A new management company called Elevate Entertainment has inked an overall deal with Howard Chaykin, the accomplished comic book writer and artist of "American Flagg!," to option two comic books from his catalog and three new titles for TV and film development.
Announced in The Hollywood Reporter, the story makes no mention of which Chaykin projects might be in the works as potential movie deals -- but even with a library that contains a vast amount of comic books, the writer's most popular creation, "American Flagg!" is almost certainly towards the top of the list.
"American Flagg!" focuses on former television star Reuben Flagg as he's drafted into military police service in a futuristic Chicago. The comic book featured heavy doses of social commentary through its over-exaggerated depictions of television, sex and violence.
One of the highlights of the comic is Raul the talking cat, a character that could easily appeal to a younger audience or could even serve a similar function as Stewie on "Family Guy" with surprisingly witty adult-oriented commentary.
The comic book certainly has excellent potential as a film adaptation, but it's not without its difficulties. As the story is heavily centered on futuristic technology, "American Flagg!" would require a hefty budget to realistically convey the world of the comics. But will studios want to invest so heavily in a comic book property that is no longer in publication and whose fanbase consists mostly of comic readers from the 1980s?
Aside from "American Flagg!," Chaykin has several other projects in his catalogue that would make for fine film adaptations. "Time²," for example, is a personal favorite of Chaykin's and could have some major support from the writer-artist. The graphic novel is described as full of jazz, love and moral ambiguity in an alternate version of New York City.
Another project that could be in the works is the controversial "Black Kiss," originally published by Vortex Comics in 1988. The series focused on sex-crazed vampires and was incredibly successful during its publication. In today's post-"Twilight" film climate, the words "sex" and "vampires" have never been greener in Hollywood.
It might be a little while before we know for sure which of Chaykin's projects are getting the film treatment, but one thing is certain -- every single one of them packs a heck of a punch.
What's your favorite Howard Chaykin comic book? Which one do you think would make for the best movie adaptation? Wave your Flagg in our comments section!
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