'Big Trouble In Little China' Comic Teased By Boom! Studios [Updated]

It's a long-standing practice in comic book publishing: create stories that leap off from or are related to popular movies. Dark Horse Comics all but relied on runs of Aliens comics to keep the publisher going in early years; even Marvel scored with the Star Wars comic series in the late '70s and early '80s, just to name a couple obvious examples.

And so seeing that Boom! Studios may be doing some sort of Big Trouble in Little China comic book, even with the involvement of Goon creator Eric Powell, may not be a huge deal. Great for the hardcore fans and those who like Powell's work (which should be everyone, really, because he's quite good) but maybe not such a big deal for an audience that just wants films.

Thing is, Boom! Studios has a really interesting deal with Fox that makes us wonder about the potential for this title.

Update: More details have been revealed. The comic will be a direct sequel to the film, with the participation of director John Carpenter. More info follows the poster image pasted below.

So what does this have to do with a movie? Perhaps nothing, but over the past year Boom! has been setting up comic movie properties as possible film packages, with the idea of making remake/prequel/sequel setups for fan-favorite films. In short, if Boom! comes up with a comic that does well, there's always the chance that the deal would see it turned into a film.

From a THR article that ran last October, there's this info: "Boom! also will gain access to Fox's back catalog, where it can pick and choose films to reboot in comic book form. The studio could then take those reconceived titles and use them to develop remakes, with Boom! acting as a producer."

Could that also apply to prequels or sequels? THR also pointed us to Powell's tweet about the Big Trouble in Little China comic, which promises more info on Friday. Here's the teaser art by Powell.

Update: The book is written by Powell, "with insight from [John] Carpenter" and artwork done by Brian Churilla (pencils on The Sixth Gun: Sons of the Gun). Eight issues are currently planned, with two four-issue arcs. Powell told CBR,

I really wanted to focus on Jack and the Pork Chop Express. He's a trucker. He gets around. He's got some stories to tell... Jack definitely has the lead role of the comic — not sure I'd call him a hero... Egg plays a major role. So does a character from the film that I think will surprise some people. We've also have a few new characters who pop up and aren't happy with ol' Jack... It was really awesome getting to discuss the book and characters with [John Carpenter] in that first meeting. To say we were on the same page with what the book should be would be an understatement.