Macmillan Children’s Books has announced an expanded programme of publishing with John Patrick Green, the author-illustrator mastermind behind the graphic novel series InvestiGators. The agreement, for seven titles across the InvestiGators and the companion Agents of S.U.I.T. series, comes as the series enjoys a 134% sales increase through the UK TCM. The deal takes the combined series to 19 titles with publishing running through to the end of 2028.
The deal, for UK and Commonwealth Rights, was done by Cate Augustin, Editorial Director at Macmillan Children’s Books, with Kristin Dulaney at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group in the US, where the books are published under MCPG’s First Second graphic novel imprint.
2025 will herald a new look for the core InvestiGators series, with refreshed covers rolling out from January, reinvigorating the books’ appeal to existing and new readers alike. An extensive year round comms campaign including on demand TV advertising, extensive retailer promotions and wide-reaching partnerships will launch in January.
The eighth book in the series, Class Action, will publish in paperback on 30th January, followed by Wild Ghost Chase in April, book three in the Agents of S.U.I.T. series for which John collaborates with Christopher Hastings and Pat Lewis.
June will see John back in the UK with a major tour, which for the third consecutive year will coincide with Independent Bookshop Week. The tour will include large scale public events and signings as well as multi school events.
A further new title, Case Files, will publish in September, a special interactive instalment in the series where Mango and Brash will be asking their readers for help in cracking the case, capitalising on the trend of narrative puzzle books.
InvestiGators: High Rise Hi-Jinks was one of 2024’s most in demand World Book Day £1 books. As part of the World Book Day activities John took part in one of Waterstones’ largest ever virtual multi school events on World Book Day itself, reaching over 41,000 children in the UK and Ireland as well as schools in the United States, Uganda, Switzerland, Poland, Oman, Norway, Mauritius and Italy.
The InvestiGators series, which is a favourite amongst teachers and librarians as well as young readers, is also gaining recognition from judging panels. The seventh book in the series, All Tide Up, won its category in the inaugural Scholastic Graphic Novel Award. All Tide Up was also shortlisted for The Week Junior Book Award and Heist and Seek shortlisted for the Spark! Book Award.
Cate Augustin, Editorial Director at Macmillan Children’s Books, comments: “With its wacky humour, irresistible puns, super-sleuthing characters and commercial artwork, InvestiGators is a hit with children of all ages. John is so passionate about giving children the chance to discover the joy of comics and graphic novels, and we are so excited to be working with him to bring the series to even more young readers across the UK with our programme of year round activity.”
Alison Ruane, Managing Director at Macmillan Children’s Books, comments “InvestiGators is a smash hit with children and it is a thrill to work with our US colleagues and see the sales and popularity grow across the world. As part of our on-going commitment to the series and graphic novel publishing, we are also pleased to support the UK Comics Laureate initiative.”
“Reading comics as a kid got me excited about stories, and literature, and how books were made,” says John Patrick Green. “It was the beginning of my journey to become a professional comics creator. When kids around the UK chose my InvestiGators graphic novel to receive the Scholastic Graphic Novel Award, I wanted to use that prize to help those kids start on their own creative journeys.
“The UK Comics Laureate program does amazing work to champion comics, and I’m honoured that my publisher and I can help with that mission. I’m so glad to be looking ahead with a return visit to the UK and more InvestiGators in the pipeline.”
Supporting the UK Comics Laureate
John has chosen to donate his £1000 prize money from the Scholastic Graphic Novel Award win to the UK Comics Laureate programme, with Pan Macmillan’s Making a Difference fund matching the prize. Run by the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, the UK Comics Laureate is an ambassadorial and educational role for the comics medium and aims to raise awareness of the impact comics can have in terms of increasing literacy and creativity. The role is currently held by Bobby Joseph.
Julie Tait, Festival Director, comments: “The role of the UK Comics Laureate is to show the value comics and graphic novels can play in the classroom, and at home, to further children’s enjoyment of reading. We are delighted and very touched by the generosity of John Patrick Green and his publisher, and look forward to working with our current UK Comics Laureate and Macmillan Children’s Books to get more comics into the hands of young readers.”
Pan Macmillan publish a broad and vibrant range of books for audiences of all ages, from dazzling bestsellers to influential prize-winners; books to inspire lifelong readers and listeners to enduring classics for generations to come. The fourth largest UK publisher, they pride themselves on publishing successfully and sustainably and are committed to working together to positively impact culture and society at large.
Macmillan Children’s Books is one of the UK’s leading children’s publishers, creating and publishing absorbing and exciting stories for children of all ages for over 150 years. Macmillan was the original publisher of classic heritage titles such as The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland and The Jungle Book, and we continue to acquire and publish future classics of tomorrow for the global market.
• John Patrick Green is online at johngreenart.com | Investigators Official Site
• Find out more about the Comics Laureate on the Festival’s project site, Comics Can Change the World
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival returns to Bowness-on-Windermere Friday 26th – Sunday 28th September 2025
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