Tulsa author S.E. Hinton plans comic-book projects
According to MTV’s Splash Page blog, Tulsa author S.E. Hinton will bring several projects to comic books, from Bluewater Productions.
The first project will adapt Hinton’s young adult novel “Taming of the Star Runner.” That series is planned for early 2010.
According to the Splash Page, Hinton’s children’s book “The Puppy Sister” is set to be adapted, and Hinton
S.E. Hinton
plans to create an entirely new title for Bluewater. Don Smith, CW Cooke, Guilherme Rafid and Yasir Fajardo will collaborate on Hinton’s projects, according to the blog.
“I grew up reading S.E. Hinton’s books, so to bring these to a graphic novel format is a dream come true for me,” said Bluewater publisher Darren G. Davis at MTV Splash Page. “The best part is getting to work with Hinton one on one. We have talked about the new title, which is on the lines of her iconic work ‘The Outsiders.’”
Hinton is one of Oklahoma’s best-known authors. It’ll be interesting to see the local response to comics based on her work.
- Matt Price
Megan Fox looking at Fathom, Jonah Hex
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Megan Fox (”Transformers”) is in final negotiations to join the film “Jonah Hex,” based on the DC Comics Western hero. She’s also attached to star in “Fathom,” based on Michael Turner’s aquatic hero.
“Jonah Hex” is set to begin filming in April, directed by Jimmy Hayward. Fox will play Leila, a “gun-wielding beauty,” according to THR, and love interest to Josh Brolin’s Jonah Hex.
“Fathom” is being written by Jordan Mechner, the creator of video game “Prince of Persia.” “Fathom” was created by artist Michael Turner, who died in 2008 at age 37. According to THR, Fox had been a fan of “Fathom” since it debuted in 1998.
This is probably the best excuse I’ll have this week to run a lot of Megan Fox photos. I met Fox at the “Transformers” junket in 2007, and it seemed likely then that she would become a bigger star.
– Matt Price
Mark Millar talks “Wanted 2″
Mark Millar talking about “Wanted” at Newsarama: “What I will be doing is providing them with a very small amount of stuff for a story, and that will be used as a basic story that they can build from. It will be a small outline that can possibly be picked apart and not used – but it will be something exclusively for the second film, and no one will ever really see it.”
It will be based in the storyline of the movie, which varied rather substantially from the comic, but bringing in some elements from the original series that didn’t factor into the original movie, Millar said.
Unfortunately, it will most likely be missing something that nearly everybody loved from the first film… find out what after the cut.
EW takes first look at “Watchmen”
Entertainment Weekly talks to Zack Snyder about his adaptation of the Alan Moore-Dave Gibbons graphic novel “Watchmen.” The cover shown is from EW’s Comic-Con preview issue. (This is yet another sign, comic book fans — we won.) Writer Alan Moore, however, isn’t thrilled:
“I increasingly fear that nothing good can come of almost any adaptation, and obviously that’s sweeping. There are a couple of adaptations that are perhaps as good or better than the original work. But the vast majority of them are pointless.”
I can see Moore’s argument — “Watchmen” works on its own, it sells well years after its original release. Does it need a movie? Will having a movie version mean people don’t feel they need to read the book? It’s a situation I saw to some degree with “From Hell,” by Moore and Eddie Campbell. My comic-book store sold the collected edition well from its original release, and sales increased through all the pre-movie hype. After the film, sales fell off, and while we still sell some copies of the work, it’s not as many as it possibly should be, given the quality of the book. I haven’t looked at specific numbers on these other books, but I wonder if the same could be said for “V for Vendetta,” “Sin City” or “300.” Increasing sales up through the movie’s release, then numbers that settle below where the book was selling before the film. In most cases, I think it’s still a win for the publisher — that surge sells more books than the slow-and-steady movement would have over a certain number of years — but is that true for “Watchmen,” a book that’s been one of the top comic store sellers since the original release in graphic novel form?
– Matt Price
Dabel Brothers to adapt “Wheel of Time”
From Dabel Brothers:
DABEL BROTHERS TO ADAPT ROBERT JORDAN’S BESTSELLING
WHEEL OF TIME SERIES IN COMIC BOOK FORMAT
NEW YORK, NY – July 1, 2008 – Dabel Brothers Publishing announced today that they will adapt Robert Jordan’s bestselling Wheel of Time series, which has sold more than 14 million copies in North America alone, into comic book format. The first issue is scheduled to release in December 2008.
The Wheel of Time began in 1990 with the publication of The Eye of the World; ten more volumes have followed. The most recent four books of the series have reached #1 on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list. It is the story of a world – both our past, and our future – in which the battle between the Light and the Shadow must be fought every day; and of the people, both ordinary and extraordinary, who must fight that battle. Jordan wrote eleven volumes of the series and one prequel; he was unable to complete the twelfth and final volume before his death in 2007. That volume, A Memory of Light, will be completed by Brandon Sanderson, a writer chosen by Jordan’s widow and editor, Harriet McDougal, and published by Tor Books in 2009.
The Dabel Brothers published a comic adaptation of Jordan’s A New Spring in March 2005. In conjunction with that project, Robert Jordan provided them with extensive notes for use in further possible publications, including character descriptions and other visuals.
“I’m delighted to be working with the Dabel Brothers! Their work is splendid. Robert Jordan liked it enormously,” says Harriet McDougal.
