Results tagged “peter straub”

The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1 is now on sale with two exciting covers to chose from. Cover A is by Massimo Carnevale and the ultra rare Cover B is by Penny Arcade’s Mike Krahulik. Both are available in comic book stores today!

If you happen to pick up a copy we would love to know what you think of it. Please email your thoughts or questions to delreycomics@randomhouse.com. We just might include your letter in a future issue.

Find a comic book retailer near you here.

Welcome to the Territories! Hope you enjoy the visit.

There will be a new Dark Tower novel!

It seems the doors into Roland Deschain’s universe are not entirely closed to Stephen King after all! It is widely known that such doors were not readily open to him over the years. It took ka to open them and ka can be a fickle thing. But it seems the door has opened one more time and King will be writing a new novel set in the middle of the Dark Tower timeline, the plot to take place between the end of Wizard & Glass and Wolves of the Calla.

Back in March 2009, Stephen King spoke to USA Today where he hinted at the prospect of possibly re-entering Roland’s world:

When we were chatting about his (King’s) upcoming book Under the Dome, a novel with political subtext out in November, King said he had recently had an idea for a short story. “And then I thought, ‘Well, why don’t I find three more like this and do a book that would be almost like modern fairy tales?’ Then this thing started to add on bits and pieces so I guess it will be a novel.” That idea, according to King, is for a new Dark Tower novel, a continuation of his epic seven-part fantasy/sci-fi/Western series about a lone gunslinger named Roland and his ongoing hunt for the Man in Black. “It’s not really done yet,” King admits of his magnum opus. “Those seven books are really sections of one long uber-novel.”

With that said, it left a lot unknown, specifically in my mind if King would really venture back into his opus. Apparently while out on tour in support of Under the Dome, King has made a concrete statement about it:

King stated he will write another Dark Tower novel. It will center around supporting characters and revolve around some important events between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla. One fan asked him to make sure Oy comes back, and King said not to worry, that Oy would return.

This is great news for Dark Tower fans! Even if the story doesn’t revolve around Roland, it will assuredly be a lot of fun. Now if we could only find out how far King is into writing this new book and when he conceivably believes it will be published…?

Ka is a wheel…

The Talisman: The Road of Trials #0 was released last week in comic books stores!

Lilja’s Library, a haven of information for Stephen King fans, has conducted an interview with artist Tony Shasteen. Tony was chosen by Stephen King and Peter Straub to illustrate the adaptation of The Talisman and from what I have seen so far he is doing a great job.

To read the new interview with Tony, click here!

If you haven’t checked out the The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1 Preview, do so! It really illustrates—no pun intended, honest—the penciling power Tony is bringing to this project.

Got your Issue #0? It’s only $1.00 at comic book stores now!

“The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.

That opening sentence to The Gunslinger by Stephen King will be imprinted on my brain until the day I die. It is just one of the best opening lines of any book—ever—and sets up a conflict that resonates for another six books, a short story, and numerous prequel comic book issues.

It appears as though Marvel Comics is not through with Stephen King just yet!

It was just announced that the creative team of Robin Furth, Peter David and Richard Isanove would be returning for another series of mini-series devoted to the adaptation of The Gunslinger. Next month the last arc of new material begins, Dark Tower: The Battle of Jericho Hill, and as it is the climax to his first ka-tet Stephen King and Marvel want to shed more light on why the last gunslinger is the way he is and what pushed him toward his quest for the enigmatic Dark Tower.

I am happy about this. I love that piece of artwork above. I only pray, sai King and sai Quesada, that Jae Lee is doing the pencil artwork throughout the series. Without him or a true penciler on board, this project will be lackluster.

Time will tell!

Ka is a wheel. And it turns, turns, turns…

M-O-O-N! That spells early excerpt!

The Talisman #0 will be released on October 21st in comic bookstores but Del Rey Books has allowed Entertainment Weekly to release early a 12-page full-color excerpt from the issue!

The issue is a prequel to what was written in novel The Talisman. Jack Sawyer is still alive and traveling between our world and that of the Territories. I think Robin Furth and Tony Shasteen do a great job setting up the major conflict that eventually leads to one of my favorite stories of all time.

