ORCS IN SPACE Blasts Off In Summer Of 2021

THE ONI-LION FORGE PUBLISHING GROUP ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE ISSUE SERIES LAUNCHING SUMMER 2021 FROM CO-CREATOR OF RICK AND MORTY™

Hijack a Spaceship and Take a Joyride in an all New Out-of-this-World Adventure

Portland, OR: From the co-creator of the cult favorite television series Rick and Morty™, Justin Roiland is teaming up with writers Michael Tanner, Rashad Gheith, and Abed Gheith, writer-illustrator François Vigneault, and colorists DJ Chavis and Dave Pender with the Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group to launch a new single-issue series, Orcs in Space,in July 2021.  The idea of three dumb orcs causing chaos was all it took for Cartoon Network’s Rick and Morty™ co-creator and Hulu’s Solar Opposites™ creator Justin Roiland to be on board. “When Rashad told me about Orcs in Space, I knew right away it was a fantastic idea. Three dumb orcs at the helm of a ship far beyond their understanding. Going on this journey with them, watching them bumble around with powers way beyond their comprehension. It's going to be fun to watch them grow and learn how to harness sci-fi to their advantage. It always felt like such a strong idea to me, and thanks to Oni Press, it's finally seeing the light of day.” With humorous nods to some of pop culture’s most recognizable fandoms, the multi-issue series follows three inept orcs as they steal the universe’s most technologically advanced spaceship and take it for a ride. “What would happen if orcs stole a ship and were flung into space? I pitched the question to Justin over eight years ago, and the idea never left our heads. Born from a fascination with orcs, who haven't been given much of a spotlight (always the side characters—the dumb henchmen of some greater, evil force), and our love for space voyage shows like Star Trek and Farscape, we knew the combination would be exciting,” said Rashad. “It was initially conceptualized as a cartoon, but when Oni gave us the opportunity to make a comic, it felt like the perfect medium to start with. Rick and Morty™ fans and lovers of sci-fi/fantasy are in for a real treat, and we can't wait to share it with everyone. So...what would happen if orcs got flung into space?”  Gor, Kravis, and Mongtar are three orcs trying to survive while on the run from everything and everyone on their homeworld. When the naïve bureaucrats from StarBleep land on their planet, the orcs unwittingly steal the most advanced ship in the fleet and blast into the dankest reaches of the outer galactigon. Now the universe’s most wanted, the orcs befriend the ship's AI, D.O.N.A., in a bid to get free… but will that be enough to escape StarBleep? “Drawing Orcs in Space has been a ball. The goofy intergalactic adventures of Kravis, Gor, and Mongtar are light years away from the kind of stuff I am usually drawing, so for me it is a delight... Pure escapism and fun,” said François Vignuealt. “The series brings together so many things I've unabashedly loved all my life, from barbarian warriors to high-tech spacecraft, and blends it all together into a weird and funky universe. Drawing this book makes me feel like a kid again! Working with the wonderful DJ Chavis on colors, each issue I am trying to create something that's full of action, humor, and layers of detail. I can't wait for people to get their hands on this book!" "When I was asked to come onto this project, I wasn't sure what to expect,” said Michael Tanner. “The first time I read Abed and Rashad's initial outline, I honestly didn't get it, but ‘a job's a job,’ I thought. And then right before our first in-person meeting with the brothers and Justin, I reread the outline and, for some reason, this time it clicked. I really understood the humor and the point of view of their concept. After the meeting, we got to work, and crafting this series has been one of the most fun writing experiences of my career. I can't wait for people to get their hands on this, I know they are going to love it." The 44-page super first issue of Orcs in Space launches with variant covers by Nicole Goux, François Vigneault, and Justin Roiland on July 7, 2021.

About the Creators Justin Roiland grew up in Manteca, California, where he did the basic stuff children do. Later in life, he traveled to Los Angeles. He worked on many reality TV shows (check his IMDB if you don’t believe him), all while creating things with friends in his small apartment. He now has several projects and a video game studio and whatever. He also has a wooden leg. Born in Great Falls, Montana, Michael Tanner kept moving west until he hit the ocean, and then he went south and stopped in Los Angeles. He has lived there longer than anywhere else, so he now considers himself an Angelino. And he truly believes it's the greatest city in the world... once you figure out how to stop getting parking tickets. Although a lifelong comics fan, he credits having an interesting hobby for getting him into the world of professional comics. He was a referee for the LA Derby Dolls for several years, and his first published comic was in a derby anthology by Oni Press. Now he’s done multiple stories in many anthologies and co-writes the YALSA-nominated graphic novel series Junior Braves of the Apocalypse. He has also been a podcaster, an actor, a comedian, as well as food blogger (back when that was a thing). Rashad Gheith is a writer who spends an unhealthy amount of time reading comics, playing fantasy online games, and planning his next step toward musical pop stardom.    Born in the sleepy suburban town of Modesto, California, Abed Gheith grew up surrounded by He-Man toys, muppets, and Superman comics. At a young age, he was always using his imagination to play outside by his lonesome. While other kids were getting broken legs and playing sports, he was coming up with ideas and stories and pretending he was an action-movie star. Fast-forward to adulthood, Abed moved to Los Angeles at 23 with his friends Justin Roiland and Sevan Najarian. Together they created the cult Internet sensation House of Cosbys for Channel101.com. This led to writing two episodes of Rick and Morty™ with his brother, Rashad. Nowadays, Abed works as a story consultant on shows for Disney and Cartoon Network, and in his spare time writes comic books. He is the inspiration for the character Abed Nadir on the NBC sitcom Communityand occasionally co-hosts on a podcast called Gone Riffin' with Rich Fulcher. François Vigneault is a freelance illustrator, designer, and cartoonist (not necessarily in that order). In addition to Titan, his work includes 13e Avenue (Éditions de la Pastèque) and Orcs in Space (Oni Press), and his comics and illustrations have appeared in publications such as Planches, Papercutter, Kayak, and Study Group Magazine. His work has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Joe Shuster Award, Prix des Libraires, and the Prix des Collèges. Born in the United States to immigrant parents, he has lived and worked in Montréal, Québec, since 2015. DJ Chavis is colorist for Orcs in Space and a big ol' nerd with an arguably unfathomable amount of ridiculous interests and hobbies. Warning: catch him in the right mood and he might talk your ear off about said interests. Follow his work @djcolorscomics. Dave Pender is one of many Daves in comics who is a comic enthusiast, flatter, and colorist who loves to collaborate. His first major credit with a major publisher is this series! You can find him on twitter @waytoomanydaves to congratulate him.

About the Company  The Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group is a premier comic book and graphic novel publisher located in Portland, Oregon. Merged with Lion Forge Comics in 2019 but established in 1997, Oni Press (now branded the Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group) publishes a thoughtfully curated line of award-winning original and licensed graphic novels and comic books for readers of all ages. Oni Press also publishes inclusive sex education, gender studies & erotica graphic novels under the Limerence Press imprint. Notable titles from the Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group include: The Tea Dragon Society, Sheets, Gender Queer, A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns, Scott Pilgrim, Stumptown, Sanrio's Gudetama™, and Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty™.