Interview: Fringe Comic Book Writer Mike Johnson

The second issue of the Fringe comic comes out tomorrow, January 28th.

According to the Wildstorm website:

The secret history of Walter Bishop and William Bell continues in this exclusive tie-in to the hit Fox show Fringe! Witness their first attempts at pushing the boundaries of science and reality!

Comic Book Resources has an interview with one of the writers, Mike Johnson, who reveals what will be happening in Fringe #2, and the rest of the Fringe series:

Johnson revealed the next chapter in Bishop and Bell’s early history is explored in “Fringe” #2, on sale on this week. “Things get even weirder for them,” laughed Johnson. “By this time, [Bishop and Bell] are sharing a lab and starting to experiment with things that the university would probably not approve of, if it knew about them.”

"Fringe" artwork by Tom Mandrake The budding relationship serves as the plot thread stringing the six-issue miniseries together. A series of backup features, telling done-in-one mysteries, are also included. “Each issue in the series is divided into two parts: the first half, or A-story, will continue the story of Bell and Bishop, while the second half, the B-story, will be a self-contained short story with unconnected characters that plays on a different Fringe-y concept, with subtle ties to the show itself,” Johnson explained. “The A-stories with Bell and Bishop form one over-arching story that culminates in both ‘Fringe’ #6 and the pilot for the show, so make sure you watch it again. And the B-stories are each self-contained short stories. We are all huge fans over here of ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘The Outer Limits,’ the classics, so our B-stories are homages to sci-fi parables like the ones in those shows.”
"Fringe" artwork by Tom Mandrake

Johnson said Walter is an interesting character to write because in the “Fringe” comic stories, he’s a “different guy” than the one we see on the show. “He’s young, he’s just starting his career, and most importantly he’s not crazy,” offered Johnson. “At least not in the conventional way, but we put hints in there that all will not end up well in his world.

“As for Bell, we’re playing with the idea that he will end up the richest man in the world one day, in charge of the biggest corporation in the world, Massive Dynamic, but he starts as an idealistic young scientist.

”While he said we may see Olivia and Peter at some point in the comics, Johnson added, “Just not in the way you might think.”

Readers will also be introduced to some new supporting characters in “Fringe” that play important roles in the shared history of Bell and Bishop, but they have not yet been introduced on the TV show proper. “Or have they?” Johnson teased.

You can read the full interview at ComicBookResources.com

Fringe Comic #2 Re-Announced

Fringe Comic #2 has been re-announced on the DC / Wildstorm website. The new release date is January 28th, 2009.

Watch for a special announcement on this miniseries' creative team, coming soon!

The secret history of Walter Bishop and William Bell continues in this exclusive tie-in to the hit Fox show Fringe! Witness their first attempts at pushing the boundaries of science and reality!

Wildstorm Universe | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US

Click here for more Fringe comics news.

Fringe Comics Delayed Until 2009

The next Fringe Comic - Fringe #2 - was due to be released next week on October 15. However, a quick check of the DC Comics Wildstorm website reveals that all references to future issues have been removed:

• Fringe #2
• Fringe #3
• Fringe #4
  

And according to Comics Worth Reading, all orders for #2, #3, and #4 have been canceled.

I talked to Wildstorm, and they have officially confirmed that the series will be delayed until January 2009. Hank Kanalz, the VP – General Manager of WildStorm said the reason for the delay was that:

“The writer’s of the show want to make sure the comic book is integrated into the mythology of the FRINGE world, so we have decided to refocus the direction of the comic book. Unfortunately, this means that we will have some delays, but will be back in January.”

We'll let you know as soon as pre-orders are available again.

Fringe Comic #1 - Like Minds / The Prisoner

The Fringe #1 comic was released today (delayed by one day by the holiday). The comic contains two stories: "Like Minds" and "The Prisoner".

The first story, "Like Minds" details the initial meeting between Walter Bishop and William Bell, and their early work on the Synaptic Transfer System.

The second story, "The Prisoner", centers around a man who wakes up in prison, but doesn't know how he got there. Is he an unintended consequence of an experiment gone wrong?

You can purchase Fringe #1 at your local comic book store for $2.99 (if they are not sold-out already!).

The remaining Fringe comics will be available:

• Fringe #2 - September 17
  
• Fringe #3 - October 29
• Fringe #4 - November 26
• Fringe #5 - TBA
  
• Fringe #6 - TBA
  

Like Minds:




The Prisoner:

Fringe Comic Book - First Sighting...

...of William Bell. Title: LIKE MINDS

Update: We've uploaded the full issue at Fringe Comic #1 - Like Minds / The Prisoner.


















Here's the detail rich article:

MTV's Splash Page: The ‘Fringe’ Cast And Crew Take Us Through J.J. Abrams’ Comic Tie-In, Plus Preview Five Pages!

If “Fringe” is the new “X-Files,” then the Fringe comic is the equivalent of having a book that shows what really happened to Mulder’s sister. Or if the show’s Dr. Walter Bishop is the new Hannibal Lector – handy to consult on cases despite those pesky mental institution surroundings – then the Fringe comic is like having Hannibal pre-cannibal.

