Jesus Gets Graphic... in Spanish
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) August 05, 2013 -- Another teen passion goes global as Kingstone, leading publisher of Christian comics and biblical-worldview graphic novels, announces today that all of its titles will soon go out in Spanish worldwide.
Kingstone’s new seven-year agreement with the Assemblies of God (AOG) denominational and trade publishing arm was announced today at the AOG General Council in Orlando, an annual gathering of ministry leaders from around the world.
“Comic books are universal, catnip to teen boys, quickly absorbed and repeatedly read,” Kingstone Media Group CEO Art Ayris said. “Now 400 million-plus native Spanish speakers can encounter real heroics in their own words—and watch what happens. People who won’t go near a Bible can’t put down a graphic novel. And another thing: It’s not just teen boys reading.”
The Assemblies of God’s tradition in Spanish publishing dates to the 1950s formation of Editorial Vida, a leading Spanish-language imprint eventually sold to a major Christian publisher. The 215,000 Assemblies of God churches in Latin America have nearly 30 million members.
“After Mandarin, the second-most spoken language on the planet is Spanish,” Steve Blount, Assemblies of God vice president for publishing and production, said. “Assemblies of God churches are exploding across Latin America, and we’re committed to all kinds of growth.”
Worldwide, there are more than 66 million Assemblies of God members, with a new believer added every 16 seconds. Globally, there are over 375,000 churches, with a new church being planted every 42 minutes.
The Assemblies of God has licensed to translate into Spanish 20 comics, 10 graphic novels and the 12-volume Kingstone Bible through its Influence Resources imprint with distribution through Mi Iglesia Saludable—the Spanish counterpart to the My Healthy Church resource publisher and distributor. This agreement to put highest-quality comic books in the hands of Spanish speakers globally spans seven years, licensing current and future Kingstone titles to translate and distribute both in print and digitally.
In the past year, AOG publishing operations become one of the largest distributors of spirit-empowered resources in the world. They work with over 35,000 partner churches in the U.S. and distribute through major Christian retailers such as Berean, LifeWay, Family Christian Stores and Mardel and through mainstream chains including Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble. Globally, more than 100 distributors carry their resources, as well as dozens of e-book retailers internationally.
Kingstone is the leader in Christian comics and graphic novels, the fastest-growing publishing niche with $750 million in annual U.S. sales. Using top writers such as New York Times best-seller Randy Alcorn and top artists from the comic world, Kingstone is known for gripping story-based comics. Next year, it will complete the 12-volume Kingstone Bible, the most comprehensive graphic adaptation of the Bible ever made.
Kingstone also brings to gripping, graphic life apologetic titles such as the 101 Questions About the Bible and Christianity series.
Kingstone distributes through major retailers such as Barnes & Noble and CBA Christian book stores. ComiXology, the leading digital comics marketplace, recently added Kingstone Comics to its premiere lineup. Kingstone also recently signed on with iVerse Media, the leading provider of digital material to libraries nationwide.
To learn more, visit: KingstoneMedia.com, MyHealthyChurch.com
For interviews, contact: Michael Conrad Michael(at)Lovell-Fairchild(dot)com 214-616-0320
And visit Lovell-Fairchild.com for:
• Kingstone Press Release
• Kingstone Art Ayris Q&A
• Kingstone Art Ayris bio
Michael Conrad, Lovell-Fairchild Communications, http://www.lovell-fairchild.com, 214-616-0320, [email protected]
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