Thunderbirds Are Go! - To Egmont...

Specialist children’s publisher Egmont UK has signed a deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment’s consumer products division, owner of many classic brands created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, to publish many classic Anderson original comic strips in new formats.

Egmont has acquired the rights to the classic Thunderbirds comic strips first published in both TV Century 21 and strips originated for the 1990s Fleetway Anderson-related comics, along with other much-loved creations such as Stingray, Joe 90 and Captain Scarlet.

They will be published in ‘best of’ gift book format as well as e-books based on the original comic strips.

The last collection of Anderson strips - Menace from Space was published by Signum Books in 2011, the last of five volumes in a treasury format (the first four published by Reynolds & Hearn). These collections did not include any of the originated material published in Fleetway's 1990s Anderson titles, which focused on one show per title, with Thunderbirds proving the most successful. (Egmont purchased Fleetway in 1991).

Demand for Thunderbirds output in particular has reached new heights, boosted by the ITVS GE licensing programme and the imminent fiftieth anniversary of the television series.

The classic Thunderbirds name and brand have remained popular and loved for nearly half a century — which will be highlighted in 2015 when Thunderbirds celebrates its 50th anniversary and ITVS GE launches the hotly anticipated new series of this iconic action-adventure show, Thunderbirds are Go!

Egmont says the return of these comic strips in modern formats is expected to receive an enthusiastic response from original fans of the groundbreaking series which first went on air in 1965, as well as a whole new audience.

The first output from the deal will be available in October this year when Egmont will republish the original 1960s and 1990s Thunderbirds strips both digitally and in special collectable print editions.

David Riley, Managing Director of Egmont’s licensed character division, Egmont Publishing Group said: “We are honoured to have acquired the publishing rights for these Anderson classics and in particular to be launching with Thunderbirds in October. We are now looking forward to building a series of titles that will remind fans, old and new, of the genius of Thunderbirds and so many other incredible Anderson creations.”

Trudi Hayward, Head of Global Merchandising, ITV Studios Global Entertainment, adds: “Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s creations have enchanted and amazed fans of all ages for nearly fifty years. We welcome the appearance of these classic comic strips at a time when awareness of Thunderbirds, and the many other great Anderson titles, is stronger than ever.”

The Anderson comic strips form part of Egmont’s extensive Classic Comics archive which includes Roy of the Rovers, Battle Picture Weekly, Action, Whizzer & Chips, Misty, Tammy and Jinty.

• Egmont’s digital comics (including Roy of the Rovers, Johnny Red, The Thirteenth Floor, Misty, Major Eazy and Charley’s War) are available from the iBooks Store on iPad format for £1.99 each

Titan Magazines readies Matt Hatter Chronicles title for New Year

There's been good news for fans of TV show The Matt Hatter Chronicles in the past couple of weeks, as the show's success continues to grow. New Zealand's TVNZ recently picked up the CGI HD animated boy-targeted series for its free to air commercial channel, TV2. The series is set to bow on TV2 as part of its spring line-up on the 2Kids weekend programming block in 2013.

For those who don't already know, Matt Hatter Chronicles, which launched last year, is an adventure-comedy series about Matt, an ordinary boy who discovers that his family defends a gateway to a dimension called the multiverse. To save our world and the multiverse, Matt and his friends must battle and capture infamous villains from movie, myth and legend.

Produced by Pinewood-based Platinum Films and Dream Mill and animated by Toronto's Arc Productions, the show uses state-of-the-art 3D animation designed to bring the story to life and to make children feel as if they are part of the action. It airs on ITV and can also be seen on Nicktoons in the UK, Teletoon (in Canada), RTE (Ireland), SABC (South Africa) and Al Jazeera's Children's Channel (Middle East). It was also recently acquired by Network Ten (Australia) for its free-to-air channel, Eleven.

And why are we mentioning this? Because many of the creative team are names downthetubes readers will recognise - and there's a licensed comic based on the show on its way from Titan next year.

Top of the creative mentions has to be for Transformers guru Simon Furman, who works behind the scenes as Script Supervisor, overseeing the other writers and other scripts, making sure the show is as good as it can be. He's working with Andrew Wildman again, another Transformers name and co-creator of the cowboy fantasy Frontier, who is lead concept artist on the show, overseeing work by the likes of London-based Spanish talent Ana Bermejo.

If those aren't enough of a Comic Connection for you, then the upcoming launch of a Matt Hatter Chronicles magazine is. Back in July, Platinum Films announced the forthcoming publication of a range of official comic magazines based on the hit 3D CGI children’s show, which will see a series of magazines published by Titan, all featuring bespoke comic art created by the company.

