Sci Fi picks up Carey's 'Stranded,' Dawson comic

Sci Fi Channel's collaboration with Virgin Comics appears to have hit it off its first at-bat. Cabler has announced an order for a two-hour pilot based on "The Stranded." Script for the pilot will be written by Mike Carey, who created "The Stranded" series for Virgin/Sci Fi. PR from Virgin in the jump.

Sci Fi also decided to develop "True Believer," based on a comic co-created by "Sin City" star Rosario Dawson. 

And while it's not based on a comic, plenty of comics fans will be pleased to hear that "Caprica," the prequel series to "Battlestar Galactica" has been given a greenlight as a backdoor pilot.

Mike Carey to Pen Television Adaptation for Virgin Comics and SCI FI Channel

The Stranded comic book series picked-up for two-hour pilot

New York, March 19, 2008 --- Fan favorite Mike Carey (X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Voodoo Child) and creator of the comic book series The Stranded will be developing the story into a television series for SCI FI Channel, it was announced by Virgin Comics CEO Sharad Devarajan.  SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal.

“One of the purposes of our SCI FI partnership is to create television and film writing opportunities for the best talents in the comic industry.  Having Mike write the television pilot for The Stranded, a comic book he created, is exactly what we had hoped for,” says Sharad Devarajan.

Mike Carey’s stunning work has earned him fans worldwide. With The Stranded, Mike challenges ordinary people to face the extraordinary – their lives are lies.  Every memory is false. Startling events cause them to confront the truth, that they are, in fact, “stranded” on Earth after a horrific genocide in another galaxy.

“From day one,” Carey says, “working on The Stranded has felt like being at a nexus point of creativity.  Virgin and SCI FI created the perfect platform, and then supported the book and the creative team through all the stages of development.  This feels like something we all own, and we all love.  I can't wait to take it forward into its next incarnation.”

The Stranded is an ongoing comic series published by Virgin Comics and SCI FI Channel.  Issue # 1 was released in January 2008, followed by issue # 2 in February.  Both are available at www.virgincomicsstore.com.  The Stranded # 3 goes on sale at comic shops on March 26th, 2008. The first volume of collected stories will be released at book shops and Amazon.com in July this year.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on.  SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com <http://www.scifi.com>) and magazine.  Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.

Virgin Comics LLC is a character entertainment company creating original stories and epic myths for worldwide audiences.  The company was founded in November 2005 by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Enterprises Ltd., alongside author Deepak Chopra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan, Gotham Chopra and Suresh Seetharaman.  Virgin is developing new stories with acclaimed filmmakers, actors and musicians including John Woo, Guy Ritchie, Terry Gilliam, Jenna Jameson, Dave Stewart, Ed Burns, Nicolas Cage, Duran Duran, Sachin Tendulkar and others.  Feature films based on Virgin Comics' characters are also in the works, including an animated feature, "The Secrets of the Seven Sounds," and theatrical live action feature films including "Gamekeeper" in development with Warner Bros. and "Virulents" with Fox. In India, Virgin Comics recently established a partnership with Studio 18 to pioneer the Indian "teen-horror" genre and a separate partnership with UTV Motion Pictures to develop new Indian superheroes. Virgin Comics also formed a joint venture with NBC Universal to create new science fiction properties for graphic novels and television with the SCI FI Channel. www.VirginComics.com

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ABC plugs 'Lost' promos into Marvel books

Here's an odd story that takes the idea of product placement in comics to a new and slightly different level. ABC has been placing elements from "Lost" in various Marvel books to promote the show's season premiere next week. I havent' seen any such references myself, but I'm hoping these are just background things that don't affect the stories, rather than having, say, the Hulk, smashing a tank while saying something like "Puny humans keeping Hulk from Lost premiere!!"

I'm going to look for some examples. In the meantime, here's the PR, via the futon critic:

DISCOVER "LOST" IN MARVEL COMICS

ABC Marketing Places Key Visual References from the Hit Show in Popular Marvel Comics, Including Uncanny X-Men, Incredible Hercules, Thunderbolts and Wolverine Origins

Now fans can discover elements from the hit series "Lost" in Marvel Comics. ABC marketing has strategically placed images and references from the show in various comic books, including Uncanny X-Men, Incredible Hercules, Thunderbolts and Wolverine Origins on sale now. Examples of "Lost" references include a "Lost" poster, the number 6, and the slogan "Find Yourself" in the latest editions of numerous Marvel comics throughout the month. Expect more "Lost" placements to pop up in comic books on stands January 23 and January 30.

Season Four of "Lost" premieres, Thursday, January 31 at 9:00 p.m., ET.

Licensed comics aren't looking to replace parent skeins

The writers strike continues to roll on, now claiming as casualties not just the Golden Globes kudosfest, but increasingly new episodes of favorite TV shows.

That raises an interesting possibility for the few comics licensed from current TV shows to maybe try to fill the gap left by the absence of new episodes.

The number of comics that qualify for such a proposition is very small, as most TV comics these days are licensed from classic (i.e., defunct) series, such as Dark Horse’s smash hit “Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8” series, IDW’s “Angel,” and Dynamite titles like “Xena: Warrior Princess.”

IDW Publishing, based in San Diego, has in its recent and upcoming offerings comics based on “24,” “CSI” and “Ghost Whisperer.” Andrew Steven Harris, an editor at IDW who works on “24” and “Star Trek,” says the company is “not interested in cashing in on the strike in any way."

