DABEL BROTHERS BRING MERCEDES THOMPSON TO COMICS

[MattBrady]

Press Release

The Dabel Brothers are already well-known for their comic book and graphic novel adaptations of great paranormal thriller novels such as 2007's bestselling Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter in Guilty Pleasures and their eagerly anticipated May 2008 release, Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son.

But now that they've signed white-hot New York Times bestselling paranormal fantasy writer Patricia Briggs to bring the world of her stunning Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson books to comics, the Dabel Brothers are fully prepared to top themselves once again with a brand new original story written by Briggs exclusively for comics!

The Mercedes Thompson series began in 2006 with the publication of Moon Called. Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson is a Volkswagen mechanic (she’s heard all the jokes, thank you). She’s also a coyote shapeshifter, an observer of the supernatural community, but not part of it: the perfect intermediary between the things that go bump in the night . . . and the things that bump back.

The second and third books in the series, Blood Bound and the #1 New York Times bestseller Iron Kissed, have only helped to cement Briggs as one of the rising stars in the realm of paranormal fantasy, and the Dabel Brothers expect their comic book series, a prequel to the novels entitled Mercedes Thompson: Homecoming, to drive her legions of fans straight to the comic book stores when the first issue debuts in the second half of 2008.

According to Briggs, the comic book series will focus on shapeshifter Mercedes Thompson fresh out of college when she's offered a job as a mechanic. . . by a nine-year-old boy. When she takes the job, she finds herself in a mess of trouble. Vampires, werewolves and an ancient fae are all out to get her. What’s a poor coyote to do?

“My first exposure to werewolves goes back to the old Marvel comic Werewolf by Night, which I read when I was still in grade school,” said Patricia Briggs. “The image of the werewolf as a good guy, a tormented hero who could be dangerous to anyone around him, stuck with me all these years and manifested itself in the Mercedes Thompson series. To have Mercedes and her world become comics is almost karmic – having the Dabel Brothers producing them is nothing less than fabulous good luck.”

“We could not be more thrilled to have Patricia Briggs onboard,” said Ernst Dabel, President of Dabel Brothers Publishing. “She's going to fit in very well in our lineup, and we fully expect that the Mercedes Thompson: Homecoming books are going to be every bit as popular as the Anita Blake comics were last year!”

Mercedes Thompson: Homecoming will be a 4-part comic book miniseries and is slated for release in the second half of 2008. The series will be collected in hardcover and distributed by Del Rey in 2009. More details will be made available in coming months.

The deal was negotiated by Linn Prentis of Linn Prentis Literary.

For more information on Patricia Briggs's Mercedes Thompson: Homecoming comic book series, Dabel Brothers Publishing, its products and its partners, please visit http://www.dabelbrothers.com.

[DaVeO]

Well, if anything this article has me interested in the novels.

[Shtickfigure]

Originally Posted by DaVeO

Well, if anything this article has me interested in the novels.

My thought exactly

[Kingbobb]

Given DB track record, I'm also more likely to check these out. I noticed them when they first came out...the modern paranormal fantasy genre is a favorite of mine...but it sounded too much like Kelly Armstrong's Bitten series and related Otherworld books. Unless DB has a really stellar lineup, and shows me some previews, I think I'll be passing. Maybe I'll get the trade if BD retains the property and I like the novels,

[stvnhthr]

Originally Posted by Kingbobb

Given DB track record, I'm also more likely to check these out. I noticed them when they first came out...the modern paranormal fantasy genre is a favorite of mine...but it sounded too much like Kelly Armstrong's Bitten series and related Otherworld books. Unless DB has a really stellar lineup, and shows me some previews, I think I'll be passing. Maybe I'll get the trade if BD retains the property and I like the novels,

Did you like Bitten? Kelly Armstrong is super nice and I would love to see Dabel take a stab at these novels.

[Skinshark]

Beautiful cover by Dos Santos...
I hope they use the same cover artists for their books.


=s=

[EMeadow]

Has Dabel actually said who's going to publish these comics they're doing? Or are they going to attempt self publishing again?

[Derek Ruiz]

Originally Posted by Skinshark

Beautiful cover by Dos Santos...
I hope they use the same cover artists for their books.


=s=

Looking into it actually. Probably the whole 50/50 split one by the interior guy and one by novel cover artist...we are actually taking this route with the Dresden Books.

Originally Posted by EMeadow

Has Dabel actually said who's going to publish these comics they're doing? Or are they going to attempt self publishing again?

Self Publishing. Better to be in charge of your own destiny we think.

[00scotty]

The Dabel brothers seem to pick up all the series that I read (except Anita Blake - reviews state too much sex in the more recent books for me to invest time/money - even though the old ones were not like the new). Anyway this series is a very fast read and there is a spin off soming soon as well.

I can't imagine Kelley Armstrong's novels getting picked up since they are too similar in content but I could see the Noble Dead (Hendee) or Vampire Earth (E E Knight) being looked at.

[lovelyivy]

Originally Posted by stvnhthr

Did you like Bitten? Kelly Armstrong is super nice and I would love to see Dabel take a stab at these novels.

Bitten was a wonderful book. The second book in the series, Stolen, is horrible but sets up some interesting characters that are fleshed out in the rest of the series.

For those on the fence- this series is really good. It's not really that similar to Bitten, other than the fact that both have female leads who are able to change form. The shifter communities are different. The approaches to normal humans are different. The approach to magic as a whole is significantly different.

I like both and would say the quality of the ideas backing the series are really close, but The Mercedes books are a little more classically sci-fi/fantasy, while Bitten was marketed as being more literary (whether it was or not is up for debate).

[santino]

Originally Posted by DaVeO

Well, if anything this article has me interested in the novels.