The core demographic for the comics, as for the television show, is boys aged 5-10. The series will start with a bumper special launching in early 2013 and will be available in both hard copy and digital editions.

“Titan is very excited to be publishing the official comic magazine of Matt Hatter," says Chris Teather, Titan Magazines Publishing Director. "The show has been a huge commercial and critical success, and I am sure that the new title will be a hit with all of the series’ loyal fans.”

Nigel Stone, CEO of Platinum Films, says: “Titan, a respected name in books and comics with years of experience, is the ideal partner to adapt Matt Hatter Chronicles for the comic magazine format. The Titan comics will be welcomed enthusiastically by Matt Hatter’s legions of fans.”

ITV Studios Global Entertainment is representing UK, Eire, Australia and New Zealand for consumer products merchandise, home entertainment and promotional rights for Matt Hatter Chronicles.

• Official Web Site: www.matthatter.com

Will Space: 2099 get its own comic?

News last week that 1970s British SF series Space: 1999 is to get a reboot got a mixed reception from fans of the original series, which also had its own long-running spin-off adventures in comics and novels.

ITV Studios America and HDFILMS Inc, which recently re-imagined the show V for US network ABC, announced they are remaking the 1970s sci-fi series Space: 1999 as Space: 2099 last week, with an official web forum already up and running at www.space2099theseries.com.

Jace Hall, the president and founder of HDFilms, will be leading the creative efforts, working closely with ITV Studios America to revive the and update the show.

“This is a rare and exciting creative opportunity for anyone involved in storytelling and one that I am honoured to receive," he said. "Science fiction is a powerful format capable of visualizing the human condition in thought-provoking ways."Space:1999 ran for two seasons in the 1970s, the creation of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, whose supermarionation projects such as Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet captured childrens (and adults) imaginations in the 1960s. Their second fully live action SF series, it sprang from aborted plans for a second season of their first, UFO (a series also previously considered for reboot).

The series, which starred Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, centred on the much-ridiculed conceit that the Moon was blasted from orbit by a nuclear accident, sending it spiralling out into the Galaxy with hapless Moonbase staff trapped on its surface. The Moon seemed to be able to move not only at beyond light speed to a new planet every week, but slow down long enough for exploration, encountering all manner of largely humanoid aliens, played by the likes of Christopher Lee and Brian Blessed.

Despite this contrivance, the show gained a loyal following across the globe, but its storytelling was a mixed bag - considered too grim in its first season (I can recall one contemporary reviewer celebrating when a character finally cracked a joke), and too light in its second, noted for the arrival of shape-shifting alien Maya.

"After more than 35 years, we are thrilled to be developing a new vision of our much beloved franchise for audiences worldwide," said Paul Buccieri, Managing Director of ITV Studios International and President and CEO of ITV Studios America. "Historically, the Space:1999 brand has entertained and fascinated millions of people. We are enthusiastic about the vision that Jace Hall and his team at HDFILMS have created and we’re very excited to be working together.

Space: 2099 will be a complete reimagining of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's award winning and popular franchise, which originally aired in the mid 1970’s, and which saw comic stories published in Britain's weekly Look-In comic, drawn by John M. Burns and Mike Noble, the US (published by Charlton Comics, drawn by Joe Staton and, later, a young John Byrne) and elsewhere.

Hall, also Executive Producer on the project, is at the helm of the creative effort and is working closely with ITV Studios America to realize the full potential of the story and franchise and, he says, bring some "plausibility" to the show's concept.

HDFILMS Inc. focuses on creating premium online content as well as film, television, and videogames. As the development visionary and Executive Producer of the recently re-imagined V television series on ABC, Hall has been the driving force behind numerous creative projects across many media platforms.

Fans at Retcon Studios already working on their own re-imagining of the show under the same name - www.space2099.com (requires Flash to view) - as well as a 'legacy' project updating the original series visual effects - www.space2099legacy.com - welcomed the news but made it clear they were not involved in the ITV/HDFilms project.

"Just to make things clear in everyone's mind, our Space 2099 and Moonbase Alpha's Legacy project are not related what so ever with this new series produced by ITV and HDfilms," said Jack Crawford on Retcon's Facebook page. "We wish them good luck, but still hope that a true sequel movie or series could be achieved with Legacy. You can read more on the whereabouts of the project in our new Blog page section."

Countering fan concerns at the news of another SF series re-imagining, Jace Hall was quick to assure Space:1999's loyal supporters that the new show would honour the source material.

"While we are indeed re-imagining the franchise," he said, "and bringing something new and relevant to today’s audiences, I feel strongly that some of the overall tones set by the original Space: 1999 television show represent an exciting platform to explore possibilities.”