A number of factors preclude comics publishers from doing much about the strike, says Harris, who cited production time as an example. Most of the comics coming out now were written way in advance of the strike, and any books initiated since the strike began in November would still not be due out for months — by which time the strike is likely to have been settled, he says.

“What it’s really become more for us is not an opportunity to promote titles to replace the TV show, but to give some of these (striking) writers some work when they can’t ply the normal course of their trade,” Harris says.

Nick Barrucci, president of New Jersey-based Dynamite Entertainment, agrees.

“We work with writers from Hollywood regularly, and we plan on staying the course,” says Barrucci, whose company publishes comics based on both the current Sci Fi's version of “Battlestar Galactica” and the classic 1970s version. “I would think pushing the comics as the only place to see the shows would be a slap across a lot of people’s faces right now. The writers are fighting for their rights, and we’re standing by them.”

Still, Harris says the circumstances are a bit unusual for projects like "24: Cold Warriors," a new Jack Bauer adventure by writer Beau Smith and arists Steve Bryant due out next month. “We’re kind of excited that we get to carry the torch for ’24,’ but I’m a fan of the show and I’d be happier if the show was on the air.”

Dick Wolf to make 'Dynamite' TV

"Law & Order" guru Dick Wolf is looking to mount a "300"-style greenscreen drama series based on the 1950s comics character Johnny Dynamite. "Disturbia" director and writer J.H. Wyman have signed on to the projet, which will see the ex-cop travel to Vegas looking for his missing girlfriend only to find Satan has set up shop buying and selling souls. Skein would feature Dynamite getting involved in the lives of those whose souls Satan touches. Plans are for the show to be shot almost entirely against greenscreens, much as the Frank Miller-inspired pics "Sin City" and "300."

While this take on the character is a big digression for Wolf, who's built an empire on the procedural crime genre, it's also an interesting take on the character that appears to be based mostly on Collins' revival.  Collins has a pretty good track record with such material, having scripted for years the Dick Tracy comic strip and writing comicbooks ranging from issues of Batman to his own creations Ms. Tree and the graphic novel "Road to Perdition," which was turned into a successful film starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. As a novelist, he's best known for his Nathan Heller series.

The character has quite a long and convoluted history. According to this entry at Don Markstein's Toonopedia, the character first appeared in 1953's Dynamite #3, created by writer Ken Fitch (under the pen name William Waugh) and artist Pete Morisi. The publisher, Comic Media, soon folded and the rights to the character were bought by Charlton Comics and they reintroduced Dynamite in 1955. Again, his publishing stint was short-lived, but the character was a favorite of fans of hard-nosed 1950s private eyes. One such fan, novelists and comics scripter Max Allan Collins, picked up the rights to the character in 1987, and has published a handful of new adventures since then and are available from AiT-PlanetLar.

Sci Fi offers comic prequel to 'Tin Man'

Sci Fi Channel made a big push at Comic-Con this year for its December-airing miniseries "Tin Man," a kind of edgier retelling of the "Wizard of Oz" starring Zooey Deschanel, Alan Cumming, Neal McDonough and Richard Dreyfus.

To promote the upcoming event, they've commissioned a prequel comicbook from writer Stuart Moore and artist Siju Thomas. Some printed versions were handed out at Comic-Con — one of many TV shows using comics as promos — but the main rollout will be on Scifi.com and cellphones sometime soon. Here's a sneak peek at the cover and a few inside pages. (Click on the images for a closer look; more after the jump.)

Film news: '10,' 'Pet Robots' optioned; 'Jane' nixed

Ice Cube and his production company CubeVision are in talks to option "10," the Boom! Studios action-crime graphic novel by Keith Giffen and Shannon Eric Denton.

Meanwhile, Disney has picked up "Pet Robots," based on the graphic novel by Scott Christian Sava and published by his own Blue Dream Studios.

And Sci Fi Channel will pull "Painkiller Jane," based on the Event Comics series created by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti, after its first season finale next month.

G4 airing Comic-Con '07 Preview

G4, the cable network for gamers and all the stuff they love, is again covering Comic-Con this year, expanding to two-hours live from the floor each night from 7-9 p.m. ET. To prepare, a Preview special has been airing on the channel (and will continue to air today and tomorrow -- that's as much as my program guide shows for the next week). The hour-long special, hosted by cabler regulars Blair Butler and Chris Gore, includes several pieces aired in the channel's coverage of last year's con and the N.Y. Comic-Con, and some other material both new and old such as interviews with Zack Snyder (new — I think) and Frank Miller (old).

While it's great to see a cabler actually bringing cameras into Comic-Con and broadcasting the show to people who can't be there, I do wish the material was more interesting than talking to (and making fun of) people in costumes and glib or snarky intros to even more glib or snarky comedy skits — all of which gets very old, very very quickly. With everything that's going on at the con, there's a tremendous opportunity to cover stuff besides the movie panels, which will be covered by  pretty much every other entertainment news show anyway. Comic-Con offers such depth and variety of creative material, it would be great to see them talk about, you know, comicbooks, artwork and even toys. Last year, they did interview Marvel editor in chief Joe Quesada, but it wasn't a terribly deep or interesting interview. Getting say Warren Ellis or Jeff Smith or Grant Morrison or Larry Young or even some of the people making their own films on the show has potential to be far more interesting and much cooler than what was on the preview special.

Vandevoort is "Smallville's" Supergirl

Canadian actress Laura Vandevoort has been cast as Supergirl, aka Clark Kent's cousin Kara from Krypton, on The CW's "Smallville" skein. Actress's previous TV credits include "Instant Star," "CSI" and "Doc." She also appeared in the Miramax feature "The Lookout."