The Mercedes novels are good, though the most recent (Iron Kissed) was rather short. I didn't care nearly as much for Armstrong's series, but that may just be my disliking her writing style, in general.

I'd put Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books above this series, but both are definitely enjoyable.

Incidentally, the first ~5 or so of the Anita Blake books were excellent also, before (imo) Hamilton went off the deep end and started writing plotless and stale pseudo-erotica.

[SeanJJordan]

Originally Posted by lovelyivy

I like both and would say the quality of the ideas backing the series are really close, but The Mercedes books are a little more classically sci-fi/fantasy, while Bitten was marketed as being more literary (whether it was or not is up for debate).

I would add that Patricia Briggs has been writing great fantasy for quite awhile, after being inspired by Orson Scott Card's book on writing sf/fantasy. She's a great writer with an easy-to-enjoy style!

I don't usually read paranormal fiction myself due to the lack of quality in the writing, but my wife loves it, and she's gotten me to read some of her favorites. Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher and Kim Harrison all stand out in the genre because they're fantastic writers with neat characters and interesting stories. I'd recommend any of them!

[Charlie Hustle]

very cool. I think my niece reads this i'll forward the article and see if it interests her.

[mrhelm]

Moon Called is a great book that I totally picked up for the cover.

I have the second book, Blood bound, sitting at home ready to read too. Great stuff (and here's hoping they get the same cover artist for the comic!)

[silvanthalas]

Originally Posted by Kingbobb

Given DB track record, I'm also more likely to check these out.

Given DB's track record, they either won't finish this, or it'll end up with another publisher after serious delays, or pick your scenario. Yes, that's harsh, but it seems to happen over and over with DBP.

This one sounds like the second coming of Laurell Hamilton. Not that I should care; I'm not interested in Hamilton's works either.

[Derek Ruiz]

Originally Posted by silvanthalas

Given DB's track record, they either won't finish this, or it'll end up with another publisher after serious delays, or pick your scenario. Yes, that's harsh, but it seems to happen over and over with DBP.

This one sounds like the second coming of Laurell Hamilton. Not that I should care; I'm not interested in Hamilton's works either.

I'm cool with your opinion purely because I love proving people wrong...it's fun.

[Has]

The Mercedes Thompson books is one of best Urban Fantasy series' out there - along with Kelley Armstrong, Jim Butcher and Kim Harrison. Shes a spunky and independent heroine and Patricia Briggs has a real gift for making her characters real and believable.
I use to love the Anita Blake series but I didn't like how the series was heading- But I am ecstatic that the Dabel Brothers are going to be adapting the series- and its going to be great to learn more about those early 'missing years' .

[silvanthalas]

Originally Posted by Derek Ruiz

I'm cool with your opinion purely because I love proving people wrong...it's fun.

By all means, prove me wrong when it comes to your track record: almost too many publishers to name. Legend of Huma not being completed, Wood Boy #2 having to be compiled with another comic after so many months of delay.

Serious delays on many other books, probably for many reasons.

Losing everything you were currently publishing to Marvel for whatever other reasons.

I like you guys; the Dabels I've met are all great guys. I might've even met you if you were at SDCC this past July. I want you guys to succeed.

But I don't think you can prove me wrong on this, try as you might.

[LoisLane]

Originally Posted by Has

The Mercedes Thompson books is one of best Urban Fantasy series' out there - along with Kelley Armstrong, Jim Butcher and Kim Harrison. Shes a spunky and independent heroine and Patricia Briggs has a real gift for making her characters real and believable.
I use to love the Anita Blake series but I didn't like how the series was heading- But I am ecstatic that the Dabel Brothers are going to be adapting the series- and its going to be great to learn more about those early 'missing years' .

I'm a Briggs fan. I'm definitely looking forward to this comic. I like that we'll get an original story as well as the adaptations.

[Seaag94]

Originally Posted by DaVeO

Well, if anything this article has me interested in the novels.

The books are GREAT! I highly recommend reading them.

[Seaag94]

Originally Posted by mrhelm

Moon Called is a great book that I totally picked up for the cover.

I have the second book, Blood bound, sitting at home ready to read too. Great stuff (and here's hoping they get the same cover artist for the comic!)

I suggest getting on Blood Bound... better than Moon called and the third, Iron Kissed, is the best so far.

[Kingbobb]

Originally Posted by stvnhthr

Did you like Bitten? Kelly Armstrong is super nice and I would love to see Dabel take a stab at these novels.

I do enjoy Armstrong's series, although Stolen wasn't as entertaining as Bitten. I've also read the two books about the witches, but not the ghost book. I like how her books flow, following one character from a previous book that may have played a minor role, turing her into a major character.

I don't think Dabel's announcement that this'll be published in house changes my mind at all. That's the declaration now...until some bigger publisher offers them a $ deal that encourages them to sell the publishing rights, leading to a delay in me getting the books in a timely fashion. I'll be happy to be proven wrong in that regard, but history suggests that such a scenario is far more likely than seeing the entire series pusblished under one banner in a continuous schedule.

This is pure speculation, but I think that Marvel taking over the Anita Blake series led to Ron Lim coming on as artist. Not a bad choice, but he's not Booth, either, and I've no interest in finishing the book without Booth's art in it. While I understand that artists switch projects a lot, this is like having a graphic novel change artists on page 155 of 264.

While I'd enjoy other novels in comic form, I can't say until DB completes a project that I'd like to see them be the publisher.

[kimluvs2read]

Love this series, Love DBP they are the reason I read comics now! And I am so happy they did. They have brought 3 of my favorite authors to comics so far, LKH, Jim Butcher, and now Patricia Briggs! Can't wait to see what they will do next!