Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Bluewater Productions to Publish JK Rowling Bio Comic



Bluewater Productions has sent out the following press release:

BLUEWATER TO CONJURE UP JK ROWLING BIOGRAPHY COMIC BOOK
Her name is forever associated with a certain boy wizard whom she created while waiting for a delayed train. Now, nearly half a billion books sold later, J.K. Rowling will be the subject on an upcoming issue of Bluewater Productions’ Female Force biography comic series.

Female Force: J.K. Rowling, scheduled for release in December, follows Rowling’s rags to riches story of a woman receiving government financial assistance through her ascendancy in becoming one of the worlds most recognizable writers.

“J.K. Rowling created a renaissance in children's and young adult literature. She inspires a legion of fans and it will be fascinating to follow how many future writers will point to her work as their original source of inspiration,” said Bluewater’s president Darren Davis.

The comic, written by Adam Gragg examines Rowling’s middle class upbringing, her time in Portugal teaching English, her meteoric rise with seven immensely successful books adapted into several high-grossing Hollywood blockbusters, and her post-Potter endeavors.

“She is a remarkable and multidimensional woman,’” Gragg noted, “Learning about who she is and how she struggled to become a success was a truly enlightening experience. Twelve publishers turned her down. If it weren't for the daughter of a British publisher who liked Rowling’s first chapter of ‘Philosopher’s Stone’, we might never have met Harry Potter.”

Female Force: J.K. Rowling will give readers two options: a standard 23-page version and a double-sized collectors edition that contains a variety of extras.
The title is being drawn by Matthew Filer (“Masque of the Dragons”) and Joshua Labello provides the cover art. Filer said, “"I've been a fan of the Potter books for many years. It has been fascinating discovering the parts of her life that inspired her to write one of the most inspired book series of the modern age. It's been an honor to pay tribute to a writer I truly respect & enjoy. "

“Rowling is truly a female force. She is responsible for millions of children (and some adults) picking up books and getting hooked on reading,” Davis added.
Female Force offers a broad examination of strong and influential women who are shaping modern history and culture. The Rowling biography is part of the Female Force sub-series called “Best Sellers.” Along with the previously announced biography of “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer, Rowling will join two other prominent female authors to be announced next month. Those currently under consideration include Toni Morrison, Ayn Rand, Margaret Atwood, Ursula LeGuin, Harper Lee, Anne Rice, Beatrix Potter and Virginia Woolf.

Davis notes other prominent and influential female politicians, business executives, entertainers, journalists, authors and activists are currently in development.

The suggested retail price (SRP) for the upcoming issue is $3.99 for the standard 23-page version and 7.99 for the expanded collectors edition. [END]

On his Bleeding Cool blog, comics journalist Rich Johnston wrote:

JK Rowling has been very protective of use of her brand name and characters, so it will interesting to see how Bluewater tread the legal line.

It’s not long ago that Diamond were less willing to distribute biographical comics because of the possible legal issues, though current contracts indemnify them against any action.


Bluewater is an independent comic book company that publishes young adult books and graphic novels. In the last few years, they've also published several biographies of famous public figures including Sarah Palin and First Lady Michelle Obama, among others.

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