For more information on Dabel Brothers Publishing: http://www.dabelbrothers.com.
Meet the Iraq War Hulk
Talk about a treat: Monday night, I got to see an advance screening of “The Incredible Hulk” and let me be the first to say, this movie smashed my expectations.
Much like Iron Man earlier this summer, The Incredible Hulk is a both a loving tribute to fans and an audience-friendly action flick. It’s not high art, but who cares when it’s this much fun?
I’m sure Matt will have plenty to say on the subject soon, but one thing that really stuck out to me was Bruce Banner’s vivid memory flashes of the Hulk’s activities — he has post-traumatic stress disorder.
It makes perfect sense, of course. He’s not a soldier. Bruce Banner is a scientist thrust into a very unhappy situation that makes wherever he is a war-zone.
Fans of the TV show, fans of the comics and fans of big-budget action movies will really enjoy this one. Coming from someone who liked Ang Lee’s earlier film, I can honestly say this is a more mainstream product that I predict will do big box office.
I think Matt and I might do some competing Top 5 lists on the best superhero movies of all time. Let us know what your favorites are in the comments.
– Greg Elwell
Mekhi Phifer attached to “Hunter’s Moon”
Press release from BOOM!:
BOOM! Studios and James L. White have attached Mekhi Phifer’s Facilitator Films to adapt the graphic novel HUNTER’S MOON as a starring vehicle for the actor, it was announced today by Phifer and BOOM! Co-founders Andrew Cosby and Ross Richie. Phifer and his Facilitator Films partner Ronnie Warner will produce the film along with Cosby and Richie, via their Boom Entertainment banner.
The graphic novel was created and written by James L. White, scribe for the Oscar-winning film RAY. The story follows a single father who takes his teenage son into the woods for a weekend of bonding. When the son is kidnapped, the father is forced to do the bidding of the captors in a desperate bid to save his son.
ComicsPRO meeting: Dynamite on American Flagg, Man with No Name
LAS VEGAS — Joe Rybandt of Dynamite said the long-awaited “American Flagg” reprint project will finally come out in July. Howard Chaykin’s influential 1980s science fiction tale had some problems in production, but the remastered book with the first 14 issues as well as some new material is now set for a hardcover release.
Rybandt talked about several of Dynamite’s projects to the retailers assembled for the ComicsPRO annual meeting in Las Vegas. “The Boys” vol. 1, from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, is now in its third printing. Volume 2 is now in stock, and volume 3 will follow this year.
Rybandt reiterated the involvement by painter Alex Ross in “Project Superpowers,” from Dynamite, and “Avengers/Invaders” from Marvel, being packaged by Dynamite.
“Each issue (of Project: Superpowers) has the character work that Alex has done for the series in the background of the issues,” Rybandt said. “Alex is as involved in every aspect of both (”Project: Superpowers”) and ”Avengers-Invaders” as anyone could possibly be. From plot to script to reviewing the pencils to providing art to reviewing the colors, the whole nine yards.”
Rybandt showed an Alex Ross cover for “Red Sonja” No. 30. He said issues 30-34 would be “done in one” stories by rotating creative teams. Issue No. 34 would be a one-issue story by writer Brian Reed and artist Mel Rubi, who become the regular creative team with issue No. 35.
“Lone Ranger” will be back from Dynamite soon; issue No. 11 was resolicited for April. Paul Pope and Sergio Cariello provide the art. Issues 12-15 are scripted, and Dynamite is working on getting back to a monthly release schedule. The other Lone Ranger book from Dynamite, “Lone Ranger and Tonto,” is slated to come out quarterly.
“The Man with No Name” No. 1 ships from Dynamite in May. The series will have a 1-in-10 Arthur Sudyam variant cover. The book is based on the Clint Eastwood films starring the Man with No Name. The writer is Christos Gage, and the artist is Wellington Dias. Richard Isanove provides the cover to No. 1.
– Matt Price
Marvel to adapt “The Stand”?
According to a story at Newsarama, author Stephen King, when speaking to National Public Radio, said Marvel Comics would adapt his book “The Stand” into graphic novel format.
“The Stand” is considered by many to be Stephen King’s masterwork. Here’s a synopsis from StephenKing.com:
One man escapes from a biological weapon facility after an accident, carrying with him the deadly virus known as Captain Tripps, a rapidly mutating flu that – in the ensuing weeks – wipes out most of the world’s population. In the aftermath, survivors choose between following an elderly black woman to Boulder or the dark man, Randall Flagg, who has set up his command post in Las Vegas. The two factions prepare for a confrontation between the forces of good and evil.
Fincher to direct “Black Hole”
In what looks to be extremely good news for comic-adaptation fans, David Fincher (”Zodiac,” “Fight Club”) has signed on to direct “Black Hole,” based on the Charles Burns graphic novel, from a script by Neil Gaiman (”Sandman”) and Roger Avary (”Pulp Fiction”).
From Variety:
Plan B and producer Kevin Messick are developing the project that’s based on Charles Burns‘ graphic novel. Burns wrote and illustrated the 12-issue series that became the graphic novel over a 10-year period.
Story kicks off when a sexually transmitted “bug” is passed from teenager to teenager.
Link via Blog@Newsarama.
– Matt Price
