[Updated] STEPHEN KING WRITING HIS DARK TOWER FOR MARVEL

**MattBrady** · 10-26-2005, 07:10 PM

Updated Thursday, 10/27

Stephen King and Marvel Comics seems now to be a corroborated collaboration.

On Thursday, Publishers Weekly’s Calvin Reid reported that King has agreed to write a new installment of his own Dark Tower series as a graphic novel to be published in 2006, and drawn by Jae Lee and colorist Richard Isanove.

According to Reed, a spokesperson for Marvel confirmed a deal regarding the publication of a King work will be announced on Friday, although no more details were disclosed.

Reid also reports that “sources” say that the new Dark Tower installment will be published first as a comic book periodical beginning in April and later released as a Marvel hardcover in the fall of 2006.

The deal has been widely rumored since Marvel itself released the “King” teaser image at last summer’s Comic-Con International: San Diego. Though those rumors have centered on which Marvel property King might work on … an adaptation of his own work can be considered something of a surprise..

That information surfaced yesterday when the UK-based website PN Online, first reported King/Jae Lee/Marvel as confirmed and announced it would be based on Dark Tower.

Look for more on this story Friday, including comments from Joe Quesada in this week’s edition of his weekly Newsarama Q&A, Joe Fridays.

TheWay · 10-26-2005, 07:21 PM

This sounds like great news to me. I've always been a fan of that series. It's a very interesting story. I think Jae Lee is a good pick for the title. I will definitely pick this one up.

Bakema NL · 10-26-2005, 07:28 PM

This news kind of leaves me cold. Maybe I should try that first Dark tower book, but while I have read some of King's stuff, he's not a writer that will make me run to the bookstore for his next book. So I'm not so sure about comics either, but who knows, we might be surprised.

Ensign Janos · 10-26-2005, 07:29 PM

Does Jae Lee have what it takes to do a series of this magnitude? He's always seemed like someone who shows up for 4 or 5 isues every year or two.

Ironhorse · 10-26-2005, 07:30 PM

In the Marvel Newsletter says that next week they are gonna reveal who is King, just hope it'll be Stephen King, and with Jae Lee, terrific.

Peace.

Chris Tucker · 10-26-2005, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Does Jae Lee have what it takes to do a series of this magnitude? He's always seemed like someone who shows up for 4 or 5 isues every year or two.

Go read the original mini series for The Sentry and you'll have your answer.

Spaz_Monkey · 10-26-2005, 07:37 PM

I just hope Jae Lee is up to the challenge of this story. There's a huge army of fans who'll [very bad thing] him if he screws this up!

funjoe · 10-26-2005, 07:38 PM

I'm somewhat disappointed in this potential news as well. I'd rather see King's take on a Marvel character/series than a graphic novel based on (or continuing) one of his stories. If that's what he's doing, why do it under the Marvel banner as opposed to any other? Is Marvel going to publish it under Icon?

Spaz_Monkey · 10-26-2005, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by funjoe
I'm somewhat disappointed in this potential news as well. I'd rather see King's take on a Marvel character/series than a graphic novel based on (or continuing) one of his stories. If that's what he's doing, why do it under the Marvel banner as opposed to any other? Is Marvel going to publish it under Icon?

Remember the good old days, when Marvel would take a good story and turn it into a graphic novel, even if it wasn't part of the Marvel U? I think that's what we're looking at here.

[edit bekuz i kant spel]

Mr. B · 10-26-2005, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bakema NL
This news kind of leaves me cold. Maybe I should try that first Dark tower book, but while I have read some of King's stuff, he's not a writer that will make me run to the bookstore for his next book. So I'm not so sure about comics either, but who knows, we might be surprised.

You mean you might be surprised. It will be no surprise to me if he puts out a quality graphic novel. The guy's a premiere contemporary writer. Honestly, if Jesus Christ himself was signed by Marvel, people would complain they didn't get his dad.

kalorama · 10-26-2005, 07:46 PM

Color me underwhelmed. I have no interest in King's writing, and bailed out of the bloated mess of the Dark Tower after about 75 pages. Jae Lee's murky, sktchy artwork does little for me.

delawarejoel · 10-26-2005, 07:49 PM

After years of hearing about it, I finally read the first Dark Tower book -- the shortest, least detailed -- and I found it, well, not interesting enough to get me to book two....Steve hasnt really written anything that got me to shell out the bucks since It and that was twenty-odd years ago. I am a huge fan of his early stuff, but everything of late seems rewrites of that stuff. If I have to read six more volumes of DT to read this, you'll likely have to count me out....

