First of all, the production value of this book is outstanding.  Measuring at about ten inches by thirteen inches, this oversized piece would look wonderful on someone’s coffee table.  The raised lettering on the cover and heavy, glossy paper makes it far more than just a comic book.  I won this book in a contest and when I pulled it out, the overall construction of the book made quite an impression.  Then I opened the thing and my jaw dropped!

I would like to commend Skan Srisuwan, the artist and art director of the book.  Srisuwan should feel quite proud.  The “look” of the book is one of the most visually appealing works I’ve seen in the industry.  His architecture is gorgeous and his characters are incredibly lifelike.  Because of the oversized pages, the scope of this book is epic and Srisuwan’s art is very much up to the task.  His aerial shots are breathtaking.  But, without a doubt, the greatest strength of this book is its coloring.  Fires, explosions, shadows, skin tones – all of it is top-notch and a wonder to behold.  I’ve long been a believer that coloring can make or break a graphic novel, no matter how good the artist, and the colors of Romeo and Juliet: The War absolutely make it a cut above the rest.

So again, if you wanted to set this book out on the coffee table as a conversation piece, your friends and family would drool over the quality and beauty of this book.

Unfortunately, it is not without its issues.  Before I begin, I suppose it’s important to note that I am a Shakespeare fan and, as it would happen, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is among my favorites from his work.  I’m not sure how much control Max Work had over his dialogue because of Stan Lee and Terry Douglas’ influence, but it is stiff and often forced.  The pacing also disappointed me.  I realize the production team did not have a full five acts to convince us of Romeo and Juliet’s passion, but this book moved at such a break-neck pace that their relationship did not seem convincing whatsoever, and their verbal explanation attempting to persuade us to believe in their love proved even more off-putting.

Finally, I would have liked Romeo and Juliet: The War to have remained more faithful to the original characterization of its players.  Many of the characters seemed to share only the name of their predecessors, none of the actual qualities.  Most saddening was the oversimplification of both Mercutio and Tybalt, two of the more complex characters from the source material.  The heart of the play came from its wonderfully flawed characters, but Romeo and Juliet: The War’s characters regressed into two-dimensional, stereotypical facsimiles and came off as little more than stereotypical video game caricatures.

Overall, Romeo and Juliet: The War is a beautiful book of exquisite production value with some of the most remarkable coloring I’ve ever seen.  While the story fails to compare to its world-renowned source material, it still entertains and serves the exceptional art it accompanies.

Copyright 1821 Comics

From the press release:

ROMEO AND JULIET: THE WAR takes Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers and places them in the futuristic sci-fi/fantasy Empire of Verona, the most powerful territory on Earth. The MONTAGUES, powerful cyborgs made of artificial DNA, and the CAPULETS, genetically enhanced humans known for their speed and agility, worked in tandem to destroy all threats to the city. With no one left to fight, the Montagues and Capulets found themselves a new enemy: each other.

“This is the graphic novel I’ve always dreamed of doing. Take one of the world’s greatest stories, known and loved throughout the globe, place it against the background of a future age, a more violent, science-gone-mad age–embellish it with the most powerful, dazzling, illustrations ever seen and produce it in the largest, most impressive format of all. Romeo and Juliet: The War! It’s the crowning achievement in this, the age of the graphic novel.” 

Added Terry Dougas of 1821 Comics, “Last year we announced the formation of our company and our plans to create the first in a series of graphic novel books and today we are proud to unveil one of the most highly anticipated books of our time ROMEO AND JULIET: THE WAR. We are treating this book like a studio tentpole release, and judging from the fan reaction today this property has a tremendous amount of sequel potential beyond just books. It is also an honor and privilege to be working with one of the most iconic and creative minds today comic legend Stan Lee and POW! Entertainment, we have the best partner in the business.”

I caught up with Lee and Dougas on the first day of the New York Comic Con.

What was the genesis of this particular project and how did you get involved?

Lee: Actually Terry Dougas came to me one day and said, “Why don’t we do Romeo and Juliet and update it?” And I loved the idea. He decided if we set it in the future, the Capulets and the Montegues can each have a superpower.  And when they fight, it becomes the kind of story that superhero fans love to read, but we tried to keep all of the ingredients and all of the elements of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. So hopefully if you’re a Romeo and Juliet fan you’ll love it, and if you’re a superhero fan, you’ll love all of the excitement and the superhero stuff that’s involved in the story!

