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Although many knock it for being more about movies and television, there is still a great comic-book presence at San Diego Comic-Con, from panels about upcoming releases and recognizing past talents to sections of the exhibit hall to purchase comics and related memorabilia. Winner of three Eisners at this year’s ceremony, IDW Publishing took time over the four-day weekend to announce their upcoming projects. Here are some of the highlights:
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: Considering Hunter S. Thompson hated being a cartoon character in Doonesbury and part of the reason Alex Cox lost the directing gig on the film adaptation of Fear and Loathing was because he wanted to include an animated sequence, it would be interesting to learn Hunter’s reaction to his famed work being turned into a graphic novel. A release date and creative team have yet to be determined
Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland: Winsor McCay’s Little Nemo in Slumberland first appeared in the New York Herald in 1905 as a weekly comic strip about Nemo traversing the world of his dreams. Leading the return is multiple Eisner Award-winning writer/artist Eric Shanower (Age of Bronze) and Locke & Key co-creator and Eisner-nominated artist Gabriel Rodriguez.
The Maxx and Sam Kieth: Kieth’s The Maxx, which follows the dual identities of a man caught between the real world and a heroic fantasy realm called The Outback, returns after 20 years in fully re-mastered and re-colored printings of the classic stories, supervised by Kieth. Also under The Maxx banner will be The Maxx: Maxximized, featuring brand-new painted covers by Kieth; a series of hardcover Maxx collections; and an Artist’s Edition. Kieth will also create a set of three comprehensive new art books called The Worlds of Sam Kieth showcasing his talent as an artist and telling his personal story. The first volume debuted at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International.
Parker: Based on the influential novels by Richard Stark, AKA, Donald Westlake, Darwyn Cooke’s acclaimed Parker series continues to expand with the classic Slayground. In the newest graphic novel, the fourth in the series, Parker is put to the test against crooked cops and sleazy gangsters after a heist goes south and he finds himself trapped in an amusement park closed for the winter, and embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse…a game that slowly starts to favor the mouse.
Ragnarök and Walter Simonson: Written and drawn by Simonson, Ragnarök will explore his beloved Norse mythology. About the project, he said, “I’ve loved the stories of the Viking gods since I was eight. I am thrilled that with IDW’s help and support, I’m launching an ongoing series of stories built around a new vision of some old friends. And enemies.” It is set for release in 2014. Simonson and IDW are also teaming up for re-mastered and re-colored collections of Simonson’s 1983 sci-fi favorite, Star Slammers, featuring intergalactic mercenaries-for-hire who went into the business of war, and became the most successful businessmen of all time. In addition to the re-mastered Star Slammers, a special Artist’s Edition of the series is planned
Rouge Trooper: Co-created by Gerry Finley-Day and renowned artist Dave Gibbons in 1981 for 2000 AD, Rogue Trooper is being added to IDW’s publishing slate with an all-new Rogue Trooper series in 2014 and newly colored re-presentations of past Rogue Trooper comics.
The Strange Death of Alex Raymond: As stated on the A Moment of Cerebus Web site, “Originally serialized within the pages of the self-published Glamourpuss #1-26 (2008-2012), The Strange Death Of Alex Raymond is an as yet uncompleted work-in-progress in which Dave Sim investigates the history of photorealism in comics, specifically focusing on the work of comic-strip artist Alex Raymond the circumstances of his death on September 6, 1956 at the wheel of fellow artist Stan Drake’s Corvette.”
