MARVEL BRINGS PHILIP K DICK’S ELECTRIC ANT TO LIFE

"My universe is lying within my fingers, he realized. If I can just figure out how the damn thing works."-- "The Electric Ant," Philip K. Dick


This is from PhilipKDick.com:

The Electric Ant, Philip K. Dick’s seminal science fiction short story, will be adapted by Marvel Comics in the upcoming Electric Ant limited series to be released in 2009, it was announced by Marvel, and Electric Shepherd Productions.

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The creative team behind this existential thriller includes acclaimed writer David Mack (Daredevil, Kabuki) and artist Pascal Alixe (Ultimate X-Men, 1602: Fantastik Four), joined by Consulting Editor Brian Michael Bendis (award-winning author behind Secret Invasion) and renowned artist Paul Pope, who will provide covers to the series.

About time publishers got around to publishing PKD adaptations. I imagine many more are to follow.

Pascal Alixe art

A short film version of the "Electric Ant" titled All Gates Open was produced in 2006.

Kyle Piccolo: Comic Shop Therapist

In the eponymous Web TV series, Kyle Piccolo of New York City's Midtown Comics doles out pearls of life wisdom to his often socially inept customers and his sidekick Doucheus. Created by Alec Pollak, Neil Turitz, Eric Zuckerman and John Cassaday, Kyle Piccolo: Comic Shop Therapist offers a scarily realistic insight into the world of the comic shop. So far there have been only two episodes but I've picked up these two very important pearls of wisdom: Gods sell better at an angle and even though Reed Richards is the smartest man in the world, he too has relationship problems.

With some big time sponsors and witty scripts, I expect this one to be around for a while.

Interview with The Damned

Creators, that is. My latest Baker's Dozen for RevolutionSF is with The Damned writer Cullen Bunn and artist Brian Hurtt.

It's been said the in order to get anything published, you must sell your soul. How much of Eddie comes from your personal and professional life experiences?

BH: The process of doing this comic has been entirely painless. We have a great relationship with Oni (I’d done several projects with them prior to this) and when they said yes to the pitch they more or less cut us loose on the book. Their input has been minimal and always put forth as questions rather than edicts. The Oni philosophy has always been to hire the creators they like and trust and then let them do what they do. It’s a great way to work.

Eddie is a bitter, tired, and pessimistic soul. He’s entirely based on Cullen.

CB: I tried to sell Brian’s soul on eBay, but the highest bidder failed to pay. I didn’t get a single bite on it when posted to Craigslist, either. I finally gave his soul away on Freecycle so it wouldn’t clutter my garage.

Working on The Damned seems a bit surreal, because it has been so easy, and I’m grateful every day for the experience. Brian and Oni Press are great to work with. My only fear is that I’ve been spoiled by how well this has gone. I can only hope that all the other projects I work on will be as rewarding.

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Michael Moorcock and the Comics of the Multiverse

The fine folks over at Moorcock’s Miscellany have reprinted my 1998 article "Michael Moorcock and the Comics of the Mutliverse" from Michael Moorcock's Multiverse #6.

Moorcock then began working on a succession of comic magazines for Fleetway including Sexton Blake Library, Kit Carson, Robin Hood, and Billy The Kid, first on the annuals and then on the actual weeklies. The annuals were hardbound Christmas versions of the weeklies and monthlies.

During this period, Moorcock also edited issues of Thriller Picture Library, Cowboy Picture Library, and others. By 1965 he had written or co-written issues of Karl the Viking, Kit Carson, Buck Jones, Dogfight Dixon RFC (which he helped to create), The Life Of Alexander, Skid Solo, Zip Nolan, Highway Patrol, and Bible Story Weekly. Contrary to popular belief, Moorcock never wrote issues of Wrath of Gods, Deathworld, or The Trigon Empire. By the end of 1965 he had all but stopped writing comics.

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