This fall, bestselling horror author Stephen King will again team with Marvel Comics to produce a new comics adaptation of one of his most popular novels, The Stand. Originally published in1978, The Stand is the story of a group of post-apocalyptic survivors trying to rebuild human society. Considered to be one of King’s most influential novels, The Stand has sold more than 4.5 million copies in the U.S.
Marvel Comics plans to publish a limited periodical comics series beginning this September that will eventually be collected into a book release. The new comics adaptation of The Stand will be based on The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition, an extended version of the prose novel published by Doubleday Broadway. The new comics work will be drawn by Captain America artist Mike Perkins and adapted by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, a writer for other Marvel comics like The Fantastic Four as well as the HBO drama Big Love.
“There's nothing more interesting—and more fun—than seeing an old work take on new life” Stephen King said in a prepared statement. “I've enjoyed working with Marvel on The Gunslinger series, and am excited about this collaboration regarding The Stand.”
The announcement of this new project follows the release last year of the adaptation of King’s Dark Tower novels into several very successful prequel comics miniseries from Marvel. Both series, The Gunslinger Born and The Long Road Home, continue to sell well as both monthly periodical issues and trade book collections.
“Having the opportunity to visualize another Stephen King epic in the comic book format for both new and old readers is incredibly exhilarating,” Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada said.
In recent years, Marvel, the home of well-known superheroes like Spider-Man and Iron Man, has aggressively sought out a number of bestselling prose writers, adapting their signature works into comics projects in an effort to bring new readers to the comic format. Besides King, other bestselling writers working on comics projects for Marvel include Laurell K. Hamilton and her Anita Blake vampire series, and Marvel recently announced a deal with noted sci-fi author Orson Scott Card to adapt his novel Ender’s Game.