Visit HERE to read a portion of the prequel issue to the Stephen King and Peter Straub adaptation of The Talisman!

Then locate your nearest comic book shop by using www.comicshoplocator.com!

Enjoy!

We have less than a month and November will be here.

What happens in November? Well, let’s see:

• November 10th: Under the Dome, the new massive horror novel by Stephen King, will be published.
• November 18th: The Talisman #1, the comic book adaptation of the novel written by Stephen King and Peter Straub, hits fine comic bookstores everywhere.
• November 25th: Dark Tower: The Battle of Jericho Hill #1, the story of one of the most important tales hinted at in Stephen King’s opus the Dark Tower, also hits comic book stores.

It is basically a month owned by Stephen King!

But do you want to get a jump on November in October? Of course you do!

First, read the new Newsarama interview HERE with comic book adapter and writer Robin Furth! She was once King’s assistant but now she is ensuring his books are adapted correctly at Marvel and Del Rey Books.

Second, on October 20th, Del Rey and the creative team of Furth, Shasteen and Ruffino will publish in comic bookstores The Talisman Issue #0, a full color prequel to the novel of the same name!

Get the jump on, in October!

M-O-O-N! That spells… Halloween?

Happy weekend!

I love books.

I love signed books.

I love signed books that make people money.

For almost a decade now I have run The Signed Page, a small online signed books business that suddenly is not so small. It has been great fun watching it grow; it has been more fun meeting people from all over the world who share my love for signed genre books. I have even met a few of them in person and all have been true enthusiasts.

For cover price, I feel I’ve helped build some pretty nice libraries out there!

Last week I received an email from one of my customers. She has been there from almost the beginning and has ordered dozens if not hundreds of the signed books that have graced the website. She is a voracious reader but she genuinely loves collecting. In the email she reminded me of a book she had purchased and how it has been a great book but also a great investment financially. It was a first printing book that took the fantasy genre by storm, had a low print run, and now is quite rare to find.

If you do find it, it is going for more than $200 on the low end and $500 plus on the high.

That signed book is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

My customer asked me if I had any forthcoming events that could yield a similar outcome—the combination of great read and financial investment.

So it got me thinking: What books are coming out this fall that might be read, sit still on one’s shelf for a few years and yet make them money?

Here is what I came up with!

For more than 3 decades Del Rey Books has been bringing the best books to fine bookstores everywhere. So when the sci-fi and fantasy publisher announced they would be adapting the Stephen King and Peter Straub story The Talisman into a monthly comic book series, I knew they would do justice to one of my favorite novels of all time.

And beginning next month, Del Rey will be bringing the best to comic book stores too!

The Talisman #0, a prequel to the beloved novel, will be published next month in full color. That is just a reminder.

But every month that passes we are given glimpses into how Del Rey is handling this, and I must say I am extremely excited!

Click on the cover and its variant to The Talisman #2!

The Talisman #2 Cover

The Talisman #2 Variant

Once again, Massimo Carnevale has done an absolutely brilliant job! His cover art is blowing me away. I thought his cover on Issue #0 was great. Then it got better in Issue #1. And Issue #2 above is by far my favorite, dark and moody!

Today Del Rey announced Tommy Lee Edwards as the variant cover artist for Issue #2 of The Talisman, on sale in December. He is an illustrator whose comics credits include The Question, published by DC Comics, and Marvel 1985, published by Marvel. I think his variant cover is gorgeous. It must be Morgan of Orris. I love the pose, the colors and the look in Morgan’s eyes—confident evil.

This project is truly shaping up to be something special!

More soon.

Newsarama posted the variant cover to The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1!

Here is the press release:

Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, announced today Mike Krahulik, artist and half of the creative duo behind the hit gaming and geek culture-based webcomic Penny Arcade (www.penny-arcade.com) as the variant cover artist for Issue 1 of Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Talisman, on sale in November.

“Penny Arcade is the online phenomenon which debuted in 1998 whose global readership generate over 50 million pageviews a month. Mike Krahulik is also known as Gabe, his online persona in the Penny Arcade comics. Krahulik has lent his distinctive art style to promotional comics for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, Prince of Persia, Fallout 3, and other video games, as well as advertisements for the Entertainment Software Association.

