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October 05, 2007
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Greg Burgas on TBD #4:

"As we zip along the Great Highway in the Sky (and, for this book, I mean that literally), Young gives us an issue that is really Proctor’s chance to show off. There’s a tiny bit of plot development, as we learn more about the mastermind of the whole scheme and his connection to Dr. Don McLaughlin, but interestingly enough, this book could have absolutely no words after the first page and we would still be able to follow along. It’s a big-ass chase scene that ends with McLaughlin’s Cougar on top of a train, which is really no place for a car, if you think about it. This leads to a bad scene (for Dr. McLaughlin, that is, not for us!) that is the cliffhanger of the issue.

"It’s a magnificent-looking book, even though I’m nagged by some of the problems Proctor has been having throughout the series, mainly the way some of the drawings look very static. I guess he’s using models, and occasionally they’re oddly placed in the panel and don’t look like they have much relation to the other objects in the frame or the background. This only occurs on a couple of places, and the sequence where the car ends up on the train and then the bad scene occurs is very cool. The final page is truly wonderful and leads into the next issue nicely. What the heck is going to happen now????

"This issue is a blazingly fast read, but it’s nice to gaze at the pictures and read the script Larry helpfully provides in the back to compare his instructions to Proctor’s art. It’s a neat bonus. And the back-up story, like the others, is a nice slice-of-life on the Black Diamond. Very cool."

October 04, 2007
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"There's precious little words in Black Diamond #4 but what's there has a certain grim determination that's appealing."

I have to say, this is my favorite review of the project, so far. "A certain grim determination that's appealing" pretty much sums up the experience of making comics, if you ask me.

October 02, 2007
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Variety is reporting that Law and Order's Dick Wolf and Disturbia director D.J. Caruso

are working on the Johnny Dynamite pilot, based on the graphic novel available from Mimi and Larry.

"Dick Wolf is teaming with "Disturbia" helmer D.J. Caruso and scribe J.H. Wyman to mount an ambitious comicbook-style drama that will use the same greenscreen technology utilized in the hit pic "300."

Trio are putting together a skein based on Johnny Dynamite, the graphic novel character from "Road to Perdition" creator Max Allan Collins. In the TV take, ex-cop Dynamite travels to Las Vegas in search of his missing girlfriend, only to discover that Satan is living there, buying and selling souls. Project marks a major creative departure for "Law & Order" boss Wolf.

But the skein will have a bit of a procedural element as Dynamite ends up getting involved in the lives of those unfortunate souls who've been touched by the devil. A continuing theme of the series will be Dynamite's search for his g.f.

"It's kind of a twisted procedural, but it's also sort of like 'Highway to Heaven' on acid," said one person familiar with the project. Another point of reference, at least visually, may be Robert Rodriguez's "Sin City."

Caruso is attached to direct the pilot, with Wyman ("Keen Eddie") writing the script. Duo will exec produce, along with Wolf, Nena Rodrigue and Peter Jankowski.

Collins, who struck a deal with Kickstart Prods. ("Painkiller Jane") to manage the rights to "Dynamite," will serve as co-exec producer, along with Jason Netter and Ken Levin.

Wolf Films and Kickstart Prods. are producing the pilot in association with Universal Media Studios.

If it snags a series order, the "Johnny Dynamite" project promises to be the first 100% greenscreen drama on network TV. Plan is to film the entire show on soundstages, much like "300."

Producers are looking to capture the very unique comicbook style of the "Dynamite" universe, which couldn't be done with traditional location shoots. Skein isn't expected to be any less expensive than a traditional show and, in fact, could be a bit more costly.

Nonetheless, without the greenscreen technology, a show as ambitious as "Dynamite" wouldn't be possible on a TV budget, a person familiar with smallscreen costs said."

Man, that's going to be cool.

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