Moonstone isn’t one of the biggest publishers of books and comics, but it is responsible for continuing the adventures of some pretty high profile characters – The Green Hornet, Buckaroo Banzai, Carl Kolchak, Zorro, Doc Savage, The Phantom and many more.
Now, Moonstone is partnering with Radio Archives – the leader in restoring vintage radio shows (Strange Adventures, Inner Sanctum, Space Patrol and more) – to create Moonstone Audiobooks, bringing titles from Moonstone’s extensive catalog to life. (My personal hope is that Buckaroo Banzai is one of the first releases…)
Moonstone Audiobooks will be available from Amazon, audible and iTunes. For details, follow the jump.
MOONSTONE PARTNERS WITH RADIO ARCHIVES TO PRODUCE MOONSTONE AUDIOBOOKS
Moonstone, one of the longest lasting alternative publishers on the comics and new pulp scene, has been producing quality books meant to be read, for almost 20 years. What started out as an avenue for some projects to get published that had a home with a publisher that never got off the ground, the once reluctant little company that could, continues to find new ways to get underserved characters and readers back into the fold.
Moonstone has been the home of many familiar properties like Kolchak the Night stalker, The Avenger, Buckaroo Banzai, Zorro, The Green Hornet, The Phantom, and so many more. It has been the home for many a wayward hero who had not seen the public spotlight as much as they deserved. From comics, to novels, to prose anthologies…everything “from the dark side…to the light”, Moonstone has had the distinct honor to work with some of the top creators in comics and prose, over 1000 storytellers worldwide. We thank them all, as their interest in what we do really fuels the engine.
The relationship between Radio Archives and Moonstone goes back many years, as the two companies have worked together on small projects before. This will be the first all out effort between them. The time is right for audio. It’s a field of specific knowledge and experience, something that only Radio Archives can bring to the table. With all of the niche characters that Moonstone has produced: from TV, to pulps, to radio, there is only one logical home for its audio side of the moon.
“I have been a fan of OTR for many years,” says Moonstone Publisher Joe Gentile, “and the idea of –theater of the mind- has always been an intriguing one. Plus, you toss in a long road trip, where you listen to an audio book…entertaining all, and helping the time go by, and I certainly appreciate what a good audio book can do. It’s another unique way of bringing well told stories to the people.”
“I’m thrilled to be working with Joe Gentile,” says Tom Brown, owner of Radio Archives, LLC. “There are not of lot of Pulp Companies that has been around longer than Radio Archives. Moonstone is one of the few. I became aware of Moonstone about 15 years ago when I saw all these Old Time Radio books that Moonstone was publishing and wondered who Moonstone was”
Tom further said “Audiobooks have been around for 40 years and are just becoming discovered in the last few years. With over a billion Smart Phones that can play audiobooks along with Amazon heavily promoting audiobooks combined with an average 53 minute commute per day is causing the audiobook field to explode. Five years ago only 10% of books had an audiobook version and I believe that number will increase to 90% in the future. Customers now expect a successful publisher to offer an eBook and audiobook version along side their print books.”
“Radio Archives has the reputation for being the leader in high quality restorations of Old Time Radio shows for the last 16 years and we are very proud of the 300 radio sets we have released at www.RadioArchives.com. In 2011, Radio Archives expanded into audiobooks and currently we are releasing 365 audiobooks a year.”
Production on Moonstone’s extensive back catalog of books and new books will begin immediately. Moonstone Audiobooks will be available as audio downloads primarily via Amazon, Audible and iTunes.
For more information on Moonstone, visit the website at
www.moonstonebooks.com and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/MoonstoneBooks
Discover Radio Archives at
www.radioarchives.com and on Facebook at