Graphic Novels Go Hollywood
Janet Hetherington takes a look at why graphic novels are leaping from comic shops and bookstore shelves to big screens across North America and beyond.
Tagged With: Comics
Spirit of Will Eisner Lives on at 2005 Eisner Awards
The 17th Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were bestowed on Friday, July 15, 2005, in a gala ceremony in the ballroom at the San Diego Convention Center. The awards event was dedicated to Eisner, who died in January. His presence was felt throughout the evening, as presenter after presenter shared thoughts about the late comics giant. The ceremony was preceded by a slide show of Eisners career and a video with taped tributes from many creators who couldnt attend, including Frank Miller, Mike Mignola and Dave Sim.
Digital Comics: A New Breed Comes Into the Fold
The Eisner Awards have introduced a new category this yearDigital Comics. Janet Hetherington explores the exciting new breed of digital comics creators and publishers.
Book Review: 'The Education of a Comics Artist'
The Animation Pimp delves into our fear and denial of death and festival acceptance.
Banner Year for SLG at Comic-Con
Comic-Con International 2005 will be the event of the year for readers of SLG Publishing's comics, as SLG pulls out all the stops to bring fans their favorite creators and comics, news about new projects and portfolio reviews for aspiring artists. At the year's biggest comicbook convention, which will take place in San Diego from July 14-17, nearly 40 comicbook creators will be appearing at SLG's booth including the company's two top artists, Roman Dirge and Jhonen Vasquez who will be on hand to meet fans and sign books.
DC Comics Unveils Panels For Comic-Con
Along with the vast list of DC Comics writers and artists set to attend Comic-Con International: San Diego 2005, DC also offers a full slate of programming. Panels at the convention cover new projects and coming events from the DCU, WildStorm, VERTIGO, CMX and more.
Thursday, July 14:
Education of a Comics Artist Hits Bookshelves
As comics studies have become much more complex and sophisticated, a wealth of resources has been compiled into a new, provocative anthology, THE EDUCATION OF A COMICS ARTIST, edited by Michael Dooley and Steven Heller and published by Allworth Press. This portable comics convention offers insights from pros into the booming changing comics field.
Batman Begins Videogame Soars onto Shelves
From co-publishers Electronic Arts and Warner Bros. Interactive Ent., the BATMAN BEGINS videogame has hit retail shelves nationwide for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance. The game, based on the Warner Bros. Pictures film BATMAN BEGINS and DC Comics' legendary character, is rated "T for Teen."
DC Comics Unveils a New Company Logo
DC Comics unveiled a new DC Comics company logo that will appear on comicbooks, graphic novels and, for the first time ever, on films and television series based on DC properties. The new DC logo will make its first appearance on a DC Comics cover May 25, 2005, when the company publishes DC SPECIAL: THE RETURN OF DONNA TROY #1 and will then appear on the entire DC line the following week.
Harvey Award Nominations Announced
This year's nominees for the 18th Annual Harvey Awards, chosen solely by industry professionals, have been announced, with DC and Fantagraphics leading the way with the most nominations.
The new Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, in New York City, will host the awards ceremony at the historic Puck Building on June 11, 2005, as part of the Fourth Annual MoCCA Art Festival Weekend. Jeff (Bone) Smith will be the keynote speaker.
The nominees for the 18th Annual Harvey Awards are:
Best New Talent
APE: Alternative Press Expo
Begins: April 9, 2005
The premier event for independent, self published and alternative comics, the Alternative Press Expo features professional panels from the world of indie comics. In addition to the guests, APE also holds panels and programs various topics that are important to the industry. For more information, visit http://www.comic-con.org/Pages/APEWhatsNew.html.
Dreamwave Comics Ends
Canadian comics publisher Dreamwaye Prods. has stopped operations and is shutting its doors. Dreamwaves line of licensed comics included TRANSFORMERS, DUEL MASTERS, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES and MEGAMAN. President Pat Lee cited market conditions as the reason for the closing, including "...the shrinking comicbook market combined with a weak U.S. dollar and unsustainable monetary commitments." The company was founded in 1996 by brothers Pat and Roger Lee.
Marvel Comics Names Paniccia to Head Graphic Novel Development
Marvel Comics has brought Mark Paniccia on board as a senior editor to significantly bolster the publishers presence and success in the hot teen graphic novel category. He will also recruit a new generation of comicbook writers and artists.