Neither comparison is perfect – J.J. Abrams’ television series tend to be in classes unto themselves – but the point is, while the comic isn’t necessary to enjoy the show, it sure does help. “The comics are going to fill in the blanks,” said “Fringe” co-creator/writer/executive producer Roberto Orci. “There will be a payoff.”

The first six-issue series (which kicks off September 3) will focus on the history of Dr. Walter Bishop, played by John Noble as a brilliant but deranged scientist who acts as a consultant to a female FBI agent investigating cases of the paranormal, with his son, played by Joshua Jackson, acting as a conduit between the two of them. “It’s what Daddy was up to before he got institutionalized,” Jackson said.

“Walter is every actor’s dream,” Noble said. “He’s got an IQ of 190, but I have a theory why he’s unsafe to be around. I think he conducted some sort of experiment in which someone was killed, and that he was due to stand trial for manslaughter before they determined he was unfit to stand trial at all.”

Noble’s theory about his character is put to the test in the comics, which follow Bishop as a newly appointed professor at Harvard. “It’s about how his scientific career began and how he got involved in the fringe sciences,” said Zack Whedon who writes for both the show and the comic. “He’s sort of singularly focused on scientific discovery, to the point where he doesn’t really consider the consequences.”

Bishop shares a lab with collaborator William Bell, who is not physically present in the show but is referred to. “There’s a lot of mystery surrounding that character on the show,” Whedon said, “so it’s fun to get a little glimpse of who he is that you won’t get in the show.”

Besides the Bishop-Bell history, the comics will also include stand-alone stories, some of which connect to other characters on the show, and some which just add to what the show calls “the Pattern.” “They’re straight-up ‘Fringe,’ sort of ‘Twilight Zone’/’Weird Science’ sci-fi tales,” Whedon said. For instance, one involves a man who wakes up in someone else’s body, “which is terrible, especially for this guy, because it’s the wrong body,” Whedon said. “He’s now in prison.”

Where the show has to try to resolve various mysteries, the comics are free to leave some things unexplained. “Some are related to Walter’s work, some are part of the Pattern, and some are just inexplicable,” Whedon said. “And if this works out, we can do even more of them and take readers up to the events of the show. Who knows? This could go on forever.”

“We can give a richer experience to the show this way,” said “Fringe” executive producer Bryan Burk. “Because oh God, yes — ‘Fringe’ is a comic book universe.”

Thanks Mandy for the tip!

Fringe Comic Book Team

Comic book website Newsarama has the inside scoop on the team behind the Fringe comic book series:

... Released under DC Comics' Wildstorm imprint, the six monthly installments of the Fringe comic will be written by many of the same people who are guiding the television series, promising comics-only extras as the monthly issues work in conjunction with the show's first season.

"There are definitely hidden (and not-so-hidden) elements that will feed into the Fringe [tv] series that you can only find in the comic," said Athena Wickham, co-story consultant for the Fringe comic and TV executive for Abrams' production company, Bad Robot. While Wickham said reading the comic isn't necessary for viewers to understand what's happening in the show, "it will give them a greater appreciation of what's to come and help them uncover some of the integrated plot points."

Wickham joins quite a few other people who are making sure the comic fits seamlessly with the show. Series creators Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci (the writers behind the upcoming Star Trek movie) are co-developing the comic book story and approving all scripts and art. Then the six issues of Fringe are being crafted by TV show staff writers Zack Whedon and Julia Cho along with Superman/Batman scribe Mike Johnson, who works with the Kurtzman/Orci production company. The comic will also have contributions from other members of the television show's staff of writers, including Alex Katsnelson, Danielle Dispaltro, and Matthew Pitts.

"The writers have created such a rich and complex series that we are looking to the comic to further illuminate the Fringe universe," said David Baronoff, creative executive for Bad Robot, who is also a co-story consultant on the Fringe comic.
...
Comics artist Tom Mandrake will provide art for the back-story. "He will be joined by Simon Coleby in the first issue, with surprise artists to come in upcoming issues," Baronoff said. "Mandrake just jumped out at us with his extremely emotional and creepy art. He's producing amazing work. Coleby is a rising star whose style is perfect for Fringe."

Baronoff said the comic is being designed to visually echo the Fringe universe and the overall tone of the television series.

"We are working with the amazing team at Wildstorm so that both the artists' work and the physical book itself will be reflective of the story's place and time," Baronoff said. "Much like the series, we hope this comic will run the gamut from dark and eerie to funny and profound."
...
"It's a lot of fun and we hope it creeps out all of our readers," Wickham said.

There are also a few spoilers about what to expect in the series:

Click here to read

As the comic series opens, Wickham said the first issue "begins when the yin and yang of fringe science first meet face to face."

"The issues will consist of two parts. Part A will tell the back-story story of two of our key characters: Walter Bishop and William Bell. Part B will consist of stand-alone stories," Wickham said. "Readers will be introduced to a range of characters -- from those at the epicenter of the pilot to others who might not live to make a series appearance."

The first issue of the Fringe comics series will be available on Aug. 27th, at your local comic book store.

