Igor and More

Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 9/3/2008

Babylon A.D. (PG-13), a futuristic thriller from Twentieth Century Fox, opened in theatres last week to a bit of controversy, as the film’s director, Mathieu Kassovitz, has openly expressed his disappointment with the final product. Mercenary Hugo Cornelius Toorop (Vin Diesel) is hired to escort a young woman named Aurora (Mélanie Thierry) from Eastern Europe to New York. He soon discovers that this is no routine mission and that his mysterious charge—who has been genetically altered—has an astounding secret. 

The film is based on Babylon Babies, a novel by French sci-fi author Maurice G. Dantec that was translated into English by Noura Wedell [Semiotext(e), 2005]. Del Rey has published a movie tie-in edition with a sleek-looking cover featuring a film-still of Diesel. Written with gripping intensity, the novel is set in a futuristic world filled with violent military conflict and sectarianism and contemplates the consequences of genetic experimentation. In balance with its main character—every inch a mercenary but also a thinker—the text is peppered with strong images and language, super-charged action, and philosophical musings. A sure bet for mature teens who devour apocalyptic and cyberpunk sci-fi.

Igor

Fans of classic horror movies—and their satirical spin-offs—will be drawn to Igor (PG), a computer-animated comedy from Exodus Film Group that premieres in theatres on September 19, 2008. Though he longs to win the Evil Science Fair with his own dazzling creation, Igor (voiced by John Cusack), like all hunchbacks in the dreary land of Malaria, can only play the role of lowly lab assistant to an Evil Scientist. When unexpected events provide Igor with a chance to make his dreams come true, he moves forward with his plan to create a life…but his oversize monster is not what he expected, and Igor must reexamine his ambitions.

Igor Graphic Novels

The film’s tongue-in-cheek humor and exaggerated caricatures make fantastic fodder for the comic book format. IDW Publishing presents two four-issue mini-series, each collected together into a single trade paperback with a hearty binding. Igor: Movie Prequel, written by Dara Naraghi with art by Grant Bond, includes original stories that lead into the motion picture, introducing the characters and describing how Igor’s somewhat inept experiments led to the creation of his two loyal friends. Enhanced with super intelligence and immortality, Scamper, a morbid rabbit, often contemplates the meaning of his life—and tries to end it, while Brain was bobbled about before being placed in his jar, explaining his airhead nature.

Bond’s illustrations have sharper lines than the animated images, giving the comics an edgier feel that matches well with the text’s droll humor and the characters’ irreverent and outrageous antics. Similar in style to the prequel, Barbara Randall Kesel’s Igor: Movie Adaptation, again illustrated by Bond, incorporates brighter hues and a more whimsical storytelling tone. Fast-paced action, snappy dialogue, and comically expressive drawings re-create the plot with visual élan.

Batman … Behind the Scenes

The Dark Knight (PG-13), the latest live-action film about the conflicted comic book character, opened in July to critical acclaim and record-breaking commercial success. Teens who want to delve more deeply in the movie’s essence will be captivated by Craig Byrne’s The Dark Knight from Universe Publishing. The first section of this handsome hardcover is packed with production artwork—film photos, storyboards, digitalized imagery, character sketches, and more—and descriptive text that reveals the inspirations behind the designs. Quotes from the film’s creators allow readers to see how production details and concepts contribute to the visual evolution of the Batman character. Also included is Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan’s full shooting script, supplemented throughout with inset film stills, storyboards, and an occasional full-page photo.

The same crowd might be interested in exploring Speed Racer: The Art of Speed Racer, also published by Universe, which focuses on the live-action film released in May. Crisp reproductions of candy-colored movie stills, storyboards, and concept art, as well as the Wachowski brothers’ screenplay, provide an interesting glimpse at a movie that fuses the look of retro Japanese anima with cutting-edge film-making technology.

Pub Info

DANTEC, Maurice G. Babylon Babies. tr. by Noura Wedell. Del Rey. 2008. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-345-50597-2.

NARAGHI, Dara. Igor: Movie Prequel. illus. by Grant Bond. IDW Publishing. dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. Sept. 2008. pap. $17.99. ISBN 978-160010262-2.

KESEL, Barbara Randall, adapt. Igor: Movie Adaptation. illus. by Grant Bond. IDW Publishing. dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. Sept. 2008. pap. $17.99.ISBN 978-160010261-5.

BYRNE, Craig. The Dark Knight. Universe Publishing, an imprint of Rizzoli. 2008. Tr $35.00. ISBN 978-0-7893-1812-1.