Perhaps one of the coolest aspects about the entertainment medium is that there are always several ways with which to present your ideas. If you don't have the budget to create a Hollywood blockbuster, you can turn to smaller film companies who're willing to give your creativity a go. If film isn't your bag, you might tap your artist and writer friends for a comic book presentation of epic proportions. Granted, it's a lot about who you know, though it's also about how far you're willing to go to turn your dreams into a reality. To that end, it's best to keep an open mind when creating content for both new and existing ideas, as you never truly know who will groove to a particular presentation, be it a film, music, or even a collection of graphic novels.
Today, Entertainment Weekly has exclusively revealed that Alcon Media Group and London-based Titan Publishing are partnering for a new publishingwith plans to launch both comics and graphic novels centering on the Blade Runner universe. As a long-time player in the comics game, Titan has found success in publishing comics based on movie and television properties for several years, including an assortment of books based on Doctor Who, Tank Girl, Penny Dreadful, The Amazing World of Gumball, Assassin's Creed, Sea of Thieves, and much more.
Now, as part of a joint statement by Alcon co-founders and co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove, and Titan’s co-founders, Nick Landau and Vivian Cheung, the team have announced that they'll develop and publish a myraid of both fiction and non-fiction properties. Included in the launch of the initiative will be a series of comics and graphic novels looking to explore and expose the neo-noir underbelly of the Blade Runner universe. In addition to telling new stories, the new label will also aim to make these adventures a part of the Blade Runner canon, thereby expanding the science fiction mystery based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick. Handling the editorial side of things for the upcoming label will be Titan’s David Manley-Leach and Alcon’s director of publishing, Jeff Conner.
“In partnering with the exceptional Titan Comics and Titan Books, we’re confident that the world of Blade Runner will continue to organically grow in a way that refuses to sacrifice the quality, tone and high standards of this beloved property,” said Kosove and Johnson, in a statement.
“We are extremely excited to be publishing Blade Runner comics and illustrated books,” said Titan publishers Nick Landau and Vivian Cheung. “The Blade Runneruniverse has barely been explored; there is so much more there. It’s an honour to be bringing this world to life in new ways for a new audience – and to reveal tales from that universe that you’ve never seen before.”
While creative talent has yet to be announced for the Blade Runner comic initiaive, fans should rest easy knowing that Titan has contacts with many of the industry's … titans of talent, if you will. In truth, it's only a matter of time before the first Blade Runner comic and graphic novel projects are officially announced, and that's something worth getting excited about.
Meanwhile, if you feel the need to get your Blade Runner on, be sure to check out Denis Villeneuve's BLADE RUNNER 2049 starring Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling and Ana de Armas. It's available to watch on Digital and Blu-ray right now, and it's damn good!