Did you know that Disney owned Marvel Comics? You do now, as Marvel is putting out a licensed comic from the ABC show Castle, which stars nerdlebrity godhead Nathan Fillion as a mystery writer who also solves crimes. The GN will not be an adaptataion of the show, however, but a story about Castle’s best-selling character, Derrick Storm.
Tellingly, this will not be a periodical, but a standalone graphic novel, due in September, written by Brian Michael Bendis and Kelly Sue DeConnick with art by Lan Medina and a cover by Carlo Pagulayan.
In the past, Marvel avoided all but a very few licensed comics based on TV or movies — HALO being the most notable exception, from a video game — presumably because the licensing costs didn’t help the bottom line any. Obviously, CASTLE is also a Disney-owned property, so all the costs are probably in “Disney dollars.” Plus, by spinning out the fictional world, this comes under pure transmedia expansion.
There are a few other Disney/ABC properties that might make good comics — LOST: THE ADVENTURES OF HURLEY AND BEN anyone?
Marvel Entertainment and ABC Studios are proud to announce Castle: Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm, an all-new hardcover graphic novel inspired by the popular “Castle” television series. This 112 page hardcover hits comic shops and bookstores everywhere on September 28th, 2011. Fans can get a first look at the upcoming graphic novel, when Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) reveals the cover on “Knockout,” the Season Finale of “Castle,” MONDAY, MAY 16 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
When viewers first met Richard Castle, he had reached celebrity author status with the success of his Derrick Storm mystery novels. In an unprecedented collaborative effort between Marvel, ABC Studios and the producers of “Castle,” the adventures of Derrick Storm will be chronicled in an all new graphic novel from some of the most accomplished creators in the industry. “I am honored and humbled to see Derrick Storm join the ranks of some of the greatest heroes of all-time,” said Richard Castle. “Being a part of the Marvel family is a childhood fantasy come true for me.”
Castle: Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm brings together a star studded cast of the best creators in the industry, including co-writers Brian Michael Bendis (Avengers, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man) and Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain America And The Secret Avengers); interior artist Lan Medina (Fables); and cover artist Carlo Pagulayan (Planet Hulk).
“We are incredibly excited to be partnering with marvel to bring Richard Castle’s early literary works to life,” said Andrew W. Marlowe, “Castle” creator/executive producer. “It’s a great way to expand the Castle universe for all our fans.”
The release of Castle: Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm marks the first adaptation, in any medium, of the Derrick Storm novels by New York Times best-selling author Richard Castle.
“It’s exciting to bring the Derrick Storm novels to life for the first time ever” said Axel Alonso, Marvel Entertainment Editor in Chief. “Whether you’re new to the world of ‘Castle’ or a long time fan, there’s something for everyone in Castle: Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm—and it’s the kind of book that reaffirms Marvel’s commitment to creating new fans of comic books.”
Great, one more comic character for Fillion fans to beg he play in the eventual movie adaptation.
Actually faithful fans of the Castle series will know that Derrick Storm was killed off at the very beginning of the TV series making Nathan Fillion’s character of Richard Castle look for a new inspiration to write and that was turning female cop Beckett (who was a fan of Richard Castle’s work and the police officer he was assigned to shadow) into his new series of novels based on Nikki Heat.
With the latest season of Castle coming to a close they were in the TV series making a film out of the Nikki Heat character.
I personally would have preferred to see Nikki Heat made into a graphic novel not the already dead Derrick Storm.
It is going to be interesting to see them explain this in the press come the fall.
“Marevel”?? fix her hed…
“Marevel?” Is that like a medieval version of Marvel? Or an evil version of Marvel? ;-)
By doing the Storm character, they both introduce a new sub-brand and avoid having to coordinate continuity with anything on the show and in the Nikki Heat prose novels.
I know they actually did come out with a Nikki Heat novel. A couple friends of mine have read it. I should too, but I’ve already got piles of comics and novels in the old ‘to read’ list. I really dig making something from a fictional world of a show and making it real, in this case the main character’s novels.
Maybe eventually there will be a Richard Castle’s Nikki Heat graphic novel too. Aside from Halo, it.. kinda worked for real author Laura K Hamilton and her Anita Blake books. Though there was that whole Dabel fiasco I shouldn’t bring up. You do also have Marvel doing Steven King ones and I want to say a couple others. They also have done some Classics Illustrated type ones.
Though, huh, there’s an interesting episode of Castle for ya. One of his books gets turned into a graphic novel. It can be some plot where an artist gets killed by some crazed fan. That sounds like just the type of cross media promotion of Marvel Joey Q might be up for. This surely beats his prank with 30 Rock. Heck, make Joey Q the murderer or murderee and both his fans and haters will go crazy. (I guess I’m somewhat more in the former myself.)
Awesome, I love Castle! Bummer that it’s not about Castle and Beckett themselves, though.
Other ABC properties? Hm . . . I know it’s a long shot, but I’d love to see a Desperate Housewives GN. Or maybe an Ugly Betty “Season 5”? ;]
V season three! COME ON Marvel and ABC, make it happen! Now that it’s officially cancelled, it would be perfect!
Plus, hey, it’s Bendis on a non-Marvel-U title. As I’m not big up on Marvel right now but like Bendis’s other works, I’m glad to hear this. Plus considering Bendis started in mystery and crime graphic novels, this is a nice return to form in a way.
Huh. I like Castle. And I like comics. But for some reason this doesn’t excite me all that much. Not sure why…it is kinda weird that it’s not based on Castle, but on a fake book from the show…? And not the fake book based on the characters in the show, but the fake book before the show started…? That might be it.
A writer who solves crimes?
Murder, She wrote!!!
haha…. ;)
Whoa…that’s some damn good product placement though…
I saw last night’s episode. At the beginning, Castle shows a mockup of that exact cover, without cover blurbs. and calls it a graphic novel. Cool cross over.
@Nathan: There are a couple of problems with Marvel doing a “season 3” of V in comics.
First, the revival of V sucked. Speaking as a fan of the original two miniseries, NBC’s The Event, problems and all, has been the real revival of the V concept.
Second, V is a Warner Brothers property, NOT a Misney property, despite ABC having aired the show.
Maybe if DC hadn’t killed WildStorm, though, it might’ve happened.
#9 on Amazon’s Graphic Novel list.