Richard Starkings has announced that his Elephantmen comic book series (home of Hip Flask) has been optioned by Zucker Productions for development as a feature-length film. No word yet on whether the project would be live action, CGI, or some combination of the two. Also, we’re not being told yet if Jerry Zucker (Ghost) will be directing or simply producing. We do know that Starkings will be creating the story treatment for the feature himself. If you’re not familiar with the world of Elephantmen, here’s a quick summary from the press release for the film project: “Elephantmen is an Eisner Award winning series first published in 2002 under Starkings’ Active Images imprint. In 2006 Image Comics approached Starkings to bring the book under their umbrella. The story of the Elephantmen takes place in Los Angeles in the not too distant future — in a world where human/animal hybrids were created to fight a war between Africa and China. Scarred by their experiences in war and seeking to somehow find their own humanity, the Elephantmen are now scattered throughout the world amongst the humans they were created to kill. Elephantmen is a brilliant commentary on racism, miscegenation, global warming, stem cell research and warfare. Created and written by Starkings, the series features artwork by Ladrönn, Moritat, and Boo Cook.“
Image Comics
The Return of Banana Tail
Mark McKenna’s strange (but nice) little monkey Banana Tail returns in Banana Tail’s Colorful Adventure, a new full-color hardcover book for young readers (coming in April from Image Comics). Banana Tail, if you didn’t know, is a young monkey who is made fun of for his bright and shiny yellow tail. So, he spends his days hanging around with other unusual young animals in the jungle, including a checkerboard zebra and a rhino who changes colors with her mood. Mark McKenna, if you didn’t know, is a comic book artist who’s worked for both DC and Marvel for decades. Now he brings back his popular children’s book character in a new 3D CGI format with the help of Steve Akehurst and the artists at The Fourth Armada.
The Perhapanauts Halloween Spooktacular
Also known as “The Return of every-one’s favorite heroic chupacabra”. The Perhapanauts comic book series, you may recall, told the story of an elite investigative team, human and non-human (including said chupacabra and a sasquatch) battling against supernatural forces trying to invade our world. Now Todd Dezago (writer), Craig Rousseau, Rich Woodall, Fred Hembeck (artists), and of course Image Comics brings us this new full-color one-shot Perhapanauts special the Halloween Spooktacular. Featuring three chilling and thrilling tales and no less than four full-color interior poster-pages.
Mice Templar: Destiny
Image Comics bring us a brand new story arc for Michael Avon Oeming’s popular mouse-knight series. Mice Templar: Destiny follows the adventures of the newly-knighted mouse Karic. With the Templar fallen and the natural world in the grip of tyrants and ever-increasing chaos, Karic is desperate to complete his training and save his family from slavery. This new full-color monthly series is brought to us by Michael Avon Oeming, Bryan Glass, and Victor Santos.
Apes and Babes
Frank Cho is world-famous as the creator of Liberty Meadows, Jungle Girl, and other comics featuring Beautiful Human Babes and various critters both dangerous and comical — sometimes at once. Now Image Comics brings us Apes and Babes, Book One, a 144-page full-color collection of Cho’s past and present illustrations and sketches.
The Mice Templar Sketchbook
New from Image Comics: The Mice Templar Sketchbook by Bryan Glass and Michael Avon Oeming. This full-color trade paperback features “never before seen artwork by Michael Avon Oeming from all phases of the development of the acclaimed anthropomorphic series”. It also features a brand new short story that bridges the gap between the Mice Templar, Volume 1: The Prophecy hardcover collection and the upcoming Volume 2.
Bad Dog
New from Image Comics: Deadpool writer Joe Kelly returns with Bad Dog, a new full-color comic series illustrated by Diego Greco. The story: Wendell is a “vertically challenged”, gutter-mouthed ex-preacher with a hair-trigger temper. His partner, Lou, is a werewolf who despises people so much he refuses to shift back into human form. Together they’re the most drunken, f@*ked-up pair of bounty hunters ever to stumble their way across America.
