IDW and 20th Century Fox team on A-Team comic book

Press Release

In anticipation of the summer movie event The A-Team, starting in March, IDW Publishing, in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising (Fox Licensing), will launch two A-Team comic book series, entitled A-Team: Shotgun Wedding and A-Team: War Stories. The original stories penned and inked by some of the industry’s biggest names, will give fans an in-depth look at the upcoming action-adventure from Twentieth Century Fox – The A-Team – which will hit theatres June 11, 2010. Each series will be available as single issues in March and April, and collected into individual graphic novels in May.

“Like many, I was a huge fan of the original A-Team television series in the 80’s,” said A-Team comic editor and co-writer Tom Waltz.  “I’m happy to report, after reading the new movie script, the updated A-Team movie has all the wit, swagger and kick-ass action of the original series, but tells a story much bigger than was possible on the show.  For our comics, we’ve worked directly with the filmmakers to build a solidly action-packed foundation for a new generation of A-Team fans.”

“This comic project is the ideal collaboration between the studio, the production, the filmmakers and the publisher maximizing everyone’s talents for the best product. IDW has demonstrated their ability to bring on some of the best writers and artists in the comic book industry and work closely and effectively with all the constituents. The A-Team has a huge following and these comics, much like the upcoming film, contemporize this enormously popular action-adventure franchise and deliver fresh, compelling stories and art to the fans,” said Virginia King, Vice President U.S. Sales for Fox Licensing & Merchandising.

Taking inspiration from the eagerly anticipated feature film – The A-Team – the comic book series provides the back story for the characters in the film and documents several of the team’s first missions. War Stories features four stand-alone, bi-weekly issues that each focus on a different member of the team, offering details of their Desert Storm adventures as Army Rangers before each joins The A-Team.

Co-written by comics great Chuck Dixon (G.I. JOE) and Erik Burnham (Nanovor: Game Day), the series kicks off with Hannibal and B.A. in March, followed by Face and Murdock in April.  Each team member’s story will feature a different artist in order to best bring out every character’s individual personality.  Hugo Petrus (Marvel Illustrated) will provide interior art for Hannibal, and Casey Maloney (G.I. JOE: Rise of Cobra) tackles B.A. in March.  In April, Alberto Muriel (Legion: Prophets) revives Face, followed by Guiu Vilanova (After the Fire), who delivers Murdock. Fan-favorite artist Michael Gaydos (Alias) will provide covers for every issue.

“I was a devoted A-Team fan from the first episode and love all of these characters. Pure action and excitement,” said Chuck Dixon.  “I jumped at the chance to join Erik and work on this property and it’s been better than expected. The dialogue and characterizations came so naturally to me, it was scary.”

Also starting in March, A-Team: Shotgun Wedding, a bi-weekly four issue series, gives fans a taste of the team’s missions after they’ve officially formed The A-Team.  This original adventure, co-plotted by the movie’s director, Joe Carnahan, and Waltz (who also handles the scripting) follows the team from frigid Alaska to sunny San Diego and onto a wedding cruise that becomes utter chaos. Artist Stephen Mooney (Angel: After the Fall) adds heat to every explosion,  while John K. Snyder III offers eye-catching covers.

Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

A-Team: Shotgun Wedding #1 (of 4; $3.99; 32 pages) will be available in stores on March 10, 2010. Diamond order code JAN10 0987.

A-Team: War Stories: Hannibal ($3.99; 32 pages) will be available in stores on March 17, 2010. Diamond order code JAN10 0989.

A-Team: Shotgun Wedding #2 (of 4; $3.99; 32 pages) will be available in stores on March 24, 2010. Diamond order code JAN10 0988.

A-Team: War Stories: B.A. ($3.99; 32 pages) will be available in stores in March 2010. Diamond order code JAN10 0991.

A-Team: Shotgun Wedding #3 (of 4; $3.99; 32 pages) will be available in stores in April 2010.

A-Team: Shotgun Wedding #4 (of 4; $3.99; 32 pages) will be available in stores in April 2010.

A-Team: War Stories: Face ($3.99; 32 pages) will be available in stores in April 2010.

A-Team: War Stories: Murdock ($3.99; 32 pages) will be available in stores in April 2010.

About The A-Team
THE A-TEAM follows the exciting and daring exploits of a colorful team of former Special Forces soldiers who were set up for a crime they did not commit.  Going “rogue,” they utilize their unique talents to try and clear their names and find the true culprit. THE A-TEAM in theaters only June 11, 2010.

Liam Neeson, whose many credits include the Oscar-winning “Schindler’s List” and the recent box office hit “Taken,” portrays Hannibal Smith, a master planner of inventive missions requiring split-second timing, unusual skills and a team of incredibly proficient and…eccentric soldiers; Bradley Cooper, who shot to movie superstardom in the smash comedy “The Hangover,” is Templeton “Face” Peck, who can procure anything for the Team’s unorthodox and daring activities; Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, a professional mixed martial artist and a top rated UFC light heavyweight, is B.A. Baracas, the Team’s driver and muscle; and Sharlto Copley, who stars in the surprise summer hit “District 9,” is H.M “Howling Mad” Murdock, a gifted pilot – and certified loon.   Jessica Biel (“The Illusionist”) stars as Capt. Charisa Sosa, a former love interest of Face’s, but who’s now relentlessly pursuing the Team for a crime not of their doing.  Patrick Wilson (“Watchmen”) is Lynch, a mysterious CIA operative who is a key player in the Team’s most explosive mission.

Joe Carnahan (“Narc,” “Smokin’ Aces”) directs from a screenplay by Skip Woods (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”), Carnahan, and Carnahan’s writing partner Brian Bloom (writing credit not final), based on the television series “The A-Team.”   The producers are Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Jules Daly, Stephen J. Cannell, Alex Young, Iain Smith, and Spike Seldin.

About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renown for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The Transformers and G.I. JOE, Paramount’s Star Trek; Fox’s Angel; the BBC’s Doctor Who; and television’s #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints; Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studios; and is the print publisher for ComicMix.

IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. More information about the company can be found at IDWPublishing.com.

About Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising
A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising licenses and markets properties worldwide behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.