It’s an exciting time for Z File, as we’ve just signed contracts with two new clients, North River Press and Zenith Press, and will be producing new nonfiction graphic novels for them.

The success of graphic nonfiction has been an eye-opener to traditional book publishers, and we’ve shown that it’s possible to produce entertaining and informative graphic works on just about anything: Evolution, Health Care Reform, The Vietnam War. Now we’re going to be doing a graphic adaptation of one of the most successful and important books on business analysis and plant management ever published. It is The Goal, by the late Eliyahu Goldratt, in print for over twenty-five years and now in its third updated edition. With over 5 million copies in print in 30 languages, it is considered as important an analysis tool today as when it was first conceived.

In a recent interview published by CNN, Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos said that when he takes his senior executive staff on business retreats, they spend a week reading and discussing three books. And, you guessed it, The Goal is one of those three.

Taking on the script adaptation is longtime Z File friend, freelance author Dwight Jon Zimmerman. (No—we’re still not related.) Doing the art, lettering and design is another old friend, comics genius and the father of “Mr. X,” Dean Motter. The work of Zimmerman and Motter has garnered many award nominations—and some actual awards—over the years.

As the ink is still drying on the contracts, it will be a while before we have anything to show or tease you with. But sometime in 2015 the book will be available in both print and electronic formats.

Our other new client is Zenith Press, a smallish house located in Minneapolis. They have commissioned a 96-page history of . . . wait for it . . . AREA 51. No, not the Roswell “cover-up.” Not alien spaceships nor recovered alien beings. The actual secret history of America’s most important base for testing and developing new aircraft. From the U-2 and SR-71 blackbird spy planes to the F-117 attack/fighter and B-2 stealth bomber, all of  the newest, cutting edge craft are tested out there in the Nevada desert.

Fantastic illustrator Greg Scott, who has worked for both Marvel Comics and DC Comics, gives us a realistic portrayal of the men and their visionary machines, while Dwight Zimmerman once again gets to regale us with his knowledge of formerly classified military history as scripter.

More on both as things develop.