Given our emphasis on the small press here at Broken Frontier it’s always great to hear stories of self-published artists being picked up by publishers. We have a press release and preview of Ansis Puriņš’ Super Magic Forest below today which will be published by Revival House Press in May.
Super Magic Forest
Out From Revival House Press This May
Revival House Press is proud to announce the release of Super Magic Forest by Ansis Puriņš, the Xeric Award-winning writer and artist of Zombre. This all-new, 88-page full-color graphic novel invites readers, old and new, even deeper into the series and the lives of the creatures who inhabit the Magic Forest!
Twit Leaf the Elf’s day job is picking berries in the hot sun. He’d rather be a mighty warrior elf like his grandpa was. One day he wanders into the picnic area of the Magic Forest and finds a mysterious glowing box that some humans left behind. Suddenly he’s tasked with the heroic quest he always wanted! He is to return the vexing talisman to the shadowy Wizard who resides by the visitor center.
Ansis Puriņš, a first-generation Latvian American, grew up learning about the ancient pagan beliefs and folklore of his parents’ native country where many believe that forests are truly magical and sacred places. He started secretly doodling his “Magic Forest” characters every Saturday morning at Latvian school during his youth in the ‘80s, yearning to glimpse the cartoons other kids were watching. His comics ultimately have reference to the Latvian magic and nature-leaning stories, poetry, and songs that were taught to him, as well as cartoons like The Smurfs, especially that one episode where they turn into purple zombies, biting each other, and saying, “Gnap!”
“I’m very excited to release Super Magic Forest, a four-year labor of love,” said Puriņš. “I’ve been self-publishing my work for years—writing, lettering, drawing, and coloring every panel, calling and emailing shops, tabling at comic conventions—all of that. So when Rusty Jordan and Dave Nuss from Revival House Press contacted me about the possibility of publishing my work, that was like the best day ever. They basically gave me all the time and resources I needed to do it. Bless them and their infinite patience!”
Super Magic Forest hits shelves May 18th, and is now available for preorder from Revival House Press. Preorders include a limited-edition jumbo size sticker and delivery before release. Visit your local comic shop, or order online from Barnes & Noble or Amazon.
To learn more about Ansis Puriņš and Super Magic Forest, visit supermagicforest.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