"Smallville" begins shooting for its seventh next week in British Columbia.

1960s "Batman" screen test

Surprisingly good footage in which the show is played straight instead of the campy approach that made it to air.

DC to continue 'Veronica Mars'?

That's what the much-loved but now officially canceled skein's creator, Rob Thomas, is telling the Toronto Star in this interview (h/t to AICN). The show, which lasted three seasons on The WB/The CW, achieved a kind of cult status but never had success at drawing in an audience large enough to keep it going.

Obviously, any decision by DC to continue the show in comics is influenced by the sales success of Dark Horse's Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight series. The ability of "Mars" to follow a similar trajectory is, however, questionable as "Mars" was never the hit "Buffy" was and Thomas doesn't have the cult of personality that always gives Joss Whedon a boost.

Supergirl moves to "Smallville"

The hit CW series "Smallville" will be adding another Kryptonian to the cast when its seventh season kicks off in the fall. Casting for the role is currently underway.

This will be the classic version of Supergirl. From the press release:

On SMALLVILLE, the seventh season premiere kicks off with the arrival of Supergirl, whose name is Kara, as Clark’s (Tom Welling) 19-year-old cousin.  She was born on Krypton and is the daughter of Zor-El, Jor-El's brother.  Kara possesses all of Clark’s powers and one he doesn’t yet have ─ she can fly!  Kara also has a strong, rebellious streak that puts her at odds with Clark, and puts her onto Lex’s (Michael Rosenbaum) radar.  In addition, she takes a romantic interest in Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore).

This is sure to be a much-discussed event among fans of the show and the comic — especially given the recent controversies surrounding the portrayal of women and girls in superhero comics. (There's far too many sites to link to on this one ... ) Whichever way the producers go on this is likely to have some kind of impact on this debate, with Hollywood either pointing the way toward a better portrayal of female characters in the superhero genre or simply reinforcing the portrayals that more and more readers — male and female — are finding objectionable. (I'd expect some kind of news/announcement on casting sometime around, oh, I don't know, maybe end of July, which is, coincidentally, the same time as Comic-Con!)

"Heroes" spins off

Fans  of "Heroes" got good news this morning with the announcement of a spinoff six-seg series called "Heroes: Origins." "Heroes" creator Tim Kring will oversee a second crew on the new show, which will explore the origins of various characters, some of whom could be added to the main show's cast. The new series will air in the original's Monday timeslot, most likely after the current season ends or during another hiatus as part of NBC's efforts to reduce the number of repeats, for which viewership has steadily dropped off in recent years. "Heroes" itself was picked up for a full 24-episode second season.

A scan of the credits on the most recent episodes shows comicbook artist Alex Maleev, who most recently worked on "Daredevil" with Brian Michael Bendis, has been creating the prescient artwork for Peter Petrelli, played by Milo Ventimiglia.

On another "Heroes" note, I visited to the set a few weeks back during the filming of the season finale for an upcoming V Plus article. You'll have to wait till that story's published to read all about it, but fans should pay attention to the location of the final showdown between the heroes and Sylar, for which the crew redressed Arco Plaza in downtown L.A. as "Kirby Plaza." Also, signs were erected around the square referring to the Kirby Gallery. According to co-exec producer (and comicbook writer) Jeph Loeb, the tribute to the great Jack Kirby was suggested by co-producer Aron Eli Coleite.

DC spearheads "Smallville" promo campaign

Last week, WB announced that DC Comics has teamed up with Warner Bros. TV, The CW and Toyota to launch a five-week, cross-platform promotional campaign in support of the "Smallville" TV series. The promotion, called "Smallville Legends: Justice and Doom"  centers on a series of comicbook-like interstitials that are called "content wraps." The interstitials are produced by DC Comics, and drive viewers to a web-based puzzle game that will unfold each week through the series' season finale on May 17. The program will provide fans with answers to some of the show's mysteries, including the origins of the Justice League-like team assembled by Oliver Queen, better known in print as Green Arrow. PR follows in the jump.

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION GROUP, THE CW AND TOYOTA LAUNCH “SMALLVILLE LEGENDS: JUSTICE AND DOOM,” A
MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR THE HIT SERIES “SMALLVILLE”

First Integrated, Transmedia Campaign Developed Around Innovative
Content Wrap Advertising Format

Elements Include On-Air Content Wraps Produced By DC Comics,
Immersive Online Game, Mobile Alerts, Clue Drops,
National Sweepstakes and More

