Fans of Grant Morrison: rejoice! It has been announced that Dynamite Entertainment and Liquid Comics will be releasing a script book of Grant Morrison’s as yet to be released 18 Days, an animated project Morrison has been working on with Liquid Comics which is a re-telling of the Indian Epic Mahabharata. While 18 Days is still in pre-production, you will now be able to get a collector’s item which gives you not only a first look at the upcoming series, but also a look into Morrison’s mind and how he writes his scripts (which, to me, is the most exciting element). The book will feature, as the press release states, “inner workings of the acclaimed writer’s process and features the original unedited scripts, story bible, character descriptions and commentary.”
So what is it about? Well, take a look at this quote from the press release:
Grant Morrison’s 18 Days, is a re-imagining of the great Indian epic, Mahabharata and tells the story of three generations of super-warriors, meeting for the final battle of their age. The scale is epic, wherein the biggest armies ever conceived of face one another across the ultimate battlefield to decide the fate of the future. 18 Days follows the course of the climactic war that concludes the Third Age and begins the Dark Age we all now live in. It is the prototype for every war ever fought – and at its heart lies a warning for all of us and a message that can change lives.
You can count me in. Morrison has been a big time fan of Indian lore, and those that have read previous work know that all too well (heck, just look at Vimanarama!). Now we get a book of scripts and inside look on his work? Heck yes! He has released a book before of scripts of plays and such, but it’s been long since out of print. Considering I regularly praise him as the greatest writer in comics today, you can be sure the second I find where to pre-order this, it will be pre-ordered (just as I pre-ordered All-Star Superman so I could get all the back-up stuff from him and Quitely).
There is a preview up at Newsarama, and if you’re interested please click here. It looks awesome. For those interested in more about the Mahabharata, please click here and let the knowledge flow.
For the press release in it’s entirety, check behind the jump!
GRANT MORRISON’S ‘18 DAYS’ TO BE LAUNCHED BY DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT & LIQUID COMICs
~ Illustrated Script Book based on the Indian Epic, Mahabharata due this Summer ~
NEW YORK, NY– March 25, 2010 — Dynamite Entertainment and Liquid Comics announced today a publishing partnership to release an illustrated hardcover book featuring the original scripts created by Grant Morrison for his animated project ‘Grant Morrison’s 18 Days.’
Though the animated series remains in pre-production at Liquid Comics and co-owner Perspective Studios, the collectors item book will allow readers a first glimpse into the mythic universe created by superstar writer, Grant Morrison (All Star Superman, Batman & Robin, The Invisibles). The book reveals the inner workings of the acclaimed writer’s process and features the original unedited scripts, story bible, character descriptions and commentary. Grant’s groundbreaking story is matched perfectly with dozens of original illustrations created by acclaimed Indian artist, Mukesh Singh (Devi, Gamekeeper, Shadow Hunter).
Grant Morrison commented, “18 Days is a labor of love made all the more exciting by having a collaborator as original and groundbreaking as Mukesh. His techno-Vedic superheroes and spectacular scenes of cosmic warfare bring a dazzling new and contemporary dimension to one of the world’s greatest stories.”
“18 Days takes one of the most enduring tales of the East and places it in the capable hands of Grant Morrison, one of the greatest storytellers of the West. Combined with the visual spectacle of Mukesh Singh’s artwork, this is a book that goes beyond myth, beyond generations and beyond borders, transcending the story’s origins and showing the world a dynamic new vision of gods and war,” Liquid’s CEO, Sharad Devarajan commented, “Dynamite is the ideal partner to help us bring this book to all fans of comics, pop culture and myth.”
Continued below“Sharad and his partners at Liquid have been able to work with an incredibly gifted group of talented creators, and now they’ve added Grant Morrison to that list. To be able to partner up with them to release this deeply personal project of Grant’s is beyond an honor. Grant is one of the best and most thought provoking writers in comics today, with an incredible resume of past and present work. He’s partnered here with the equally talented Mukesh Singh — whose artwork is truly mind-blowing. Together, they have created a new world of gods, war and more!” stated Dynamite’s President and Publisher, Nick Barrucci. “We’re thrilled to be working with them on this, and hopefully many more projects to come.”
Grant Morrison’s 18 Days, is a re-imagining of the great Indian epic, Mahabharata and tells the story of three generations of super-warriors, meeting for the final battle of their age. The scale is epic, wherein the biggest armies ever conceived of face one another across the ultimate battlefield to decide the fate of the future. 18 Days follows the course of the climactic war that concludes the Third Age and begins the Dark Age we all now live in. It is the prototype for every war ever fought – and at its heart lies a warning for all of us and a message that can change lives.
Steven Lehrhoff, CEO of Perspective Studios, which controls the property with Liquid added, “Grant has developed an incredible vision and universe of characters and we are thrilled that this book from Dynamite will allow readers the chance to see his immense creativity before we take the story to other media.”
Dynamite plans on releasing the hardcover book in August 2010. In addition, Liquid and Perspective are currently developing an animated series and video game based on the Grant Morrison story.
About Liquid Comics
Liquid Comics, formerly known as Virgin Comics LLC, is an entertainment company focused on creating original stories and modern myths for worldwide audiences. The company was founded by entrepreneurs, Gotham Chopra, Sharad Devarajan and Suresh Seetharaman and uses the medium of graphic novel publishing to develop properties for theatrical live-action films, animation and video games. Liquid has created original graphic novels with acclaimed filmmakers and creators including John Woo, Shekhar Kapur, Deepak Chopra, Guy Ritchie, Dave Stewart, Jonathan Mostow, Edward Burns, Nicolas Cage, and others. The Company currently has a number of film and television projects in development including the Warner Bros. film adaptation of Gamekeeper with director Guy Ritchie; Virulents with director John Moore; Voodoo Child with Saturn Films and Reliance; The Leaves with Summit Entertainment; Beyond in development as a theatrical film with author Deepak Chopra; The Stranded, in development for television, with the Syfy Channel and First Family in development at FremantleMedia Enterprises. www.LiquidComics.com
About Dynamite Entertainment
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT, the publishing division of DYNAMIC FORCES, INC., was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including Red Sonja, Project Superpowers, The Boys, Army of Darkness, Battlestar Galactica, The Lone Ranger, Zorro and more! In addition to its critically-acclaimed titles and best selling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Garth Ennis, Michael Turner, Jim Lee, Michael Avon Oeming, Brian Reed, Mel Rubi, Marc Guggenheim, Stephen Sadowski, Mike Carey, Jim Krueger, Greg Pak, Brett Matthews, Matt Wagner and a host of up and coming new talent and fan favorite creators!
DYNAMITE is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their more recent launches – including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger’s PROJECT SUPERPOWERS – have debuted in the Top Ten lists calculated by Diamond Comics Distributors. In 2005 Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%). The company has also been nominated for several industry awards, including the prestigious Eisner Award. Aside from its monthly periodical publishing program of new comic book series, DYNAMITE also produces highly regarded and well received collections of newly remastered, classic comics material like Tim Truman’s SCOUT, Carlos Trillo and Eduardo Risso’s BORDERLINE and TALES OF TERROR, Jim Starlin’s DREADSTAR, as well as archival compilations of reprinted RED SONJA tales.
