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Last month at the San Diego Comic Con, Connie Siu announced the launching of her new project, The Graphic Novel Company!

The Graphic Novel Company works closely with its clients, typically screenwriters, producers, and directors, who have a film or television show in mind, and can benefit from releasing the project in the sequential storytelling format prior to its big screen or TV debut.

Says Siu of her company, “We bridge the gap between the Hollywood entertainment community and the world of graphic novel and comic-book publishing. Our primary goal is to give our clients a format in which to release their projects.  We provide all of the services needed to take scripts or treatments to complete graphic novels or pitch packages for submission to publishers.”

She goes on to say that, “The list of highly successful films that were first launched in print form, where they gained exposure and critical acclaim, continues to grow exponentially.”

This is especially true now that the comic book has gone mainstream, and films generated from graphic novels span all genres, from drama to dark comedy and action, to sci-fi and horror. Besides superhero movies, in recent years we have seen this trend with Wanted, Road to Perdition, Persepolis, 300, Ghost World, Hellboy, Sin City and this week’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, to name a few!

“We work with proven talent and have direct contact with publishing houses,” Siu said.  “Several projects, from full-color graphic novels to less extensive ‘pitch packages’ for submission to publishers via our agents, are already in the works.”

Connie Siu, who is also the Executive Director of the Previsualization Society, holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.  She has held numerous positions in the film industry for companies such as Artist Management Group and Dreamworks, and began her career working in the game industry for Sega Games and Namco.  She has strong ties to the graphic novel and comic-book worlds and premiered The Graphic Novel Company at SDCC 2010.

I think TGNC is a great idea, with the potential to capitalize on the growing boom of comic book movies that are flooding the market. The company provides an opportunity for these movies to find a voice prior to hitting the big screen; it makes sense to solicit an original film idea as a comic book or graphic novel, as the medium allows the project to drum up awareness and, if done well, crucial fan support. Essentially, when it boils down to it, comic books are story boards for film/TV shows, and if a producer or writer can present a completed graphic novel or comic book of their idea, it becomes a solid visualization of their project with which to pitch to film companies, and for fans to get excited about!

I actually met Connie at Con this year while visiting my friends Steve Stern and Dan Cote, of Zen Intergalactic Ninja fame, at the Shocker Toys Booth. She’s a very affable person and I hope her idea takes off. Only time will tell how things will pan out for The Graphic Novel Company, but again, with comics now being the new “in” thing, I doubt Connie have any trouble finding worthy clients.

For more information on The Graphic Novel Company, visit their website!

Andy Liegl
andy@comicattack.net