On Monday, Asylum Studios announced details of its first series, Blood and Glory. Asylum describes the series as “based on the legendary warriors who spilled blood on the sands of the arena in honor and glory only to be elevated to heights only known by the Gods.”
Asylum Studios is a new company formed by artist Jim Kyle and business partner Rich Molinelli. The company launched last year and will release trading cards, comics, and eventually, apparel. Last year, Asylum issued its first product: Art for Autism, a line of sketch cards to benefit the Simpson-Baber Foundation for the Autistic.
Blood and Glory will include a 10-card base set and each set will come with a full-color sketch card from amazing hobby talent as well as artists not usually involved in sketch card creation. A total of 25 artists will be employed to create sketch cards for the series, each creating between 5 to 15 high quality color sketch cards. The series is limited to just 250 sets. Kyle says “we are working with sci fi, fantasy, comic book, and sketch card artists as well as cgi fantasy painters. It’s really amazing to see all these artists gel together to produce one fantastic product.” Kyle continues “We think it will bring a new energy to non-sport cards, and if it will help bring excitement and positivity to this hobby, we’re one hundred percent for that.”
Blood and Glory is scheduled for release in December of this year. I asked Kyle about pricing and which artists would be contributing art for the base cards but those details are still in the planning stages. We hope to bring more information on the series in future issues of Non-Sport Update and on the blog.
One thing we can tell you is that an exclusive promotional card will be available at the brand new artists’ show, Pop Art Con, taking place on June 10, 2012 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fort Washington, PA. The card will be numbered PACP1 and features art by Tim Shay, who will also be on-hand at the show (and whose appearance is sponsored by Cryptozoic Entertainment). Kyle will also be on-hand at Pop Art Con.
Two other promos will be released. The first will be available at the Chicago Non-Sport Card Show on March 23 & 24 at the Holiday Inn in Carol Stream, IL. The promo will feature art by sci-fi and horror artist Mark Beer. Asylum’s third Blood and Glory promo, with art by Dana Black, will be given away exclusively at the Fall Philly Non-Sports Card Show on October 20 and 21 of this year.
We asked Kyle about the formation of Asylum and why he wanted to break from other companies and start his own. “My partner, artist Rich Molinelli and myself, wanted to branch out and basically work on a lot of ideas and concepts we’ve had for quite a while. Like other artists and fans, there were sets we wished would have come to fruition” said Kyle. He continues “Creating Asylum Studios gives us the opportunity to develop those types of sets or concepts that we’d love to see. Also, I believe by starting Asylum, and showing that we can put out a quality product, it will line us up to get some really cool licenses in the future—projects we really want to work on as artists, and create excitement among fans and collectors.”
Look for Blood and Glory cards this December.
Blood and Glory promotional card PACP1 by Tim Shay
