[Updated] ACTRESS ROSARIO DAWSON PRODUCES ORIGINAL COMIC SERIES FOR SPEAKEASY

[MattBrady]

Updated with preview image from artist Tony Shasteen ( www.theillustrator.com)...

Press Release

“New Comic Series Exploring A Covert Police Unit Investigating Occult Crimes in New York Marks The First Time Rosario Dawson Has Produced Original Content for the Comic Book Market.”

"First Issue to launch in May 2006 from Speakeasy Comics"

NEW YORK – Actress Rosario Dawson, star of “SIN CITY”, “RENT”, “CLERKS 2” and “MiB2” teams with writer David Atchison and artist Tony Shasteen this spring to launch the Occult Crimes Taskforce, a groundbreaking new comic book miniseries co-created by Dawson herself.

The series marks Dawson’s first foray into the comic book market. The Occult Crimes Taskforce follows rookie Detective Sophia Ortiz’s quest to save New York City from an unholy threat and solve the mystery of her father’s murder. The storytelling skills Dawson has gained acting in some of Hollywood’s hottest productions combined with the writing talents of David Atchison and the thematic art of Tony Shasteen will create a comic book experience unlike anything on the shelves. The Occult Crimes Taskforce is a true melding of film and comic books combining the sensibilities, drama and tension of film and with the wildly imaginative, epic style of comic books. Inspired by Dawson herself, Sophia Ortiz has a depth most comic book characters cannot possess as her actions, feelings and motivations have been closely modeled after Dawson’s own.

“I’ve read comic books my entire life, and as a fan who has watched the comic book industry evolve and gain the respect it deserves from the world of entertainment, I’m excited to take on the role of comic book co-creator,” said Rosario Dawson.

Speakeasy’s “The Hunger” Cover Artist Tony Shasteen will illustrate the series.

Dawson continued, “I love Tony’s visuals and David has come up with some really imaginative, off the wall stuff. I think we’re going to turn out a great product. I’m very excited; I can’t stop talking about the book.”

“Rosario Dawson is an artist in the purest sense. She can act, sing, as well as write. She’s just an all around creative person. We are thrilled to collaborate with Rosario, David and Tony on this one of a kind project. The Rosario Dawson fans of the world are in for a treat and I’m sure many others will soon be captivated by this truly unique comic book project,” said Adam Fortier, Speakeasy Comics CEO.

[Marchie77]

hot comic book writers!!!??? the future looks utopian! where's my flying car?

[Colossus2420]

It seems like every other day there's an announcement that some new celebrity is dipping their hand in the comic book cookie jar (the other day it was self-help guru Deepak Chopra...anyone else think THAT was weird?), many with questionable (at best) talent. I mean, just because someone's written a screenplay or worked on a TV show, does that automatically give them a golden ticket to the head of the line to write tales of iconic characters? Or should we require them to have some sort of a) love of the genre AND the characters, or b) some PROVEN ability to handle the task? I read about a guy who drew storyboards for Batman Begins (I think) becoming a new comic artist. Are you sure that's a bright idea, instead of going with someone who's been busting their ass for years perfecting their craft and trying to get a gig? Do comic companies actually ask for an audition piece or do they simply say "Oh, you're famous (or kinda almost famous), that must mean you have talent. You've got the job!" (Now don't get me wrong, the law of averages says that not EVERYONE is going to suck, but there'll be a few.)

Now, sure, Rosario Dawson's project is going to be with Speakeasy and in the independent realm so we don't sweat her so much. But an actress being involved in comic books...so what? Is the comic book realm going to become the kiddie pool actors and writers and artists come to rinse off in when between gigs in the big Hollywood or Broadway playground? And if so, are comic fans going to be cool with that? I hope not, because these transient "I'll just screw around over here until Spielberg needs me" are just going to result in half-assed garbage that the fan still has to shell out hard earned cash for. Me, I'd rather read a nobody's work who does it for the love of the game as opposed to an Oscar winner who simply needs a quick check to pay for a new pair of sunglasses.

[caleb]

What the--?!?!??

I hope Dawson's really into being a comics writer: I have a wonderful image of her on a writer's panel at a comic con, this gorgeous, glamorous Hollywood woman sitting next to skinny bald bespectabled guy, overweight guy, overweight bald guy, overweight bald bespectabled guy and skinny bald guy with contacts.

Wish the premise was more original than police force dedicated to fightint the occult though...

