LAURELL K HAMILTON BRINGS ANITA BLAKE TO COMICS

[MattBrady]

Press Release

Dabel Brothers Productions (“DB Pro”) announced today that they have just signed a deal with New York Times Bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton to obtain the exclusive rights to adapt the popular multi-million selling Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels into a monthly comic book series. The deal was negotiated by Hamilton’s agent, Merrilee Heifetz of Writers House, LLC.

The first book in the series, ANITA BLAKE: VAMPIRE HUNTER in GUILTY PLEASURES, will hit shelves in June, 2006, featuring amazing art by a soon-to-be-announced illustrator and a faithful script adaptation by Stacie M. Ritchie that will have fans of the novels savoring the first chapter in Anita Blake’s adventures once again. The adaptation will also be published in two graphic novel volumes, available respectively by January and July, 2007.

Published in 1993 by The Berkley Publishing Group, GUILTY PLEASURES was the first book in Laurell Hamilton's bestselling Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. This June, Berkley Books will publish DANSE MACABRE, the fourteenth installment in the series.

Hailed by critics as “An R-Rated Buffy” and “Monstrously Entertaining,” the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels have developed an ever-expanding fanbase as each novel outsells the last. In a little over a decade, Laurell K. Hamilton has become one of the foremost writers of vampire fiction, with no signs of slowing down as she becomes a household name.

“Laurell K. Hamilton is one of the most popular authors on the planet right now,” said Ernst Dabel, President of Dabel Brothers Production. “She’s consistently ranked as one of the top-selling writers on Amazon, and her latest books in the Anita Blake series have been smash-hit successes. We’re thrilled to be partnering with her to bring these novels into the graphic medium, and we know that this series will appeal to anyone who is a fan of fantasy, horror, romance, or adventure.”

The premise of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels centers around an alternate reality where the U.S. government has declared the undead as legal beings so that vampires, zombies and werewolves can come out of the shadows as they attempt to co-exist with human society. But there are times when these creatures get out of control, and that is when Anita Blake steps in. Armed to the teeth with specialized weaponry and blessed with the abilities of an “Animator” (a special occupation that involves raising the dead), Anita is a threat to any vampire who gets out of line. But even she is unnerved when a vampire shows up in her office wanting her to help solve a case involving the murder of his fanged brethren. And as Anita descends into the fantastic and strange undead underworld of St. Louis, she finds herself caught in a rapidly unraveling mystery that may claim her own life in the end.

“I'm thrilled to be bringing Anita to a new medium,” said Laurell K. Hamilton, the author of the series. “The Dabel's artwork and attention to detail are what made me say yes to them. With what I have seen so far, I am as excited as any fan to see what comes next!”

ANITA BLAKE: VAMPIRE HUNTER in GUILTY PLEASURES will arrive at comic book retailers and book stores in North America in July, 2006. It will be distributed by Diamond Distributors, INC and featured in the May issue of the Previews catalog. A graphic novel edition collecting the first half of the story will launch by January, 2007.

As production for the comic book charges forward, the Dabel Brothers will continue to release new information and art about ANITA BLAKE: VAMPIRE HUNTER in GUILTY PLEASURES, as well as instructions on how readers can pre-order the first issue from their local comic book store. The best and most up-to-date information will always be available at http://www.dabelbrothers.com .

[avitable]

Her first books were good. The last one was one of the worst books I've ever read, and I actually think I became stupider upon finishing it.

[kingofcities]

Nice art!

[mauer]

I worked at a bookstore in the late 90's...we carried her books pretty heavily because she was a local author. Never read them myself, but maybe i'll check out her comics...

[looshkin]

That artist is definitely Brett Booth. One of my favorites.

[Colossus2420]

Originally posted by avitable
Her first books were good. The last one was one of the worst books I've ever read, and I actually think I became stupider upon finishing it.

What was the title of her last one?

[kingofcities]

Originally posted by looshkin
That artist is definitely Brett Booth.

That's what I was thinking too. Guess he's not on the actual book though.

[Rhyo]

Originally posted by avitable
Her first books were good. The last one was one of the worst books I've ever read, and I actually think I became stupider upon finishing it.

Definitely agree with this - I dropped the series several books back. But the first couple of books could make an interesting comic.