So what will a “re-imagining” of the franchise actually mean? "While there will be some familiar elements from Space:1999, Space: 2099 represents a new vision and encapsulation of the intentions and key axioms that made Space: 1999 so unique and wonderful, says Jace.

"Our intention is not to alter, replace, or negate the original Space:1999 series is any way – but to simply bring something thoughtful and new to audiences that align with the overall fundamental story-telling intention of the Space:1999 franchise in general."

Of course, here at downthetubes, we're already wondering if a licensed comic might already be being considered by the new producers. Given the original series successful licensing, it's got to be something under consideration...

• Official Space: 2099 The Series web site: www.space2099TheSeries.com

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Space2099TheSeries

• Twitter: @space_2099

- Background and features on Space:1999 comics at Technodelic's Gerry Anderson - A Complete Comic History

- Fan Project from Retcon Studios: www.space2099.com

Space:1999 copyright ITV. Look-In copyright IPC Media

"The Prisoner" Merchandise Planned

While ITV has yet to announce its scheduling for the new The Prisoner series inspired by the 1960s cult classic, they clearly have high hopes for the show's success, announcing the appointment of not only a book but also a toy figures deal this week.

ITV Studios Global Entertainment has appointed Factory Entertainment the master-toy licensee for multiple categories for The Prisoner and has also confirmed Penguin Group USA will be re-publishing the original version of Thomas Disch’s 1969 novel based on The Prisoner, which will coincide with the USA television premiere of the new series.

The new Factory Entertainment deal not only encapsulates the upcoming AMC and ITV Studios remake of The Prisoner, which stars Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen, but also the original 1960’s series star Patrick McGoohan.

Factory Entertainment consumer product to be released will include action figures, prop replicas, trading cards and die cast models. The products will begin launching internationally from Winter 2009 and in the UK in Spring 2010.

Genre fans may recall Factory, who also hold licenses for the Magic Roundabout and The Beatles, among others, acquired Star Trek collectibles Master Replicas from Corgi International back in May.

Could a replica of Dinky's classic Prisoner-inspired Mini Moke, pictured above, be on the cards? The fab Prisoner fan site, The UnMutual notes that the original Dinky toy was one of the few merchandise items available at the time of the original showing of the series, and a good condition boxed example can fetch several hundred pounds at auction today.

A free promotional comic produced by Marvel Comics, featuring art by Sao Paulo graphic artist Amilcar Pinna, has already been released for the joint production with US company AMC, which will screen the six hour mini-series from 15th November (see news story). It's unclear whether this is a trailer for a new comic tie-in or a one-off. Information gratefully received!

"There is already a huge buzz about the new The Prisoner, which we believe will be even more successful as the original cult series." commented Darren Epstein, CEO of Elstree-based Factory Entertainment. Talk about raising expectations for the original's army of fans.

"We’re looking forward to releasing the all new range of products that will reflect and target both the new and classic customer fan base," he added.

"We’re excited to bring The Prisoner back into print," says Stephen Morrison, Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher of Penguin of the new edition of the novel, "attracting new readers to this science fiction classic by Thomas Disch, one of the masters of the genre.

"Our tie-in artwork and collaboration with AMC and ITV will allow us to reach fans of both the original and beloved 1960s series as well as those readers who discover the brand for the first time through AMC’s television event.”

ITV Studios Global Entertainment is set to launch brand new The Prisoner at Brand Licensing Europe earlier today, and at MIPCOM 2009 at the beginning of October. As soon as we have a UK air date we'll let you know.

Primeval Revived, So Where's the Comic?

ITV has changed its mind about cancelling its Saturday teatime time travel and dinosaur show Primeval, prompting some to wonder if this means a comic will now get off the ground.

ITV announced yesterday that Primeval will return to UK television screens for two new series from 2011 comprising 13 new episodes, thanks to a ground-breaking deal between ITV, multichannel broadcaster, UKTV, and producers Impossible Pictures.

Back in 2007, British artist Neil Edwards, now the artist on Marvel's Fantastic Force (#4 is on sale, previewed here on CBR), worked up sample pages for a proposed Primeval comic, which would have been published by Richard Emms AP Comics. The project never got off the ground and Richard is now firmly embedded with Flash Gordon publishers Ardden Entertainment, but with two new seasons in the works, a film, and a strong licensing programme including books and toys, it's surely only a matter of time before Doctor Who Adventures gets a rival?

In the meantime, ITV reports the new Primeval TV series will be showrun once again by Adrian Hodges and will feature the return of stars from the previous series, including Hannah Spearritt, Andrew Lee Potts and Jason Flemyng (so we'll get to find out, at last, how they get back to the present day!), alongside the acclaimed special effects created by the award-winning team at Framestore CFC.

