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| © Jim Steranko |
Legendary artist Jim Steranko, who innovated comic book storytelling in the 1960s with his
iconic run on Marvel's entry in that decade's superspy sweepstakes,
Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., is once again contributing his talent to spy pop culture. On Sunday night the artist
Tweeted a series of design drawings he made for TNT's upcoming spy series
Agent X, starring Jeff Hephner and Sharon Stone. It's unclear if this sequence is intended for the show's main titles or for promotional spots, but it sure is cool!
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| © Jim Steranko |
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| © Jim Steranko |
According to Steranko, he "developed about 20 sequences for possible promo use," so this batch is just a teaser. TNT's creative director had noticed his influence on a number of recent film title sequences and asked if he had "the time and inclination" to contribute to Agent X. Steranko said he read the show bible and liked what he saw—which certainly bodes well for the series! (Steranko provided spot-on critiques of each episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. during the show's problematic first season, proving he's still got his finger on the pulse when it comes to determining what makes good spy entertainment.)
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| © Jim Steranko |
These are just a few extracts from the lengthy storyboard sequence he Tweeted (and sadly excerpting them takes a bit away from the full concept), so be sure to check out his Twitter feed and
see the whole thing, along with his stage directions. On top of henchmen who could be right out of one of his
Nick Fury comics, Steranko's sequence also offers nods to Saul Bass, Maurice Binder, and the terrific animated main titles from the Sixties TV classic
The Wild Wild West. I really hope they use this on the show!
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| © Jim Steranko |
As
previously reported,
Agent X debuts on TNT on Sunday, November 8 at 9/8c. Steranko is currently busy at work on the follow-up to IDW's spectacular
Artist's Edition of his classic Nick Fury comics from
Strange Tales. The first oversize hardcover volume, which reprints the artist's original, uncolored drawings at full size, meticulously reproduced from the original artwork itself, just earned Steranko a Harvey Award for his design work on it. In last night's barrage of Tweets (an unmissable weekly event), he revealed that the eagerly anticipated Volume 2 (collecting his art from the
Nick Fury monthly as well as his brief but spectacular run on
Captain America from the same era) would be 265 pages, with "extras in full color." I'm afraid there's still no word on a release date.
2 comments:
Are the "spot-on critiques" of the first season of "Agents of SHIELD" that Steranko wrote available online somewhere, and if so, where? I'd love to read them.
And thanks for the update on the Nick Fury/Captain America Artist's Edition. I've been bugging my local comic store for the last two months about it (I'd pre-ordered it), and I guess I'll stop now, until I hear otherwise. If you get word of a release date, please let us know. Thanks!
Steranko's critiques of Agents of SHIELD ran on the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER site
— JDS: Agent of STERANKO
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