Mauricio de Sousa's Graphic MSP Ready to Take Brazil by Storm!

Two new graphic novels have been announced for Mauricio de Sousa Productions/Panini Comics Brazil’s Graphic MSP line. Graphic MSP started in 2012 with an idea to let Brazil’s best artists put their spin on Brazil’s most famous character catalog. During Mauricio de Sousa’s 50+ years in the business he has created countless characters from neighborhood kids and green elephants, blue puppy dogs and plump astronauts, teens, hillbillies, Amazonian natives and the living dead-all kid friendly teaching life lessons with crazy and humorous situations.

The first graphic novel, released at the end of 2012, was Astronauta(Astronaut)- Magnetar by Danilo Beyruth. The name comes from the magnetic neutron star. The novel, 8 pages in total, has been translated and distributed to other members of the Panini group: Germany (Der Astronaut), France (Astronaute- Au Coeur du Magneta), Italy(L’Astronauta Magnetar), and Spain (Astronauta Magnetar). The title is being shopped around for English publishers.

Panini Spain's Astronauta Magnetar

Panini Germany's Der Astronaut

Panini France's Astronaute- Au Coeur du Magneta

Panini Italy's L’Astronauta Magnetar

The second installment united the brother and sister act Lu and Vitor Cafaggi with their Turma da Mônica – Laços(Monica’s Gang- Ties), released last May. Gustavo Duarte continued the series with Chico Bento- Pavor Espaciar( Chuck Billy- Extra Terrestrial Terror) in August and Italian Shiko contributed with Piteco- Ingá about a prehistoric caveman, Piteco. These graphic novels have repetitively topped best of lists in Brazil by the countries’ biggest critics and connoisseurs.

Turma da Mônica – Laços by Lu Cafaggi and Vitor Cafaggi

Chico Bento- Pavor Espaciar by Gustavo Duarte

Piteco- Ingá by Shiko

The coordinator of the Graphic MSP initiative, Sidney Gusman, released the following tidbit today on Facebook and Twitter:

Well, the hour has arrived! There will be TWO Graphic MSP publications this year! He who will have the honor( and the responsibility) of opening the services is…Bidu, by Eduardo Damasceno and Luis Felipe Garrocho, which should come out at Book Biannual of Sao Paulo, in August. And, in Decmeber, it will be Astronauta 2’s turn, by Danilo Beyruth, with colors by Cris Peter. The idea is to coordinate the release with the Comic Con Experience event. 

Bidu, by Eduardo Damasceno and Luis Felipe Garrocho

Astronauta 2, by Danilo Beyruth, with colors by Cris Peter

And why only two, if we announced six books? Initially, it would have been four, but, to hold the price (r$19.90 for trade paperback and r$29.90 for hardcover), Panini will print these books in the Orient. This relies on sending the files very, very early.
So, to not pressure the production of the artists, we readjusted the schedule, so that, on wards of 2015, we will have four books per year, reoccurring every three months. And we are working to make this come true!

The other four releases, still untitled, include Papa-Capim(the Amazonian boy) by Marcela Godoy and Renato Guedes about a boy and his tribe deep in the Amazon; Penadinho(Bug a Boo the Ghost) by Paulo Crumbim and Cristina Eiko about a friendly ghost(Casper?) and his haunting friends: a vampire, werewolf, mummy, cadaver and Frank(the monster);Turma da Mata(Jungle Gang) by Greg Tocchini, Davi Calil and Arthur Fujita about a jungle kingdom ruled by a Lion who counts ants, foxes, rabbits, turtles, green elephants and monkeys as his subjects. Rounding out the releases will be the sequel to Ties by Vitor and Lu Cafaggi with Monica and her friends.

Papa-Capim by by Marcela Godoy and Renato Guedes

Turma da Mata by Greg Tocchini, Davi Calil and Arthur Fujita 

Penadinho by Paulo Crumbim and Cristina Eiko

Turma da Monica 2 by Lu and Vitor Cafaggi

No news yet on English releases but with the English Monica and her Friends being copywrited, it won’t be long until the series and the Brazilian talent reaches the English speaking population.

Until then, enjoy the production of these video trailers for the first two sequels in the line!