The Talisman Comic - with official Press Release
![](http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/Talisman.jpg)
![](http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/Delray.jpg)
Del Ray to Publish Comic Series Adapted from The Talisman in 2009
Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, announced today the acquisition of the comic book and graphic novel rights to The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. The creative team on the project will be announced soon, and the first issue of the monthly comic is planned for late summer/early fall 2009.
Originally published in 1984, The Talisman is the story of a young teen named Jack Sawyer, who can save his dying mother only by retrieving a magical talisman. To find it he must cross back and forth between our world and the frightening and dangerous landscape of its “twinner” counterpart. The hardcover edition, published by Viking, spent 12 weeks in the #1 slot on the New York Times list. Both The Talisman and its sequel, Black House, are in print with Ballantine Books. Television rights to The Talisman are under development by Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy.
“Illustrating The Talisman in the depth that it deserves will involve at least 24 issues of comics, probably more,” said Del Rey Editor in Chief, Betsy Mitchell, who acquired the project from agent Ralph Vicinanza. “It’s a tremendously visual story, filled with images that burn in memory long after the book has been closed.”
King’s Dark Tower comics consistently inhabit the top of the comic book sales charts, and his recent series, The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home was the top-selling comic book in North America in March 2008.
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Del Rey to Publish a Talisman Comic?
From Liljas-library...
Del Rey, an imprint of Random House US’ Ballantine Books, has acquired the comic book and graphic novel rights to The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. A monthly comic, with “at least 24 issues”, is planned for late summer/early fall 2009.
“Illustrating The Talisman in the depth that it deserves will involve at least 24 issues of comics, probably more,” said Del Rey editor in chief, Betsy Mitchell, who acquired the project from agent Ralph Vicinanza. “It’s a tremendously visual story, filled with images that burn in memory long after the book has been closed.”
Would have liked to see Marvel do this and have authorization from King...but I guess "strike while the iron is hot" and all that.
THE TALISMAN comic series - Official Announcement
DEL REY ANNOUNCES CREATIVE TEAM ON STEPHEN KING AND PETER STRAUB’S THE TALISMAN
NEW YORK, NY – February 2, 2009 – Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, announced today the adaptor and artist on the comic book and graphic novel versions of The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub.
The book will be penciled and inked by Tony Shasteen, who has been an illustrator since 1995. His clients have included Coca-Cola, Nascar, Hasbro, DC Comics, Wildstorm, Top Cow, Dark Horse, Virgin, Boom Studios, and Image Comics, among many others. Tony illustrated Image Comic’s The Occult Crimes Taskforce (The O.C.T.), co-created by David Atchison and Rosario Dawson. Film rights to The O.C.T. are in development with Dimension Films.
It will be scripted by Robin Furth, who co-writes Marvel’s bestselling Dark Tower comics taking place in King’s Dark Tower Universe. The Gunslinger Born – the first of the Dark Tower series – was nominated for both an Eisner and a Harvey award. Robin has written “Satana and The Electric Pentacle” for Marvel’s Legion of Monsters and has adapted Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Lords of Avalon series to comic book form. She worked as Stephen King’s research assistant between 2000 and 2004 and continues to do freelance work for the Master of Horror.
Lettering and project management will be handled by Dabel Brothers Publishing. The first issue of the monthly comic is planned for early fall 2009.
Originally published in 1984, The Talisman is the story of a young teen named Jack Sawyer, who can save his dying mother only by retrieving a magical talisman. To find it he must cross back and forth between our world and the frightening and dangerous landscape of its “twinner” counterpart. Both The Talisman and its sequel, Black House, are in print with Ballantine Books. Television rights to The Talisman are under development by Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. He is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
Peter Straub is the author of 17 novels which have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, for Koko.
ABOUT DEL REY:
Del Rey Books (http://www.delreybooks.com) 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. No stranger to comics, Del Rey launched Del Rey Manga in 2004 in conjunction with Japanese publisher Kodansha, and quickly began to acquire original graphic novel projects as well. Current and upcoming projects include a four-color graphic novel developed with pop singer Avril Lavigne, Make 5 Wishes; the graphic novel In Odd We Trust, by Dean Koontz and Queenie Chan; the first-ever graphic novel set in the world of Terry Brooks' Shannara universe, Dark Wraith of Shannara; original manga starring Marvel characters in X-Men: Misfits and Wolverine: Prodigal Son; and a four-color original graphic novel set in the Outlander universe, scripted by author Diana Gabaldon herself.