[AlexLothos]

Originally posted by kingofcities
That's what I was thinking too. Guess he's not on the actual book though.

Co-Signed... yeah, Booth would have really sealed the deal for me.

[rawhidekid]

The Anti-Blake series started off great, but then it got really smutty. Now its just a romance novel.

-Rawhidekid

[Jed Saxon]

Please let Brett Booth draw this... PLEASE!
And please publish it in black and white!

[sythspawn]

So, is Brett Booth just doing conceptual art for the series or what?

I'm currently reading Burnt Offerings, so I guess I haven't reached the point where everyone's begun hating the book. So far, it's not bad. It's nice to see it'll become a comic though. I'm sure a lot of the sexuality will be toned down for the comic.

[kingofcities]

Originally posted by sythspawn
So, is Brett Booth just doing conceptual art for the series or what?

I wonder if this just wasn't pitch art used to sell the author on what Dabel could do for them? Not that that's a bad thing at all. Marvel did the same thing with those Jae Lee pieces used to pitch King on the Dark Tower comics.

[Bill Tortolini]

Originally posted by kingofcities
I wonder if this just wasn't pitch art used to sell the author on what Dabel could do for them? Not that that's a bad thing at all. Marvel did the same thing with those Jae Lee pieces used to pitch King on the Dark Tower comics.

You are not far off with your guess.

Brett is a great member of the DBPro family, he and Jess are hard at work on Magician: Apprentice (previews available on the DBPro message boards).

An announcement on the artist for this series is forth coming.

We are very excited to have Laurell K Hamilton as the newest member of our family.

[Bakema NL]

I heard of the books, but never read them, maybe I will someday.
The comics I'm interested in already, let's see what they come up with.

[Mediancat]

Her early stuff was good; it went drastically downhill after "Blue Moon," until the last one was 700 pages of which a full 4/5 was sex, leading up to sex, or the aftereffects of sex.

I have no objections to sex, per se. But it's not why I was interested in her books in the first place.

Rob aka Mediancat

[kingofcities]

Originally posted by Bill Tortolini
You are not far off with your guess.

I rule!

[Bill Tortolini]

Originally posted by kingofcities
I rule!

Indeed you do sir!

[MizScribbler]

I'm a huge fan of the Anita Blake series, so I'll definitely be picking these up. I've not yet read the most recent book in the series, so I will reserve my judgment as to how bad/good it is.

Oh yeah, first ever post.

~Sara

[J. Alexander]

Hmmm. I read all of the books except the latest and I have to agree with the criticism. The early books were the most interesting. Heck, even the middle books were not bad with a little sex here and there. The last couple of novels tended to overdue the sex and forget the story.

As a comic book series, if they are going to be faithful to the novels, comic stores better watch out. The young teenager buying the first few adaptions, better not be allow to pick up the later ones or the store is going to be in trouble with parents and the authorities.

[Scavenger]

Hmm..this might depend on the artist for me.
I don't really like the Anita Blake books...I've read all of them obsessivly..there's something very addictive about the writing...but they're a bit too Mary Sue-ish (as are all in the loney, secretly magic girl genre), but I still can't put them down.

Like written crack.

[Kevin T. Brown]

As someone who has read every single Anita Blake novel,as well as looking forward to finally being able to read her next book, Micah, the complaints about the sex and "the stupidity" is unwarranted. It's the natural progression of all the characters. Yes the books are heavily steeped in sexuality, especially in terms of Domination and submission, but considering the nature of the characters in the books it's a given. Calling the premise stupid is not a fair and rational assessment of the works.

With that said, I just don't see it translating well into comics though. I'll just stick with the novels and wish the best for all those involved. Also, the picture of Anita is not how I picture her.... She's definitely Hamilton in looks.

[ninjai]

Yet another big name author to add to the already impressive list!

[SeanJJordan]

I would add for those who haven't read any of the Anita books that the first book, GUILTY PLEASURES, is pretty tame. It's about six books into the series before the story gets more sexually themed, and that would be about six years (and 72 issues) down the road for the comic.

Though the first issue DOES take place in a vampire strip club... :-)

[Strike]

Well I hated this series from the start - though I did make it through the second book before giving up.

Anita Blake is such a whiner, she makes Buffy look like Blade.