    Burbank, Calif. and Torrance, Calif. (April 19, 2007) – The Warner Bros. Television Group, The CW Network and Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. are joining forces on a five-week integrated marketing and promotional campaign in support of the hit series “Smallville” (airing Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on The CW), featuring the Toyota Yaris, it was announced today by Lisa Gregorian, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros. Television Group; Rick Haskins, Marketing and Brand Strategy, The CW; and Kim McCullough, Corporate Manager Marketing Communications, Toyota.
    The extensive “Smallville Legends: Justice and Doom” campaign will commence with the return of original episodes of “Smallville” on April 19 (today) and run through the season finale on May 17.  The heart of the initiative is a series of custom digital on-air comic book interstitials produced by DC Comics that will air in the form of Content Wraps on The CW during “Smallville.”   
Launched with the premiere of The CW in September 2006, content wraps are an innovative new advertising format that brings compelling content into the entire length of the commercial break and takes the place of typical spots.  Each content wrap is custom designed to appeal to different demographics of the network’s schedule.  Every content wrap to date has produced approximately 100% audience retention or better out of the program it was scheduled around.  “Smallville Legends: Justice and Doom” marks the first time a fully integrated, transmedia program has been developed around the content wraps.
Each content wrap will drive viewers to an immersive online game at www.cwtv.com/justice (launching at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT today, April 19), which will present players with five challenges related to the last five “Smallville” episodes of the season.  Via cutting-edge video techniques, a mysterious figure appears on screen to guide players through the completion of each puzzle.  Marketing elements of “Smallville Legends: Justice and Doom” will include a cross-carrier mobile campaign, street-team distribution of game clues in selected cities and a national sweepstakes for a chance to win a 2007 Toyota Yaris.
The campaign will feature the Toyota Yaris subcompact vehicle.  The Yaris audience is made up of die-hard pop culture fans and loyal followers of cult shows like “Smallville.”  The integrated storytelling experience of the content wraps and game will give them more of the exclusive content they crave.  It will answer unexplained questions from the entire run of “Smallville,” detail the back story behind a major plot line, explain the secret history preceding the formation of Oliver Queen’s team, and reveal the perilous mission it has been tasked with.  The Yaris has already made many appearances on “Smallville.”  One of the main characters, Chloe Sullivan, drives a Yaris.
    In an extraordinary show of collaboration, the show’s producers and writers, the network, DC Comics, Toyota and Toyota’s ad agency, Saatchi & Saatchi LA, worked closely together on the creation of the multiplatform campaign.  The team created a seamless world between fantasy and reality by cross pollinating elements of the show and the campaign.  For instance, a gadget previously seen on the show appears in the real world via the clue drops.  In one episode, the content wrap even carries the “Smallville” storyline from commercial break to commercial break.
    “We are excited to be partners with Toyota in this multiplatform brand enhancement experience for ‘Smallville,’” said Lisa Gregorian.  “We are committed to creating unique and compelling experiences for the fans of our shows and our network, The CW.”
    “Our viewers crave cutting-edge promotions that delve deep into the world of our shows, and this campaign is guaranteed to deliver,” said Rick Haskins.  “We expect ‘Smallville’ fans to love the new game, and embrace the entire, comprehensive multi-platform package.”
    “The independent-spirited Yaris audience loves digging deep into TV shows like ‘Smallville,’” said Kim McCullough.  “We’re inviting them to engage with this interactive storytelling experience in order to reveal new and surprising details of the show’s mythology.”      
    With realistic portrayals and award-winning, state-of-the-art special effects, “Smallville” reworks the Superman lore from its roots.  The series stars Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum, Erica Durance, Allison Mack with John Glover and Annette O'Toole.  “Smallville” was developed for television by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (“Herbie Fully Loaded,” “Shanghai Noon” movies, “Spider-Man 2”), based on DC Comics characters.  The executive producers are Gough & Millar, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins, Joe Davola (all three from “One Tree Hill,” “The Bronx Is Burning,” “Norbit,” “Wild Hogs”) and Ken Horton (“The X-Files,” “Millennium”).  Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.  The series is from Tollin/Robbins Productions, Millar/Gough Ink and Warner Bros. Television.
    About Warner Bros. Television Group:
    A division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, the Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) is an industry leader in the production and distribution of television and motion picture content.  WBTVG consists of five production divisions (Warner Bros. Television, Warner Horizon Television, Telepictures Productions, Warner Bros. Animation and Studio 2.0), three distribution entities (Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution and Warner Bros. International Television), and The CW Network, the new fifth national broadcast network, co-owned with CBS Corporation.

    About The CW:
    The CW Network, which is owned jointly by CBS Corp. and Time Warner, Inc., consists of a six-night, 13-hour primetime lineup including Monday through Friday nights from 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET; Sundays from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET; Sunday from 5:00-7:00 p.m. ET outside of prime time as well as a Monday-Friday afternoon block from 3:00-5:00 p.m. ET and a five-hour Saturday morning animation block. Altogether, the new network programs 30 hours a week over seven days.  For more information, visit www.cwtv.com.

        About Toyota:
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of 1,427 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers in 49 states. Established in 1957, and currently celebrating its Golden Anniversary in the US, TMS and its subsidiaries also are involved in distribution logistics, motorsports, and research and development.

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First Look: Supernatural

Wildstorm is bringing The CW's series "Supernatural" to comicbooks as part of its Signature Series line. The comic, titled "Supernatural: Origins," looks into the beginnings of the series' mythology. The comic's first issue hits May 2 and is written by Peter Johnson and Geoff Johns; Art by Matthew Dow Smith and Phil Hester. Click on the images for a closer look.

Own a piece of "Heroes"

NBC.com announced it will auction off limited signed prints of the paintings created by comicbook artist Tim Sale for the show "Heroes" as a benefit for the Epilepsy Foundation. The foundation works with actor Greg Grunberg, whose son, Jake, has epilepsy. Grunberg plays the telepathic Matt Parkman on the show.

Details on the auction, from the press release:

NBC.COM AND 'HEROES' TO AUCTION ORIGINAL ARTWORK FEATURED IN THE HIT DRAMA SERIES
Published: March 7, 2007

All Proceeds to Benefit Epilepsy Foundation with Auction to Be Held Exclusively on NBC.com

BURBANK - March 7, 2007 -- NBC's hit-drama "Heroes" is living up to its name by teaming up with NBC.com to auction artwork by renowned graphic illustrator Tim Sale exclusively on NBC.com with two separate auctions to begin on March 26 and April 2. All proceeds will benefit the Epilepsy Foundation.

