Following on from yesterday’s JULIUS news, I spoke to MTV’s Splash Page blog about the deal, and hopefully scotched a few rumours in the process. Let me do that again here:
Contrary to some of the bizarre “news” stories I’ve seen in the last 24 hours, I am not writing the screenplay, the book does not come out sometime next year (it was published in 2004, you numpties) and I am not an executive producer on the movie. Oh, and at no point in the book does Julius say “Oi, an’ you too, Brett?”
It’s amazing what people can read it into the shortest of press releases.
Quick one: Mandalay Pictures have acquired the movie rights to JULIUS, my 2004 graphic novel with Brett Weldele. I’ve been sitting on this news for a while, but now it’s finally public.
F. Gary Grey is attached to direct, which should be interesting; THE ITALIAN JOB did nothing for me, but THE NEGOTIATOR was one of my favourite thrillers of the ’90s. No word on a screenwriter or actors yet.
As an adjunct to that last post, it seems this translation lark is happening a lot quicker than I expected. Not that I’m complaining - these deals have all taken the best part of a year to finalise, but now everything’s signed the publishers all appear to be moving pretty quickly. Both Spanish books (Planeta’s JULIUS and Dibbuks’ THREE DAYS IN EUROPE) are now slated to be on sale for Christmas. Now if I can just persuade Marcia to let me spend the holidays in Spain…
[ Julius / Three Days In Europe / Translations ]
Talk about your crossed wires: it would appear I’ve been getting the details of my Spanish editions wrong. So here goes, bear with me while I try to get everything right once and for all:
The Spanish edition of THREE DAYS IN EUROPE will be published by Dibbuks. Yes, that’s the publisher’s name. No, I can’t find a website to prove it. But seriously.
The Spanish edition of JULIUS will be published by Planeta DeAgostini. Planeta are not doing a version of THREE DAYS. At all. Sorry.
The French edition of THREE DAYS is still being published by 13 Étrange. No change there, play on.
[ Julius / Three Days In Europe / Translations ]
I’ve just updated the desktop wallpapers available to download from this site. There’s a new set of F-STOP wallpapers, thus:
…Which also includes a widescreen version for those of you with Cinema Displays or similar widescreen monitors. In the same spirit, I’ve also created new widescreen versions of the existing wallpapers for THE LONG HAUL, JULIUS, SPOOKED and CLOSER.
Click here for the Downloads page.
[ Julius / F-Stop / The Long Haul / Closer / Spooked / Free Stuff ]
Fancy getting your hands on some of my books cheap, and helping out a worthy charity at the same time? Of course you do, and here’s how:
I’m off to the Comic Expo in Bristol this weekend. I’ll be the one with the shaved he… No, hang on, the one wearing all bla… Never mind.
Anyway, I’ve teamed up with Ade Brown of the JUST 1 PAGE charity comic. I wasn’t able to contribute to the comic itself, but instead, if you swing by the J1P booth (also home of COMMERCIAL SUICIDE) you’ll find a selection of my graphic novels such as SPOOKED, THE LONG HAUL and JULIUS on sale for a mere five of the Queen’s pounds, with all proceeds going to Childline.
These copies will be signed, and only available at this show. So if you’ve missed a book, or want to try something of mine for the first time, here’s your chance - and all for a good cause into the bargain.
See you there.
[ Julius / The Long Haul / Spooked / Appearances ]
Greg McElhatton includes JULIUS in his ‘Best of 2004′ list over at iComics.com.
As for me, I’ve just returned from visiting family and friends over the holidays. Now I’m looking forward to knuckling down with a whole load of new work in 2005. I’m halfway through NIGHTJAR Book Two; I’m planning on writing the second book of SPOOKED (titled LOW SPIRITS) this year; I’m also considering a sequel to JULIUS; and I have two pitches currently on the boil, which I’ll tell you more about if they get picked up. So that lot should take me through till about spring, I reckon…
The more perceptive among you will also have noticed that the tail-end of 2004 hit me with a rather bad rash of latebookitis. I wish I could tell you more about when THE LONG HAUL, NIGHTJAR #4 or YUGGOTH CREATURES #2 were coming out, I really do. But until I hear definite dates from the publishers, I simply can’t. What I can do is promise that I’m taking steps to make sure it doesn’t keep happening in 2005.
Here’s to a happy and prosperous year for all.
[ Julius / Spooked / Nightjar ]
The bad news: JULIUS artist Brett Weldele definitely won’t be at the Muse Comics event on September 26th, as mentioned yesterday.
The good news: He won’t be there because in three weeks’ time he’s moving to Portland, OR like the rest of the indie comics world, and finally getting out of the small Montana town he currently hates. So, yay Brett.
More good news: I just finished a miniseries pitch that I’m really happy with (trust me, that’s unusual). And it looks like I’m doing some kind of signing/appearance for Halloween. More on that as and when, etc etc.
[ Julius / Appearances ]
Every month, Muse Comics in Montana select a Book Of The Month and hold a reading group to discuss the book. Well, for September they’ve selected JULIUS, and here’s a nifty idea; they’re also selling cheap Dover editions of Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR along with them.
Amanda from Muse tells me it’s already garnered quite a bit of interest from parents and casual shoppers, thanks in no small part to the excellent display right at the front of the store (pictured right; click image for a larger version).
I’ve been asked to suggest a few discussion topics of my own for the reading group, which is open to all and meets in the store on Sunday 26th September at 1pm. Artist Brett Weldele is local to the store (as local as you get in Montana, anyway), so there’s a chance he might turn up as well. If you’re in the area, pop along on the 26th and say “hi” from me - the store is also giving away a signed copy of CLOSER as part of a competition, so you might even come out quids in.
[ Julius ]
Here’s one for you if you’re a budding comics writer, enjoy peeking behind the scenes, or are just plain nosey… The script for Act I of JULIUS is now online, hosted by the fine folks over at Scryptic Studios.
It’s in PDF format, so you’ll need Acrobat reader to view it.
[ Julius / Free Stuff ]
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