Virgin turned to Liquid

Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times reports that Virgin Comics, publishers of the new Dan Dare, are definitely no more, and that visitors to the Virgin web site are now directed to Liquid Comics.

The good news appears to be that the Eagle hero is, currently, still one of the characters listed as continuing with the publisher that has bought Virgin Comics' assets. The online web comic of the first issue is still running on the updated, if spartan, web site.

"This is the news that Virgin editor-in-chief Gotham Chopra was hinting at when I spoke to him a few weeks ago," Boucher reports."...I exchanged e-mails this morning with Gotham Chopra (who is the son of author Deepak) and he told me about some other things coming up that I will be able to share with you soon. Essentially, though, my sense is that he, publisher Sharad Devarajan and their team have lost the corporate backing of Branson's sprawling Virgin empire (which is grappling with the grim financial realities of the day) but that they were in comic-book business before they had Branson as a partner and they will solider now without the British conglomerate."

Liquid Comics completed the management buyout of Virgin Comics this week, led by the founding management team of Gotham Chopra, Sharad Devarajan and Suresh Seetharaman. In a press release on the web site, Liquid Comics says it will continue to develop innovative digital, film, animation, and gaming projects for its original character, stories and other properties.

Commenting on the change, Sharad Devarajan said, "Virgin Group has been a fantastic partner with whom to work and together we have established a strong foundation of great character properties and media partnerships.

We remain fully committed to continuing our mission to provide a home for innovative creators and storytellers across the world."

Virgin Group senior vice president of corporate development Dan Porter added, "The management team has a track record of great relationships with artists and media partners. Under this new ownership structure, the company is well positioned for future growth in the rapidly changing global comic space. As Virgin Group focuses on its core activities in North America, we wish them well in building their exciting business."

Founded in 2005, Virgin Comics forged partnerships with Warner Brothers, New Regency, Sony Online Entertainment, Sci Fi Channel, Studio 18, UTV and others. Under the new Liquid Comics name, the management team plans to proceed with a number of the projects previously announced as Virgin Comics and will make announcements shortly regarding those projects and the restructured launch dates.

Most of the Virgin titlesare still listed on the site, including Dan Dare, Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper, John Woo's Seven Brothers, and scifi title The Stranded.

More news as we get or find it!