Hey, guys.
I've been thinking with the tendency for movies to be based on comic books, graphic novels, etc. I was thinking of trying to adapt my own book into a graphic novel, but I can't draw. Is there anyone who would like to collaborate with me on this potential project? Here are the details:
The book's title is "Icon of the Defender" (I chose to keep the original title after some soul-searching - it's evocative, multilayered and ambiguously ambitious) and split into three parts (I still don't know whether to have a single graphic novel containing all three parts or each act having its own separate book, so to speak) and here's a synopsis for all three acts:
"Part 1: A Dark Secret"
In the 21st Century, a group of soldiers of fortune consisting of pilot-cum-computer hacker Vincenzo Corbucci, pragmatic rifleman and ex-Spetsnaz officer Nikolai Rostavili, and Machiavellian medic and former Gendarme Jacques Dubois uncover a dark secret when they awaken ex-assassin Hiroka Noguchi from cryogenic stasis during a routine scavenging mission. They learn about a controversial experiment to create the ultimate warrior called Project Athena, in which she and her friend Elsa Lindblom were used as lab rats. Aided by their newfound ally and motivated by honour, the mercenaries travel the globe to find out more about the 5 Elements, a powerful organisation with ties to Project Athena, and to rescue Elsa from whatever fate lies in store for her…
"Part 2: Confidential Legacy"
The mercenaries with morals known as the Rhodium Golems have gone their separate ways since defeating evil scientist Sorina Manescu a year prior. pilot Vincenzo Corbucci is now an aerial chauffeur for VIPs and is in a relationship with ex-hitwoman-turned-actress Hiroka Noguchi, Nikolai Rostavili is a drill instructor for the FSB and Jacques Dubois is an author specialising in pulp fiction novels. Following a failed assassination attempt on former femme fatale turned physical education teacher Elsa Lindblom, Vincenzo suspects that Project Athena may not have been fully put to rest and gathers his old friends for one last, final mission. In a parallel storyline, Rosh Goldman’s rise to power and fall from grace is chronicled in flashback sequences as his life experiences lead him to form the 5 Elements, a cabal with a titanium grip on nearly every corner of the globe.
"Part 3: Endgame"
6 months after failing to assassinate sociopathic roboticist Sorina Manescu, the Rhodium Golems and the 5 Elements form a fragile alliance led by Yasmin Salibi-Lindblom, daughter of retired enigmatic polymath Rosh Goldman. While the mercenaries track down and interrogate Sorina's remaining lieutenants including arms dealer Miletto Fresson, Yasmin learns from former spy Alejandro Rojas that her parents have been interfering with her leadership from behind the scenes, inadvertently setting in motion the events that caused the Rhodium Golems to reunite in the first place. In a parallel storyline, former femme fatale-turned-PE teacher Elsa Lindblom finally confronts her past in order to face a future with a clear conscience. It will take all of Alejandro’s courage, Elsa’s determination and Yasmin’s integrity to defeat the evil scientist for good if they are to save the world from the most dangerous enemy mankind has ever encountered...
If anyone is interested in collaborating with me on this, then please do not hesitate to contact me and I will be more than content to oblige.
Yours truly,
S. P.
Creating a graphic novel is a tricky thing if you don't have your book already formatted as a comic book script this needs to be the first thing you do. Gone are the Stan Lee days when a writer/story guy will simply pitch the idea to the artist who then goes on to format the story into a finished comic book page. There are people on freelance sites such as Fiverr who can reformat your novel into a comic book script, it might be pricey but unless you know how to do it yourself that's likely what you'll need to do. With an actual comic script you can then get an artist, generally they look for a pay-per-page rate, and most expect some substantial upfront capital to get started. You'll also need to find an artist that's all-singing all-dancing meaning they can do pencils, inks, coloring, and the lettering too unless you want to hire a team which is what is more typical these days as artists all specialize in one discipline or another.
Lately the comic book industry has been collapsing as more and more political messaging has led to the traditional readership being alienated and there isn't a substantial new base to take over, most ventures, therefore, rely on Kickstarter to get funded and now also to get the story out to readers as the primary sales method. It's a good thing to go for if it's part of a wider strategy, but just a heads up- it'll likely not make money.
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I see. I think I'll work on adapting it into a video game, then (nothing big and 3D like today's games, a 2D game reminiscent of the days of yore with a balance between gameplay and story). Thank you.
In retail, we have things called "loss leaders" products that are sold at such a low price they either bring in no profit or actually cost revenue to actually sell. The purpose of them is not to make money but to bring customers INTO the store who then go on to spend more than just that single item. As someone who is also working on a transmedia project, I view comics as a loss leader. It'll cost money, I'll likely never see that money come back from that side of the project but the point of it is to create a brand that draws in an audience which will, in turn, lead to more revenue coming in from other arms of the project that are profitable.
What I said wasn't meant to put you off, and I'll be honest I don't see how a 2d video game adaptation would be any more profitable but the focus shouldn't be profit. If your primary asset is your novel then the purpose of the game or the comic is to point the audience to the book.