Traveling to Mars: ABLAZE to Publish Mark Russell SciFi Series

ABLAZE will publish Traveling to Mars, Mark Russell’s new Science Fiction series that takes readers on an out-of-this-world journey to the Red Planet, led by an unlikely astronaut anti-hero and his adventures on the red planet. The first issue will be on sale on November 9^th, in print and digitally.

Eisner Award-winning Russell and rising star Italian artist, Roberto Meli, ponder ego, mortality, and man’s place in the universe and his relationship with technology in this witty series, which is being published by ABLAZE in cooperation with Arancia Studio. The opening issue will feature variant covers by artists including Roberto Meli, acclaimed artist Mirka Andolfo, Zulema Scotto Lavina, and Brent McKee, with future issues released monthly and featuring other notable cover artists.

TRAVELING TO MARS is also the first ABLAZE title to be offered as returnable to the direct market. With a no-risk guarantee, ABLAZE is looking to get this new series onto the retailer’s shelves and into the hands of as many new readers as possible. Check Diamond Previews for further details.

TRAVELING TO MARS, Issue 1, written by Mark Russell, artwork by Roberto Meli

MSRP: $3.99

Available November 9th

TRAVELING TO MARS tells the story of former pet store manager Roy Livingston, the first human to ever set foot on Mars. Roy was chosen for the unlikely mission for one simple reason: he is terminally ill and has no expectation of returning. Roy is joined on his mission by Leopold and Albert, two Mars rovers equipped with artificial intelligence, who look upon the dying pet store manager as a sort of God. Against the backdrop of not only his waning days but those of human civilization as well, Roy has ample time to think about where things went wrong for both and what it means to be a dying god. A riveting story of planetary exploration and of finding meaning in your final days.

“TRAVELING TO MARS is an intimate story about the end of days,” said Mark Russell. “Both Roy’s and ours. But Mars is as good a place as any to bow out of existence, I suppose.”

“When an extraordinary writer like Mark Russell meets a crystal-clear talent like Roberto Meli, an author who has already gained accolades in the European market, the result can only be something unique,” says Davide G.G. Caci, CEO of Arancia Studio, “Creating creative bridges between Europe and the United States are among our objectives, and we believe that Traveling to Mars has enormous potential. We couldn’t be happier to be working with ABLAZE, the perfect publishing partner for this journey.”

“TRAVELING TO MARS is an extraordinary story that invites readers to explore and reflect upon some complex philosophical questions and presents a compelling adventure with a relatable, if unlikely, hero,” says Rich Young, co-founder of ABLAZE. “We are excited to partner with Arancia Studio to bring this series to English readers and look forward to them joining us for this out-of-this-world adventure.”

ABLAZE titles are distributed in print worldwide by Diamond Comic and Diamond Book Distributors. Digital versions of ABLAZE titles are available via most major digital platforms.