Essays

Tuesday, December 4, 2007 — Few things could be more exciting for the Dabel Brothers than the opportunity to bring Dean Koontz’s first Frankenstein novel to life in comic book format.

Unless, of course, it’s the opportunity to develop Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son with the help of legendary comic book industry veterans like Chuck Dixon and Brett Booth.

“Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein is due out in May, 2008, but we’re already halfway through the first issue,” said Les Dabel, Vice President of Dabel Brothers Publishing. “And between Mr. Koontz’s source material, Chuck’s stellar adaptation, and Brett’s incredible artwork, I think this book is going to be one of the best we’ve ever put together!”

That’s a tall order for the Dabel Brothers, who have produced plenty of critically-acclaimed, mega-selling literary adaptations, such as George R. R. Martin’s The Hedge Knight, Orson Scott Card’s Red Prophet: The Tales of Alvin Maker, Raymond E. Feist’s Magician: Apprentice and Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter in Guilty Pleasures. But 2008 is shaping up to be their banner year with their recently announced Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files, George R. R. Martin’s Wild Cards, and, of course, Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son all hitting the stands by the second quarter.

But, said Dabel, they’re not taking anything for granted this time around. “That’s why we’ve entrusted this book to Chuck Dixon and Brett Booth,” he said. “We’ve worked with both of them on other projects, and we know that they’re both incredible professionals who have earned the right to have a multitude of fans.”

Chuck Dixon has been writing comic books since the late 1970s, with a portfolio that includes books from every major American comic book publisher. While he is best known for his popular work on DC’s Batman books during the 1990s, Dixon has been the writer behind dozens of other titles, including Crossgen’s Sigil and Way of the Rat, Marvel Comics’s Moon Knight and Punisher War Zone, DC Comics’s Detective Comics, Catwoman and Robin, and the bestselling comic book adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Dixon is revered by his fans for his tight pacing and his snappy dialogue – two skills that will serve him well in an action thriller like Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein.

“This is a book that was made for comics,” said Chuck Dixon. “Dean has a story here that begs for visuals, from dizzying Himalayan mountainscapes to creepy urban dungeons. This is perhaps the easiest adaptation I’ve ever worked on. There’s so much here!”

Brett Booth has been a popular comic book artist since the early 1990s, when he attracted lots of attention from fans for his work on Image Comics’s Backlash, based around a character he co-created with Jim Lee. Since then, Booth has worked on dozens of titles throughout the comic book industry, such as popular Marvel Comics books Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, a crossover featuring Backlash and Spider-Man, Wildstorm’s Thundercats: Dogs of War, and the Dabel Brothers’ own adaptation of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter.

“It’s an interesting story,” said Brett Booth. “I’m trying to work my way through all the major monster categories. Next up, I’ll be looking for something with a mummy! Visually, this should be fun, and Chuck’s done a great job with the adaption.”

And as production on the first issue continues, the Dabel Brothers are certain that Dean Koontz fans and comic book readers alike are going to love the finished product.

“Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein is already a huge bestseller as a novel because of its great story,” Dabel said. “The comic book is going to continue that trend for certain – people are going to want to pick this one up!”

Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son #1 will be available from Dabel Brothers Publishing in May, 2008 at comic book stores everywhere. Del Rey Books will collect the first six issues of the comic in a hardcover edition later in the year.

For more information on the comic book adaptation of Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son,Dabel Brothers Publishing, its products and its partners, please visit http://www.dabelbrothers.com.

About Dabel Brothers Publishing Dabel Brothers Publishing, LLC is a comic book studio dedicated to bringing many of the best and most popular novels in the world of fantasy to the comic book medium. With a passion for authenticity and a firm respect for the original text, the Dabel Brothers work hard to ensure that their adaptations build upon and enhance the worlds of popular works in a manner that longtime fans and new readers alike can enjoy.

The Dabel Brothers first became known for their stunning adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s The Hedge Knight in 2003. Since then, they have produced over a dozen different titles that have adapted novels by major, bestselling authors, including Orson Scott Card, Raymond E. Feist, Robert Jordan, Tad Williams, Richard A. Knaak and Robert Silverberg. The Dabel Brothers also produced the first six issues of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, which they published through Marvel Comics. The hardcover graphic novel collecting these issues went on to become the bestselling graphic novel of 2007 with only a single month’s worth of sales.

In 2008, the Dabel Brothers will produce and publish several more comic book adaptations of novels by major bestselling authors, including Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son, George R. R. Martin’s Wild Cards and Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files. All of these titles will be collected into graphic novel collections in conjunction with Del Rey Books, an imprint of Ballantine Books.

More information about Dabel Brothers Publishing can be found at http://www.dabelbrothers.com.

About Del Rey Books

Del Rey Books was founded in 1977 as an imprint of Ballantine Books, a division of the Random House Publishing Group, under the guidance of the renowned Judy-Lynn del Rey and her husband, Lester del Rey. Del Rey publishes the best of modern fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. In 2004 it expanded by launching Del Rey Manga, which has grown to be a major force in the U.S. graphic-novel field. For more information about Del Rey Books, go to: http://www.delreybooks.com.

Copyright 2007, Dabel Brothers Publishing, LLC. All Rights reserved. All trademarks and titles are the property of their respective owners.