Lost Jim Henson Screenplay to Become Graphic Novel

ARCHAIA AND THE JIM HENSON COMPANY ANNOUNCE NEW, ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL WRITTEN BY JIM HENSON AND JERRY JUHL


NEVER-PRODUCED, FEATURE-LENGTH SCRIPT FROM THE JIM HENSON COMPANY ARCHIVES TO BE ADAPTED INTO A HARDCOVER

Seeking to ignite imaginations and spark curiosity, The Jim Henson Company and Archaia announced they will publish an original graphic novel hardcover based on A TALE OF SAND, a never-before-seen screenplay written by Jim Henson and his friend and longtime collaborator Jerry Juhl that the two had worked on for many years in the 1960s. The project will be undertaken under the approval and supervision of The Jim Henson Company’s CEO Lisa Henson, and will be guided through the production process by Archaia Editor-in Chief Stephen Christy.

“Finding something like this in the archives of The Henson Company was like finding the creative equivalent of a Rosetta Stone,” said Christy. “This script is a peek into the early creative mind of Jim Henson, and is a unique vision that is so different from his work with The Muppets, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, or any of his other later works. Archaia is proud, honored and extremely excited to team with The Jim Henson Company to present this work by Jim Henson as a fitting tribute to his legacy and as a fantastic treat for his fans all over the world.”

A Tale of Sand, a dark, existential feature-length screenplay that built off of ideas Jim Henson had been developing around the time he produced his Academy Award-nominated short film “Timepiece,” tells the story of a young man who hears, “Run, boy… run!” as he is kicked out of a dusty town in the middle of the desert. There’s nothing but sand in every direction, but run he does, with only a rucksack of odds-and-ends to his name, as he embarks on an oddball journey.

“A Tale of Sand was a very personal project for my father,” said Lisa Henson. “This hasn’t been seen by anyone outside of this company, and I feel very lucky that we can present his vision for this story in graphic novel format with Archaia, giving fans a glimpse at a piece of his creative legacy, and I hope they enjoy this look into his early creative process.”

Archaia and The Jim Henson Company entered into a multi-year publishing partnership in 2009 for Archaia to publish comics and graphic novels based on classic franchises like “Fraggle Rock,” “The Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth,” as well as new, co-branded original properties.

A Tale of Sand is tentatively scheduled to debut in late summer 2011.


About The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy®-nominated “Sid the Science Kid,” “Dinosaur Train,” “Wilson & Ditch: Digging America” and “Pajanimals.” Features include “The Dark Crystal,” “Labyrinth,” “MirrorMask,” and “Unstable Fables” and television productions include “Fraggle Rock” and the sci-fi cult series “Farscape.”

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment.

The Company’s Henson Alternative brand recently launched the New York run of “Stuffed and Unstrung,” a live puppet improvisational show at the Union Square Theatre. www.henson.com

About Archaia
Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for producing meaningful content that perpetually transforms minds. Archaia is: An Elegy for Amelia Johnson, Artesia, Awakening, Beautiful Scars, Berona’s War, The Black Knight, Critical Millennium, Cyclops, The Dark Crystal, Dark Fall, Days Missing, The Devil’s Handshake, The Engineer, Everlast, Feeding Ground, Fraggle Rock, God Machine, The Grave Doug Freshley, Gunnerkrigg Court, Hybrid Bastards!, Inanna’s Tears, The Killer, Killing Pickman, Labyrinth, The Lone and Level Sands, Lucid, Miranda Mercury, Moon Lake, Mouse Guard, Mr. Murder Is Dead, Okko, One in a Million, Primordia, Return of the Dapper Men, Robotika, Saga, The Secret History, Some New Kind of Slaughter, Starkweather: Immortal, Syndrome, Titanium Rain, Trial By Fire, Tumor and 10 more new titles in 2010.

For more information on Archaia or any Archaia titles please visit www.Archaia.com. Archaia can also be found on Facebook (facebook.com/archaiacomics) and Twitter (twitter.com/archaiacomics).

