Blue Juice Comics signs Justin Gray’s “Billy the Kit”

Blue Juice Comics will be distributing Justin Gray and Barry McClain’s Billy the Kit

Over the weekend, Blue Juice Comics announced a new partnership with Ringo award winning and Eisner nominated writer Justin Gray (Jonah Hex, Random Acts of Violence, Standstill) and Barry McClain Jr. (Q-Ball, Anne Bonnie) for their original supernatural western mini-series BILLY THE KIT. Set in an alternate version of the Wild West, this darkly comedic and action-packed comic is the story of a foul-mouthed, gunslinging rabbit out for revenge against the tornado god that murdered his family.

Blue Juice will publish and distribute the 5-issue mini-series, after discovering the current successful Kickstarter campaign through artist and co-creator Barry McClain, who has been a frequent collaborator on Blue Juice titles over the past few years.

Editor-In-Chief Tom Mumme told :

“We are so excited to have BILLY THE KIT join the Blue Juice family of comics. From the beginning, we were blown away by Justin’s original story of charismatic and sympathetic characters, Barry’s artful, gritty, horror-tinged illustration, and Slamet Mujiono’s explosive colors.

“The characters inhabit an expansive world that we just love spending time in. As supporters of the Kickstarter campaign that first brought Billy to life – and as lifelong fans of comics – it brings us immeasurable joy to help share this story with an even wider audience.”

Blue Juice Comics signs Justin Gray's "Billy the Kit"

While writer Justin Gray added:

“First, I want to thank everyone who supported BILLY THE KIT on Kickstarter. That’s where it starts. Your faith and encouragement have given us the exciting opportunity to team up with a phenomenal publisher in Blue Juice Comics. In speaking with Tom and the Blue Juice team, I immediately discovered something Barry already knew: We would be working with quality people with mutual respect for comics and each other. I couldn’t be happier about partnering with Blue Juice on a publishing and distribution deal to bring Billy to as many fans as possible.”

The current release schedule will put BILLY THE KIT #1 on shelves in comic stores later this Fall, and follow it up with monthly installments, culminating in a trade paperback release in 2022.

BLUE JUICE COMICS was founded in 2012 by Thomas Mumme, Adam Miller, Mike Misconi & Jeremy Schneider. The four friends have turned a shared love of comics into a catalog of successful titles, including The Accelerators, Anne Bonnie, Æther & Empire, and Knights of the 5th Dimension. The publisher is under the Blue Juice Films umbrella, through which the partners develop and produce content across all media including documentary films, commercials, branded content, and audiobooks. www.bluejuicecomics.com

Justin Gray is a Ringo Award winner and Eisner-nominated graphic novelist, freelance writer, and self-publisher who has written comic books, films, video games, and animation for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse Comics, IDW, Image, Dynamite, and many more! In 2020, his creator-owned comic, Random Acts of Violence, co-created with Jimmy Palmiotti, was adapted as a film by writer/director/actor Jay Baruchel and Elevation Films. www.spicypulpcomics.com

Barry McClain Jr. (BTMcC) is a comic book artist from Trenton, N.J. Drawing since he was a boy, he got his first major professional job with Valiant Entertainment doing stock art, as well as pinups and cover work for Blue Juice Comics on titles like Anne Bonnie and The Accelerators. He currently resides with his family in Colorado and remains true to his motto of “Burn Lead till Ya Dead!”

Slamet Mujiono has been a fan of comic art since his elementary school days in Kebumen, Indonesia. After working as an artist on a number of projects with publishers in his home country, he decided to focus on being a colorist, and has since worked on Robyn Hood (Zenescope Entertainment), Dr. Who (Titan Comics), Red Sonja (Dynamite Entertainment) and White Widow (Absolute Comics Group) among others.

Click here for the Billy the Kit Kickstarter.