Dougas: It’s just cool to set in a different environment for everyone to see. Because I knew it took place back then, of course, but setting it in a futuristic environment with all of these gadjets, all types of audiences can read it or watch it.  We kept the skeleton, we just made sure we respect the original piece of art.

How is the process working together? How it is working with Terry, and how is it working with Stan?

Dougas: He is such a diva. (laughs).

Lee: It’s great working with Terry because I can brow-beat him.  I yell at him. (laughs).  No he’s a great guy.  He has more ideas and more enthusiasm than anyone I’ve met in a long time.  I mean every time I talk with him he comes up with something new.  I thought I was creative, but I’m learning from him!

Dougas: For me it’s been an honor.  I grew up in Greece reading his comics, it’s just an honor.  I learn every day, he helps us with the company and the ideas also.  And every couple of weeks we brainstorm and figure out a way to make it the way we want to see it and read it.  That way we go to bed happy.  Hopefully everyone likes what we’ve done, that’s why we’re doing it as a big hardcover book, 10” by 13” and give enough to the readers to hopefully satisfy them and pay homage to Stan Lee and Shakespeare.

Lee:  I never knew anybody that put so much of himself into a project.  The average publisher would just publish a book, promote it a little, but this man [Dougas] has been working with this, and living with it, and making posters, and setting up meetings and designing statues.  He puts everything into it which I think is wonderful.

What medium was used for the artwork? Was it done mostly with computers or traditional pen and ink?

Dougas:  Mostly computers. This artist, Skan Srisuwan, is a great artist.  It took us a long time to find him.  We went through 200 artists in order to find him in Thailand where he’s working.  But he’s amazing.  The cover (of the book), he did that in 48 hours, which is incredible.  The hardcover book is 155 pages, so you can imagine how much work when into it because all of the panels have the same look to them.  We had to make sure it’s the absolute way we wanted it to come out.

Do you think this is the future of comic publishing? Moving away from pen and ink? 

Lee:  More and more the artwork in comic books begins to look like illustration and is computer aided if only in the coloring.  But I think there will always be a place for the regular pen and in drawings.  People love those, too.

Any hints on your next project after Romeo and Juliet?

Lee: My lips are sealed, he’d kill me! (laughs)

Romeo and Juliet: The War debuted at #7 on The New York Times Best Sellers list on both the hardcover and paperback graphic books best-seller lists.

Special thanks to Theo Dumont of Dumont Marketing for the opportunity to interview Lee and Dougas.

TRUE BELIEVERS BRING TRUE LOVE
1821 Comics and POW! Entertainment Showcase Romeo & Juliet: The War Variant Cover

A look at the variant cover for 1821 Comics and Stan Lee’s Pow! Entertainment graphic novel Romeo and Juliet: The War.

This cover was being kept under wraps until response for the much-anticipated book became overwhelming from the fans and 1821 decided to unveil it. It’s also official that the graphic novel will be available in both a large soft cover edition ($19.99) and a special collector’s hardbound edition ($29.99). The breathtaking book will be printed in a landscape format of 10″ x 13″, allowing for some amazing images to flow off the page. It will be available on November 30^th, just in time for the holiday season.

The graphic novel is based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and was reimagined by Stan Lee and Terry Dougas. The book was written by Max Work and all artwork from cover to interior pages was illustrated by Skan Srisuwan and Studio Hive.

1821 Comics is also running a Stan Lee Autograph Social Media Contest. Each week leading up to the debut of the book at NYCC someone from 1821 Comic’s  Facebook or Twitter pages will win a signed copy of the book before it hits stands. To enter just go to 1821 Comics Facebook or Twitter page and click on the “like” or “follow” button.

Good Luck True Believers!

ABOUT 1821 COMICS

1821 Comics is a comic book/graphic novel company based in Los Angeles, California and founded by entrepreneurs Paris Kasidokostas Latsis and Terry Dougas. The company is devoted to bringing exciting, eye-popping new titles to the world of comics. Along with its own titles, 1821 is teaming up with some of the top publishers on new cutting-edge books. 1821 Comics will remain a diverse publisher with projects for both men and women, spanning all age groups. The company is highly devoted to story, content and artwork that will move readers from beginning to end.  www.1821comics.com

ABOUT POW! (PURVEYORS OF WONDER) ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

