SDCC '07: IDW PANEL REPORT

[MattBrady]

IDW Publisher and Editor in Chief Chris Ryall hosted IDW Publishing’s panel Friday after noon at the San Diego Comic-Con, introduced/announced a load of new projects coming from the publisher. Joining Ryall on the dias were writer Cory Doctorow, David and Scott Tipton, Brian Lynch, and David Tischman.

Ryall’s presentation covered IDW’s projects coming throughout the remainder of 2007, and into 2008 – some of which have previously been announced and/or solicited. Highlights from the panel included:

Ryall’s presentation began with a look at the 30 Days of Night material to come from the publisher, much of it timed to coincide with the October release of the film. 30 Days of Night: Red Snow, a three issue miniseries begins in August, with the Bill Sienkiewicz-illustrated 30 Days of Night: Beyond Barrow launching in September

Ryall showed an illustration of an upcoming 30 Days cover that was designed and produced by the special effects house, Weta, who built the design up from the three-dimensional model.

Upcoming Transformers projects include Transformers Spotlight: Ramjet, a new character that will first be seen in the current Transformers/New Avengers miniseries. The special will be written by Stuart Moore, and illustrated by Robbie Musso.

Ryall then announced that IDW would be producing sequel stories to the Transformers film, the first being The Search for Starscream. The sequel stories, Ryall said, will pick up where the film left off, and will introduce new characters. In addition, Ryall said that he will be writing a new prequel story that will be included in the DVD when it is released later this year.

Ryall then introduced Doctorow, who talked about his miniseries. For more on the upcoming six issue miniseries, click here.

In October, IDW will release Beowulf a four-issue adaptation of the forthcoming movie written by Neil Gaiman and Robert Avery, and directed by Robert Zemeckis. The four issues will be illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez, and released weekly.

Though he spoke about it at Newsarama previously, Ryall re-announced upcoming Badger projects, which will both reprint all of Baron’s original Badger stories, as well as produce a new, six part Badger story.

“The comics are crazy to a degree that you just can’t fake,” Ryall said about Badger, noting that the book will probably be the closest thing to a superhero IDW has ever done, but anyone who’s read Badger knows that he’s pretty far from being a superhero.

Moving to the Star Trek titles, Ryall outlined the upcoming Alien Spotlight projects and their writers:

The Gorn: Scott and David Tipton (set pre Star Trek II)
Vulcans: Rick Remender
Andorians: Paul Storrie
The Borg: Steve Niles
Orions: Dan Taylor
Romulans: written and drawn by John Byrne

Ryall then introduced Angel: After the Fall, the upcoming 12-part + series that will pick up the Angel franchise following the cliffhanger at the end of Season 7. Angel creator Joss Whedon was named as the “Watcher” on the series, which will be written by Lynch, and illustrated by Franco Urru, with covers by Tony Harris.

The series will start in November, and will, Ryall said, “tell the story that people have wanted to read since we started with the Angel and Spike comics.”

Ryall said that IDW had approached Whedon about doing the series earlier, but the creator was reluctant to do it until he read Lynch’s Spike one shot, which got him thinking that he could do the series with Lynch, as he liked Lynch’s sensibilities on the characters.

The 12 issues of the run will be broken into arcs, separated by a month, with a special filling in each month that a regular series issue isn’t being released. The first special will be called First Night and will feature several stories looking at other characters in the mythos who will not be playing larger roles in the main story.

Lynch: “The cast was about to fight a fight that they were going to lose, and this series deals with the fallout of that; Angel knew going in that he was going to lose, and this is the fallout of him taking a stand against a force that he couldn’t beat”

Ryall then announced that IDW would be publishing comics based on the current incarnation of Doctor Who. For more on that, click here.

Other projects announced:

Zombies vs. Robots vs. Amazons, a follow-up by Ryall and Ashley Wood to Zombies vs. Robots. Ryall: A zombie Minotaur will make an appearance.

Reptilia: IDW’s first manga collection, which repackages a story originally published in the 1960s.

Ryall then went on to discuss both the upcoming titles of the Simmons Comics Group, comics produced through Gene Simmons, as well as Locke & Key, written by novelist Joe Hill.

November will see Munden’s Bar, which will collect the short stories that appeared in the back of the original run of Grimjack.

Legion by Salvador Sanz, a one-shot coming in November. “Think hell taking over earth,” Ryall said.

Ascend - the collection of the original miniseries, which will include 60-70 pages of new content.

Silent Hill - a new five issue miniseries will be launching in 2008, illustrated by Steph Stamb.

Harlan Ellison’s Yr. Pal, Harlan: coming in 2008 – a collection of Ellison’s correspondence.

Igor - an adaptation of the forthcoming CGI movie, due out at next Halloween

and Speed Racer - Ryall showed an image of the Mach 5, and then, a new, Mach 6. IDW has the license to the original Speed Racer comics, as well as the right to produce comics based on the new animated series, as well as comics based on the classic Speed Racer series.

