The Four Color Media Monitor

The Wrap announced the TV actor Luke Arnold is producing his own comic book, in another example of entertainers getting into the business:

Actor and writer Luke Arnold, who starred as Long John Silver on Starz series “Black Sails,” is launching his first graphic novel, “Essentials.” The science-fiction project will be the first from The Lab Press, a new upstart publisher looking to join the comic book world as the format continues to be a popular place for both storytelling and piloting ideas to launch into other media, including TV and film.

“’Essentials’ was born out of impossible questions,” Arnold said in a statement. “What matters most in a well-lived life? Is joy more valuable than truth? Does mortality give meaning to our existence? At what point do our perceptions become our reality?”

Arnold, who released his first novel in 2020, is cowriting the project with Emmy-nominated animation writer Chris “Doc” Wyatt (Marvel’s “Rocket and Groot”), who also served as a producer on “Napoleon Dynamite.” The publisher teased future graphic novels with other notable comic creators including writer Cecil Castellucci, artist/writer Gene Ha and artist José Villarrubia, as well as artist and filmmaker Nihaarika Negi.

Creative executive Mike Zagari was announced as joining the Lab Press team earlier this week. Zagari, who will serve as chief creative officer and partner, has a long history of working in consumer products and developing intellectual property for use outside of comics. He’s also self-published his own comic books.

“It’s no secret that the comics industry is in a period of tremendous, transformative change,” Zagari said in a statement, before promising that the new publisher “is prepared to meet those challenges and opportunities head-on. We’re dedicated to publishing fearless storytelling, with unique styles and perspectives.”

The "change" the industry's undergoing is one where Marvel/DC are becoming irrelevant, and so too is Archie, based on their own path to wokeism. If there's a shift to focus on creator-owned productions, that's great, but, are these comics turned out by Hollywood performers really produced with the intention of merit-based entertainment, or, are they meant to serve the same purpose for which Keanu Reeves produced BRZRKR a few years ago? There's telling signs in the above paragraphs this new comic, Essentials, could end up going the same route, from illustrated panel to screen, in a very short amount of time too, as was seen when Reeves launched his GN. And if that turns out to be the case, what's the point of this project?

There is a valid query raised in the comic's premise - is joy more valueable than truth? Well no, but who's to know if many liberals understand that? And it'll remain to be seen if Lab Press really means what they say when they talk about "fearless and unique perspectives". Because if they refuse to accept conservative writings, that'll only be telling, as it's been for years now.

Labels: indie publishers, msm propaganda