Comics and books

The Jim Henson Company and BOOM! Studios have made a deal for a new series of comic books based on Farscape. Brian Henson: "It’s so exciting to work with BOOM! Studios on this project knowing that their team members are true fans of the show. Working with one of our favorite comic publishers, we know our loyal supporters will enjoy these original adventures while new audiences will have a fantastic introduction to the Farscape universe." There will be several four issue "mini-series," that will later be collected into a graphic novel format. The first installment should be out later this year. Also, word is that the comics will "take advantage of the upcoming webisodes" for SciFi.com.

Marvel Entertainment and Del Rey Manga have announced the creative team for a manga based on X-Men character Wolverine. Written by Antony Johnston, and illustrated by Wilson Tortosa, it'll chronicle his history. "Logan, a rebellious teen training in a remote school in the Canadian wilderness, has no memory of his life prior to being found in the forest near the school. But that forgotten life is about to come after him with a vengeance in this shonen [boys] thriller." associate publisher of Del Rey Manga, Dallas Middaugh said, “We couldn’t have picked a better team for this project. Antony has completely reimagined Wolverine, and has given him a gripping new back story. Wilson’s art is dynamic and very much in the style of shonen manga. This is going to be a great book!”
This is the first of two series collaborations between the companies. The other is one on the X-Men team which will be done in a shojo [girls] style, written by Raina Telgemeier and Dave Roman, and illustrated by Anzu.
Both are scheduled for Spring 2009.
Here for a look at the sketches for Wolverine. (Am I the only one who thinks Beast looks like Totoro? Or that Iceman looks like an escapee from a bishonen dating sim?)

Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane will be turned into a five issue comic for Dark Horse. Scott Allie will adapt, with pencils by Mario Guevera, inks by Dave Stewart, and covers by John Cassaday. "Kane is a 16th Century puritan, who travels from Europe to Africa, righting the wrongs of evil-doers after leaving the British military - a sombre, lone avenger, who dons a wide-brimmed, black hat..." Look for the debut of the interior art at the June Dark Horse Presents' Myspace page. Interview with Scott Allie here. (Submitted by Sitting Duck)

Marvel will publish a comic series based on Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game books. The first installment will adapted by Chris Yost, illustrated by Pasqual Ferry, and overseen by Card. It'll come out this fall. "Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow are my most popular novels, and for many years I've withheld them from adaptation until the conditions were exactly right. I've worked with Marvel for several years now, beginning with the Ultimate Iron Man series, and I trust them to do superb work. They understand the stories; they know how to translate them into graphic-novel form; and nobody has higher standards of professionalism. In short, now is the time, and Marvel is the publisher to bring Ender and Bean to life in the visual media." This comes after Tor Books announced Ender in Exile, direct sequel to Ender's Game, for late 2008.

Marvel will bring stateside French comic book series Universal War One, by Denis Bajram: "In the midst of a latent civil war between the core planets and outlying planetary settlements, an immense wall has cut our solar system in two. The black wall absorbs all light and matter, and it's up to a band of soldiers facing courts martial to investigate the phenomenon. They're the men and women of the Purgatory Squadron. For which crimes are they here? And can they work together long enough to stay alive once they enter... The Wall?"

Two words: "Marvel Apes."