Deadline reports that IDW is adapting Stephen King and Owen King’s fantasy novel, Sleeping Beauties, into a ten-part comic miniseries. The adaptation will be written by Canadian novelist Rio Youers (The Forgotten Girl), illustrated by Alison Sampson (“Winnebago Graveyard”), and launch in early 2020.
In case you didn’t know, Sleeping Beauties is a 2017 novel that marked the first collaboration between Stephen King and his son, Owen. In the novel, all the world’s women fall asleep, leaving the world entirely in men’s hands (which turns out about as well as you’d think).
In the article at Deadline, both Kings said they’re excited to see their 700+ page novel adapted into comic form.
“We’ve been fans of Rio’s for years and Alison’s artwork is simply extraordinary,” says Owen. “IDW couldn’t have found a better pairing.”
The creative team’s also excited to adapt the Kings’ dark fantasy, and they’re already finding ways to put their own stamp on the imaginative story.
“The story is very suggestive for interesting art, with magical themes interwoven through a very real place setting in Appalachia, and the opportunity to draw some truly diverse people,” said Sampson. “Places, spaces, gender, bodies, character, relationships, political themes, emotions, a challenging (and almost certainly innovative) design job, and a great story – it’s all here. I cannot wait to share what we are making.”
“To work on anything with the King name attached is surreal, dizzying, and somewhat terrifying,” said Youers. “As soon as my feet touch terra firma, I will focus on my goal: to stay true to the novel’s spirit, and to deliver a page-turning, visually impacting experience that will appeal to readers of both Stephen and Owen King’s fiction, and to comics fans the world over.”
Again, the comic version of “Sleeping Beauties” is slated for an early 2020 release. You can learn a bit more about the miniseries by clicking over to Deadline.