Newsarama's Comic-Con International '07 coverage is brought to you by Witchblade – The Anime Series. Available on DVD September 25th. Click here to view trailer.

[Nobody]

Angel is a must-buy for me, as is Zombies vs. Robots. vs. Amazons. The first series was great.

[Rydog]

Angel only had five seasons, genius. That's some great fact-checking you "journalists" do here.

[God-Man]

Looking foward to Angel Season 6, mostly because of Joss' involvment.

[grux]

Originally Posted by Rydog

Angel only had five seasons, genius. That's some great fact-checking you "journalists" do here.

OK, cut the guy some slack. He's working from the floor at Comic-Con. Not exactly the most conducive place to write up an article or check facts. Why so bitter? A few years ago you wouldn't have had anything close to live Comic-Con converage so be grateful someone out there is willing to post on the fly like this.

[Rubber Sled]

Take it easy, guys...I'm sure, considering they put "Season 8" in quotes on the front page synopsis as a reference to the similarity to Buffy Season 8, that this was just a slip...

[Lucifer]

The Search for Starscream...I'm there!!!!!!!!!!!

Starscream was easily the most bad@$$ character of the movie...next to Optimus of course.

[jsf]

The Badger.

Sweet Christmas I can't wait!!!

The anti-hero nutjob before anti-hero nutjobs were "kewl".

[lordshaxl]

Upcoming Transformers projects include Transformers Spotlight: Ramjet, a new character that will first be seen in the current Transformers/New Avengers miniseries. The special will be written by Stuart Moore, and illustrated by Robbie Musso.

Ramjet new character. I think ur mistaking since ramjet is a g1 transformer remember he down with thrust n dirge and has been on the cartoon in the 80's.

[Liliaeth]

Originally Posted by God-Man

Looking foward to Angel Season 6, mostly because of Joss' limited involvment.

Corrected that; Lynch's Spike and Angel comics are a million times better than Joss' Buffy s8

[Axelay]

Damn it, no new "24" comics. Heh, that was the one thing I was hoping for =)

[comicfanuk]

ANGEL! Yessss! Been waiting for this ever since Buffy Season 8 was announced!

[BillReed]

I may have to buy Angel.

I will buy Doctor Who.

[BriGuy]

Nothing from Beau Smith? Bummer.

[skl183]

Spotlight: Ramjet doesn't actually knock your socks off.

The storylines currently going through the Spotlights and Devastation/Revelation is just got a lot more interesting with the coming of Galvatron. I have to admit, wasn't paying much attention until Spotlight: Galvatron hit in July. Simon Furman does a different take on Galvie and its quite a curveball to say the least.

Also, what about Metal Gear Solid? Sons of Liberty seems to be delayed to hell for whatever reason and the videogame franchise is already on fourth installment! And are they going to do a comic series for the "prequel" (part 3 in video game series) Snake Eater?

[SpaceButler]

Buying Buffy, may have to buy Angel too, always enjoyed that show more anyway.

[artiepants]

Originally Posted by lordshaxl

Ramjet new character. I think ur mistaking since ramjet is a g1 transformer remember he down with thrust n dirge and has been on the cartoon in the 80's.

i'm sure they probably meant "new to the IDW-verse"

[hlbimage]

Originally Posted by Lucifer

The Search for Starscream...I'm there!!!!!!!!!!!

Starscream was easily the most bad@$$ character of the movie...next to Optimus of course.

Totally, love that scene where Starscream destroyed a dozen of F22 in the air.

[batlash]

Looking forward to Bill Sienkiewicz on 30 Days of Night: Beyond Barrow (in TPB... I've started skipping the monthly issues on these limited series) and Yr Pal Harlan. It's amazing that it's taken so long for someone to do a collection of Ellison's letters! Three cheers for IDW.

[Ryall]

Originally Posted by God-Man

Looking foward to Angel Season 6, mostly because of Joss' involvment.

Just to clarify for everyone, the book's called ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL, so there's no need to worry about the number in this piece being right or wrong... just know that it picks up after Season 5 ended, and that the real title of the book should be a good clue that the big battle in the alley didn't go all that well...

[Ryall]

Originally Posted by Axelay

Damn it, no new "24" comics. Heh, that was the one thing I was hoping for =)

I think both you and BriGuy below will be happy about some news we haven't quite announced yet, but will soon...

[BriGuy]

Originally Posted by Ryall

I think both you and BriGuy below will be happy about some news we haven't quite announced yet, but will soon...

Works for me! Thanks, Chris.

[angeliclesta]

Originally Posted by Ryall

Just to clarify for everyone, the book's called ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL, so there's no need to worry about the number in this piece being right or wrong... just know that it picks up after Season 5 ended, and that the real title of the book should be a good clue that the big battle in the alley didn't go all that well...

Thanks Chris!


Well the odds were kinda against them a smidge lol

Cant wait to see what Brian and Joss have planned!

[astronato]

I'd buy a comic based on the classic Speed Racer series. I'm not so much interested in an updated version though. Nothing against new takes on old characters but It would have to look and feel like the old series for me to buy it.