Invader Zim Creator Returns to Comics
Slave Labor Graphics has announced that INVADER ZIM creator Jhonen Vasquez will make his return to comics with FILLERBUNNY IN MY WORST BOOK YET!, due out in March. Fillerbunny, originally created as a one-page filler character, will continue his long-suffering existence in this 24-page black & white comic, with two pages in color, for $2.95.
Blade: Trinity Director Back for Flash
BLADE: TRINITY director David Goyer has signed on to write, produce and direct a film adaptation of DC Comics Flash for Warner Bros. Pictures, reports VARIETY. His wont be the first time that Goyer has entered the DC superhero universe he wrote the script for BATMAN BEGINS.
Spiritualist Chopra & Director Kapur Form Comicbook Company
Deepak Chopra, world-renowned author and spiritualist and Shekhar Kapur, director of the Oscar nominated ELIZABETH, have joined with Gotham Ent. Group, the leading publisher of comic magazines in South Asia to announce the launch of Gotham Studios Asia, a new company focused on creating original comic books and character properties for a global audience. Gotham Studios Asia is a partnership between Chopra and Kapurs media company, Intent and Gotham Ent. Group.
Disney Publishing Adds Crossgen Ent. To Comics Portfolio
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) has acquired of the assets of CrossGen Entertainment Inc., an innovative publisher of comicbooks and graphic novels. CrossGens stable of epic fantasy and science fiction properties include ABADAZAD, RUSE, WAY OF THE RAT, MERIDIAN, MYSTIC, ROUTE 666 and SOJOURN. Disney represents approximately 50% of all childrens comic magazines sold around the world, reaching readers of all ages, with 220 million comics each year.
Fox Hires New Scribe for X3
20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios have hired Simon Kinberg to write the script for X3, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The deal will earn the writer a high-six-against-seven-figure sum. Kinberg isnt new to comic book inspired features having done rewrites on ELEKTRA and FANTASTIC FOUR. Details of the plot have not been announced.
Paramount Rides Sabrina Broomstick into Theaters
Paramount Pictures has teamed with Archie Comics Ent. to co-produce a live-action film adaptation of comic book character, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, reports THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The comic was previously the basis for the ABC live-action sitcom starring Melissa Joan Hart as well as several animated series produced by DIC Ent.
Lost in Translation?: Superheroes from Page to Screen
Danny Fingeroth looks at what gets lost in translation from the comicbook page to the big and small screens.
DC Rules at the Eisner Awards
DC Comics ruled the 16th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, with projects and creators from DC titles involved in half of the award winners. The gala ceremony was held on July 23, 2004, in the Ballroom at the San Diego Convention Center. Dark Horse took home four Eisners. The only other publisher with multiple Eisners was Top Shelf.
Platinum Studios To Bring Top Cow Comics To Film & TV
Platinum Studios, the comic book entertainment company headed by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, has announced an exclusive deal to acquire and develop Marc Silvestris Top Cow Prods' library of characters and upcoming future projects for film and television.
The deal was crafted and negotiated by Top Cow president Matt Hawkins, who said, I woke up one morning and it just dawned on me that we do this. I spoke with Scott and Marc, and they were both immediately into it.
DC Comics Ups Rubin in Brand Management
DC Comics has promoted Cheryl Rubin from vp to svp, brand management, and will continue supervising the brand, creative and merchandising activities for the library of DC Comics and MAD MAGAZINE properties.
Shazam Flick Gets Dozen Writers
New Line Cinema have tapped writers Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow (CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN) to pen the screen adaptation of DC Comics' SHAZAM!. William Goldman (PRINCESS BRIDE) had been working on the script previously. The film would chronicle the easygoing Billy Batson and his superhero alter ego Captain Marvel. Batson changed by saying the word "shazam," giving the attributes to six Greek gods. The character appeared in DC Comics in the 1970s and originally appeared in the 1940s as a Fawcett Comics title.
IDT Finds Archie Comics Fun To Acquire
IDT Entertainment is fast approaching buying up all the ingredients it needs to be a completely diversified, worldwide entertainment conglomerate with its latest acquisition of a 5% equity interest in Archie Comics Entertainment, LLC. This agreement gives IDT the rights to co-develop and co-produce select animated properties based upon Archie Comics Ent. characters.