Bluewater Productions Announces New Hire - Arastao Maree

ARASTAO MAREE NAMED EXECUTIVE V.P. OF CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR FILM/ TV AT BLUEWATER

Bluewater Productions, an award-winning top twenty comic book publisher is proud to announce Arastao "Aha" Maree as their new Executive V.P. of Creative Development. The announcement was made today by Darren G. Davis, Chief Executive Officer of Bluewater Productions, to whom Aha will report.

In this newly created position, Aha, 32, will have worldwide responsibility of re-purposing Bluewater's extensive library of content for theatrical, television, new media and videogame production. His position also includes the development of new titles for cross-media platforms.

Previously, Aha served as a key-producer for HOPSports Inc. where in three years he has developed and produced over thirty titles for their innovative and exclusive media distribution platform known as the HOPSports training system. During his tenure the company received honorable mention from Michelle Obama and is currently approaching Global status as a production company. Before joining HOPSports, Aha served as creative consultant for Danish Film Production company, Little Womachine, Development Executive at Stevens and Associates and has worked as a post-production marketing producer for Sony Playstation.

"Aha, brings such a diverse range of experience and knowledge of the entertainment industry that our choice to have him join the team was an easy one. He has literally done it all, which is why I know he is going to make an amazing and well-rounded creative executive. His unmatched passion for creating great partnerships, learning new skills all while exploring the full creative potential of a project will take us where we want to be." -- Darren G. Davis, CEO, Bluewater Productions

"I am truly excited about joining the Bluewater Team. Our new original I.P.'s such as Insane Jane, Nanny & Hank, 10th Muse, COOL27 and Gearz are arresting ideas with progressive commercial appeal. Bluewater is clearly on a march towards being a viable source of content for all media outlets and this is just the beginning." -- Arastao "Aha" Maree

For more information on Bluewater Productions, visit the company's Web site at http://www.bluewaterprod.com/.


About Bluewater Productions
Bluewater Productions Inc. is one of the top independent production studios of comic books, young adult books and graphic novels. Its extensive catalog of titles includes the bestsellers “10th Muse” and “The Legend of Isis” ”Bluewater publishes comic books in partnership with entertainment icon William Shatner (“TekWar Chronicles”), legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sinbad: Rogue of Mars,” “Jason and the Argonauts,” et al) novelist's William F. Nolan (“Logan's Run”), S.E. Hinton (“The Outsdiers”) and celebrated actor Vincent Price (“Vincent Price Presents”), Additionally, Bluewater publishes a highly successful line of biographical comics under the titles “Female Force” and “Political Power.”

Bluewater aims to unite cutting-edge art and engaging stories produced by its stable of the publishing industry's top artists and writers.

Following its commitment to green publishing, Bluewater comic books are printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper. FSC certification guarantees that the paper used in Bluewater books contains fiber from well managed and responsibility harvested forests that meet strict environmental and socioeconomic standards.

Disney Acquires Film Rights to Upcoming Radical Publishing Graphic Novel

DISNEY ACQUIRES RADICAL’S OBLIVION

Radical Publishing is proud to announce that Disney has acquired the film adaptation of OBLIVION, based on Radical Publishing’s illustrated novel created by Tron: Legacy director, Joseph Kosinski, written by Rex Mundi creator, Arvid Nelson, and with illustrations by Andrée Wallin. OBLIVION will be directed by Joseph Kosinki and will be produced by Radical’s President and Publisher, Barry Levine, and Kosinski. Radical Studios’ Executive Vice President Jesse Berger is signed on as Executive Producer. Kosinki is repped by Verve and Anonymous Content while Radical is repped by CAA and David Schiff.

In a future where the Earth’s surface has been irradiated beyond recognition, the remnants of humanity live above the clouds, safe from the brutal alien Scavengers that stalk the ruins. But when surface drone repairman Jak discovers a mysterious woman in a crash-landed pod, it sets off an unstoppable chain of events that will force him to question everything he knows.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Joe Kosinski on OBLIVION,” said Barry Levine, president of Radical Pictures. “Joe is one of the most creative forces in filmmaking today. From the moment he teamed with Radical to produce the book and film, he had such a clear vision of the OBLIVION landscape and universe. Add to that Joe’s successful partnership with Disney on Tron: Legacy, and you have all the ingredients for a phenomenal action/adventure film.”

