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IDW to Adapt IMAGI's CG Astro Boy Film into Comics
posted on by Egan Loo
IDW has licensed the right to adapt IMAGI's manga-based, computer-animated Astro Boy film back into comic book form. The movie re-imagines the Tetsuwan Atom (Mighty Atom) robot boy hero from the manga and anime pioneer Osamu Tezuka. IDW is tentatively planning a four-part prequel mini-series as well as a straight four-part adaptation of the movie's plot. If approved by the licensers, the prequel comic series will launch next May. IDW Editor in Chief Chris Ryall told the ICv2 retail trade news source that his company has not decided the format and style of the planned releases. Summit Entertainment will open the new film in North America in October 2009.
Dark Horse published the original 23 volumes of Tezuka's manga in North America, and has just combined volumes one and two into one trade paperback book in September. Right Stuf released the original 1963-1966 anime series on North American DVD, while Manga Entertainment and Sony released the 1980-1981 and 2003-2004 anime remakes, respectively. Next February, Viz Media will ship Pluto, a science-fiction manga that Naoki Urasawa (20th Century Boys, Monster, Yawara!) set in the world of Astro Boy.
Source: ICv2