"We're so pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to the dedicated fans of 'Heroes,'" said Vivi Zigler, Executive Vice President NBC Digital Entertainment and New Media.
"We're especially proud of this event because it not only gives our users the chance to own a piece of the show, created by the incredibly talented Tim Sale, but it also benefits a worthy organization, the Epilepsy Foundation, which works so closely with Greg Grunberg."

Each week's auctions will feature two full-size autographed limited edition prints and drawings of artwork used in the show. The list of artwork includes "Exploding Man," "Eclipse," "Claire on the Stairs" and "Hiro and T-Rex." Bidding will go live on March 26 at 6 p.m. (PT) and will close at 12 a.m. (PT) on March 28. The second auction will go live at 6 p.m. (PT) on April 2 and close at 12 a.m. (PT) on April 4. NBC.com has partnered with San Francisco-based Delivery Agent, Inc. to power this auction.

"We are thankful that Greg Grunberg, inspired by his own real-life hero, his son Jake, who has epilepsy, has joined with us to increase awareness of epilepsy," said Eric R. Hargis, President and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. "With the help of Greg, those like him, and partners like NBC, we can end the stigma associated with epilepsy in this generation."

Epilepsy can affect anyone, anywhere at any time—especially in early childhood and in the senior years. More than 3 million Americans of all ages live with epilepsy—about one in every hundred people. The Epilepsy Foundation (www.epilepsyfoundation.org) works to ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences; to improve how people with epilepsy are perceived, accepted and valued in society; and to promote research for a cure.

Tim Sale was born in Ithaca, New York, 1956. He and his family moved to Seattle, Washington when he was six years old, and on the car ride west, his father bought him comic books to help pass the time, thus beginning his lifelong interest in visual storytelling. When Sale was 13, his family spent a few months in London, England and he discovered that the Popular Book Centre chain of used book stores also sold used American comic books; the easy access to inexpensive comics intensified his increasingly obsessive immersion in Marvel Comics of the 1960's, and the artists that worked for Marvel at that time -- Kirby, Buscema, Ditko, Romita, Steranko, especially -- inspired him to increase his own interest in drawing. Sale had two years of college at the University of Washington and attended the comics workshop run by John Buscema in NYC in 1976, but is largely self-taught. As his experience with talented comic book writers such as Jeph Loeb and Matt Wagner progressed, his interest in commercial art outside of comics did as well, and Sale believes that it is this exposure and inspiration that is largely responsible for his career longevity.

A partial list of Sale's credits include: Batman Long Halloween, DC Comics; Batman Dark Victory, DC Comics; Superman For All Seasons, DC Comics; Superman Confidential, DC Comics; Solo, DC Comics; Daredevil Yellow, Marvel Comics
Spider-Man Blue, Marvel Comics; Hulk Grey, Marvel Comics; Wolverine/Gambit, Marvel Comics; Grendel Devil's Reign, Dark Horse Comics

Thus far in the 2006-07 season, "Heroes" is averaging a 6.4 rating, 15 share in adults 18-49 and 14.6 million viewers overall, making it television's #1 first-year series in both categories. "Heroes" also ranks in the top five among all network series in adults 18-34, men 18-34 and men 18-49.

From creator/writer Tim Kring (NBC's "Crossing Jordan"), comes the Golden Globe nominated "Heroes," an epic drama that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. "Heroes" has been honored recently with a People's Choice Award, an AFI Award and a Multicultural Prism Award, as well as nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, NAACP Image Awards, WGA Awards and Satellite Awards.

As a total eclipse casts its shadow across the globe, a genetics professor (Sendhil Ramamurthy, "Blind Guy Driving") in India is led by his father's disappearance to uncover a secret theory -- there are people with super powers living among us. A young dreamer (Milo Ventimiglia, "Gilmore Girls") tries to convince his politician brother (Adrian Pasdar, "Judging Amy") that he can fly. Meanwhile, a high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, "Ice Princess") learns that she is totally indestructible while trying to relate to her father (Jack Coleman, "Dynasty") who has a keen interest in people with special abilities. A Las Vegas single mother (Ali Larter, "Final Destination") struggles to make ends meet to support her young son (Noah Gray-Cabey, "My Wife & Kids") and discovers that her mirror image has a secret. A fugitive from justice (Leonard Roberts, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") continues to baffle authorities who twice have been unable to contain him. A gifted artist (Santiago Cabrera, "Empire"), whose drug addiction is destroying his life and relationship with his girlfriend (Tawny Cypress, NBC's "Third Watch"), can paint the future. A down-on-his-luck Los Angeles beat cop (Greg Grunberg, "Alias") can hear people's thoughts, which puts him on the trail of an elusive serial killer. In Japan, a young man (Masi Oka, NBC's "Scrubs") develops a way to stop time through sheer will power. Their ultimate destiny is nothing less than saving the world. Joining Kring as executive producer are Dennis Hammer (NBC's "Crossing Jordan") and Allan Arkush (NBC's "Crossing Jordan"). The drama is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio in association with Tailwind Productions.

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Sci Fi show puts out call for more superheroes

Auditions are underway for the second season of Stan Lee's reality show, "Who Wants to be a Superhero?" Wannabe heroes can send download an application and send it in with an audition tape, or they can go to one of the audition events being held in conjunction with the WWE Wrestlemania Fan Axxess Tour. The event hits L.A. on Feb. 16-18 at Universal Citywalk.

