Hasbro has solicited proposals from potential publishers of the next G.I. Joe comic book license beginning this past summer, and will be making a decision on a licensee sometime after the end of this month, Newsarama confirmed Friday morning.
Buzz in industry circles began to grow in recent weeks suggesting the license, which has been with Devil’s Due Publishing since 2001, was in play. Asked the status of license Friday, Mike Surabian, a representative of Hasbro’s public relations agency Hunter PR, confirmed it was indeed up fro grabs, telling Newsarama, 'The G.I. Joe license is up for renewal. Hasbro’s partner, Devil's Due will be publishing the America's Elite storyline until July of 2008. Hasbro solicited proposals at Comic-Con [International], currently have a number of them in-house, and will be deciding on the Joe comic partner post-Thanksgiving. No decisions have been made yet.'
As noted, Devil’s Due, who hasn’t necessarily lost the license and could potentially win a renewal when Hasbro makes their decision, has held the comic book license since 2001, when as a then-Image Comics imprint it revived a dormant comic book property to the early skepticism of many industry observers.
