S&S Children's picks up graphic novel series from Abdo and Patterson

Simon & Schuster Children’s Books has acquired a three-book graphic novel series, Barb The Brave, by animators and childhood friends Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson.

Lucy Pearse, fiction editorial director, bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Stephanie Voros at Simon & Schuster US. The first book will be published in the UK in January 2022 in large-scale full-colour paperback. Book two will follow in a global launch, publishing simultaneously in the US, UK and Australia in April 2022.

The synopsis reads: "Barb is the last trained warrior in the land—she is very brave, always hungry, and her sword gives her super strength. Along with her best friend – a yeti called Porkchop — she has vowed to save the world from the evil Witch Head and an invasion of monsters."

Pearse said: "We are seeing the long-awaited boom in graphic novels begin to take off here in the UK and Barb is just the girl to join the quest! A funny, action-loving hero who always stands up to bullies, she will appeal instantly to fans of She-Ra and Disney’s Brave. Dan and Jason have been friends forever and their humour and talent leaps off the page – we are delighted to be publishing this fantastic kid-friendly series."

The author's commented: "We are overjoyed that Barb is swashbuckling her way into the UK and Australia! We hope young readers all over the world are going to love this brave Berzerker and her yeti friend, Porkchop, and want to join them for many more adventures."

For the past 10 years, Abdo and Patterson have developed numerous animated campaigns, network TV and web series. They have set up properties at Twentieth Century Fox, Disney, and Nickelodeon as well as a feature animated film through Paramount Pictures. Their work has appeared in print (Nickelodeon Comics, The New Yorker), theater (Pilobolus), and digital, and they are the creators of young reader graphic novel series Barry & Pancakes (First Second).