POW! Entertainment,Inc. (OTCQB: POWN), a multi-media and entertainment company, was founded by noted comic book and entertainment figure Stan Lee, together with award-winning producer Gill Champion and intellectual property specialist Arthur Lieberman. POW!’s principals have extensive backgrounds in the entertainment industry encompassing the creation, production and licensing of original intellectual properties, including some of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time. POW! is capitalizing on this combined expertise, specializing in creating and developing both the legacy and digital media components of the entertainment industry. This includes animation and live-action feature films, plus television, DVDs, multi-media, merchandising and related ancillary markets, all of which contribute to global expansion. POW! partners with other individuals and entities of entertainment’s top echelon, including studios and networks in the creation, licensing and distribution of new POW! character franchises. www.powentertainment.com

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo?- At Comic Con 2011

Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment and 1821 Comics Romeo and Juliet: The War to debut at New York Comic Con

Los Angeles, CA August 9th, 2011. Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment and 1821 Comics announced today that they will debut Romeo and Juliet: The War at New York Comic Con 2011. Stan Lee will be on hand to showcase the book and sign special limited edition mini posters promoting the title. Pre-release orders are being taken at the 1821 Comic’s booth #1458. Romeo and Juliet: The War will be in stores the end of November as a deluxe 10”x13″ over sized coffee table book available in both hard and soft cover formats. Stan Lee and Terry Dougas created the story with artwork from Skan Srisuwan. The book is written by Max Work.

Romeo and Juliet: The War takes Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers and places them in the futuristic sci-fi/fantasy Empire of Verona, the most powerful territory on Earth. The MONTAGUES, powerful cyborgs made of artificial DNA, and the CAPULETS, genetically enhanced humans known for their speed and agility, worked in tandem to destroy all threats to the city. With no one left to fight, the Montagues and Capulets found themselves a new enemy: each other.

Stan Lee commented, “This is the graphic novel I’ve always dreamed of doing. Take one of the world’s greatest stories, known and loved throughout the globe, place it against the background of a future age, a more violent, science-gone-mad age–embellish it with the most powerful, dazzling, illustrations ever seen and produce it in the largest, most impressive format of all.Romeo and Juliet: The War! It’s the crowning achievement in this, the age of the graphic novel.”

Not able to attend the show and desperate to get a signed Stan Lee Romeo and Juliet: The War collector’s item? Fear not True Believer! Go to www.facebook.com/1821comics and hit the “Like” button for 1821 Comics and you will be entered to win a limited edition Stan Lee signed mini poster of Romeo and Juliet: The War. Want to increase your odds? Go to www.twitter.com/1821comics and follow 1821 Comics. At the end every week, leading up to NYCC, we will draw the names of some lucky fans who will win this signed collector’s item!

Wholesale ordering will be fulfilled through Diamond Comics Distributors. 1821 Comics will be creating their own iphone/android app for digital editions of releases. Want to stay up to date on the latest release information from 1821 Comics? Join the mailing list by sending a message to info@1821comics.com with newsletter in the subject line.

www.1821comics.com

www.facebook.com/1821comics

http://twitter.com/1821comics

ABOUT POW! (PURVEYORS OF WONDER) ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

POW! Entertainment,Inc. (OTCQB: POWN), a multi-media and entertainment company, was founded by noted comic book and entertainment figure Stan Lee, together with award-winning producer Gill Champion and intellectual property specialist Arthur Lieberman. POW!’s principals have extensive backgrounds in the entertainment industry encompassing the creation, production and licensing of original intellectual properties, including some of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time. POW! is capitalizing on this combined expertise, specializing in creating and developing both the legacy and digital media components of the entertainment industry. This includes animation and live-action feature films, plus television, DVDs, multi-media, merchandising and related ancillary markets, all of which contribute to global expansion. POW! partners with other individuals and entities of entertainment’s top echelon, including studios and networks in the creation, licensing and distribution of new POW! character franchises. www.powentertainment.com.

ABOUT 1821 COMICS

1821 Comics is a new comic book/graphic novel company based in Los Angeles, California and founded by entrepreneurs Paris Kasidokostas Latsis and Terry Dougas. The company is devoted to bringing exciting, eye-popping new titles to the world of comics. Along with its own titles, 1821 is teaming up with some of the top publishers on new cutting-edge books. 1821 Comics will remain a diverse publisher with projects for both men and women, spanning all age groups. The company is highly devoted to story, content and artwork that will move readers from beginning to end.

www.1821comics.com