Steve Purcell and Telltale Celebrate Twenty Years of Sam & Max
TelltaleGames
Former Telltale Staff
Surfin' the Highway to be reissued for the first time in over a decade
SAN RAFAEL, CA, June 27, 2007 - Twenty years ago, they burst onto the indie comic book scene with a daring venture to the Philippines (drawn entirely without reference) called "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple." Today they're the stars of an Eisner-nominated webcomic and a successful episodic game series, Sam & Max: Season One. Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell and game developer Telltale are celebrating these milestones—and the two decades in between—with exciting 20th anniversary news: the complete Sam & Max collection, Surfin' the Highway, will be reprinted later this year.
"I was amazed when I realized it's been twenty years since the first Sam & Max comic was published," says Purcell. "I've met people who have actually grown up with Sam & Max. Even during the times I was busy with other projects, I was always gratified that Sam & Max's rabidly loyal fans managed to keep them alive."
These rabidly loyal fans will cheer today with the announcement that Surfin' the Highway, the long out-of-print trade paperback collection of Sam & Max's exploits, will be republished in 2007. In addition to all of the content of the 1995 original (including "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple," the now classic "Bad Day on the Moon," and "On the Road," which inspired the 1993 LucasArts Sam & Max video game), the new edition will also contain extra Sam & Max content developed over the last decade, such as rarely seen comic stories, previously unreleased art, and a new cover. The reprint will debut exclusively in Telltale's online store later this year. More details of the reprint, including pricing and availability information, will be announced in the near future.
The 20th anniversary celebration will also include commemorative merchandise to be released throughout the year, starting at Steve Purcell's booth at San Diego Comic-Con in July. An ongoing "History of Sam & Max" feature currently appears on Telltale's website (www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax), recounting the duo's evolution from childhood scribbles to comics, video games, and a Saturday morning cartoon.
Steve Purcell's most recent Sam & Max comics, as well as information about Telltale's innovative episodic game series starring the characters, can be found at www.telltalegames.com. Fans who want to sign up for updates about the Surfin' the Highway reprint can do so at www.telltalegames.com/store/samandmax-highway.
About Sam & Max
Steve Purcell published "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple" as his first Sam & Max comic in 1987. Sam & Max solved assorted crimes and mysteries as Freelance Police in their sturdy 1960 black and white DeSoto Adventurer from their home base in New York City. After a series of follow-up comic books, Purcell worked with a team at LucasArts to create the critically-acclaimed Sam & Max Hit the Road adventure game in 1993. The dog and rabbity-thing duo moved to television in an award-winning animated series in 1997. They are now appearing in an all-new webcomic series at www.telltalegames.com, which has been nominated for an Eisner award for Best Digital Comic. The first full season of new Sam & Max games in over a decade will come to retail stores worldwide in August, courtesy of The Adventure Company and JoWooD.
About Telltale, Inc.
Telltale is a new breed of interactive entertainment company pioneering high-caliber episodic game publishing and development. Founded in 2004 by industry veterans with decades of experience, the company has quickly become a leader in episodic gaming by delivering award-winning interactive experiences that emphasize engaging stories, strong characters, and rich worlds. Telltale has shipped 10 titles to date, using proprietary tools that streamline development of high-quality, cinematic experiences for multiple platforms and digital distribution. These releases include the monthly six-episode series Sam & Max: Season 1, episodes adapted from Jeff Smith's epic Bone graphic novel series, and games based on television's popular CSI program in partnership with Ubisoft. Telltale offers content development and custom publishing services for license-holders interested in interactive adaptations of their properties. Telltale's games are available at the company's website and through select partners such as Turner Broadcasting's GameTap subscription service. To learn more about Telltale, please visit www.telltalegames.com.
SAN RAFAEL, CA, June 27, 2007 - Twenty years ago, they burst onto the indie comic book scene with a daring venture to the Philippines (drawn entirely without reference) called "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple." Today they're the stars of an Eisner-nominated webcomic and a successful episodic game series, Sam & Max: Season One. Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell and game developer Telltale are celebrating these milestones—and the two decades in between—with exciting 20th anniversary news: the complete Sam & Max collection, Surfin' the Highway, will be reprinted later this year.
"I was amazed when I realized it's been twenty years since the first Sam & Max comic was published," says Purcell. "I've met people who have actually grown up with Sam & Max. Even during the times I was busy with other projects, I was always gratified that Sam & Max's rabidly loyal fans managed to keep them alive."
These rabidly loyal fans will cheer today with the announcement that Surfin' the Highway, the long out-of-print trade paperback collection of Sam & Max's exploits, will be republished in 2007. In addition to all of the content of the 1995 original (including "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple," the now classic "Bad Day on the Moon," and "On the Road," which inspired the 1993 LucasArts Sam & Max video game), the new edition will also contain extra Sam & Max content developed over the last decade, such as rarely seen comic stories, previously unreleased art, and a new cover. The reprint will debut exclusively in Telltale's online store later this year. More details of the reprint, including pricing and availability information, will be announced in the near future.
The 20th anniversary celebration will also include commemorative merchandise to be released throughout the year, starting at Steve Purcell's booth at San Diego Comic-Con in July. An ongoing "History of Sam & Max" feature currently appears on Telltale's website (www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax), recounting the duo's evolution from childhood scribbles to comics, video games, and a Saturday morning cartoon.
Steve Purcell's most recent Sam & Max comics, as well as information about Telltale's innovative episodic game series starring the characters, can be found at www.telltalegames.com. Fans who want to sign up for updates about the Surfin' the Highway reprint can do so at www.telltalegames.com/store/samandmax-highway.
About Sam & Max
Steve Purcell published "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple" as his first Sam & Max comic in 1987. Sam & Max solved assorted crimes and mysteries as Freelance Police in their sturdy 1960 black and white DeSoto Adventurer from their home base in New York City. After a series of follow-up comic books, Purcell worked with a team at LucasArts to create the critically-acclaimed Sam & Max Hit the Road adventure game in 1993. The dog and rabbity-thing duo moved to television in an award-winning animated series in 1997. They are now appearing in an all-new webcomic series at www.telltalegames.com, which has been nominated for an Eisner award for Best Digital Comic. The first full season of new Sam & Max games in over a decade will come to retail stores worldwide in August, courtesy of The Adventure Company and JoWooD.
About Telltale, Inc.
Telltale is a new breed of interactive entertainment company pioneering high-caliber episodic game publishing and development. Founded in 2004 by industry veterans with decades of experience, the company has quickly become a leader in episodic gaming by delivering award-winning interactive experiences that emphasize engaging stories, strong characters, and rich worlds. Telltale has shipped 10 titles to date, using proprietary tools that streamline development of high-quality, cinematic experiences for multiple platforms and digital distribution. These releases include the monthly six-episode series Sam & Max: Season 1, episodes adapted from Jeff Smith's epic Bone graphic novel series, and games based on television's popular CSI program in partnership with Ubisoft. Telltale offers content development and custom publishing services for license-holders interested in interactive adaptations of their properties. Telltale's games are available at the company's website and through select partners such as Turner Broadcasting's GameTap subscription service. To learn more about Telltale, please visit www.telltalegames.com.
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