Just as I’m wondering if there’s any information on Coraline, Neil sends this word:
Coraline will be out in May 2002 from Harper Collins as a book — and this winter from harper Collins as a 3 CD set, read by the author. Dave Mckean will be illustrating it.
NOTE: This story originally said May 2001, but that was a slip of Neil’s keyboard. May 2002 is the right date.
For those wondering if the story of the Clive Barker signing a book in a fan’s blood after he cut himself at a signing was true, I noticed this story over at Blue’s News.
Blue’s newshound loonyboi got a chance to ask about that event when interviewing Clive about his new video game Undying.
From Scifi.com’s Scifi Wire for Feb 15 at http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-main.html?2001-02/15/14.00.film
Selick Drafting Coraline Film
Director Henry Selick (Monkeybone) told SCI FI Wire that he’s writing a fantasy feature-film adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s children’s novel Coraline, which he will also direct. “I’m going to try to get the first draft done before the [upcoming writers' union] strike, so we can at least go out and do design work and get actors,” Selick said in an interview.
Coraline tells the story of a young girl who lives in a London duplex with her parents. She unlocks a forbidden door in her flat, which opens into a disturbing parallel world. “She finds a mirror image of her own life, except in that world, her formerly distinterested parents fawn over her,” Selick said. “But it turns out to be ultimately a terrible trap, and she has to not only escape from the trap, but also rescue her parents and other children who have become trapped in there. It’s a beautiful, elegant story. My main job is not to mess it up and keep it as close to the original, because it’s so beautifully written.”
Selick said the film will be live action, with some animation. Selick is working with former Fox chief Bill Mechanic’s Pandemonium production company.
“Monkeybone” director Henry Selick shared with Sci-Fi Wire that he is currently developing the Neil Gaiman children’s novel “Coraline” into a live-action/animated feature film reports Chud.com.
Unfortunately, I don’t have much more information on Coraline. A search of The Dreaming (the way even *I* have to find information!) turns up no results, though I have heard of the story.
Thanks to Shaun O’Neil for the heads up on this story.
from Business Wire:
CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb. 13, 2001–Exclusively Designed Apparel, Accessories and Gifts based on Neil Gaiman’s Award-winning Comic Book Series, “Sandman,” to be Sold through Hot Topic and hottopic.com
Hot Topic Inc. (Nasdaq:HOTT), a national mall-based specialty retailer and e-commerce web site of music-licensed and music- influenced apparel, accessories and gift items for teens, today announced it will be the retailer for an exclusive licensed merchandise program based on the famed comic book series, “The Sandman.”
Licensed from DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Hot Topic, in a joint venture with Headline Entertainment, is creating a line of apparel and gift items featuring characters from the award-winning epic fantasy comic book series created by Neil Gaiman. Hot Topic plans to sell “Sandman” merchandise in all of its 273 stores across the nation and on hottopic.com, the company’s e-commerce web site.
One of the most acclaimed and influential series in the history of comics, “Sandman” was originally published in 75 monthly issues, beginning in 1989, and has continued to develop an ever-increasing following through its graphic novel collections, available in comic book stores and bookstores. Known for its significant impact on youth culture, “Sandman” and its characters make bold fashion statements, making it ideal for apparel and gift items.
“After an overwhelming number of requests from our customers, we are able to offer what they want — an exciting collection of `Sandman’ merchandise,” said Cindy Levitt, Vice President and General Merchandise Manager for Hot Topic.
Published by Vertigo, DC Comics’ cutting edge imprint, “Sandman’s” ten collections have become a literary rite of passage for students.
Hot Topic Inc. is a mall-based specialty retailer of music- licensed and music-influenced apparel, accessories and gift items for young men and women principally between the ages of 12 and 22. The Company currently operates 273 stores in 45 states throughout the United States and an Internet store, www.hottopic.com.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the Company’s establishment and maintenance of a relationship with DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, the Company’s joint venture with Headline Entertainment, the market for “Sandman” merchandise, and the profitability of future sales of “Sandman” merchandise. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, including risks and uncertainties associated with the market for “Sandman” merchandise, the Company’s ability to successfully engage in joint ventures and licensing relationships, and risks generally associated with specialty retailing, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Jan. 29, 2000. The historical results achieved are not necessarily indicative of future prospects of the Company.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products is a division of Warner Bros., an AOL Time Warner company, and is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.
SANDMAN and all related characters, names and indicia are trademarks of DC Comics (c) 2001. DC Comics is a division of Warner Bros., an AOL Time Warner company. Since 1938, DC has created over 5,000 characters, including the world’s most popular super heroes: Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. These and other characters have starred in comic books, movies, television, TV-animation, the Broadway stage and cyberspace.
CONTACT: Hot Topic Inc., City of Industry Christine Thompson, 626/839-4682, ext. 449cthompson@hottopic.com
As promised, here is the cover artwork for the upcoming North American release of Neil’s new book American Gods.
I scanned this in myself from a proof copy. Neil’s name at the top is in gold foil, so I had to adjust the levels for it to look correct (it scanned very dark).
Canuto, Jean, “Quadrinhos – Novo “Sandman” traz de volta o prazer de sonhar”, Folha de Sao Paulo, 8 February 2001.
Sonhar já é possível novamente. Está disponível nas livrarias e lojas especializadas “Sandman: Os Caçadores de Sonhos”, edição luxuosa encadernada em papel especial e formato americano.
A obra, lançada com o mote de comemorar os dez anos de publicação da série nos Estados Unidos, foi baseada numa adaptação de um antigo conto de fadas japonês chamado “A Raposa, o Monge e o Mikado dos Sonhos” na visão de Neil Gaiman.
Para conceber a obra, uma parceria inédita se concretizou: reuniram-se o texto em prosa do autor inglês Neil Gaiman e as magníficas ilustrações do artista japonês Yoshitaka Amano, que estréia nos quadrinhos americanos.
A interação da dupla é tão intensa que realiza uma perfeita simbiose entre o texto e a imagem, tal como um apaixonado não pode viver sem o seu amor.
E é sobre o amor que versa essa história singular. Esse sentimento gozado, capaz de manipular o impossível, nutre a paixão de uma ardilosa raposa por um inofensivo monge, transformando o livro em uma obra exuberante.
Como nem tudo é sonho, a arte imita a vida para dar lugar a outro sentimento, a perda. Com ela, resta apenas consolar-se ou lamentar-se por nunca ter amado.
O Rei dos Sonhos faz rápidas e decisivas aparições nos momentos mais cruciais da história (além de uma entrada triunfal com direito a pôster de página quádrupla) para as tradicionais lições de moral. Pronto. Acabou-se a história. É hora de acordar.
Livro: Sandman: Os Caçadores de Sonhos
Lançamento: editora Conrad
Autores: Neil Gaiman e Yoshitaka Amano
Tradução: Ederli Fortunato
Quanto: R$ 49 (132 págs.)
Neil dropped me a line with an interesting scoop:
HOT TOPIC are doing a line of Sandman stuff, ranging from clothes to candles and books, which will be available any minute now. I’ve not seen anything more than designs, but the people who have seen the real stuff tell me it’s wonderful… The opening round of stuff should go on sale some time within the next week or so…
The cover art for the UK edition of American Gods is available here. Thanks to the Fabulous Lorraine for sending that along.
I should have the American artwork shortly.
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5:59 am| 
