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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
Danny Fingeroth looks at what gets lost in translation from the comicbook page to the big and small screens.
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, 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 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.
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 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.
DC Comics has named Gregory Noveck to the newly formed post of svp, creative affairs. He will oversee the exploitation of the DC characters in feature films and television at Warner Bros. and New Line as well as developing outside creative alliances. The bi-coastal exec will report to DC publisher and president Paul Levitz.
Metal rocker-turned-film director Rob Zombie and author-cartoonist Steve Niles have formed a new production company, Creep Entertainment Intl, reported VARIETY. The firm already has lined-up three comicbook inspired projects -- THE NAIL with Dark Horse Comics, BIGFOOT with IDW Comics and LORDS OF SALEM. Zombie and Niles have co-written the scripts for all three films.
Though apparently simple, comic strips have the capacity to express universal truths. Using examples from his own and others
Danny Fingeroth reviews the latest X-film, X-Men United, and wishes the team of outcasts got treated a little better.
Veteran media executive Allan Grafman joins Archie Comics Entertainment as president to expand the company's worldwide operations. His mandate is to increase the media exploitation of such characters as Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Josie and the Pussycats. Several Archie characters have been developed for films and TV shows, which Grafman will pursue as well as opportunities in video, video games, music, live events and licensing. Grafman led the turnaround and restructuring of Hallmark Entertainment where he served as XVP.
Danny Fingeroth reviews Dan Raviv's book on the legal wrangling between two businessmen for control of Marvel Comics, which reveals the power of dollars and its impact on the art.
Ever since the days of Winsor McCay, the worlds of animation and comics have been closely connected, with many artists doing double-duty in both fields. In this special ASIFA-Hollywood industry event, we'll take a look at some of today's top animation artists who also create their own comics. Among the artists joining us for the event are Michel Gagn
A course in the fundamentals of comic book storytellingthrough sequential images. Several assignments overten sessions will cover a range of techniques toadvance a story. Students are assumed to have fundamentaldrawing skills.
Starting May 28th, Tuesdays, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Richard Pace has over ten years experience in thecomic book field as both artist and writer. Pastclients include: Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics,Marvel Comics and several others.Tuition: 400 + GST
In the midst of Spider-Man mania, Danny Fingeroth caught up with two of the most popular producers in showbiz Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad to talk about box office success, becoming a geek, creative changes and the new animated television show.
Surprised that Spider-Man is racking up such huge sums at the box office? Danny Fingeroth isn't, as he explains, there's a little Spidey in all of us.
SPX Comics Festival and Anthology, Bethesda, Maryland
Friday, September 6, 2002 Sunday, September 8, 2002
Entry Deadline: Monday, April 15, 2002
In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, comics creators shared their talents by lauding the firemen, policemen, medical technicians and everyday citizens that were the real-life heroes of September 11. Numerous anthologies of artwork commemorating September 11 have been created including Marvel Comics HEROES and A MOMENT OF SILENCE, Alternative Comics 9-11: EMERGENCY RELIEF trade paperback anthology, and Dark Horse and DC Comics SEPTEMBER 11 two-volume set. Now some of this artwork will be on display beginning January 22, 2002 in New York City.