It's amazing to check out the application because, well, who ever thought a legit application for the job of supehero would ever exist? The questions are obvious, ranging from "What 3 primary superpowers does your superhero have?" to "What are your real-life fears?" to the deal-breaking "What are your superhero's weaknesses?" to revealing not just your identity but those of your loved ones as well.

Not all comics fans liked the show's first season, which aired last summer on Sci Fi. But there was the heart and soul in it that Stan Lee brought to his classic Marvel characters and it was a hoot to watch. The second season is set to air this summer, again on Sci Fi. If the series runs enough seasons, they could do the obvious and pit the winning superheroes against each other for a chance to join a superhero team.

"Smallville" goes mobile, Green

The story of Green Arrow is spinning off the TV show "Smallville" to Sprint mobile phones.

 

Warner Bros. TV Group, The CW and Sprint announced "Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles" will be coming to phones as a series of six original animated shorts.  The episodes will run two to four minutes each and will be exclusive to the Sprint TV  mobile video for the six-week run of the series, which begins Jan. 18. The shorts will then be available for streaming at The CW's website.

Move shows that WB is likely to continue to aggressively develop DC Comics characters for animation, TV and new media platforms. The network passed last year on an "Aquaman" series similar in approach to "Smallville," which is currently in its sixth season. "Smallville" has brought in a number of DC characters this season to form a loose prototype of the Justice League of America, raising the possibility that the show could be trying to establish some of these characters for future projects.

UPDATED to ad artwork.

Read the full press release after the jump.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION GROUP, THE CW AND SPRINT TO BRING
“SMALLVILLE LEGENDS: THE OLIVER QUEEN CHRONICLES”
TO LIFE VIA SPRINT WIRELESS PHONES

Initiative Marks the First Time Original Animated Content
Has Been Created for “Smallville” as a Marketing Extension of the Show

Animated Wireless Series to Premiere Thursday, January 18,
Exclusively on Sprint Phones

            Burbank, Calif. and Overland Park, Kan. (January 17, 2007) – The Warner Bros. Television Group and The CW Network are teaming up with Sprint (NYSE: S) on a new shortform animated wireless series based upon the hit network drama “Smallville” (airing Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on The CW).  The announcement was made today by Lisa Gregorian, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros. Television Group; Rick Haskins, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Brand Strategy, The CW; and Anita Newton, Vice President of Marketing, Sprint.

            “Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles,” a six-episode animated wireless series created for the mobile and broadband environment, will premiere Thursday, January 18, exclusively on the Sprint TVSM mobile video service.  A new episode will launch on subsequent Thursdays and remain exclusive to Sprint for the six-week duration of the series.  After Sprint’s exclusive window, the entire wireless animated series will be available for streaming at www.CWTV.com, the online home of The CW Network, beginning February 22.  The initiative marks the first time Warner Bros. and The CW have created original animated content as a marketing platform to help drive tune-in for the “Smallville” television series.

            “Our goal at Warner Bros. Television is to look for unique, innovative ways to entertain and engage our fans, resulting in a deeper connection to our shows and providing value to our broadcast partners,” said Gregorian.  “This partnership with The CW and Sprint enables us to deliver exceptional wireless entertainment which provides a multi-layered experience for viewers.”

            “This is another example of how The CW is delivering on its promise to deliver original, new content to our young audience via multiple platforms,” said Haskins.  “We will continue to work with our studio and sales partners to whet the appetite of our passionate fans for more CW programming.”

            “‘Smallville’s’ mix of young, tech savvy viewers want to learn more and interact more with their favorite show, and Sprint is in a perfect position to give them that access,” said Newton.  “We are always looking for new opportunities for Sprint TV to give our subscribers exclusive content related to the primetime television shows that they love.”

            The producers of the “Smallville” television series recently introduced the new character of Oliver Queen, who arrives in Smallville to continue his covert quest for justice in the guise of the super hero Green Arrow.  Possessing phenomenal skills with a high-tech bow and arrow, Queen learns Clark has super powers and tries to recruit him in his current mission against Lex Luthor, Queen’s former schoolmate.  It is the fascinating back story to this new plotline that unfolds in the animated wireless series “Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles.” Viewers will go on a journey back in time to experience the pivotal events that led to a young Oliver Queen becoming Green Arrow.

            Sprint Vision subscribers can view the two- to four-minute animated episodes of “The Oliver Queen Chronicles” by texting GREEN to the number 7000 on their phone (Standard text message and wireless data rates apply).  The link provided will also connect fans to a multitude of additional “Smallville”-related wireless content like downloadable images and show playlists from the Sprint Music Store.

            About Warner Bros. Television Group:
            A division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, the Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) is an industry leader in the production and distribution of television and motion picture content.  WBTVG consists of five production divisions (Warner Bros. Television, Warner Horizon Television, Telepictures Productions, Warner Bros. Animation and Studio 2.0), three distribution entities (Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution and Warner Bros. International Television), and The CW Network, the new fifth national broadcast network, co-owned with CBS Corporation.

            About The CW:
            The CW Network, which is owned jointly by CBS Corp. and Time Warner, Inc., consists of a six-night, 13-hour primetime lineup including Monday through Friday nights from 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET; Sundays from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET; Sunday from 5:00-7:00 p.m. ET outside of prime time as well as a Monday-Friday afternoon block from 3:00-5:00 p.m. ET and a five-hour Saturday morning animation block. Altogether, the new network programs 30 hours a week over seven days.  For more information, visit www.cwtv.com.

