18 Jun 2020 Entrepreneur venture: Dynamic duo creates comic book success

Meet Allegiance Arts & Entertainment (AAE), a brand-new player in the comic book industry.  

AAE is the brainchild of a talented dynamic duo from Little Rock, Mitchell and Elizabeth Breitweiser.  Their story, and how the company came to be, is nearly as engaging as one of their superhero tales.

Mitch Breitweiser grew up in Benton. As an elementary student, he always loved to sketch, draw and make up stories. One of his teachers even predicted that he would become either an artist or writer. 

One of Mitch’s most vivid memories was the day his father brought home a comic book. “It opened my mind,” he said, because this was a genre that combined his two passions – writing and drawing. He knew he was hooked. 

Mitch’s love for comics went way beyond merely enjoying the superheroes. In addition to studying the drawings and story lines, he would research the creators – big names in the business, like Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri and Todd McFarlane. In his teens, he became interested in the commercial angle of the business and followed the entrepreneurial spirit of artists who broke away from the big established companies like Marvel and DC Comics.   

After receiving his art degree in 2000 from Harding University, Mitch moved to New Jersey (he couldn’t afford to live in New York City) and tried desperately to break into the industry. He knew it would be difficult, and nearly gave up after five years of networking, knocking on doors, working odd jobs and showing his portfolio at conventions. “It truly was a hand-to-mouth existence,” he said. 

When he made the decision to buy table space at a conference, things changed – people lined up to buy his drawings, and he would draw non-stop for three days. At first, he sold his work at a low price, hoping to merely cover his expenses. Finally, he was getting noticed, and he was able to charge more. The buzz created new connections and contacts, but he still wasn’t where he wanted to be. 

When his car was totaled, he made a “make-or-break it” decision to take the money and move into New York City where he holed up in a tiny room with an air bed and a drawing table. Over the next few months, he drew at a fevered pace. He would sometimes sneak into the offices of Marvel Comics on the coattails of a friend who worked there and drop off his drawings on the editorial floor, hoping to catch someone’s attention.   

His perseverance paid off, and finally he was given a contract for four issues of Marvel’s “Drax the Destroyer.” The door had finally opened, and he started receiving other offers. After some bargaining, he landed a two-year executive contract with Marvel, which was unusual for someone so new. He was even able to save for a new car. 

After securing his first exclusive two-year contract with Marvel Comics, Mitch decided it was time to return home. Back in Arkansas, he met Elizabeth Dismang, a senior art major at Harding. (Little did he know, her brother was an ardent fan and put in a good word for him.) The two were married 18 months later. For the next two years, Mitch continued to draw for Marvel and Elizabeth taught art and sold paintings at a local gallery. 

About this time, the comic book industry was making the transition to digital formats. In response, both Mitch and Elizabeth studied Photoshop, honing their artistic and technical skills over more than a year. 

When Mitch received a contract with Marvel for a Captain America series, he asked if Elizabeth could submit sample color pages, and her work was chosen. Elizabeth’s talent for painting and eye for color created an opportunity to fill the comic book industry’s growing demand for great digital color artists. She quickly adapted to her new career as a colorist, initially working on Marvel’s Captain America, The Hulk and Winter Soldier. 

The two were doing well, and Elizabeth continued to get work on other projects. Confirmation of her abilities has since come in the form of numerous industry award nominations and awards. 

But the couple noticed the comic book industry was drastically changing. A single distribution monopoly sold titles exclusively in comic book shops, and new titles were no longer available to mass market retail. The comic book stores struggled to attract younger audiences, and publisher content began to change, often becoming more mature or politically charged. Fans were becoming frustrated.

Mitch spent thousands of hours on the phone with Patrick Stiles, a former college friend. They developed stories and discussed mythological heroes, trying to understand what makes a story work. Soon, they had a vast compendium of new potential publishing ideas. 

Mitch and Elizabeth felt there was a massive, underserved market for comic books, and Mitch wanted to change that. He knew the importance that comics had played in his life, and he fervently believes that it is important for kids to learn from these tales that show compassion and pit good against evil. “They teach kids what adults and society expect of them.” 

The two launched an Indiegogo campaign (a fundraising platform) in early 2018 to help fund a new publication, “Red Rooster: Golden Age.” It is a 60-page graphic novel written and illustrated by Mitch with colors by Elizabeth. Within six months, they raised nearly $200,000, well over 1,000 percent of their expected goal. Clearly, they had the fan support they needed.   

With the success and validation of their crowdfunding campaign, the time was right to start their own publishing business. They hired David Martin, who is now a partner in AAE, to help them make contacts with the head of an executive placement firm. Fast forward through numerous meetings, introductions, decisions and product pitches in Northwest Arkansas. “Think Shark Tank,” Mitch said.  

Their vision became a reality when Allegiance Arts launched its first four original, collectible comics in more than 3,000 Walmart stores: 

Norah’s Saga – Sassy, book-smart Norah Karlsson’s quest to fit in becomes an epic tale of survival when she crashes through the mists of time and into a realm of ice and Norse legend.

The Futurists – Stricken by an insidious Indian curse, three desperate and dangerous foes race to unearth the secrets of the lost land of Shambahla.

Red Rooster – For centuries, the venerable mantle of the Red Rooster has passed from generation-to-generation, and now it is disgraced icon Frank Cooper’s turn to don the cape and cowl. 

Bass Reeves – Based on a real-life hero, Bass Reeves accepts a commission as the first black man west of the Mississippi to wear the silver star of the U.S. Marshals service. 

These will be the first of many product offerings by AAE, headed by Patrick Stiles as editor in chief. “Our driving passion is creating and delivering unparalleled, genre-spanning content for fans of all ages from our ever-expanding catalog.” The company pledges to have consumer-trusted content created by top talent in the field. 

Mitch proudly states, “We built Allegiance Arts & Entertainment from scratch, and it is now one of the nation’s largest comic book companies.” For more information, visit allegiancearts.com or the Allegiance Arts page on Facebook. The website includes a store locator to identify where the comic books can be purchased.