Press Release
Moonstone Entertainment, Inc., a leading publisher of comics and books, has just signed a contract to publish an epic science fiction project called NEUTRAL WORLD, as created by well known comic and pulp writer Ron Fortier and comic superstar artist, Joe Bennett.
Bennett, a self-taught Brazilian artist, entered the field in the early 1990s and soon became one of the most sought after talents in comics. His fantastic pencils and inks have graced dozens of titles both at Marvel and DC and there are very few iconic superheroes he has not worked on in his amazing career. Today, along with his current assignments for the DC, he operates a studio in his hometown of Belem, which is where NEUTRAL WORLD was first conceived.
A lifelong fan of the great Jack Kirby, Bennett dreamed of creating an epic science fiction saga that would span both space and time. Grandiose in its imagination, it would be his ultimate homage to the man who inspired him to become a comic book illustrator. From creation to the far flung future, NEUTRAL WORLD weaves an action heavy tale of high adventure populated by some of the greatest new heroes and villains ever conceived on a comic page.
Once Bennett felt the concept was complete, his objective became taking it to the next level; shaping his multiple plots and ideas into a single, linear narrative. To help him achieve that end and turn his dreams into actual comic scripts, he reached out to the writer who had penned his first ever professional comics work twenty years earlier; Ron Fortier.
Ron Fortier started writing comics professionally in 1976 with two stories, both accepted and published in the try-out series, “Bullseye” from Charlton Comics. From that beginning, Fortier’s work began to appear in various independent companies from Ocean Comics. Eclipse, Malibu and ultimately Now Comics where he was brought on to write “The Terminator” series starting with issue # 9.
Fortier’s crowning achievement was successfully assisting Now Comics in obtaining the license to produce a brand new Green Hornet comic series. Fortier’s presentation offered a generational family saga that cleverly incorporated all the various incarnations of the hero. Now Comics’ Green Hornet proved to be the company’s most successful title and Fortier’s name would became irrevocably connected to the character to this day. He recently wrote his first new Green Hornet tale in over twenty years when he contributed to the recently produced anthology from Moonstone Books, “The Green Hornet Chronicles.”
And now these two popular comic creators, Bennett & Fortier, have reunited to bring the world NEUTRAL WORLD, a mega saga nearly 200 pages long. Moonstone Comics will present the entire series in three, stunning, full color graphic novels. Ace cover painter Mark Maddox will provide the covers for NEUTRAL WORLD and is thrilled to be involved with the project. All art will be produced in Bennett’s studio with the lettering being handled by American artist, Rob Davis.
To better set the concept of NEUTRAL WORLD, Moonstone will release a 16 pgs, full color preview comic to be sold for .99 cents. It will showcase a nine page action sequence from the first volume plus seven gorgeous character sketches complete with biographies. This mini Issue O will serve to introduce comic fans to the excitement and thrills of NEUTRAL WORLD and whet their appetites for the first graphic novel, now in production.
NEUTRAL WORLD, a gifted artist’s twenty year dream is about to become a stellar, ground breaking comic event! And it’s coming to you soon from MOONSTONE!