[Violent Gorilla]

Originally posted by Colossus2420
It seems like every other day there's an announcement that some new celebrity is dipping their hand in the comic book cookie jar (the other day it was self-help guru Deepak Chopra...anyone else think THAT was weird?), many with questionable (at best) talent. I mean, just because someone's written a screenplay or worked on a TV show, does that automatically give them a golden ticket to the head of the line to write tales of iconic characters? Or should we require them to have some sort of a) love of the genre AND the characters, or b) some PROVEN ability to handle the task? I read about a guy who drew storyboards for Batman Begins (I think) becoming a new comic artist. Are you sure that's a bright idea, instead of going with someone who's been busting their ass for years perfecting their craft and trying to get a gig? Do comic companies actually ask for an audition piece or do they simply say "Oh, you're famous (or kinda almost famous), that must mean you have talent. You've got the job!" (Now don't get me wrong, the law of averages says that not EVERYONE is going to suck, but there'll be a few.)

Now, sure, Rosario Dawson's project is going to be with Speakeasy and in the independent realm so we don't sweat her so much. But an actress being involved in comic books...so what? Is the comic book realm going to become the kiddie pool actors and writers and artists come to rinse off in when between gigs in the big Hollywood or Broadway playground? And if so, are comic fans going to be cool with that? I hope not, because these transient "I'll just screw around over here until Spielberg needs me" are just going to result in half-assed garbage that the fan still has to shell out hard earned cash for. Me, I'd rather read a nobody's work who does it for the love of the game as opposed to an Oscar winner who simply needs a quick check to pay for a new pair of sunglasses.

It's just a fad. The comic industry is built on fads. It'll pass.

Or destroy the industry. Whichever.

[avengingtitan]

Sounds AWESOME.

[Smeggy]

teams with writer David Atchison and artist Tony Shasteen

I would place a rather significant wager that the comic's story will be shaped by Mr. Atchison's writing, and not Ms. Dawson's celebrity. Sales, however, may be another matter entirely...

If she gained such strong storytelling skills, what other role will Atchison be playing, other than actually writing the thing?

[Hoffmeister]

Originally posted by Colossus2420
I read about a guy who drew storyboards for Batman Begins (I think) becoming a new comic artist. Are you sure that's a bright idea, instead of going with someone who's been busting their ass for years perfecting their craft and trying to get a gig?

I just feel inclined to say that many storyboard artists are really people who DO want to break into the comic book business, but since it's a pretty stiff competition they've got to make their livelyhood in another way until that big break comes (if it ever does) and then storyboarding isn't that far from comics - and there's always a need for them. For all you know this guy HAS been busting his ass for years perfecting his craft and trying to get a gig.

[Nat Gertler]

In pushing this as someone with a history in comic book-based movies, let's remember that Sin City was not her first such gig. She was in both Josie and the Pussycats and Men in Black II

Originally posted by Colossus2420
I mean, just because someone's written a screenplay or worked on a TV show, does that automatically give them a golden ticket to the head of the line to write tales of iconic characters? Or should we require them to have some sort of a) love of the genre AND the characters, or b) some PROVEN ability to handle the task?

I'm not sure how you prove someone has the ability to handle the task without having them try to handle the task.

I read about a guy who drew storyboards for Batman Begins (I think) becoming a new comic artist. Are you sure that's a bright idea, instead of going with someone who's been busting their ass for years perfecting their craft and trying to get a gig?

I wouldn't assume that this guy hasn't been working hard on perfecting his craft. A storyboard artist is about as close to being a comic book artist as you can come in another profession, and there are plenty of folks who do both at varying times.

Most of the folks who succeed in comics have had some other job before that. I can think of successful comics folks who have been bankers, clerks, delivery folk, worked in sales, whatever. I don't see why such background should be a strike against them.... much less why a background in some other entertainment form should be a strike against those folks.

Me, I'd rather read a nobody's work who does it for the love of the game as opposed to an Oscar winner who simply needs a quick check to pay for a new pair of sunglasses.

Me, I'd rather have good comics. If someone can write an Oscar-winning screenplay, they likely have at least most of the creative tools it takes to write a good comic.

[Colossus2420]

I hereby withdraw my case against storyboarders based on the mounting evidence of my own ignorance of their craft.

Foot firmly inserted in mouth.

[KirkAngel]

Anybody think that is probably an idea she had for a movie and they figure with her SIN CITY credentials, she could make some extra bucks on the idea in comics and get it out to the public in more than one format?

Just a thought...

BEN

[Jason Seaver]

Originally posted by Colossus2420
Now, sure, Rosario Dawson's project is going to be with Speakeasy and in the independent realm so we don't sweat her so much. But an actress being involved in comic books...so what? Is the comic book realm going to become the kiddie pool actors and writers and artists come to rinse off in when between gigs in the big Hollywood or Broadway playground?

