"Beasts of Burden" Comic Book to Become Animated Film

EVAN DORKIN AND JILL THOMPSON’S BEASTS OF BURDEN TO BE DEVELOPED AS A FULL-LENGTH ANIMATED FEATURE FILM!

DARK HORSE, REELFX, AND STRANGE WEATHER TEAM UP ON A THEATRICAL RELEASE

JUNE 13, LOS ANGELES, CA—One of Dark Horse’s most critically acclaimed releases of 2010 is set for development as a full-length CG animated feature film. Dark Horse has partnered with Reelfx Entertainment to bring the pet detectives in Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson’s Beasts of Burden to life. Andrew Adamson and Aron Warner of Strange Weather Films will produce alongside Mike Richardson of Dark Horse Entertainment. Dark Horse Entertainment’s Keith Goldberg will executive produce, with Strange Weather’s Jeff Fierson coproducing. Reelfx’s head of feature development, Jared Mass, will oversee the project for the studio.

The animated feature will be an adaptation of Dark Horse’s breakout-hit graphic novel. Beasts of Burden follows the supernatural occurrences that sweep the community of Burden Hill, and a heroic gang of animals who bravely keep its residents safe from harm.

“Jill and Evan have created a unique group of heroes working hard to keep their world safe; they just happen to be dogs . . . and a cat,” said Dark Horse president Mike Richardson. “This has been one of my favorite titles since it first appeared, and we are eager to bring it to the big screen.”

Dark Horse Entertainment is represented by WME and Gotham Group, with legal representation by attorney Keith Fleer.


About Dark Horse Comics
Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and bestselling prose author, Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as The Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Mass Effect, Tim Burton, Serenity and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry's leading publisher of licensed material.

About Reelfx Entertainment
Reelfx Entertainment has developed a “new studio model” that allows it to function as a streamlined provider of content for film, TV, publishing and digital media. It is a one-stop studio for the development and production of animated films and exciting effects-driven live action content. Reelfx Entertainment will produce “family franchise films” in the $35 million budget range. Drawing on its deep relationships within the entertainment industry, Reelfx Entertainment has attracted top creative talent (writers, directors, animation and effects artists) and supports them with seasoned executives and a proven proprietary animation and effects software (developed by Reel FX), which allows artists to work & collaborate more effectively and control rising costs often associated with CGI projects. In addition, Reelfx Entertainment will develop and secure the rights to franchise-worthy literary material.

At present, the studio has secured and is actively developing Rats of NIMH, A Wrinkle in Time and Dinosaur Bob, among others. The studio has already tapped some remarkable talent for its first project, Turkeys, which is currently in pre-production. The animated film is voiced by Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson. Turkeys is directed by Ash Brannon (Toy Story 2), and written and produced by John J. Strauss (There’s Something About Mary) and David I. Stern (Open Season 2). Peter Farrelly will executive produce the project.

Reelfx Entertainment is led by a team of industry veterans including Academy Award® winning, former Industrial Light and Magic senior executive Ed Jones and Walden Media CEO Cary Granat.

CBLDF's "Liberty Annual 2010" Due in October

Press release:

CBLDF'S LIBERTY ANNUAL 2010 EXPLODES IN OCTOBER!

Image Comics annual anthology benefiting the CBLDF sports new name and covers

Image Comics and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund are proud to launch the most exciting edition of their annual benefit anthology yet! THE CBLDF PRESENTS LIBERTY ANNUAL 2010 is powered by the donated time and energy of comic book luminaries to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

CBLDF’s LIBERTY ANNUAL 2010 boasts 48 incredible pages of story and art celebrating Free Expression! Previous volumes, published by Image Comics under the title CBLDF's Liberty Comics, have so far raised more than $50,000 for the Fund.

“I’m truly humbled by how much time and energy our line-up of talented contributors put aside to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund in contributing to LIBERTY ANNUAL 2010,” says CBLDF President and LIBERTY ANNUAL editor Larry Marder. “We changed the name of the book to reflect that once a year the greatest creators in the field bring their A-game to a project that helps the Fund reach new readers and raise much needed funds. No one got paid, but everyone stepped up to the plate and swung for the fences. The result is a highly collectible comic book that's a great read for an important cause."

CBLDF’s LIBERTY ANNUAL 2010 features an all-star line up, not least of whom are providing beautiful covers for the book. DAVE GIBBONS (Watchmen) has contributed an all-new Martha Washington cover, and DARICK ROBERTSON (The Boys) has provided a Conan cover. To increase the book's visibility, the incentive cover now boasts all-new artwork from CHARLIE ADLARD, the artist behind THE WALKING DEAD, which will soon be a hit series on AMC!