OBLIVION, the 128-page illustrated novel, will be released in Summer 2011 and will feature prose, combined with over 40 fully painted landscape renderings. OBLIVION will be distributed worldwide through Random House.

Fans are encouraged to visit the Radical Publishing websites http://www.radicalpublishing.com/, www.facebook.com/radicalpublishing and www.twitter.com/radicalcomics for more information.


About Radical Publishing
Radical Publishing is founded by Barry Levine (producer for Hercules, Caliber, Freedom Formula, Shrapnel, Abattoir, Oblivion, The Last Days of American Crime, Legends, Damaged, Earp: Saints for Sinners and executive producer for the in-development Rex Mundi movie for Warner Bros., written by Jim Uhls and starring Johnny Depp) and entrepreneur Jesse Berger (executive producer for Hercules, Caliber, Freedom Formula, Shrapnel, Abattoir, Oblivion, The Last Days of American Crime, Legends, Damaged and Earp: Saints for Sinners).

For their quality and excellence in 2008, Radical Publishing was granted the Gem Award for “Best New Publisher of the Year” from Diamond Comic Distributors. Radical brings the best writing, storytelling, and fully painted cover and interior art to the global comic book market, from prominent international talents such as Yoshitaka Amano, Keith Arem, Rain Beredo, Marc Bernardin, John Bolton, Darren Lynn Bousman, Ron L. Brinkerhoff, Bing Cansino, Matt Cirulnick, Tomm Coker, Clayton Crain, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Flint Dille, Marko Djurdjevic, Ian Edginton, Warren Ellis, James Farr, Adam Freeman, E. Max Frye, Antoine Fuqua, Justin Gray, Paul Gulacy, David Hine, Taka Ichise, Joseph Kosinski, Clint Langley, Adam Lawson, David Lapham, Richard Lee, Rob Levin, David Liss, Alex Maleev, Leonardo Manco, David Manpearl, Stephan Martinière, Francesco "Matt" Mattina, Peter Milligan, Steve Moore, Arvid Nelson, Wayne Nichols, Steve Niles, Jimmy Palmiotti, Nick Percival, Troy Peteri, Vincent Proce, Steve Pugh, Patrick Reilly, Rick Remender, Terry Rossio, Luis Royo, Nick Sagan, Kirsi Salonen, Sam Sarkar, Stjepan Sejic, M. Zachary Sherman, Bill Sienkiewicz, Wesley Snipes, Jim Steranko, Arthur Suydam, Patrick Tatopoulos, J.P. Targete, Greg Tocchini, Andree Wallin, Rich Wilkes, Dave Wilkins, Concept Art House, Haberlin Studios, Meduzarts Digital Environment Studio, Weta Workshop, Zombie Studios, and many more.

Currently, Radical Publishing has production deals with Spyglass Entertainment and Peter Berg’s Film 44 for Hercules, with Johnny Depp's Infinitum Nihil for Caliber, New Regency and Bryan Singer’s Bad Hat Harry Productions for Freedom Formula, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment for Legends, Dreamworks, Sam Raimi’s Star Road Entertainment and Mandeville Films for Earp: Saints for Sinners as well as Walt Disney Pictures for Oblivion.

Ikigami and the Social Miscreants

I read Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, Vol. 6

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has apps for the iPhone and Palm smart phones and they're FREE).

Scratch9 #3 Solicited

"Scratch9" #3 is now available for preorder through Diamond Distributors via your local comic book shop:

The solicitation copy:

(W) Rob M. Worley
(A) Jason T. Kruse

Scratch is deep in the heart of C.R.U.E.L. HQ and determined to rescue his pals Marco and Pollo. He'll need the theatricality of Beeslebohm, le bonne chance of D'Argent and with witchcraft of Writh to prevail. But what happens when Scratch's girl Penelope comes face-to-face with Dr. Schrodinger? (AUG10 0753)

And the first issue arrives in comic shops this month (JUN10 0739)!

