Batman: Black and White and Red Son to be Adapted into Motion Comics

Burbank, Calif., October 8, 2008 — Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution today announced the renowned graphic album “Batman: Black & White” and graphic novel “Superman: Red Son” are being developed into short-form digital Motion Comics. In addition the first and highly anticipated second chapter of the “Watchmen” Motion Comics are now available for download via iTunes, Amazon Video on Demand, Xbox Live and the Sony PlayStation Store. Summary editions of the “Watchmen” Motion Comics are available to Verizon Wireless V Cast customers as well as Sprint TV customers via the DC Comics Channel.

Warner Premiere’s Motion Comics are a new way for comic fans to connect with their favorite characters and the stories they know and love through short-form digital content. The Motion Comics slate draws on a deep reservoir of source material to bring a new visually engaging experience to life through the use of subtle movements, voice-overs, sweeping music scores and stunning comic book artwork.

“We’re delighted to bring these defining graphic novels to our Motion Comics slate,” said Diane Nelson, President, Warner Premiere. “We are working diligently, and in constant collaboration with our colleagues at DC Comics, to ensure the artwork and story of the original creators are as authentic as possible.”

Watchmen — Motion Comics
The second chapter of the “Watchmen” Motion Comics is now available via iTunes, Amazon Video on Demand, Xbox Live and the Sony PlayStation Store. This gripping chapter is set against The Comedian’s funeral where Silk Spectre recalls her horrific assault at the hands of The Comedian and while Nite Owl and Doctor Manhattan recount their own experiences that reveal The Comedian to have been a larger-than-life enigma: a hero and a villain in one costume. Warner Bros. Digital Distribution will debut chapter three of the “Watchmen” Motion Comics the week of October 20 and future chapters every two weeks thereafter. Chapter one is also now available from the digital content providers listed above.

Summary editions of the “Watchmen” Motion Comics are available to Verizon Wireless V Cast customers as well as Sprint TV customers via the DC Comics Channel.

“Working with Warner Premiere on the creation of the Watchmen Motion Comics has been great,” said Dave Gibbons, the original illustrator of the critically-acclaimed series. “The level of care and detail the team is putting into the animation is amazing. I think fans will be very pleased.”

“Watchmen” takes viewers through the critically acclaimed DC Comics and Hugo award-winning graphic novel by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. Set in 1985 at the height of the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union, costumed avengers have been banned with the exception of two — The Comedian and Rorschach. During this time the mysterious murder of a United States government official named Edward Blake occurs in New York, possibly by Soviet Communists. It is later confirmed that Blake is actually a costumed avenger — The Comedian.

The news of the murder is discovered by his fellow costumed avenger, Rorschach who sets out to discover the murderer. During his search viewers discover whether Rorschach is really insane or if he’s uncovered a plot to murder super-heroes and, even worse, millions of innocent civilians. On the run from the law, Rorschach reunites with his former teammates in a desperate attempt to save the world and their lives. But what they uncover will shock them to their very core and change the face of the planet. Following two generations of masked superheroes from the close of World War II to the icy shadow of the Cold War comes this groundbreaking comic story — the story of the Watchmen.

Batman: Black & White
A new addition to the Warner Premiere Motion Comics slate, “Batman: Black & White” is taken from three award-winning volumes of short stories starring the Caped Crusader. The Motion Comics will reflect the original and diverse visions of various artists and writers as they tell stories in the now-infamous world of Gotham City.

The “Batman: Black & White” stories are told from the perspective of Batman and range in theme from the unsettling drama of solving a brutal murder to the light comedy of fighting bad guys with a broken nose. These short episodes also touch on elements of romance, mystery and even the supernatural. And like any exciting Batman story, classic villains such as The Joker, Harley Quinn and Two-Face make heralded appearances. It’s Batman as seen through the prism of some of today’s most eloquent graphic artists and writers

Superman: Red Son
Warner Premiere Motion Comics is proud to bring “Superman: Red Son” to its Motion Comics slate. Based on the Eisner Award-winning graphic novel written by Mark Milar and drawn by Dave Johnson, “Superman: Red Son” will take viewers back in time to the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union where Superman is fighting for the Communists. Raised in Russia, Superman grows to become the Soviet Union’s greatest weapon as the world is transformed into a communist state opposed only by a crumbling capitalistic America and its President Lex Luthor. Now as Superman stands on the brink of ultimate power, three heroes, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, each make a valiant stand to destroy the reign of the Man of Steel.

Release dates for “Batman: Black and White” and “Superman: Red Son” will be announced in the coming months, as well as the next assortment of titles coming to the Warner Premiere Motion Comics slate.

via Warner Bros.