James Cameron’s Avatar comes to comics

By John Freeman on October 10, 2015

During a special panel at New York Comic Con 2015, Dark Horse Comics in conjunction with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment announced that Avatar, the highest-grossing film in history, will expand into the world of comic books in anticipation of the three upcoming film sequels.

Numerous British creators have of course worked on previous Twentieth Century Fox-licensed properties at Dark Horse.

In a special prerecorded message, James Cameron revealed that the new series of comics will help shed more light on the mythology and history of the beloved film franchise.

Cameron also noted, “For the past twenty-seven years, Dark Horse has been associated with my films The Terminator, Aliens, and The Abyss. I am excited that between now and the release of the first sequel, Dark Horse Comics will be bringing you new adventures from Pandora—covering the time before, during, and after the events of the original Avatar film.”

“James Cameron is one of the film industry’s greatest talents. His films, always on the cutting edge technologically, feature rich characters and amazing worlds, a fact reflected in Avatar’s status as the all time box-office champion,” said Dark Horse president and publisher Mike Richardson. “We couldn’t be more excited about working with James and his team at Lightstorm to expand the breathtaking world of Pandora.”

“We’re excited to be working with our longtime partner Dark Horse Comics to expand upon the rich storytelling of the Avatar universe, providing a whole new way for fans to interact. There are so many possible stories to explore and this is just beginning,” said Jeffrey Godsick, President of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products.

Released in 2009, James Cameron’s AVATAR is the highest-grossing film in motion picture history, with a box office gross of nearly $2.8 billion. Mesmerizing all ages across the globe with its otherworldly visuals and groundbreaking special effects, the film quickly became a worldwide phenomenon so popular it will be followed by three sequels, with the first sequel due for release in late 2017. AVATAR was named best drama at the Golden Globes and won Academy Awards for cinematography, visual effects and art direction.

• See a special message from James Cameron to Avatar fans on YouTube, and stay tuned for more details on the Avatar comic book series in the coming months

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.