Graphic fiction publisher AWA announces strategic partnership with ILP

The graphic fiction publisher and entertainment studio Artists, Writers & Artisans (AWA) has announced a strategic partnership with International Literary Properties (ILP), a global company that invests in, acquires, manages and enhances literary estates.

The deal will allow AWA and ILP to collaborate on a slate of projects based on ILP’s roster of literary rights, including stories that originated in graphic fiction. ILP holds the rights works from writers including Langston Hughes, Ann Rule and George Simenon, as well as James M Cain, Georgette Heyer and Ngaio Marsh.

Details on the first collaboration between AWA and ILP will be shared in the coming months. Projects may include graphic fiction reimaginings of classic works from ILP’s library and titles from ILP’s library developed for film and television by AWA Studios.

This deal comes on the heels of the recent AWA release Gatsby, a wholly reimagined retelling of F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby by writer Jeremy Holt and artist Filipe Cunha.

Matthew Anderson, AWA co-chair and president, said: “ILP is a preeminent owner of literary rights with an incredible roster of authors and iconic works spanning a wide variety of genres. We saw a tremendous reaction to our latest reimagining of a classic tale, Gatsby, and see a big opportunity to work with ILP to introduce iconic stories to new audiences with a fresh spin be it in publishing, film, television or other formats.”

Hilary Strong, ILP c.e.o., UK and Europe, added: “ILP proactively manages the literary rights for a broad range of incredible authors whose iconic works span a wide variety of genres. Our creative approach to rights management means that we look for strategic partnerships which enable us to take our rich library of works to new audiences in the most creative of ways.

"ILP is delighted to announce our exciting new partnership with AWA, which allows us to explore the unique opportunities to reimagine the literary stories we hold originating in graphic fiction and develop them for film and television. We look forward to announcing the first project in due course and exploring further opportunities with AWA."