RIP Steve Dillon

Legendary comic book artist Steve Dillon has passed away at the age of 56.

Dillon was a comic book prodigy. He sold his first professional work at the age of just 16, for the UK Hulk Weekly comic. He later drew the Nick Fury strip in the same comic. In 1980 he designed the iconic Doctor Who Magazine comic character Abslom Daak, Dalek Killer, and went on to draw many of his appearances in the title. He also worked on the 2000AD comic, particularly the Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper and ABC Warriors strips.

In the 1990s Dillon formered a working partnership with writer Garth Ennis, first on a run on Hellblazer and then in their own collaborative title, the enormously popular and critically-acclaimed Preacher (which has recently transitioned to TV as an AMC series). Dillon has also been acclaimed for his long-running work on The Punisher.

Dillon's work was straightforward but packed with character, incident and detail. I'm less familiar with his US work, but I was a big fan of his work on the Doctor Who comic, particularly his creation of Abslom Daak, and his 2000AD period. He will be missed, as he has gone far too young.

PREACHER airdate and new pics

AMC have released some new pics ahead of debuting their new TV series, Preacher.

From left to right: W. Earl Brown as Sherrif Hugo Root, Ian Colletti as Arseface, Lucy Griffiths as Emily, Ruth Negga as Tulip O'Hare, Dominic Cooper as Jesse, Joseph Gilgun as Cassidy, Derek Wilson as Donnie, Tom Brooke as Fiore and Anatol Yusef as DeBlanc.

Based on the critically-acclaimed, highly successful graphic novels by Garth Ennis, Preacher is the story of a Texan preacher, Jesse Custer, who gets embroiled in a story involving vampires, demons and primordial dark powers whilst he searches for God. Literally.

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are writing and directing, with Breaking Bad veteran Sam Catlin serving as showrunner. The TV series debuts on 22 May.

The SF and Fantasy novels currently being developed for the screen

After a glut of recent news, here's a list of all the science fiction and fantasy novels, short stories and novellas which are currently being developed for the screen. Natalie Zutter's article for Tor.com from last year was a helpful reference point for this post. Please follow after the break (this is a very long article).

Trailer for the PREACHER TV series

AMC have released the first trailer for their TV version of Garth Ennis's Preacher graphic novel series.

Preacher debuts on AMC in 2016, starring Dominic Cooper (Howard Stark from the Marvel Cinematic Universe films and TV shows) as Jesse Custer.

PREACHER greenlit for a full season at AMC

The television version of Garth Ennis's Preacher has been greenlit for a full season, following a positive reception to the internal pilot episode. AMC will shoot ten episodes, with the season expected to debut in May 2016.

Garth Ennis's comic series has been optioned several times before by various studios (including HBO) but has stumbled due to its controversial subject matter. The latest attempt was spearheaded by comedian, writer and actor Seth Rogen, who remains on board as executive producer. Evan Goldberg will also produce, with Breaking Bad's Sam Catlin serving as showrunner.

The series stars Dominic Cooper as Reverend Jesse Custer, Ruth Negga as Tulip and Joseph Gilgun as Cassidy, Tom Fiore as Brooke and W. Earl Brown as Sherrif Hugo Root. Recurring actors will include Ian Colletti as Eugene "Arseface" Root, Lucy Griffiths as Emily Woodrow and Elizabeth Perkins as Vyla Quincannon.

PREACHER TV show given a pilot order by Sony

Garth Ennis's ultra-dark, ultra-violent comic book Preacher is to be adapted for television. HBO was offered the project several years ago and passed on it, by some reports to make Game of Thrones instead. Sam Mendes was then tipped to direct a movie version, but eventually opted for Skyfall, noting that the property was better-suited for TV. Sony Pictures Television, the makers of the recently-concluded Breaking Bad, have now picked up the TV rights.

Rumours that Arseface will be played by Piers Morgan cannot be substantiated at this time.

Sony have given an order for a pilot, with AMC (which screens The Walking Dead) picking up the US broadcast rights. Seth Rogen (yes, that one), Evan Goldberg and Breaking Bad writer Sam Caitlin are developing the series. Ennis is on board as a creative consultant.

Preacher centres on Jesse Custer, a preacher from Texas, who gains tremendous powers to influence other beings with the Word of God. Custer also learns of chaos erupting in Heaven in the wake of God going AWOL, with the angels urgently dispatching agents to recover the Word of God. Vampires and other supernatural entities also feature. The comic ran for 75 issues, running from 1995 to 2000, racking up huge amounts of both controversy (for its depiction of the Christian religion) and accolades alike.