“The epic saga of The Talisman debuts with Issue 0, a never-before-told prequel to the story, to be published by Del Rey Comics in October. The Talisman novel, originally published in 1984, is the story of a teen boy named Jack Sawyer, who can save his dying mother only by retrieving a magical talisman. To find it he must cross back and forth between our world and the frightening and dangerous landscape of its “twinner” counterpart. Issue 0 explores the separate lives of Jack’s father—in our world, and in the mysterious realm known as the Territories—and how evil scheming will forever change Jack’s peaceful life.

“The series is being adapted by Robin Furth and illustrated by Tony Shasteen, with regular cover art by Massimo Carnevale and coloring by Nei Ruffino. The Talisman Issue 0 will be available in comic book stores everywhere on October 21, 2009, and The Talisman Issue 1 will hit comics stands on November 18, 2009.

Here is the cover to The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1. The Talisman is the comic book adaptation of the bestselling Stephen King and Peter Straub novel.

The cover was painted by the incredibly talented and fan favorite Massimo Carnevale (Y: The Last Man and Northlanders).

Beautiful, isn’t it?

Issue #0 will be published in October, with #1 following in November!

Forthcoming: My review of Issue #0.

As readers of Suvudu know, we are proud to launch Del Rey Comics with the adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Straub’s THE TALISMAN. The comic will be adapted from the novel by Robin Furth with pencils and inks by Tony Shasteen, colors by Nei Ruffino, and cover paintings by Massimo Carnevale.

We’re so excited about this book that we have created a special black and white preview edition of issue 0 that we will give away for FREE at San Diego Comic Con. Come by the Del Rey booth, #1129, and ask for your copy.

Not going to comic con? The full color issue 0 will be available in comic shops around the country on October, 21 for $1.00. Find your local comic book shop at comicshoplocator.com.

We also want to know what you think of it. Please email us at delreycomics@randomhouse.com

Robin Furth is one of the more interesting people I have met.

I mean, how could she not be having once been Stephen King’s personal assistant!

I bet she has stories galore!

Being an expert on all things King-related, Robin has been tapped to fulfill some of King’s creative endeavors. She has plotted four Dark Tower comic book series, bridging the time period between Wizard & Glass with The Gunslinger. She has also been hired by Del Rey Books to write the comic book adaptation to the Stephen King and Peter Straub novel The Talisman, which I am really excited about since that is one of my favorite books!

I sent Robin a short interview a few weeks ago, just to get her initial thoughts on the new project and how it was going.

M-O-O-N! That spells interview!

---

Suvudu: Where are you at in The Talisman project?

Robin Furth: So far I’ve written a prequel, which we call Issue 0, a detailed overview of Talisman Graphic Novel Volume I (that’s issues 1-6 of the comics, and Parts I and II of the novel), as well as the panel by panel breakdown and the script for the first issue. I’m working on the script for the second issue now. I’m really enjoying this adaptation, though I must say I bite my fingernails every time I hand in a script. In some ways Issue 0 was the scariest. As you can imagine, it isn’t every day you’re asked to write the backstory for a novel that you love! And to make the whole thing even scarier, I wrote the script and then—after the editors had gone over it and given their very helpful feedback—it was sent directly to Steve King and Peter Straub to get their approval. They gave it the thumbs up, and I think I nearly passed out with relief. I won’t tell you what happens in Issue 0, except that it takes place while Jack’s dad is still alive. Since in the actual novel Phil Sawyer’s memory is a big influence on Jack, I thought it was really important for new readers to learn a little bit more about him. It was also a great way to bring in all the flashbacks that we’re told about in the book but which we would have a very difficult time fitting into the comic books.

My overview for the first six issues took a LONG time. I think I had the editors a little scared! I can work quickly when I have to (and in comics, your back is often up against the wall since deadlines are all-important) but sometimes I really feel that to do the story justice I have to take my time and think things through. Since in comics the old adage show, don’t tell really holds true, I had to spend a lot of time deciding which scenes were crucial, and then how I could get additional information into those scenes, so that readers of the comics would get the ambiance of the original novel. Then, as the editor Betsy Mitchell can attest, after the dialogue was written, we had to go back through and chop half of it away, since I had the characters talking so much that the letterer would have had a heart attack!