The best in the industry contributed to CBLDF’s LIBERTY ANNUAL 2010, which includes a new The Boys story by GARTH ENNIS & ROB STEEN, the first new Megaton Man adventure by DON SIMPSON in over a decade, an all-new Milk & Cheese story by EVAN DORKIN, a new Conan tale by DARICK ROBERTSON, Boilerplate by ANINA BENNETT & PAUL GUINAN, and "The First Amendment: It’s Why We Fight!" by LIBERTY COMICS editor LARRY MARDER.

CBLDF's LIBERTY ANNUAL 2010 will also feature all-new work from GEOFF JOHNS & SCOTT KOLINS, FRANK MILLER, GABRIEL BÁ & FÁBIO MOON, PAUL POPE, JEFF SMITH, TERRY MOORE, DAVE GIBBONS, GAIL SIMONE & AMANDA GOULD, SCOTT MORSE, BRIAN AZZARELLO & JILL THOMPSON, ROB LIEFELD, JG ROSHELL, COLLEEN DORAN, BEN McCOOL & BILLY TUCCI, and SKOTTIE YOUNG. Design for the entire package is contributed, as always, by Richard Starkings and John Roshell from Comicraft.

The CBLDF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance and education in furtherance of these goals. For more information on the Fund, visit www.cbldf.org

THE CBLDF PRESENTS LIBERTY ANNUAL 2010 (Gibbons cover: AUG100420; Robertson cover: AUG100421), a 48-page full-color comic book from Image Comics, will be available October 6, 2010. All proceeds from LIBERTY ANNUAL will benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!


Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit http://www.imagecomics.com/.

Liberty Comics 2010 Set for October 2010

GIVE ME FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Image Comics to release LIBERTY COMICS 2010 in October, benefiting the CBLDF

What do Frank Miller, Jeff Smith, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee and Image Comics have in common? They all support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which protects your right to make, sell and read the comics you love. Image Comics is showing its continued support for the CBLDF with the publication of LIBERTY COMICS 2010 this October.

The CBLDF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance and education in furtherance of these goals.

LIBERTY COMICS is the annual ensemble of comic book greats, all of whom have donated their time and energy to support the CBLDF. With two issues published to date, LIBERTY COMICS has raised over $50,000 for the Fund.

LIBERTY COMICS 2010 will feature some of the best in the industry, including a new The Boys story by GARTH ENNIS & ROB STEEN, the first new Megaton Man adventure by DON SIMPSON in over a decade, an all-new Milk & Cheese story by EVAN DORKIN, a preview of The Contrarian by SCOTT MORSE, a new Conan tale by DARICK ROBERTSON, Boilerplate by ANINA BENNETT & PAUL GUINAN and "Why We Fight!" by LIBERTY COMICS editor LARRY MARDER.

LIBERTY COMICS will also feature all-new short stories and illustrations by GEOFF JOHNS & SCOTT KOLINS, FRANK MILLER, GABRIEL BÁ & FÁBIO MOON, PAUL POPE, JEFF SMITH, TERRY MOORE, DAVE GIBBONS, BRIAN AZZARELLO & JILL THOMPSON, ROB LIEFELD, COLLEEN DORAN and SKOTTIE YOUNG as well as all new covers by JIM LEE and DARICK ROBERTSON. Design for the entire package is contributed, as always, by Richard Starkings and John Roshell from Comicraft.

"The comics community would be at a great loss without the CBLDF around to protect our First Amendment rights," says Marder. "LIBERTY COMICS is such a great way both creators and comics fans can show their support. Creators break into their busy schedules, donating their time and creativity. Fans can express their appreciation by purchasing LIBERTY COMICS from the CBLDF or from their favorite comics shop. I think this year's LIBERTY COMICS will be the most diverse and cool issue yet!"

Adds Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson, "We've always been enthusiastic in our support for the CBLDF, but it's both an honor and a pleasure to be involved with the many fine creators donating their talents to LIBERTY COMICS. Larry's put together an outstanding book this year!"

LIBERTY COMICS 2010, a 48-page full-color comic book from Image Comics, will be available October 6, 2010. All proceeds from LIBERTY COMICS will benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!


Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Evan Dorkin Talks about New Series

One of my favorite creators, Evan Dorkin, talks to Broken Frontier about his new comic book series, Beasts of Burden. Described as "a comic about dogs and cats fighting the supernatural on the East Coast," Beasts is drawn by Jill Thompson.

You can read early Beasts of Burden stories here.