Nonplayer Goes Hollywood

The cat's out of the bag: Nonplayer has been picked up by Warner Bros.!

From Variety:

Warner Bros. has acquired feature film rights to Nate Simpson's comicbook "Nonplayer" from publisher Image Comics and has set up the potential tentpole project with producers Roy Lee ("The Ring") and David Heyman (the "Harry Potter" series).

"Nonplayer" is a sci-fi/fantasy story about Dana Stevens, a brilliant young woman who retreats from the dismal workaday world of the future into the digital fantasy realm of Jarvath, where she's a fearless warrior.

First of six issues went on sale in April.

Prior to "Nonplayer," Simpson worked as a videogame concept artist.

Heyman most recently produced WB's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," which has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide since opening last month. He's in production on Alfonso Cuaron's Sandra Bullock starrer "Gravity," which WB recently skedded for release on Nov. 21, 2012.

Lee recently produced Lionsgate's upcoming Taylor Lautner thriller "Abduction" and served as an exec producer on CBS Films' Daniel Radcliffe starrer "The Woman in Black." He's developing a remake of the South Korean classic "Oldboy" for Mandate Pictures.

In other news, my interview with Ben Peirce over at the NEAR MINTerview podcast went up today. If you're interested in hearing the details about how Nonplayer evolved from pictures on a blog into a full-on Image comic, you may find our chat illuminating! We also talk about the reasons for the issue 2 delay, as well as what's being done to get it finished. Plus lots of other stuff. Thanks for the great interview, Ben!

Nate Won the Russ Manning Award!

From the Eisner Awards Website:

Nate Simpson, artist of Nonplayer(published by Image), was the recipient of the 2011 Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award (commonly referred to as The Manning Award) as part of the 2011 Eisner Awards held Friday, July 22nd, as part of Comic-Con International: San Diego, North America's largest comic book and popular arts convention.

The Manning Award has been given out annually at the San Diego Comic-Con since 1982. It is presented to a comics artist who, early in his or her career, shows a superior knowledge and ability in the art of creating comics. It is named for Russ Manning, the artist best known for his work on the Tarzan and Star Warsnewspaper strips and the Magnus, Robot Fighter comic book. Russ was a popular guest at the San Diego convention in the 1970s. The first recipient of the award was former Manning assistant Dave Stevens. Other past recipients include Jan Duursema, Steve Rude, Scott McCloud, Art Adams, Eric Shanower, Dan Brereton, Jeff Smith, Gene Ha, Alexander Maleev, Goran Sudzuka, Eric Wight, David Petersen, Cathy Malkasian, Eleanor Davis, and Marion Churchland.

The 2011 nominees were:

• Janet Lee, artist of Return of the Dapper Men (published by Archaia)
• Adam Hines, writer/artist of Duncan the Wonder Dog (published by AdHouse)
• David Marquez, writer/artist of Days Missing and Syndrome (published by Archaia)
• Paul Roman Martinez, artist of Adventures of the 19XX (published by Kopetkai)
• Nate Simpson, artist of Nonplayer (published by Image)

Thanks guys!

Nate at San Diego Comic Con

I've been making noises like I wouldn't be making it to San Diego Comic Con this year, but it turns out those noises were inaccurate. I'll be at the Image booth next Friday from 3:45 to 4:45. Feel free to swing by and say hello -- I'm happy to answer questions, talk shop, smile at babies, sign stuff, talk with babies, shop for questions, quest for answers, and sign babies.

See you there!

Vancouver Comic Con

I'm in Vancouver -- Canada's life-sized Sim City map! You can find me at the Vancouver Comic Con today from 11 am to 5 pm. I've brought a few stacks of Nonplayer #1 to sell, as well as some new posters (the first four pages of the comic are now available in poster form). My studio mate Moritat (The Spirit, Elephantmen) will also be attending. If you're in a gift-giving mood, I quite enjoy donuts, while Moritat prefers alfalfa sprouts.

See you there!

Free Comic Book Day Signing at Arcane Comics

Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday, May 7, and I'll be making an appearance at Arcane Comics from noon to 4pm! I will be selling and signing advance copies from the second printing of Nonplayer #1, as well as selling some very handsome little posters. Please drop by to say hello!

Arcane Comics is located in Ballard:

5809 15th Avenue Northwest
Seattle, WA 98107-3006

Hope to see you there!

-Nate

Nonplayer Now Available at ComiXology

I'm happy to report that Nonplayer has gone digital! Issue #1 is now available for download at comiXology!

They've also posted a nice little interview with me.

If comics on paper are more your speed, the second printing of issue #1 will appear at your local comic shop on May 11.

Thanks!

Stumptown Comics Fest This Weekend

This weekend, I'll be at the Stumptown Comics Fest in Portland, OR. If you're in the area and you'd like me to sign your copy of Nonplayer, please visit! I've got my signin' wrist all limbered up. I will also be selling (and, if you like, signing) posters.

I had not anticipated the shortage of issues of Nonplayer #1, however, and I'm only able to bring ten copies to the convention. There will be a raffle, with five issues given out on Saturday at 4pm and the other five awarded on Sunday at 4pm. But wait, that's not all! When you enter the raffle, you're guaranteed first priority when second-printing copies of #1 go up at the Nonplayer store on May 11. So in the loosest possible sense, everybody wins! I'm hoping that everybody who wants one will get one this time around.

On a related note, the second printing of Nonplayer #1 will be hitting stands everywhere on May 11. Image bases the size of their print runs on the number of preorders they get from retailers, so if you want a copy, now's the time to call up your local comic shop and reserve one. The deadline for ordering is April 18 -- this coming Monday. Please tell your friends!

Also, if you have sent me a message online over the last couple of weeks and haven't yet received a response, please know that I am not ignoring you! I am slowly chipping away at my inbox, but I'm doing my best not to let the internet derail my work on issue 2. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks to everybody who bought (or attempted to buy) Nonplayer last week. It's been a very exciting time, and I owe it all to you guys!