S: What have you liked so far about adapting Steve’s and Peter’s book?

I cannot believe we are already in June! It seems just yesterday when I was at the February NY Comic Con and had the chance to meet, interview and hang out with Stephen King comic book writer Robin Furth and The Talisman artist Tony Shasteen!

Remember the NYCC Suvudu videos?

- Robin Furth
- Tony Shasteen

Well, since February, Robin and Tony have been hard at work on The Talisman, the comic book adaptation to the long-time bestselling novel by Stephen King and Peter Straub!

The Talisman #0 will launch the series on October 21, 2009, but those who are attending the San Diego Comic Con will get the true first look at the comic book series, where Del Rey Books will be giving away FREE black and white copies of Issue #0!

We also now know who will be supplying the comic book adaptation cover artwork and who will be supplying the interior coloring! Thanks to the Official June 16th Press Release, we know Massimo Carnevale (Y: The Last Man) will be supplying the cover artwork! He is an extremely talented artist and makes an excellent and award-winning addition to the creative team. And coloring the black and white artwork supplied by Tony Shasteen will be Nei Ruffino, who is currently working on Supergirl and Green Lantern for DC Comics!

The exclusive Comic Con The Talisman #0 can be found at the Del Rey booth (#1129) this July 22-26! To get it, you will have to attend the convention!

Or know someone who is going!

More to come soon!

M-O-O-N! That spells adaptation!

As reported HERE in February, Del Rey Books will be adapting The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub into a monthly comic book series, to start releasing at the end of the year!

And since it was announced the project has been moving forward!

The Talisman is definitely one of those foundational books that make up who I am as a whole. I first read it after I had read the first two Dark Tower books and the connection between them could not be ignored. And like the Dark Tower series The Talisman is filled with great characters—both good, evil and in between—and the settings are wondrous. The kid who still lives within me and who yearns to visit the Territories is excited to see the tale of Jack Sawyer come to life!

Tony Shasteen, the artist Del Rey tapped for the project, produced character sketches before the first page of the comic book was produced, each one of them sanctioned by King and Straub. In February we showed you Morgan Sloat and Speedy Parker.

Well, Tony, Del Rey, and StephenKing.com have released the next three!

Visit HERE to view the character sketches for Lily Cavanaugh, Jack Sawyer and Phil Sawyer!

A lot more will be coming in the next few months concerning the adaptation of The Talisman, so stay tuned!

M-O-O-N!

Every writer has multiple learning curves.

The obvious first arc is learning the craft of writing, a process that takes a great deal of time and devotion. The more one writes the better they get and despite having written two books, I am still learning at a great pace, every day spent increasing my knowledge and improving my skill.

But what happens once a book is finished?

There is also a learning curve for how to get a book published.

Most people write a novel to be published. It is a natural drive. People yearn to make a career doing what they love, and I have yet to meet a writer who is not in love with writing. Finishing a book is the first step, however, and getting the book into the hands of an agent or editor is the only way to be published and make that dream come true. There is a great deal to learn to make that happen.

I receive a lot of email from hopeful writers every day. They all ask a variety of similar questions and by the large I reply to every single one. I have been where most of them are, unsure of the process one goes through to get a book published but willing to ask the questions, and any help I can give pays forward the help I’ve been given over the years.

To the point of his article, last week I received this email:

• “It has been two weeks since I sent my book to an agent and I have not heard anything back yet. What should I do?”

I receive this kind of question quite regularly. Usually I admire brevity but this is a case where I really need to know more. Did the writer submit her book following the guidelines laid down by the agent? Did the agent request the book or did the writer just send it? Who is the agent and who do they already represent? There are many possible reasons why she has not heard back from the agent—those reasons fodder for a different, much longer article I will write—but I want to point out part of the email that struck me.

The words “two weeks.”

As I said in my accompanying article NYCC Interview: Robin Furth, I can’t wait for the Del Rey Books adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Talisman.

Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait.

I love revisiting books through adaptations, whether the adaptations are comic books, movies or games. It reminds me of the great reading I’ve done in the past and how it is always fun to view the material through someone else’s eyes in a new medium.

