By Luis Monteagudo Jr.
For IDW Publishing, Comic-Con is a home game.
The publishing company based in San Diego has been long been known to fans for its broad array of comic book titles, including the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
But in the past year, IDW has raised its profile by moving to new headquarters in Point Loma and opening a comic art museum there, in Liberty Station.
On the third day of Comic-Con, IDW looked to expand its footprint in the pop culture landscape even more by celebrating the success of a new television series based on one of its comic books.
“Wynona Earp” is a science fiction series with a western twist as it focuses on the great granddaughter of the legendary frontier sheriff Wyatt Earp.
But instead of chasing cattle rustlers, this new-age Earp squares off against demons and vampires.
As the show’s producer puts it, it’s a “crazy demon hunting cowgirl series.”
The show has earned a hard-core following, as evidenced by the enthusiastic reception from hundreds of fans at a panel Saturday.
That fan base erupted when they found out the show, which just finished its first season on the SyFy network, has been renewed for a second season.
That’s big news for IDW, which has been working to expand into television and movies.
Beau Smith, the writer who created the comic book 20 years ago, said even he has been surprised by the popularity of the show.
“Nothing’s been like this,” Smith said. “I was stunned. Amazed.”
Luis Monteagudo Jr. is a freelance writer and pop culture enthusiast who has attended Comic-Con for more than 20 years. He was written for the San Diego Union-Tribune, USA Today and numerous other publications.