DrBat · 10-26-2005, 07:51 PM

The DT series gets better as it goes along.

Give the 2nd one a try. If you dont like that you probably wont like the series, but a lot of people who didnt like the first book liked the rest of the series.

Zenarcade · 10-26-2005, 07:55 PM

If hacks like Joss Whedon and Kevin Smith can take their books to the top of the sales chart with their fans from other mediums, I can't even imagine how many a talent of Stephen King's magnitude will bring to the comic shop.

Ray Dillon · 10-26-2005, 08:02 PM

Oh ... my ... gorsch ...

If King continues the DT series in comic book form at Marvel I'm going to explode with glee! Glee, I tells ya!

I thought King doing comics period would be too much for me, but DT in comic form. That's bananas!

Peagle8 · 10-26-2005, 08:02 PM

Roland finds himself wandering into the 616th level of the tower?

Seriously though the ending to book 7 makes me think of ALL kinds of possibilities for this if it’s true. Please be true! Please be true! Please be true!

sloria13 · 10-26-2005, 08:02 PM

If it's in a comic form, I just may jump at it...

Ed E · 10-26-2005, 08:24 PM

Booyah! As a huge King fan, I'm happy to hear this.

deathmasterj · 10-26-2005, 08:27 PM

i think the biggest potential this has is getting more people interested in comics.

if part 8 is ONLY available as a graphic novel that means all the series fans will have to buy it to get the rest of the story, hopefully opening them up to the whole world of comics.

graphic novels in book shops is one thing, but this might actually get people interested in them enough to buy them!

mavinga · 10-26-2005, 08:43 PM

The more celebs the merrier, right?

Moonbeam · 10-26-2005, 08:49 PM

I think it's good news for the medium.

Maybe, just maybe, with a name like Stephen King attached, B&N will move the graphic novels a little further forward in my local store. Right now, they're up on the second floor in the furthest-back corner.

I'm thinking it's time for a little respect from the literary crowd.

Gordon McAlpin · 10-26-2005, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by funjoe
I'm somewhat disappointed in this potential news as well. I'd rather see King's take on a Marvel character/series than a graphic novel based on (or continuing) one of his stories. If that's what he's doing, why do it under the Marvel banner as opposed to any other? Is Marvel going to publish it under Icon?

Ugh. Stephen King versions of the Marvel U are the LAST thing I'd want to see from him.

And, y'know, have you heard? Marvel is a publishing company. They publishing comics -- not just superhero comics.

DiscoVietnam · 10-26-2005, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by funjoe
If that's what he's doing, why do it under the Marvel banner as opposed to any other? Is Marvel going to publish it under Icon?

Probably cause Marvel threw a huge chunk of change at him. Think of the windfall for Marvel, more than million horor/fantasy geeks will have its product in their hands...I bet there'll be a BIG ARSE Marvel logo on this project!

Los' the Red · 10-26-2005, 09:10 PM

I'm such a Tower junkie. . . .

Marquee Moon · 10-26-2005, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Moonbeam
I think it's good news for the medium.

Maybe, just maybe, with a name like Stephen King attached, B&N will move the graphic novels a little further forward in my local store. Right now, they're up on the second floor in the furthest-back corner.

I'm thinking it's time for a little respect from the literary crowd.

Your B&N has a second floor? I gotta get out of the South.

Anyway, this is absolutely massive news for me. Perfect ending though it was, I can't express how depressed I was when I finished the last DT book. It was like losing a friend (a group of them, actually). I think a lot of people don't realize how large the DT world really is. Not all, but most of King's novels have at least a passing connection to the DT series. Even It is connected. Not to mention Eyes of the Dragon, Insomnia, The Talisman, Black House, Bag of Bones, Rose Madder, Pet Sematary, The Stand, Salem's Lot, Desperation, and The Regulators.