            About Sprint Nextel:
            Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks serving more than 51 million customers at the end of third quarter 2006; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

Vaughan gets "Lost"

Brian K. Vaughan, writer of such comics as Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways and Pride of Baghdad, has signed on as an executive story editor on the ABC skein "Lost."

Vaughan made the announcement on his message board, making it clear that he will continue to work in comics, including a four-issue stint on Joss Whedon's "Buffy: Season Eight" comic series. "Lost" remains one of the most welcoming shows for comics writers, and has previously counted Paul Dini and Jeph Loeb among its number. Co-creator Damon Lindelof and supervising producer Javier Grillo-Marxauch have both penned comics, as well.

'Nobody" pilot is a go

Got a report from AiT-PlanetLar’s Larry Young, who visited this past weekend the set of “Nobody,” an hour-long pilot for ABC Family based on the comicbook written by Sharon Cho and Alex Amado (pictured, with Young at left) and drawn by Charles Adlard.

The comicbook was originally published in 1998 by Oni Press, but is now part of the AiT-PlanetLar catalog. Story is about a mother who sacrifices her life to save her daughter, only to the price is that she has been erased from the memories of her family and the world. 

Pilot is written by “Desperate Housewives” writer Kevin Murphy and directed by Jeff Woolnough. Actress Dawn Stern has been cast in the title role.

Young reports that the production was very tightly run and the cast and crew were excited to be working with Murphy.

"Preacher" to HBO

After years of speculation, including a flatly denied round of rumors last spring, "Preacher" is coming to HBO.

The hour-long series will be exec produced by Mark Steven Johnson and Howard Deutch, who will write and direct the pilot respectively. Michael De Luca, George Agusto, Chris Bender and JC Spink will join them in exec producing the series. Johnson wrote and directed the 2003 "Daredevil" pic and the upcoming "Ghost Rider" pic. Comicbook creators Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, who own the property, will exec produce with well-known comics biz attorney Ken F. Levin, who reps the pair.

HBO is perhaps the only place on TV where "Preacher" could get made. Story is about Jesse Custer, a Texas preacher who is joined with Genesis, the offspring of an angel and a demon who has power equal to that of God's, and has the power to make people obey his every word as if it were the voice of God. Custer teams up on with a hard-drinking Irish vampire named Cassidy and his assassin ex-girlfriend Tulip and learns God has abandoned his creation. They set out to find God and make him live up to his responsibilities.

The series wowed readers with its over the top violence and humor, as well as characters such as Arseface, a good-natured teen who tried to shoot himself in the face after the death of his idol, Kurt Cobain, but lived through it and becomes a strange idol all his own. Those elements made any kind of faithful adaptation on network or basic cable next to impossible.

Preacher was published by Vertigo from 1995-2000, spanning 66 regular issues and a whole bunch of specials, and remains in print as a series of trade paperbacks. Some of Ennis' Punisher stories formed the basis for the 2004 feature film.

It will be interesting to see how fans react to the involvement of Johnson and Deutch. Johnson's "Daredevil," while a moderate success, is often criticized by fans. Deutch's career, which began with him directing 1980s John Hughes pics "Pretty in Pink," "Some Kind of Wonderful" and "The Great Outdoors," veers more toward comedy than drama. His most recent feature credits is "The Whole Ten Yards."

No word on casting, though a previous attempt to make the book into a feature film had "X-Men" and "Superman Returns" actor James Marsden attached to the lead role and Rachel Talalay set to direct.

"Moon Knight" tapped for TV

Marvel has teamed up with No Equal Entertainment to produce a TV skein based on "Moon Knight." Skein will be produced by Larry Sugar, a TV veteran of more than 35 years.

Moon Knight has been hanging around the Marvel Universe since 1975's Werewolf by Night #32. Character's alter ego is Marc Spector, a soldier of fortune who has a run-in with some Egyptian dieties and takes on the mantle of Moon Knight. Character has more than a passing resemblance to Batman and starred in a memorable run from the early 1980s that saw the breakout of artist Bill Sienkiewicz. Character has appeared in a number of series since then, and currently has a series penned by crime writer Charlie Huston.

Marvel seems determined to keep trying in TV after the demise of its "Blade" series after a single season. Superheroes have had a hard time on TV of late, with WB's attempts to launch an Aquaman skein foundering. Success of NBC's "Heroes" shows the potential for superhero TV if it's done well and with trappings that the mainstream audiences will accept. "Heroes" is more like "Lost" than "Blade" or even the successful "Smallville," which itself eschews capes and tights for teenage angst.

"Aquaman" tops iTunes

The pilot episode of the "Aquaman" TV series developed by "Smallville" creators Al Gough and Miles Millar is available for download on Apple's iTunes Music Store for the measly price of $1.99. The pilot is pretty polished and very comparable the quality of "Smallville." The show has been a top-seller since it went up earlier this week and as this is being typed it is at the top of the charts. Whether the public response to the pilot in this venue will help convince The CW to pick up the show as a midseason replacement after taking a pass for the fall will be fascinating to watch for its implications on the TV business. Could we see lots more shows testing the waters on the Internet to show demand to the network? Will networks test out shows the same way before committing to an order? At this point, it'd be surprising if those outcomes didn't become the norm.

