Red (comics)
Encyclopedia
Red is a three-issue comic book
mini-series
published in 2003
and 2004
by WildStorm
imprint Homage Comics
. It was created by writer Warren Ellis
and artist Cully Hamner
.
Michael Beesley, the newly politically appointed Director of the CIA, is taken to Room R as part of his initiation, where he learns of Moses' existence and the full extent of his activities. Disgusted by what he has seen, and fearing public reaction should any of those secrets leak out, he orders the assassination of Moses.
A three man hit-team is sent to Moses' residence, and he kills them, recognizing the pattern of the attack and realizing his death has been sanctioned. He calls his handler only to learn that she has been transferred. He informs the Agency that his status has changed from Green to Red before leaving his house and going on the hunt.
The series was previously collected into a trade paperback
with another Ellis-written mini-series, Tokyo Storm Warning
:
had optioned Red as a feature film. Whiteout
screenwriters Erich and Jon Hoeber wrote the adaptation, directed by Robert Schwentke
of The Time Traveler's Wife
and produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura
and Mark Vahradian of Transformers. Principal photography began in January 2010 in Toronto and Louisiana with stars Bruce Willis
and Morgan Freeman
. The film was more of a comedy as opposed to the more serious tone of the series, and several new characters were introduced. Ellis explains that “yes, RED the film is very different. Not least because it needed to generate more material than the book itself actually constituted”.
, it was announced that Cully Hamner
would return to both write and illustrate the Paul Moses character for a 40-page prequel called Red: Eyes Only. Ellis gave his blessing to the project, but chose not to participate.
In addition, four prequels were produced featuring characters created for the movie and written by the screenwriters: Victoria, Joe, Marvin, Frank.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
mini-series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published in 2003
2003 in comics
-January:* January 2: Kid Colt artist Jack Keller dies at age 80.- April :* Action Comics #800: Double-sized anniversary issue, "A Hero's Journey," by Joe Kelly, Pascual Ferry, and Duncan Rouleau...
and 2004
2004 in comics
-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....
by WildStorm
WildStorm
WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, published American comic books. Originally an independent company established by Jim Lee and further expanded upon in subsequent years by other creators, WildStorm became a publishing imprint of DC Comics in 1999...
imprint Homage Comics
Homage Comics
Homage Comics was a comic book publishing imprint, a subdivision of Wildstorm. It was created in 1995 to focus more on writer-driven titles. As part of Wildstorm, it was acquired by DC Comics in 1998...
. It was created by writer Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
and artist Cully Hamner
Cully Hamner
Cully Hamner is an American comic book artist and writer.-Career:Since his 1992 debut on Green Lantern: Mosaic, Hamner has worked for nearly every major American comic book publisher, and is chiefly known for such titles as the aforementioned Green Lantern: Mosaic, Blue Beetle, and Red...
.
Plot
Paul Moses is a retired Agent of the CIA, formerly working in "foreign acquisitions". Living in a secluded area, his human contacts are limited to pleasant phone calls to his handler (who desires what she believes to have been Moses' type of work) and letters to a niece who lives in England.Michael Beesley, the newly politically appointed Director of the CIA, is taken to Room R as part of his initiation, where he learns of Moses' existence and the full extent of his activities. Disgusted by what he has seen, and fearing public reaction should any of those secrets leak out, he orders the assassination of Moses.
A three man hit-team is sent to Moses' residence, and he kills them, recognizing the pattern of the attack and realizing his death has been sanctioned. He calls his handler only to learn that she has been transferred. He informs the Agency that his status has changed from Green to Red before leaving his house and going on the hunt.
Collected editions
In June 2009, DC Comics released a collection of the series that includes the script to issue #1 and never-before-seen developmental art and a new cover by Hamner. (DC ISBN 140122346X, Titan Books, ISBN 1848562934)The series was previously collected into a trade paperback
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
with another Ellis-written mini-series, Tokyo Storm Warning
Tokyo Storm Warning
Tokyo Storm Warning is a three-issue comic book mini-series published in 2003 by WildStorm imprint Cliffhanger. It was written by Warren Ellis, with art by James Raiz and Andrew Currie.-Publication history:...
:
- Red/Tokyo Storm Warning (144 pages, June 2004, ISBN 1401202837)
Film
On June 12, 2008, The Hollywood Reporter announced on its front page that Summit EntertainmentSummit Entertainment
Summit Entertainment LLC is an independent film studio headquartered in Santa Monica, California with international offices in London.-History:...
had optioned Red as a feature film. Whiteout
Whiteout (2008 film)
Whiteout is a 2009 thriller film based on the 1998 comic book of the same name by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber, and released on September 11, 2009...
screenwriters Erich and Jon Hoeber wrote the adaptation, directed by Robert Schwentke
Robert Schwentke
Robert Schwentke is a German film director best known for the films Tattoo and Flightplan.He was a graduate of Columbia College Hollywood in 1992....
of The Time Traveler's Wife
The Time Traveler's Wife (film)
The Time Traveler's Wife is a 2009 romantic film based on Audrey Niffenegger's 2003 novel of the same name. Directed by Robert Schwentke, the film stars Eric Bana as Henry DeTamble, a Chicago librarian with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel randomly as he tries to build a romantic...
and produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Lorenzo di Bonaventura
-Life and career:He spent the 1990s as an executive at Warner Bros. Pictures, eventually rising to President of Worldwide Production. His production company di Bonaventura Pictures is based at Paramount Pictures. His tenure at Warner Bros. included discovering and shepherding The Matrix into...
and Mark Vahradian of Transformers. Principal photography began in January 2010 in Toronto and Louisiana with stars Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles...
and Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
. The film was more of a comedy as opposed to the more serious tone of the series, and several new characters were introduced. Ellis explains that “yes, RED the film is very different. Not least because it needed to generate more material than the book itself actually constituted”.
Comics prequel
In the summer of 2010 and in light of the release of the film version of RedRed (2010 film)
RED is a 2010 American action comedy film loosely inspired by the three-issue comic book series of the same name created by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner, and published by the DC Comics imprint Homage...
, it was announced that Cully Hamner
Cully Hamner
Cully Hamner is an American comic book artist and writer.-Career:Since his 1992 debut on Green Lantern: Mosaic, Hamner has worked for nearly every major American comic book publisher, and is chiefly known for such titles as the aforementioned Green Lantern: Mosaic, Blue Beetle, and Red...
would return to both write and illustrate the Paul Moses character for a 40-page prequel called Red: Eyes Only. Ellis gave his blessing to the project, but chose not to participate.
In addition, four prequels were produced featuring characters created for the movie and written by the screenwriters: Victoria, Joe, Marvin, Frank.
External links
- Red at the DC Database