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Last of the Gladiators Brings True Mafia Tales to Readers
With Graphic Novel Adaptation of Thrilling Memoir | 
July 25, Mt. Laurel, NJ: This fall, Dynamite is proud to present an unprecedented graphic novel peek into the real-life thrills and tragedies of organized crime in the heart of America, and a pivotal figure and father at the center of it all. San Diego Comic-Con brings further details on the upcoming Last of the Gladiators from writer James M. LaRossa Jr. and company.
From the 1960s until the turn of the century, New York City was the focal point of organized and white-collar crime across the world. Through four fretful decades, the most fearsome mob bosses, assassins, cheating stockbrokers, money launderers and corrupt bankers and more, sought legal counsel with the famous Jimmy LaRossa, a prosecutor turned defense attorney, who was the lawyer of last resort when fighting prosecution before the all-mighty U.S. Government.
Last of the Gladiators is an adaptation of the prose memoir of the same title written by Jimmy's son. James LaRossa Jr. and his dearly departed father spent the last five years of the latter's life getting to know each other even more, sharing and recording the untold tales and history that Jimmy found himself wrapped up in through his career.
The memoir also taps into the son’s own upbringing, and journey of self-discovery navigating his identity as the son of such an outrageously successful and impactful figure. Last of the Gladiators is a family saga, in more ways than one.
“After I ‘snuck’ my father out of a New York hospital to prevent his certain death, I never imagined that the five years we spent together in Southern California would be so momentous," said writer James M. LaRossa Jr. "While I cooked him his favorite Italian meals, we shared the intimate stories of our lives, including the secrets to a generation of the most colorful criminals imaginable. After he died, I walked the beach aimlessly until the themes of Last of the Gladiators began to form. This is where the graphic novel begins.”
LaRossa comes over to the comic medium to adapt his own work, with co-writing assistance by comics mainstay Jonathan Vankin. Previously a longtime senior editor at DC Comics' acclaimed Vertigo imprint, through his editing and writing Vankin has taken on many stories of crime and family drama. They're joined by artist Giorgio Pontrelli, tasked with bringing these complicated tales to the page visually. Last but certainly not least, legendary artist Butch Guice handles the stunning cover for the book.
The book was originally announced as in development at last year's San Diego Comic-Con, and now after the collaborative efforts of all the creators and editors involved, it is ready for the hands of readers this October.
Dynamite also possesses the media rights for the property. Dynamite and Nick Barrucci are repped by their agent Charlie Ferraro of UTA and manager Ford Lyttle Gilmore of Illuminati Entertainment.
LAST OF THE GLADIATORS will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ August 2024 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in October 2024. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies of the book with their local comic book retailers. It will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, ComicsPlus, and more!
Visit www.dynamite.com for more news and information.
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LAST OF THE GLADIATORS story © 2024 James M. Larossa Jr. Artwork © 2024 Dynamite Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.
About Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including The Boys, The Shadow, Red Sonja, Warlord of Mars, Bionic Man, A Game of Thrones, and more. Dynamite owns and controls an extensive library with over 3,000 characters (which includes the Harris Comics and Chaos Comics properties), such as Vampirella, Pantha, Evil Ernie, Smiley the Psychotic Button, Chastity, and Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt. In addition to their critically-acclaimed titles and bestselling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high-profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Gail Simone, Christopher Priest, Leah Moore, Kevin Smith, David Walker, Vita Ayala, Danny Lore, Neil Gaiman, Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, Mark Russell, Brandon Thomas, Amy Chu, Reginald Hudlin, Nancy Collins, David Walker, Steve Orlando, Greg Pak, Jenny Frison, Matt Wagner, and a host of up-and-coming new talent. Dynamite is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their titles - including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger's Project Superpowers - have debuted in the Top Ten lists produced by Diamond Comics Distributors. In 2005, Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%) and again in 2011. The company has also been nominated for and won several industry awards, including the prestigious Harvey and Eisner Awards.
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