In 2006, Lerner Publishing Group created the Graphic Universe imprint for the purpose of publishing graphic novels for young and developing readers. Initial series included Graphic Myths and Legends (sequential retellings of famous myths from around the world) and Twisted Journeys (an interactive fiction series similar in nature to Choose Your Own Adventure, done in a mix of prose and comics storytelling). The imprint later began to publish a variety of foreign children's comics in translations and many award-winning creator-owned graphic novels.
Graphic Myths and Legends
Graphic Myths and Legends is the first series published by Graphic Universe. There are currently a total of 27 titles in the series. The books are full-color comic retellings of famous myths from around the world, including Hercules and Amaterasu. The series has the trade byline of "Supreme artwork and storytelling." Graphic Myths and Legends is drawn and inked by some of the top artists in the industry.
Ali Baba : Fooling the Forty ThievesAmaterasu : Return of the SunArthur & Lancelot : The Fight for CamelotAtalanta : The Race against DestinyBeowulf : Monster SlayerDemeter & Persephone : Spring Held HostageGuan Yu : Blood Brothers to the EndHercules : The Twelve LaborsThe Hero Twins : Against the Lords of DeathIsis & Osiris : To the Ends of the EarthJason : Quest for the Golden FleeceKing Arthur : Excalibur UnsheathedMarwe : Into the Land of the DeadOdysseus : Escaping Poseidon's CursePerseus : The Hunt for Medusa's HeadPigling : A Cinderella StoryPsyche & Eros : The Lady and the MonsterRobin Hood : Outlaw of Sherwood ForestSinbad : Sailing into PerilThe Smoking Mountain : The Story of Popocatépetl and IztaccíhuatlSunjata : Warrior King of MaliTheseus : Battling the MinotaurThor & Loki : In the Land of GiantsTristan & Isolde : The Warrior and the PrincessThe Trojan Horse : The Fall of TroyWilliam Tell : One against an EmpireYu the Great : Conquering the FloodTwisted Journeys is an interactive fiction series similar in nature to Choose Your Own Adventure, done in a mix of written and comic format. Some pages are done in a comic layout, and others are done in novel format. Traditional drawing, inking, coloring, and lettering techniques are used throughout.
1 - Captured by Pirates2 - Escape from Pyramid X3 - Terror in Ghost Mansion4 - The Treasure of Mount Fate5 - Nightmare on Zombie Island6 - The Time Travel Trap7 - Vampire Hunt8 - Alien Incident on Planet J9 - Agent Mongoose and the Hypno-Beam Scheme10 - The Goblin King11 - Shipwrecked on Mad Island12 - Kung Fu Masters13 - School of Evil14 - Attack of the Mutant Meteors15 - Agent Mongoose and the Attack of the Giant Insects16 - The Quest for Dragon Mountain17 - Detective Frankenstein18 - Horror In Space19 - The Fifth Musketeer20 - Peril in Summerland Park21 - Safari Survivor22 - Hero CityGraphic Universe also publishes foreign titles in translation, usually from French.
The ElseWhere Chronicles (originally Les Enfants d'ailleurs)WalukWilliam and the Lost SpiritFirst Man: Reimagining Matthew HensonTerrorist: Gavrilo Princip, the Assassin Who Ignited World War IMarco Polo: The Silk RoadHotel StrangeLou!Mortensen's EscapadesMr. Badger and Mrs. FoxA Game for SwallowsA Bag of MarblesI Remember BeirutThe Other Side of the WallTao, the Little SamuraiThe Little PrinceTib & TumtumWhere's Leopold?A Bag of Marbles by Joseph Joffo, Kris, and Vincent Bailly [Best Reality-Based Work]BirdCatDog by Lee Nordling & Meritxell Bosch [Best Publication for Early Readers]The Ferret's a Foot by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue [Best Publication for Kids]A Bag of Marbles by Joseph Joffo, Kris, and Vincent BaillyBelieve Your Eyes by Cori Doerrfeld and Tyler PageThe Ferret's a Foot by Colleen AF Venable, and Stephanie YueA Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return by Zeina AbirachedHercules: The Twelve Labors by Paul D. Storrie and Steve KurthI Remember Beirut by Zeina AbirachedLittle White Duck: A Childhood in China by Andrés Vera Martínez, Na Liu, and Andrés Vera MartínezThe Maltese Mummy by Trina Robbins and Tyler PageTerrorist: Gavrilo Princip, the Assassin Who Ignited World War I by Henrik RehrTruth in Sight by Cori Doerrfeld and Tyler PageAnd Then There Were Gnomes by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie YueBirdCatDog by Lee Nordling & Meritxell BoschHamster and Cheese by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie YueLittle White Duck: A Childhood in China by Andrés Vera Martínez, Na Liu, and Andrés Vera MartínezWrapped Up in You by Dan Jolley and Natalie Nourigat [Best Teen Books of the Year]Artists and Authors
Many well-known artists and other members of the comic industry have worked with the various Graphic Universe titles, including Dan Jolley, Thomas Yeates, John McCrea, Trina Robbins, Alitha Martinez, Meritxell Bosch, Na Liu, Zeina Abirached, Bannister, Craig Hamilton, Andrés Vera Martínez, Ron Fontes, Lee Nordling, Steve Kurth, Tyler Page, Cori Doerrfeld, Henrik Rehr, Paul Storrie, Simon Schwartz, Jeff Limke, Stephanie Yue, Colleen AF Venable, and Ron Randall.