The premieres of Season Four and Five will be split between ITV1 and UKTV’s new entertainment pay TV channel, Watch. ITV1 will be the first to broadcast season four (in early 2011), while Watch will premiere season five later that year, with ITV1 screening it later.

In a perhaps unlikely team up of broadcasters, Impossible Pictures has worked closely with BBC Worldwide to implement a new funding strategy for the series, in which BBC America, which has acquired previous series for broadcast in the US, joins Germany’s Pro7 as a co-production partner for the new episodes.

“I'm thrilled that ITV has agreed to this new deal which will allow Impossible Pictures to produce another 13 episodes of Primeval," says Tim Haines, Creative Director of Impossible Pictures Ltd. "The confidence demonstrated in the programme's continued success here and abroad will help us bring more big screen action and a whole host of new creatures roaring back into people's living rooms.”

“We’re delighted to have agreed this new deal with Impossible to return Primeval to ITV1,"commented Laura Mackie, Director of ITV Drama Commissioning. "The innovative nature of this partnership will allow the show to maintain its high production values and deliver the fantastic programme that our viewers know and love.”

"We're really excited to be part of this truly innovative deal that guarantees the continuation of this fantastically entertaining series," added Paul Moreton, Channel Head of Watch.

"I know Primeval is going to be a massive hit with Watch viewers and the perfect complement to other popular sci-fi dramas such as Doctor Who and Torchwood.”

There. You see? Doctor Who - a comic (on both sides of the Atlantic) and a magazine with a comic. Torchwood - a magazine with a comic. Primeval...

Prisoner Comic Preview Released

An eight-page preview comic of the new US series of The Prisoner is available to download from US production company AMC's web site here.

The Marvel custom comic features art by Brazilian artist Amilcar Pinna, with colouring by Chris Sotomayor, whose credits include Captain Marvel and Fantastic Four.

The AMC page also offers several posters marking the launch of the new interpretation of the 1960s cult classic series which stars Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, The Thin Red Line) as "Number Six" and two-time Oscar Winner Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings, The Da Vinci Code) as "Number Two."

In the new series a man, known as "Six", finds himself inexplicably trapped in "The Village" with no memory of how he arrived. As he explores his environment, he discovers that his fellow inhabitants are identified by number instead of name, have no memory of any prior existence, and are under constant surveillance. Not knowing whom to trust, Six is driven by the need to discover the truth behind The Village, the reason for his being there, and most importantly -- how he can escape.

No screening date for the series on co-producer ITV in the UK has been announced as yet.

New Prisoner: Sneak preview at Comic Con

Stars of ITV's co-produced mini-series The Prisoner, including Jim Caviezel, Jamie Campbell-Bower and Lennie James will be at the upcoming Comic Con 2009 in San Diego at the end of this month, for a panel event and exclusive sneak preview of the highly anticipated six-part series inspired by the cult 1960s show that starred Patrick McGoohan.

Giveaways at the special event, organised by US co-producer AMC, will include a free Marvel Comics-produced tie-in comic and more.

The Prisoner panel, scheduled for Friday, 24th July at 1130am at the San Diego event, also features The Prisoner writer Bill Gallagher (Conviction, Clocking Off) and AMC’s Vlad Wolynetz, vice president of production, and will be moderated by producer and director Robert Meyer Burnett.

The Prisoner, described as a "re-imagination" of the 1960s cult classic created by the late Patrick McGoohan, premieres this November on AMC in the US, and, presumably, at the same time on ITV. AMC co-produced The Prisoner with Granada and ITV and Granada International will distribute the series worldwide, which was directed by Nick Hurran (It’s a Boy Girl Thing, Little Black Book).

During the hour-long Comic Con event, Burnett will lead panelists in a discussion about their personal experience making The Prisoner, shooting the series in Namibia and South Africa, and the various themes explored in the re-imagination, among other topics, followed by an exclusive first look at the mini-series, and a Q&A session with attendees.

The Prisoner panel will be complemented by a number of on-the-ground activities taking place throughout Comic Con:

• Attendees will have an opportunity to obtain their own Village identity by visiting The Prisoner booth to pick-up an official Village ID badge, on which they will be identified by number only.
• AMC will distribute a mini comic book created by Marvel Comics, based on the mini-series first hour. (Marvel, coincidentally, sought to publish a Prisoner book in the 1970s and Jack Kirby drew some 17 pages before the project was cancelled)
* AMC will distribute limited edition items featuring the original series’ iconic taglines such as “Be Seeing You,” “You Only Think You’re Free” and “I Am Not A Number.”