"Sea Bear" Gets Second Printing

STAY OUT OF THE WOODS... AND THE WATER

Image Comics gets mixed up again with the second printing of SEA BEAR & GRIZZLY SHARK

Just when you thought it was safe to wander through the woods and go skinny dipping at the beach, Jason Howard (THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN) and Ryan Ottley (INVINCIBLE) showed you otherwise with the sold out SEA BEAR & GRIZZLY SHARK.

To reinforce the fear of mixed up and violent wildlife, Image Comics is reprinting SEA BEAR & GRIZZLY SHARK! This 48-page black and white comic book will be available August 4.

Do not go out at night: GRIZZLY SHARK lurks in these woods. There are many dangers of the deep, but none so deadly as SEA BEAR! Thrill to the adventures of these two exciting new characters, told in two full-length stories and featuring a special prose origin story written by ROBERT KIRKMAN!

The second printing of SEA BEAR & GRIZZLY SHARK, a book that Ain't It Cool News describes as having "...exceptional art and a wildly unique story you simply won't find anywhere else," will be available August 4, 2010.


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 www.imagecomics.com.

Mark Waid Keynote Speaker at Harvey Awards

Mark Waid to Keynote 2010 Harvey Awards!

Tickets Now Available!

Final Ballots Due by Saturday, Aug. 7!

Baltimore, Maryland - August 4, 2010 - The Harvey Awards dinner and presentation ceremony, featuring emcee Scott Kurtz and Keynote speaker Mark Waid, will be held on Saturday, August 28th at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore.

Harvey Awards tickets are on sale now. Tickets to the event, which includes full cocktail hour (cash bar), full service dinner, awards ceremony, and gift bag are now available for $100. Tickets are available by calling Cards, Comics & Collectibles in Reisterstown, Maryland at (410) 526-7410. Major Credit Cards will be accepted for payment. Dinner tickets must be purchased by Wednesday, August 25th and will not be available at the door.

The Harveys, named after the legendary MAD Magazine founding editor and master storyteller Harvey Kurtzman, recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals.

Guests for dinner and the awards ceremony will enjoy a full banquet dinner and a lively show hosted once again by Scott Kurtz as our Master of Ceremonies. All 22 Harvey Awards will be announced, as well the Keynote Presentation by Mark Waid.

Over the past 25 years, Mark Waid has been involved in every aspect of comics publishing, from writing to editing to production to retail--everything short of inserting the staples in the actual comic books. He has written some of the best-selling American graphic novels of all time, including KINGDOM COME with artist and co-plotter Alex Ross, and currently serves as the Chief Creative Officer for BOOM! Studios Comics in Los Angeles.

"I'm humbled and intimidated to be asked to give this year's keynote address at the Harveys," said Waid. "I may have been chosen because, given my long history and my current position, I have a unique perspective on the accomplishments this medium has made and the challenges it still faces. Either that, or the organizers have laid bets on whether or not I'm capable of talking about anything but myself for more than two minutes at a stretch. We'll see."

Scott Kurtz, returning Master of Ceremonies, quipped: "Last year, I gambled that the comics industry was willing to laugh at itself and MCed the Harveys like they were a roast. The experience lead to my working with Neal Adams by year's end. My hope this year is that I can angle a Kurtz/Waid/Sale team up. So it's gloves off for sure."

Continuing the guest-pleasing promotion from years past, a gift bag will be available to all dinner guests. The first 250 attendees will receive a gift bag containing a variety of gifts from event sponsors, which will named soon! Without these sponsors, the event would not be possible and the Baltimore Comic-Con Staff expresses their gratitude. Look to our website for details as they become available.

For those who wish to attend the ceremony only, tickets are available for $15, or free for those with a two-day pass to the convention. The hall will be opened for those ticket holders at approximately 9:15pm. Attendees who purchase a ceremony-only ticket are not eligible to receive the gift bag. The two day convention tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster, accessible from http://www.baltimorecomiccon.com/index.php/tickets/. Harvey Ceremony tickets may be purchased via phone at 410-526-7410.

Voting professionals, please remember to submit your ballots by Saturday, August 7, 2010! For ballots and voting instructions, please see our website, http://www.harveyawards.org/.


About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 11th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 28-29, 2010. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 4 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.