DC's Vertigo readies 4 new series, dedicated app
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Vertigo, the decidedly more sophisticated and adult imprint of DC Entertainment, plans to keep its mix of the weird, wild and outright fantastic going in March with four series and a new application that lets readers buy comic books online.
The dedicated app serves as a gateway for the imprint's series of titles that have stretched the boundaries of comic book storytelling with work from Neil Gaiman ("Sandman") and Brian Wood ("DMZ"), along with new titles available digitally the same day they're on sale in comic shops.
The first is "Fairest," a new title from Bill Willingham. It's a spinoff from his popular and ongoing "Fables" series, which focuses on characters from folklore that have been forced to live in New York City among regular humans.
"'Fairest' itself ... is taking each of these 'fairest in all the land' characters that so heavily populate 'Fables' and giving each one of them a turn to shine on their own and show what they're made of in their own adventures and accomplishments and failings," said Willingham of the title, which is illustrated by Phil Jimenez.
That's part of Vertigo's goal, to proffer stories that are a step, or five, ahead of traditional capes and villains.
Paul Cornell, whose series "Saucer Country" debuts later this month with art by Ryan Kelly, said it was why he pitched his idea about a New Mexico governor running for president who is abducted by aliens.
"It's 'X-Files' meets 'The West Wing.' It's a political thriller with added aliens," he said this week. "Obviously Vertigo is its ideal home."
Another title is "Dominique Laveau: Voodoo Child," written by author Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, which focuses on New Orleans and its mythology.
"I wanted the book and the characters to feel grounded and rooted in the salt of the earth," he said of the title illustrated by Denys Cowan and John Floyd. "We're going to be delving deeper into the grit and grime of the city; the people, the music, the mythology."
Dan Abnett takes on Edwardian England where zombie outbreaks caused the upper crust to embrace vampirism, spawning "The New Deadwardians."
"Although I love stories about vampires and zombies, I had, as a professional writer, felt that they'd been done to death," he said. "When the Deadwardians popped in my head I just had this vision of this world and knew that unfortunately that I was going to have to pitch someone a vampire story."
___
Follow Matt Moore on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MattMooreAP
___
Online:
Vertigo: http://bit.ly/xvvGoR