Tony Shasteen, the artist on The Talisman, took a few moments to answer some my questions concerning his new project and what it is to come. The interview is broken into seven video pieces!

Part I of VII: Who is Tony Shasteen?

Continue onward to interview parts II-VII with Tony Shasteen!

Every comic con has a highlight for those who go—and a highlight for one person might not be for another.

For me, the 2009 NY Comic Con will always be remembered as the first time I met Robin Furth.

The Dark Tower series, written by Stephen King, is a foundational piece in who I am. I am a fantasy reader at heart, but the combination of fantasy, horror and western really gripped me at a young age and it followed me long into adulthood. Roland Deschain is probably my favorite character in literature and those he surrounds himself with—from David, Alain, Bert and Susan, to Oy, Jake, Eddie and Susannah—live inside of me like they do for millions of other Dark Tower fans (junkies).

I have two framed Michael Whelan prints, both with the Dark Tower in the background, both with Roland staring longingly at it from a vast distance.

To remind me of my own Tower I hope to gain entrance to one day.

Robin Furth has her own Tower of sorts. She is the person responsible for researching the Dark Tower series from The Gunslinger to Wizard & Glass, enabling Stephen King to finish his saga with barely a continuity glitch. She has worked closely with Stephen King and the Dark Tower series for years, and to talk to to her about her experiences was fantastic. She exudes Dark Tower lore and I always love being around people like that. She is also one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met—always carrying a ready smile, always willing to put people at ease.

Robin has recently signed on with Del Rey Books to adapt The Talisman, a novel written by both Stephen King and Peter Straub which is irrevocably tied into the Dark Tower series. Along with artist Tony Shasteen, Robin will bring the story of Jack Sawyer to life as he tries to save two worlds and two mothers.

And so far I love what I am hearing and what I have seen from this project!

Here is my Interview with Robin Furth!

Part I of VIII: The Mistress behind The Tailsman!

To watch the rest of Robin’s interview (Parts II-VIII), make the jump!

Being Stephen King must be something grand! I swear!

Why? Because although he is really talented and financially stable and is successful and has a supportive family and has seen his stories come alive in various forms over the years, he also gets to work with some of the best people to adapt his projects into different mediums—and they do it right.

Just look at the Dark Tower comic book series as an example.

The Talisman, written by Stephen King & Peter Straub, is one of my favorite books. It also ties into the Dark Tower series and you all already know what a huge fan I am of Roland’s journey. Now that Del Rey Books has begun adapting The Talisman into a monthly comic book series, you can bet you’ll be seeing more posts like this one concerning the progress of the project.

We all know who Robin Furth is. She was Stephen King’s Dark Tower research assistant and now she is plotting and writing his comic book adaptations. She has a direct line to the man himself, so that always bodes well.

But what about the artist, Tony Shasteen? What will his artwork look like? If you are like me, artwork can kill a comic book reading experience. Will that happen with The Talisman comic book adaptation?

I’m happy to see it won’t!

Below are two character designs/sketches penciled by Tony Shasteen. He has done four or five others as well. These were the first two to be approved by Stephen King: Morgan Sloat and Speedy Parker - Click to Enlarge!
I have to do a re-read of The Talisman as it has been at least eight years since I read it for the second time, but those character designs look great to me! And I can’t wait to see Jack and his mother and the Queen and Wolf and… M-O-O-N, that spells moon!

So, what do you think of the character designs?

I am at NY Comic Con. Where cool things happen.

The convention is busy, as a con of this size usually is, and it is only Friday. Saturday the real rush will come and with it most of the celebrities, authors, panels, interviews and buying masses (hopefully)—but I think my my entire weekend has already been made complete.

Because today I spoke for half an hour with Stephen King comic book plotter/writer Robin Furth and comic book artist Tony Shasteen!

And that means good news for Stephen King fans!

Who are they, you may ask?

Robin Furth is the plotter of the Dark Tower comic book series published by Marvel. She was Stephen King’s research assistant from 2000-2004 as he finished up the final three volumes in the Dark Tower saga and it was her efforts that helped King keep all the details of that opus straight.

Tony Shasteen is a comic book artist They are the creative team responsible for the comic book adaptation of The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub.

And that is cool!