Editors’ Blog

SHOOTING WAR: The Miniseries

Friday, March 14th, 2008

By Larry Smith

dan-goldman-shooting-war-uk-poster.jpgWhen I first read Anthony Lappé’s treatment for Shooting War, I knew immediately that I wanted to publish his story somehow, some way on SMITH. We had never done anything like it—it was fiction for starters, and SMITH typically sticks to nonfiction stories with a focus on personal narrative. Still, the story was too good, the ideas behind it too smart, the whole sensibility too current to pass up. Lappé and I had actually met moons ago at Burning Man, and were reunited by Jeff Newelt. Jeff read the same treatment and had a genius vision for Shooting War as a comic; a few drinks later, it was decided: Shooting War would be SMITH’s first serialized webcomic. All we had to do was find an artist. Dan Goldman was miraculously found. The boys dug in. A webcomic sensation, and soon after hardcover graphic novel, was born. And now Shooting War is headed into its next life: a miniseries.

After optioning the film and television rights for Shooting War, London based independent producer Power, is developing a brand new state-of-the-art TV series on the war on terror, the media and the rise of “citizen journalism.”

“I’m very psyched to have sold the option to a UK company,” says Lappé. The Brits are great at two things: dark humor and more recently, America-bashing, so I think it’s a great fit. There seems to be much more latitude to deal with ‘war on terror’ issues on television over there. I am especially thankful for the SMITH editors and readers who helped me launch the project.”

Power founder and CEO Justin Bodle told Comics2Film, “This has to be the graphic novel of 2007,” a sentiment many agreed with, including USA Today. “I am delighted that Power now has the opportunity to bring this astute, vivid and brilliant web serial and book to the screen.”

The Brits have had a lot of love for Shooting War. The December ‘07 British GQnamed the book one of the 100 best things in the world, and the authors launched their world tour in London (Lappé blogs about it here). The UK-based Forbidden Planet International named it the top graphic novel of 2007, declaring it an “absolute revelation.”

Revelation—and a testament to the power of original, dynamic storytelling.

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2 responses

  1. Iraq 2011 : Global Dashboard says:

    [...] The web-comic Shooting Wars, hit people’s screens in May 2006. It followed a young journalist named Jimmy Burns, who found himself video-blogging across the front lines of Iraq in the year 2011. At the time of its release, only a handful of people were ready to believe US forces would be in the country for much longer. In 2006 sectarian violence was spilling across streets and districts in Iraqi cities. Infighting, both between Iraqis and the coalition forces occurred with depressing regularity. Most notably, a British Brigadier attacked America’s ‘Hollywood’ generals in April, while later in the year, the Iraq Study Group “strongly urged” a large pull back of American troops in Iraq in a private note leaked to the media. The Independent’s Middle East journalist Patrick Cockburn summed up the hopelessness of the conflict at the end of 2006: The sense of Iraqi identity may have been damaged beyond repair. But, more than most states, Iraq is dominated by its capital and Shia and Sunni will continue to fight to rule Baghdad until they either win or know there is no hope of victory. [...]

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