More likely, it's a way to develop a property for potential exploitation in other media (such as film). It's telling that she's described as a "producer"; she probably has other similar projects that she's investing some time and money in; doing this could mean she can go to (say) Columbia and say that they should shell out $100M to make an Occult Crimes Taskforce movie because it already has a proven track record of success/critical acclaim, and a lot of the pre-production work has already been done by Atchison and Shasteen.

If it works out, she's got a movie where she's listed above the title and getting paid Executive Producer money; if not, well, what's four issues of comics cost her to produce? $30k? That's a lot of money to you and me, but in Hollywood, you can easily spend that sort of money on a script that never gets shot and doesn't even bring back what a comic does. And, hey, she may genuinely like comics enough that having one with her name and face on it is pretty cool.

Anyway, that's probably a good chunk of why the Rosario Dawsons and Tom Janes of the world get involved in comics - it's low risk for them and a potentially huge reward. For us, well, it's another new comic, and if it proves to be nothing but a vanity project, it'll tank very quickly.

[YDLM]

I love it, the more comics the better. The more mainstream star power that is injected into any industry is always a positive. Its always funny how fans treat comic like their own little personal holyground. Rosario isnt stealing a job from anybody, she create one for herself, and I hope more actors to do it. If you want to see more than just the big two be successful, you have too support at least the attempt for "outsiders" to jump in the field.

My wife heard the news, and she wants the book.This is what comics need.

[johnlayman]

I wish she would write more about her creek.

[johnlayman]

I wish she would write more about her creek.

[Jimmy Palmiotti]

Hey, good for her.

the great thing about comics is that anyone can give them a try...and she is a talented actress, lets see what she got to bring to the table.

I dig that she has read comics her whole life and says this in public.
again, good for her!!!

why would this bother anyone? if it gets people who never read comics before interested in the medium, then its all good.

rosario, you go girl!!

JIMMY PALMIOTTI

ps: you go speakeasy as well!!!

[comixcollctr]

Why is Rosario not asking her uncle Gus Vasquez to draw the book?He's a tremendous artist.
And speakeasy sucks.I know few artists on the books they publish and none of them been paid.They've already lost two of their better titles Rocketo and Atomika.

[Agent Wax]

Stop the presses ladies and gents, this is big news.
cant wait to pick that one up. HA!

[ErictheRed]

Did I mention I love Rosario Dawson. I've always had a crush on her. She just beautiful, talented, cool person. I can't pass up Occult Crimes Taskforce.

[malkovich71]

Originally posted by Colossus2420
I mean, just because someone's written a screenplay or worked on a TV show, does that automatically give them a golden ticket to the head of the line to write tales of iconic characters?

Yes. Let's face it, one of the results of comics breaking into the mainstream and into Hollywood is that now they have the attention of Hollywood. In only stands to reason that in order to successfully integrate with Hollywood (where the big money lies), the comic book world will have to adopt many of Hollywood's business practices. This means that name recognition causes publicity which leads to interest which hopefully leads to greater readership. This is just the way it is and it's not going to change. The industry relies too much on money that Hollywood helps generate.

[Nobody]

Wish her luck. Based on the premise alone, I'd probably not read this. Seen it, done it.

But I don't see the problem, other than too many fish in a small pond kinda way, about anyone decided to make comics, for whatever reason.

Hell, Tom Jane and his backup of Niles, Larossa and Bradstreet made for a damn fine read with Bad Planet.

[malkovich71]

Originally posted by Colossus2420
It seems like every other day there's an announcement that some new celebrity is dipping their hand in the comic book cookie jar.....

So you're upset because Rosario Dawson is getting involved in the comics industry. Just out of curiousity, did it bother you when Frank Miller received a co-director's credit for Sin City even though he had zero filmmaking experience? I mean, just because he writes a kick-ass comic does that mean he knows how to direct actors, know the intricacies of lighting, cameras, sound, and the millions of other details that a directer needs to be familiar with? Does the street run both ways for you? Do comic book creators have any business working in any other entertainment medium?

(For the record, I have no problem with Miller receiving a co-director's credit on Sin City).

[Hobowatcher]

Jessica Alba is designing video games.

[Smeggy]

Originally posted by comixcollctr
Why is Rosario not asking her uncle Gus Vasquez to draw the book?He's a tremendous artist.
And speakeasy sucks.I know few artists on the books they publish and none of them been paid.They've already lost two of their better titles Rocketo and Atomika.

Surely speakeasy couldn't be like CGE, expanding too fast, not paying creators, gathering massive debt..?

[Starsky_Hutch76]

Originally posted by MattBrady
Press Release

“...Inspired by Dawson herself, Sophia Ortiz has a depth most comic book characters cannot possess as her actions, feelings and motivations have been closely modeled after Dawson’s own.

This will be a movie within a year. Same goes for the Marlon Wayans book. The big question is, how long will they be a comic after that happens.