Aaron Albert: This deal with Shatner marks the fourth (correct me if I’m wrong) licensed property that you have secured for Bluewater. Tell me how it came about.
Darren Davis: Technically we have licensed Mr. Shatner's name and likeness. However, this is not your standard licensing deal. Shatner will play a large role on the creative and administrative side. And it is the fifth licensing deal we have brokered. The first being with Rena Mero aka Sable from the WWE who helped launch the 10th Muse as the 6th highest selling comic. In the re-launch of the 10th Muse we worked with Internet model Cindy Margolis who served as our cover model. Then yes, Ray Harryhausen, Vincent Price and Roger Corman came after. However, after our successful launch of the Ray Harryhausen Presents series, I sat down with with the team and we discussed what licenses they would want to go after next. Almost to a person, William Shatner's name came to the top of our wish list. Timing couldn't have be was working with Craig Nevius who created Black Scorpion and he was working with Mr. Shatner. We spoke about the possibilities of doing something together with Mr. Shatner and he was very receptive to the idea and so was Shatner. So after trading ideas regarding story treatments and art styles, we found we were all on the same page and it made creative and business sense to push forward.
What will Shatner's role be in the creation of this new lineup?
Darren Davis: He will have a significant role to play. More so than any of our earlier licensing deals. Our relationship is a true partnership. All story arcs, all treatments, all scripts and artistic approaches go through Mr. Shatner for his approval. He has the final say. He is also involved on the creative side. Although the books are being written by other writers intimately familiar with his novels, he regularly communicates with them to make sure certain themes and story direction meet his vision. Additionally, he will be personally developing a new, original book that we will publish. One thing that Mr. Shatner asked for was to be a villain in one of the books. So you will have to check them out to find out which one.
It would seem that with each property, you are reaching out to an audience that might be unfamiliar with the comic book format. Has there been any fear in this move?
Darren Davis: None whatsoever. What we try to achieve are strong solid stories with interesting characters combined with visually compelling art. Graphic novels are being read by so many more people. I have a friend who is in a "serious" book club and they just finished reading The Watchmen. So I am confident that a good story transcends any medium. Additionally, with our Harryhausen series, we were able to connect with Sony and have excerpts of our books included on the latest reissues of his classic films. His fans saw these excerpts and then picked up our books. However, on the flip side, we are also introducing new characters and stories to the traditional comic collecting community. Many young people have only a passing notion of Ray Harryhausen and Vincent Price. We hope our stories opened the door to finding out more about their incredible body of work. With Shatner, because of his enduring iconic appeal, I think TekWar Chronicles, Man O' War and Quest for Tomorrow can bridge that gap.
What has been the hardest thing in getting fans of Ray Harryhausen, Vincent Price, and now Shatner to check out your comics?
Darren Davis: Overcoming the stigma of the comic book medium. The gap between the media is shrinking, but it still persists. Most of our latest summer blockbusters and most original films are coming by way of the comic book medium. Yes, the obvious superhero films, but Sin City, The Spirit, The Watchmen, From Hell, V for Vendetta, American Splendor...all comic based. This has improved the credibility of the medium. The key is making sure the stories are more than superficial over the top fight scenes, but create intriguing dramatic stories. The fans of these iconic, bigger-than-life screen legends are smart and they know the difference between a marketing ploy and an earnest attempt to provide quality entertainment. I want Shatner's fans to know there are some great stories getting ready to be told.
In working with these properties, how have you dealt with staying “true to the source material” versus breaking new ground in the comic market?
Scott Davis: Staying true to the source material is not as rigid a process as you might think. TekWar is a widely recognized property so on the one hand you want to make certain that the key elements remain, but you also want need to push the story in new directions. Take the latest Christopher Nolan Batman movie for example. They tell essentially the same story as the Tim Burton version, but provide a different point of view. A different skew. It's a very similar to TekWar. The story of a wrongly convicted cop released from prison to find an enigmatic scientist is still the basic foundation. There is still a drug called Tek. Jake Cardigan is still the no-holds-barred hero. There is still the familiar themes that Shatner wrote of in the pages of the novel, but it is presented with a new flavor. So by infusing a new perspective into a recognized property, I get to build upon TekWar's framework to break that new ground.
