Posted in: Comics | Tagged: beer, dark horse, nikasi, rose city comic con

Dark Horse Partners With Ninkasi Brewing Company for Custom Comic About Beer Goddess

Published Fri, 07 Sep 2018 12:30:37 -0500

Last updated Fri, 07 Sep 2018 12:39:12 -0500

Dark Horse is getting into the custom comic book game in the most hipster way possible. The publisher has partnered with an Oregon microbrewery to produce a comic book about its mascot, the Sumerian goddess of beer, and launch a spinoff craft brew. From the press release:

Beer and comics fans rejoice! Dark Horse Comics and Ninkasi Brewing Company are "hoppy" to announce a new partnership. These two innovative and creative Pacific Northwest companies are proud to combine their passions to create a story that speaks to the origins of Ninkasi in Legends of Ninkasi: Rise of Craft.

Written by Jim Gibbons (CORPUS: A Comic Anthology of Bodily Ailments) with art by Eduardo Francisco (Aliens: Defiance), Legend of Ninkasi: Rise of Craft will be available for purchase at NinkasiCon next spring along with a beer featured in the comic. In Legend of Ninkasi: Rise of Craft, the citizens of the medieval kingdom of Eugenia subsist in a listless stupor because the evil King Blüdweisen is holding them hostage. He's outlawed craft beer and serves only his terrible-tasting, mass-produced brew. Sensing some corruption of the spirit of beer, Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of fermentation, and her faithful companion Tricerahops travel through time and space to investigate these dark portents. There they meet two brewers who they inspire to rebellion—a rebellion against horrible beer . . . and zombie vikings!

Okay, we have to admit, that sounds kinda cool.

Dark Horse Associate Editor Megan Walker explains why this partnership creates so much synergy:

One of the best things about comics is the ability to bring together unique visions to create something great, and that's exactly what this project has been since day one. Partnering with the folks at Ninkasi Brewing has been a natural fit, and the story we are creating is a lot of fun—I couldn't be more excited to be working on this project with them!

And Ninkasi Co-Founder and CEO Nikos Ridge says:

This has probably one of the most fun experiences I've had since starting Ninkasi! Working with Dark Horse and seeing first hand the process and the talent to bring this project to life has been amazing. We're excited to share the final result with everyone, including a specially created beer to pair with it, which may be a comic first!

Founding Brewer Jamie Floyd adds:

As a lifetime comic book nerd, the idea of a Ninkasi comic book has been a dream that even inspired a tattoo on my back. Working with Dark Horse to bring the Legend of Ninkasi to life has been a fantastic ride. Dark Horse is like a fine tuned Superhero superhero team, and watching Jim and Eduardo nail the story was fun and inspiring to see how imagination becomes reality!

Well, they've nailed the goofy press release quotes, so this custom venture is going to work out much better than partnering with a nuclear missile manufacturer. Learn more at Dark Horse booth #711 at 6PM at Rose City Comic-Con today.