Today, more and more comic books writers and artists are turning to the internet to showcase a new comic or graphic novel. The UK’s online graphic novel The Many Worlds of Jonas Moore might become a television series under MGM Domestic Television Distribution.
The announcement was recently made by Chris Ottinger, Executive Vice President of MGM.
“MGM is a great place for THE MANY WORLDS OF JONAS MOORE,” said Howard Webster, creator, producer and director of the project for Factory Publishing in association with Triumph Motorcycles. “There has never been a black British action hero before and what appealed to me was that MGM understood this from the outset. JONAS MOORE is sophisticated, educated, tough and uber-cool. He represents the next generation of intelligent action heroes of international sci-fi drama.”
Ruth Vitale—a key player in bringing the project to MGM and pitching the idea with Webster—is Executive Producer on the project. She and Webster have worked together for the last four years on Factory Magazine.
So what is The Many Worlds of Jonas Moore—besides a trilogy of online second-generation graphic novels meant for iPod and PC download?
THE MANY WORLDS OF JONAS MOORE is set in a time where the British Empire has never ended and America is just one of thousands of virtual worlds hosted on a vast global game network. When Jonas Moore (portrayed online by British film and TV star Colin Salmon — Resident Evil, Die Another Day, Prime Suspect and the upcoming Punisher: War Zone, and Blood: The Last Vampire), a character personally created by the network’s founder, becomes self-aware he is tagged by the network as a virus and goes on the run. As he moves from one artificial game world to the next, his knowledge of the games and the real-world gamers spreads like a virus to the other game characters, freaks, creatures and monsters who live as slaves within the network - precipitating a revolution and fight for freedom against the murderously addicted real-world gamers. Worlds Apart lead singer Steve Hart wrote the score for the production and also stars in the online version.
Combining comic book illustration with 3D animation, live action photography, newsreel archival footage, and an original music score, THE MANY WORLDS OF JONAS MOORE marks a revolution in online branded entertainment and user-generated content. Pushing the boundaries of the graphic novel genre, THE MANY WORLDS OF JONAS MOORE engages fans by inviting them to become part of the journey by downloading the JONAS MOORE digital elements and animating their own stories or creating comic book adventures for JONAS MOORE. Garage bands and musicians all over the world are also invited to strip out the music and send in their own soundtracks. The best fan-generated comic books, animations and soundtracks will be posted at www.jonasmoore.com when the online digital comic book series goes live later this year.
The Jonas Moore website recaps the story and features exclusive downloads (previews, production notes and stills, comic artwork, elements, the press release, and wallpapers), a gallery, and various links to learn more about the comic.
Stay up-to-date by signing up for email news. And ya hear that, music lovers? There’s even a cool way for you to promote your band or music. Sounds pretty neat to me. 
You can also check out previews at Factory Publishing’s website.
About Factory Publishing Ltd.
For over five years, Factory Publishing Ltd has been producing a title that regularly impacts with special editions on the top 10,000 names in the movie and TV industry in LA and NY from its base in London. Its new online edition, found at www.factory-publishing.com, has attracted over 2 million hits to date. Factory’s founder, Howard Webster, is a photographer and film director (www.howardwebsterphotography.
About THE MANY WORLDS OF JONAS MOORE
Combining comic book illustration with 3D animation, live action photography, newsreel archival footage, and an original music score, THE MANY WORLDS OF JONAS MOORE marks a revolution in online branded entertainment and user-generated content. Pushing the boundaries of the graphic novel genre, THE MANY WORLDS OF JONAS MOORE also engages fans by inviting them to become part of the journey by downloading the JONAS MOORE digital elements and animating their own stories or creating comic book adventures for JONAS MOORE. A special extended preview of THE MANY WORLDS OF JONAS MOORE is posted at Factory magazine online (www.factory-publishing.com). The full online digital graphic novel series for THE MANY WORLDS OF JONAS MOORE is scheduled for a late 2008 release, with the creative assets for fans to exploit and mash-up.
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries, is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Domestic Networks LLC, MGM Distribution Co, MGM International Television Distribution In, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 120 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
