Comics
Why Damon Lindelof Should Feel Free to Defile “Watchmen”
What an odd headline. As a lifelong comic book fan, it’s a strange and new feeling to hope that something I’ve loved reading my entire life gets bastardized. With comic adaptations all the rage, I think we’re all collectively learning that direct adaptations aren’t always what’s best for the big screen, and it’s actually sorta, kinda nice to have each director inject their own flavor into their interpretation. After all these years, it’s time we accept that Tim Burton’s Batman is a goddamn masterpiece, but I digress…
Writer-producer Damon Lindelof is getting crucified by “Watchmen” fans for promising a different take on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons‘ source material. It’s got so bad that he wrote the below heartfelt letter to fans that goes as far as to detail his father’s death. It’s heartbreaking. It’s also heartbreaking that he has to defend himself. I’ve been a longtime hater of Lindelof, especially after what he did to “Lost” fans (I assure you, my sources tell me he was winging it and injecting weird stuff with zero intentions to explain), and then leaving Ridley Scott scrambling to sequelize his Prometheus (originally planned as a one-shot until Lindelof sold him on a trilogy). It wasn’t until I binged HBO’s “The Leftovers” that I was able to forgive and forget. Lindelof took all the positives in his arsenal and, for once in his career, delivered on his promise. “The Leftovers” may just be one of the greatest shows ever. Point is, I believe Lindelof has learned from his past mistakes and is only going to bring his storytelling gifts to “Watchmen”.
As for defiling the source material, do we really need a near-direct adaptation again? Many critics panned Zack Snyder‘s 2009 adaptation, and yet, it was perfect. As suggested above, sometimes the source material isn’t best suited for the big screen, and Snyder’s Watchmen was proof of this. Lindelof needs to take some liberties with his fresh take and, based on his filmography, I expect a more fractured/mysterious delivery of the characters and their backstories. It’s 2018, everything doesn’t have to happen exactly like it did in the comics. If I can learn to trust in Lindelof, I’m hoping “Watchmen” fans can too…
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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