As with the original show, The Prisoner tells the story of a man, “Six” (Caviezel), who wakes up to find himself inexplicably trapped in a mysterious and surreal place, The Village, with no memory of how he arrived. As he frantically explores his new environment, he discovers that Village residents are identified by number, have no memory of any prior existence, and are under constant surveillance.

The Village is controlled by one man - the sinister and charismatic “Two” (Sir Ian McKellen). Throughout the series, “Six” and “Two” are locked in a battle of wits, as “Six” challenges the oppressive nature of The Village and struggles to learn the truth behind it.

The Prisoner is AMC’s second original mini-series and combines a wide range of genres, including espionage, thriller and sci-fi, into a unique and compelling drama. The six part mini-series will reflect the same key elements of paranoia, surveillance, liberty, and socio-political commentary seen in McGoohan’s enigmatic original.

What's Chores? No Heroics on ITV1 tonight...

The second episode of the ITV2 superhero comedy No Heroics, produced by Tiger Aspect, will be getting its first airing on ITV 1 at 11.35pm.

The six-part series features a group of British off-duty superheroes living their day to day life, which for supposed saviours of the world is actually rather normal – as they just can’t be bothered. Instead this group of b-listers would rather get drunk in their local superheroes-only pub, The Fortress, and commiserate at their lack of superiority.

In The Fantastic Chore, Sarah and Jenny reunite as crime-fighting duo Ladytrouble to appear at a convention, Alex goes on a drugs bust and Don makes a new friend at the Fortress.

• Visit the official No Heroics web site

No Heroics Gets ITV1 Airing

ITV2's superhero sitcom No Heroics will be repeated on ITV1 from 6 January, screening at 11.35pm on the terrestrial channel, after a successful debut run on ITV2 over the autumn.

The six-part series features a group of British off-duty superheroes living their day to day life, which for supposed saviours of the world is actually rather normal – as they just can’t be bothered. Instead this group of b-listers would rather get drunk in their local superheroes-only pub, The Fortress, and commiserate at their lack of superiority.

• Visit the official No Heroics web site (featuring spoof trading cards created by Sam Gibley)

ITV Announces Zombie Invasion

by John Freeman

ITV has announced a new one off zombie drama, Renaissance, which will star Kelly Brook (School for Seduction, Smallville) and Alan Dale (Ugly Betty, The OC, 24). The show is integrally linked to the second season of behind the scenes of TV production dramedy Moving Wallpaper, which returns this autumn - without its first 'linked' show, Echo Beach.

Renaissance opens in London, in the present day with John Priest (Alan Dale) and his children flying home after a well deserved break. Upon arrival things take a dramatic turn for the worse as the plane is attacked by what can only be described as zombies...

In the panic John and his children are unwittingly thrown together with another passenger, a young woman called Samantha (Kelly Brook). As they escape the chaos surrounding the airport they find themselves questioning what terror has been unleashed on the country and what is the true meaning behind the sinister Renaissance?

Renaissance is linked with some changes to ITV's Moving Wallpaper, returning for a six part series on ITV1 soon. That show picks up where the last series ended, with the hapless producer of Echo Beach, Jonathan Pope (Primeval's Ben Miller) and his team awaiting their fate at the hands of the merciless Head of Continuing Drama at ITV1, Nancy Weeks (Raquel Cassidy.

News comes in that Echo Beach has been canned (in the real world, Echo Beach was a ratings failure, but Moving Wallpaper was a success). However, a clause in Jonathan’s contract means
ITV must now offer Jonathan a pilot to produce – much to Nancy’s annoyance.

That show is Renaissance.

Brook and Dale will be joining Miller and Cassidy as part of the cast of Moving Wallpaper, along with james Lance (Teachers), Sarah Hadland (Peep Show), Elizabeth Berrington (The Office), Lucy Liemann (The IT Crowd), Dave Lamb (The Smoking Room) and Sinead Keenan (Trouble With Sex).

Will Jonathan’s complete lack of subtlety or tact but occasional genius be enough to make it work?

“I’m passionate about this project, I think it’s very special," says Pope. "I’ll be doing what I do best, setting trends and making sexy television. I’ll be taking the rule book and tearing it up. I’ll be boldly going where no television executive has gone before...”

Both Renaissance and Moving Wallpaper are produced by Kudos in Association with Red Planet Pictures. Tony Jordan, lead writer and story consultant for EastEnders, co-creator of Life On Mars and creator of Hustle executive produces both shows with Kudos’s Jane Featherstone and Alison Jackson. Howard Burch is the real producer of both shows.