From Graphic Novels to Big Screen Thrillers

Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 09/16/2009

Whiteout

Whiteout (R), released last Friday by Warner Bros. Pictures and Dark Castle Entertainment, is based on Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber’s comic book miniseries of the same title (Oni Press, 1998). Directed by Dominic Sena, the movie is set in Antarctica and stars Kate Beckinsale as U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko. With only three days remaining before the long, dark polar winter begins, a badly beaten body is discovered on the open ice, miles away from camp. Stetko, the lone law enforcement officer at the isolated Amundsen-Scott Research Station, finds herself in the midst of a violent murder mystery—the frozen continent’s very first homicide—and her investigation soon brings her into contact with U.N. Special Agent Robert Pryce (Gabriel Macht). The danger level is quickly notched up as a decades-old secret comes to light, weather conditions become more extreme, and Stetko’s life is placed in peril. 

There is something psychologically appealing about the concept of setting a down-and-dirty murder mystery against the pristine, almost monochromatic backdrop of Antarctica. Teens can preview the movie’s icy-looking cinematic surface at the official Web site while finding out more about the plot, cast members, and filmmakers.

Movie fans will want to investigate Rucka and Lieber’s original work, Whiteout: Volume One, which has been re-issued by Oni Press in an elegant, eye-grabbing paperback edition. In this graphic novel, the protagonist comes across as a multifaceted individual who is haunted by her past. While the movie screenplay places a male lead alongside Stetko, the comic features another woman in this role, Lily Sharpe, a British agent whose motives and mission remain shrouded in secrecy for most of the tale. While both of these strong female characters soon reveal that they are entirely capable of taking care of themselves and facing a variety of challenges, each woman comes across as a unique individual. Realistic (often graphic) language gives the dialogue a believable edge. Done in black and white, Lieber’s illustrations effectively use shading and texture to depict dynamic sequences. The characters’ emotions, violent actions, and revelations jump from the pages as if rendered in Technicolor. The outdoor scenes are vibrantly bleak and intimidating, adding detail to the setting, menace to the mood, and suspense to the story’s climax. This edition contains restored and re-mastered artwork and an afterword written by Lieber.

Readers who become hooked on Rucka and Lieber’s main character and atmospheric setting may also enjoy Whiteout: Volume Two: Melt, a 1999 miniseries also re-issued by Oni in graphic novel format. More of a spy story than a whodunit, this sequel has Stetko returning to the ice to delve into the events surrounding the destruction of a Russian science station, an inquiry that has both personal and international ramifications. The artwork is beautifully reproduced and an author’s afterword is appended.

Surrogates

Scheduled for theatrical release on September 25, this sci-fi thriller (PG-13) from Touchstone Pictures is based on Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele’s five-issue comic book series, The Surrogates (Top Shelf Productions, 2005–2006). Directed by Jonathan Mostow, the movie is set in the near future and depicts a world in which people choose to remain isolated in the safety and comfort of their homes, while vicariously living out their lives through remotely controlled robotic bodies. Humans, who can design their “surrogates” to be idealized versions of themselves or to take on a whole new appearance, can now remain free of personal injury, the effects of crime, and all sorts of negative consequences. However, the illusion of peace is shattered when a murder—the first in years—is committed. While investigating, FBI Agent Greer (Bruce Willis) uncovers a conspiracy related to surrogates. It soon becomes clear to the detective that he must abandon his own robotic body and venture forth in the flesh in order to solve the case and catch the killer. The movie also stars Radha Mitchell as Greer’s partner; Rosamund Pike as his wife; and Ving Rhames as the Prophet, an anti-surrogate cult leader. 

The official Web site provides a high-tech, schematic-style glimpse at the action as well as access to photos, videos, and downloads. An extremely detailed and eerily realistic-looking “web site” for Virtual Self (the company that manufactures surrogates) blends glamorous ad-campaign photos with a luxury-car showroom atmosphere. Here, teens can take a 3-D excursion through the factory (narrated by a virtual tour guide), find out more about robot design features, and click on testimonials from satisfied customers. There’s even an option for customizing your own surrogate self, sharing it online, and sending it off on a virtual adventure (i.e., jumping out of an airplane).

The story’s concept is imaginative, intelligent, and chillingly believable. Movie viewers will not be disappointed by Venditti and Weldele’s innovative and riveting sci-fi graphic novel, which has recently been re-issued by Top Shelf (2009). Incorporating strong, realistic language (and reflecting mature themes), the succinct, hard-hitting dialog is perfectly matched to the spare, sepia-toned artwork. Heavy shadows are juxtaposed with delicate lines, abstract images are balanced with a few clearly delineated details, backdrops are rendered in broad brushstrokes or from collaged photographs—contrasts that create the appropriate blend of realism and fantasy. This future world is fully realized in both text and pictures and supported with supplemental materials—such as e-newspaper “clippings”—that provide even greater depth. Greer’s inner struggle and doubts about this “filtered” way of life add complexity to his character and resonance to the story, which treats themes that include society’s obsession with physical appearance, the glittering temptations of technology, and perceptions of one’s own identity and self-worth. The re-issue presents a wealth of bonus materials, such as a “Behind the Scenes” look at the creation of the comic from concept, to script, to artwork. 

Featuring the same combination of spellbinding storytelling and striking visuals, Venditti and Weldele’s prequel, The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone, was published in 2009 by Top Shelf. In this story set 15 years prior to the events of the first book, a homeless man is brutally murdered by a surrogate, and uniformed police officer Harvey Greer soon finds himself part of the investigation. The crime’s consequences ripple throughout the community as the case garners media attention, the anti-surrogate population gathers around an enigmatic leader, and riots break out across the city. A powerful tale in its own right, this book builds a sound framework for its sequel by tracing the past lives of several important characters and revealing the intricacies of their relationships.

Pub Info

RUCKA, Greg. Whiteout: Volume One: The Definitive Edition. illus. by Steve Lieber. Oni Press, dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. 2007. pap. $13.95. ISBN978-1-932664-70-6.

_____. Whiteout: Volume Two: Melt: The Definitive Edition. illus. by Steve Lieber. Oni Press, dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. 2007. pap. $13.95. ISBN978-1-932664-71-3.

VENDITTI, Robert. The Surrogates. illus. by Brett Weldele. Top Shelf Productions, dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. 2009. pap. $19.95. ISBN 978-1-891830-87-7.