TEMPLESMITH SIGNS EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT WITH IDW

**MattBrady** · 04-04-2008, 01:23 PM

Press Release

Artist Ben Templesmith, whose professional comic book debut, 30 Days of Night was made into a major motion picture in 2007, has signed an exclusive contract with IDW Publishing. The artist, whose work has been nominated for multiple Eisner and Harvey Awards, won a 2007 Spike TV Scream Award for his work on 30 Days of Night with writer/co-creator Steve Niles.

Templesmith recently relocated to San Diego from his native Perth Australia, and will create new series for IDW as well as continue to produce miniseries based on his acclaimed series, Wormwood Gentleman Corpse.

In August, Templesmith will debut his latest series, Welcome to Hoxford, and, as with Wormwood and his Singularity 7 series, will handle all writing and art duties himself.

Welcome to Hoxford is a horrific new series that features an unique and terrifying take on werewolves. In the debut issue, Raymond Delgado is the newest inmate at the Hoxford Correctional Facility and Mental Institution. He's has no hope of release, parole, rehabilitation, or decent conversation. On a good day, he'll tell you he's Zeus and only bite your arm off—literally. On a bad day, you won't have time to scream to the prison guard for help. But Dr Jessica Ainley, his doctor for five years, wants to help Ray and can't understand why the newly privatized, corporately-run prison won't give her access to her patients. And why are people always transferred into Hoxford, but no records show anyone ever transferring back out.

Templesmith will also release The Art of Wormwood in August, the third such art book he has produced.

About joining IDW exclusively and his plans for the future, Templesmith said “I’m incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to continuously work at IDW over the years now and basically have them be the launch pad for anything I’ve ever wanted to do in comics, so I just saw this as a natural progression and a great chance to be more involved from the ground floor up. Also, the cubicle walls in the office are high enough that people still won’t be able to see that I rarely wear any pants while I work.”

Newsarama Note: When asked by Newsarama, Templesmith said in regards to Fell, his Image series with Warren Ellis: "Fell goes on as normal meaning, whenever Warren gets me some script, I find some time and I do it. Same as always. Fell's not something I'd ever abandon."

The D · 04-04-2008, 01:49 PM

As long as he can keep working on Fell

Blackbeard · 04-04-2008, 02:02 PM

Congrats on the exclusive deal, Ben! Looking forward to Welcome to Hoxford and new Wormwood Gentleman Corpse, man.

rockieman · 04-04-2008, 02:39 PM

What about the covers he does for Wasteland at Oni?

Ben Templesmith · 04-04-2008, 02:50 PM

Cheers fellas. Yep, nothing changes for me regarding FELL ( or Wasteland covers, which I do as a favor anyhow ). The existing things I'm wrapping up in general really. Got a lot more projects in the pipe...can't wait to announce them either...IDW are going to keep me super busy.

Prime_Eternal · 04-04-2008, 03:14 PM

*whew* Glad we still get Fell!

Kiryu · 04-04-2008, 04:34 PM

I almost shat myself reading this. Glad he's got a steady gig, but I was fearful that it might be the end of Fell.

Apocrypha · 04-04-2008, 05:32 PM

What does this mean for Fell from Image I wonder?

EDIT: Oh, I see Ben's reply above. Cool.

Generic Eric · 04-04-2008, 06:15 PM

Cool news. More fun series in the pipeline. I cannot wait.

Egg · 04-04-2008, 07:24 PM

Ben Templesmith exclusive to IDW! Now, that's a BRILLIANT move! I look forward to seeing what has been a long partnership continued!

Spaced · 04-04-2008, 07:30 PM

Good stuff. Still love to see Charlie Huston do an adaption of his Joe Pitt novels with Ben on art. Come on IDW, get your finger out.

Raff · 04-04-2008, 08:22 PM

Ben,
Does this mean you'll be working in IDW's offices directly instead of your home studio?
Does this appeal to you?
Have you ever read any books on screenwriting?

Best,
-Raff

Lay109 · 04-05-2008, 01:37 AM

Like so many others I'm just glad they addressed the status of Fell

jmringuet · 04-05-2008, 04:32 AM

Good for you Mr Templesmith Sir, San Diego is a great place to live and I'm looking forward to your new series. The stuff you write is always more interesting than you just doing the art.
You are always a big inspiration and a role model (except for the drinking thing :P).

8leggedfreak · 04-05-2008, 11:31 AM

Welcome to Hoxford sounds like a great concept, can't wait to check it out! Glad to hear you're not abandoning the always amazing Fell either.

boy_renegado · 04-05-2008, 12:57 PM

hm.
so, ben's exclusive to IDW... except for when he's got other stuff that he wants to do[?].
or is that just for projects that are already [semi-]ongoing [like FELL] or things that he isn't getting paid for [like the above mentioned covers]?

Either way: i'm a big fan. love wormwood, and fell. and if you haven't met ben, the only thing better than his art is his attitude. super cool guy.

Ben Templesmith · 04-05-2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raff

Ben,
Does this mean you'll be working in IDW's offices directly instead of your home studio?
Does this appeal to you?
Have you ever read any books on screenwriting?

Best,
-Raff

Yes
Yes
No

Ben Templesmith · 04-05-2008, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boy_renegado

hm.
so, ben's exclusive to IDW... except for when he's got other stuff that he wants to do[?].

I don't "want" to do anything other than do interesting things these days. I've achieved any and all big ambitions I ever had in comics, so it's now just about having fun and growing really. Working with Sir Warren Ellis on a book was pretty much my last "if only I could" project. Anything past this point is gravy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boy_renegado

or is that just for projects that are already [semi-]ongoing [like FELL] or things that he isn't getting paid for [like the above mentioned covers]?

It's for future stuff basically, obviously the commitments I made earlier aren't just dead in the water. No fear on Fell, Wasteland covers etc I literally do for free as is in my spare time. ( Yeah, "spare time" what was that again?? ) Got a lot of cool longer term stuffs coming that can't yap about just yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boy_renegado

Either way: i'm a big fan. love wormwood, and fell. and if you haven't met ben, the only thing better than his art is his attitude. super cool guy.

Cheers for the Wormwood love sir.