• Fringe #1 - August 27 September 3
• Fringe #2 - September 17
• Fringe #3 - October 29
• Fringe #4 - November 26
  

The story also has two pages from the Fringe preview comic, but without captions. You can see the entire Fringe Preview comic here.

Fringe Preview Comic Prequel

The FRINGE Preview comic given out at Comic-con, is a prequel story to the official six-part Fringe comic-book series, which is itself a prequel to the Fringe TV show.

The graphic story details various incidents of "the pattern" - involving bears, tsunamis, missing children, navy ship coordinates, and childbirth - being discussed at a conference, by a Professor Ku from the National University of Singapore. You can find more information about "the pattern" at Fringepedia.net.

The six-part Fringe comic series will go on sale beginning August 27th, with a new issues coming out every month. Also, don't miss the Massive Dynamic ad, and Fringe character profiles that were also in this preview comic.

Fringe Preview Comic: Character Profiles

The FRINGE Preview comic given out at Comic-con, contains profiles of the main characters in Fringe (in addition to a Massive Dynamic ad, and a prequel comic ...coming soon...)

The characters Olivia Dunham, Peter Bishop, Walter Bishop, Charlie Francis, Phillip Broyles, John Scott, Nina Sharp, and Astrid Farnsworth are all profiled, with their Age, Birthplace, Education, Occupation, and quotes like this gem from Dr. Bishop: They have this... horrible pudding. This butterscotch pudding on Mondays. It's dreadful.

Fringe Preview Comic: Massive Dynamic Ad

A FRINGE Preview comic was given out at Comic-con, containing a Massive Dynamic ad, profiles of the characters in Fringe, and a prequel to the six-part comic series that goes on sale August 27th.

I have scanned in the entire 16-page comic, and will post the various sections. Here is the Massive Dynamic ad from the inside-front cover. The Massive Dynamic slogan reads "What Do We Do? What Don't We Do.", with a boy flying a toy plane, under a Massive Dynamic jet (Flight 627?) leaving contrails (chemtrails?) in the sky.


The copy at the bottom of the ad reads: [This is an advertis]ment for the Massive Dynamic Corporation. The image and text do not reflect the views of the Billboard rental company or its Affiliates. For more information regarding Massive Dynamic or Billboard rental policy please contact our head office.

The billboard can be seen briefly in the pilot, as Olivia, Peter, and Walter are leaving St. Claire's hospital.

New Fringe Comic Book Details Surface At Comic-Con

Two more stories from attendees of the Fringe panel at Comic-Con, and in both, new details about the Fringe Comic Book prequel.

There will be a Fringe comic book about the history of William Bell and Walter Bishop. -- BuddyTV

For those unaware, Fringe will have a comic produced in tandem with the series. Abrams explained, “[The comic will allow us to] tell some stories about characters and create this peripheral world.” Roberto Orci echoed this sentiment, explaining, “I think it’s something we haven’t done before.” Abrams agreed saying, “There are certain things you can’t do in TV that you can do in a comic book.” -- Wizard Universe

The Fringe Comic Book is being published by DC Comics/Wildstorm Universe. The first issue--of a current slate of six--goes on sale August 27, 2008.

More Details on DC Comics' Fringe Miniseries

DC Comics has posted two new official results pages for the Fringe comic prequel: FRINGE #1 (OF 6) and FRINGE #2 (OF 6).

Watch for a special announcement on this miniseries' creative team, coming soon!

From J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the team behind the upcoming film Star Trek, Mission: Impossible III and the hit show Alias, comes Fringe, a new TV series that will thrill, terrify and explore the blurring line between science fiction and reality. The mysteries start here, in a special miniseries leading up to the premiere of Fringe on FOX on September 9!

Wildstorm Universe | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US

Contrary to USA Today's report last week which had the comic hitting the stands on August 27, 2008, DC Comics lists the first issue as going on sale August 6, 2008, and the second, September 24, 2008.

Fringe DC Comic Book Prequel Schedule For August 27 Release

USA Today's David Colton is reporting that DC Comics will put out a comic book prequel for Fringe on August 27, two weeks prior to the pilot's September 9 premiere.

Abrams' TV 'Fringe' gets comic book prequel

The hip media empire of J.J. Abrams (Alias, Lost, Cloverfield, the next Star Trek film) expands into comic books this fall when DC Comics offers a prequel to his upcoming TV series on Fox, Fringe. Writers and artists are being decided, but DC says the comic version will hit the stands on Aug. 27, two weeks before the two-hour premiere airs on Sept. 9.

Speculation about the show is building at online fan sites amid word that the opener involves paranormal investigators looking into the mysterious landing of a jetliner with dead passengers. Sounds like a certain island, but the producers say the show will feature self-contained stories, à la Twilight Zone or X-Files, rather than one fantastic saga. Abrams is joined as executive producers on the project by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who also are working on the Star Trek reboot film expected in 2009. —David Colton

But will fans have to wait until August 27 for their first glimpse, or is the mere mention of comic enough to remind longtime Abrams fans of Comic-Con, which is scheduled this year for July 24 through 27.