Prentice Penny has partnered with Stranger Comics’ Founder Sebastian A. Jones to launch a joint venture comic book entertainment company. Focused on identifying and supporting new talent within the independent comic book world, the new company will function as an incubator and development lab for BIPOC creators and their IP.

Combining Penny and Jones’ creative expertise, the company will be able to amplify its storytellers by offering inroads into publication, adaptation of the IP into other mediums of entertainment (i.e. television, film, animation, podcast, etc.). The pair has already begun identifying such creators and is currently developing two separate properties under the joint venture – Harriet Tubman Demon Slayer created by David Crownson and Jaycen Wise from creator Uraeus.

Penny and Jones were inspired to launch the joint venture in the hopes of creating greater access for comic storytellers of color and to help raise up such voices within the medium in general. Along with cultivating new talent of color in the independent comic space, the company also plans to launch online mentorship programs as a way to inspire aspiring creatives.

The joint venture comes on the heels of Penny and Jones teaming to co-author the comic NIOBE & DURA: Wrath of the Ancient #1, which the pair successfully launched on Kickstarter in August. Based in the Jones-created and Stranger Comics published world of Asunda, the title raised over $127,000 on Kickstarter and marked one of the most successful launches for a Black independent comic on the platform to date. Described as a comic fable with themes that honor Black women as world creators, Niobe & Dura explores the fierce relationships between elders and the young as they pass along their history and culture to the next generation – who will carry on the tradition of being heroes. Jones and Penny first met while working to adapt Jones’ world of Asunda into a series for HBO.