The Hollywood Effect

Exclaim.ca talks about actors, script writers and other Hollywood types breaking into comics:

Playing a movie superhero gives you the inherent right to try your hand at the medium. Or that seems to be the supposition of actor Thomas Jane; the character actor has been seen in critical hits like Boogie Nights and The Thin Red Line, but he’s lately known for portraying vigilante Frank Castle in the 2004 version of The Punisher (and its announced sequel). He’s just the latest to join the ranks of “celebrities” who are translating fame into cross-promotional opportunities; lacking the style profile for a fragrance or shoe, Jane has launched his own comic, Bad Planet.

If you equate credentials with a legitimate interest and enthusiasm for the genre, Jane certainly has that: he’s a long-time collector of pre-Code horror and sci-fi comics. (The late ’40s/early ’50s period of comics before the Comics Code was introduced to police their content.) Despite this enthusiasm, Jane’s comic lacks a compelling story that’s necessary to drive a narrative. Given that he has no experience — as a writer or comic creator — Jane made the smart move to recruit top-notch artists and painters to help bring his vision to fruition.

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