his future endeavors."

About CrossGeneration Comics, Inc.

CrossGeneration Comics is based just outside of Tampa, Florida. Since their initial launch on May 24, 2000, CrossGen Comics has set unprecedented sales records for a new start-up comics publisher by debuting nine releases on the comic book industry distributor's Top 100 sales list. Since then they have grown into the comic industry's fifth largest publisher. They were awarded the Diamond Gem Awards for Comic Publisher of the Year (2000 and 2001) Under 5% Market Share and New Publisher of the Year (2000). They were recently nominated in the category of Favorite Publisher in the 2001 Wizard Fan Awards. CrossGen Comics is unprecedented in that their entire line of comics is currently published in five foreign languages and in at least 26 foreign countries. They recently struck a long-term development deal with Branded Entertainment, a film and television production company helmed by long-time Batman film and animated feature executive producer Michael Uslan. CrossGen has also engaged Nancy Newhouse Porter, Chair of the Entertainment & New Media Group of the law firm of Weston, Benshoof, Rochefort, Rubalcava and MacCuish, as its entertainment attorney. She has worked on deals for films such as "Toy Story," "Toy Story 2," "Monsters Inc.," "Shrek" and most recently "Ice Age," and brings with her six years of business development experience at the Walt Disney Company, as well as a reputation for excellence recognized widely by studio heads in Hollywood. CrossGen will be the only comic book company that Newhouse Porter will be working with in this capacity. CrossGen has also reached an agreement with FOG Studios (www.fogstudios.com) giving them the task of forging relationships with publishers and developers of interactive games for the PC, consoles, handheld games, coin-operated games and others. Since 1979, the principles of FOG have placed more than 4,000 interactive titles into the marketplace and represented nearly 500 clients in the interactive gaming industry. The company has also opened the first publisher-owned online mall for its licensed apparel, products, collectibles and comics at www.crossgen.com. Their unique and innovative approach to comic book publishing is sure to make them a company to watch out for well into the new millennium. The CrossGen Comics, The First, Mystic, Sigil, Scion, Meridian, Crux, Sojourn, Ruse, Negation, The Path and Way of the Rat are available now in comic book specialty stores everywhere, with a different one on sale each Wednesday. Their next monthly title, Route 666, is coming in June. Most recently, CrossGen launched its landmark Internet offering, www.comicsontheweb.com, with partners including Lycos, Ifilm, YOUtopia.com, ucomics.com, Comicon.com, Grayhavenmagazine.com, Silverbulletcomicbooks.com, Herorealm.com, SlushFactory.com, ORCAFresh.net, SciFiRadioguy.com, and comixtreme.com. CrossGen has also joined companies like Sony, Tivo and ActiveX as a client of Mercury Media, the nation's largest media buyer, in a unique partnership aimed at proliferating Comics on the Web in multiple media markets.

 

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