Quesada on 'Colbert'; Lee and Mignola on Sci Fi

Marvel editor in chief Joe Quesada will be appearing on “The Colbert Report” tonight on Comedy Central at 11:30 p.m. and repeated the next day at 1:30 am and 8 pm. It’s rare to see a pro who works so heavily and exclusively in comics sit down for this type of interview. Quesada said last week at his Cup o’ Joe panel at Comic-Con that he’s more nervous about this appearance than any other interview he’s done. Given some of the questions Colbert has asked celebs and newsmakers alike, this may be one of the most insightful mainstream comics interviews in a while.

This is part of a big night for comics fans on cable TV. Over on Sci Fi Channel, Stan Lee’s “Who Wants to be a Superhero?” makes its series premiere at 9 p.m., followed by the half-hour special/pilot for Mike Mignola’s “The Amazing Screw-On Head” at 10:30.

Judging "Superboy"

I've been trying to find something to add to the judge's ruling that the copyright to Superboy was relcaimed in 2004 by the widow and daughter of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel -- a move that raises questions about the ongoing WB TV skein "Smallville." But not being an attorney, i'll just point to some of the more interesting reports:

Variety's own Dave McNary does a good job of getting the details of the long dispute over Superman into a few paragraphs:

The dispute over who owns Superboy goes back to 1938 -- the same year the first Superman comicbook, based on the story originated by Siegel and illustrator Joseph Shuster, was published.

A few months later, Siegel agreed to provide Detective Comics with a new Superboy comicstrip and submitted a plan that was turned down. Siegel unsuccessfully attempted several more times to pique Detective's interest in Superboy before entering the Army in 1943.

But Detective began publishing Superboy comics in 1944 while Siegel was stationed in the Pacific, resulting in a 1947 lawsuit in which New York state court Judge Addison Young found Siegel to be the sole owner of Superboy. In 1948, Siegel reached a settlement with National Comics Publications (predecessor of DC Comics) in which he sold ownership of Superboy and Superman to National.

E! Online also has a good article, talking to the likes of Neal Adams and Mark Evanier, who writes about the situation in a couple of excellent posts on his blog and even links to a fascinating document that includes Jerry Siegel's original 1975 press release in which he put a curse on the 1978 Superman movie.

I'm sure it wasn't planned, but it is interesting in light of this to take a peek at the Superboy goings on in DC's Infinite Crisis #6, which just came out this week.

100 "Smallvilles"

Tonight's the 100th episode of "Smallville," and to celebrate Daily Variety published a special report. on the show's anniversary in today's edition. The special looks at the show's success and includes an interview with star Tom Welling and an article by yours truly on the show's connection with comics fans that includes quotes from DC prexy Paul Levitz and Wizard chief Gareb Shamus.

Under the Sea

“Smallville” co-creator Al Gough has spilled some details on the upcoming Aquaman TV show, which will star former model Will Toale as the exiled King of Atlantis.

The show, as yet untitled, will shoot a pilot in March and is expected to become a signature show on the WB in the fall. The concept is similar to that of “Smallville,” with Arthur Curry being a 20-something dive shop owner. Gough says the show will differ from “Smallville” in that Aquaman will be an adult who is struggling to find his place in the world instead of a teenager trying to figure out who he is. The show also will have a strong environmental theme.

Despite heavy involvement in such comicbook projects as “Smallville,” “Spider-Man 2,” a potential “Iron Man” script and now Aquaman, Gough says he and writing partner Miles Millar were not into comics before it became a professional concern.

“We always feel like outsiders because it’s not a world we came from,” Gough says of comics fandom. “It was interesting to play in the DC universe and to play in the Marvel universe as well,” he says. “I think by not being longtime comicbook fans you can bring a fresh perspective to the table because you’re not encumbered by what they did in issue 142.”

Gough says he and Millar chose Aquaman for a number of reasons, including such simple things as availability. “When we looked at Aquaman, it was an interesting story. He’s an exiled prince of Atlantis and, in our incarnation, he is living in the Florida Keys,” he says. Throw in the environmental angle and the fact that Aquaman’s mythology is far less complex and more open than Superman’s and the choice was clear. “Of all the other superheroes in the DC universe, he had the most real world agenda.”

"Smallville's" 100th episode is airing Jan. 26, and Daily Variety will publish a special report on the show's milestone that day.

Angel ascending, but there's more ...

The final episode of Joss Whedon's "Angel" TV series is coming up, but there's no need to feel abandoned by the undead hero. As Whedon preps an astonishing (get it? I'm sure you do) comics stint, we took a look at one of the Buffy-verse creator's comic book titles. Tales of the Vampires.

For those zealots who followed Buffy and Angel's every move, and who may consequently follow Rupert Giles in the BBC's possible Watcher series, the comic offers interesting looks at events and characters never explored in either show. And the book, like the shows, also follows different storylines with vignettes from various writers.

For example, one story examines how the watchers are chosen at a very early age and instructed on how the world works (well, the world we don't see), what to do to fight it, and what their roles will be. Mentoring watchers take a group of children to interact with a captive vampire. Another storyline revisits Dracula, and explains how he's taken control of Xander (Buffy's right hand man), and how/if she gets him back.

Interesting for those interested. And there's lots.

Stan's 'Phantom'

In Variety's special report on the National Assn. of Television Program Executives, Janet Stillson gives a quick update on the state of Stan Lee's TV project that he's producing in conjunction with DIC Entertainment.

Says DIC chairman-CEO Andy Heyward, "We decided we should create a world of superheroes distinguished not just by their powers, but by their humanity."

The first project to come out will be "The Phantom 5."

Reality TV Meets Comics