Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods !!!

The Tingler

New member
New interview over at SFX, which is a bit short when you consider that writer Rob Williams works for that magazine!

Here it is:

SFX?s own Rob Williams is the writer on Dark Horse?s new Indiana Jones comic book. He tells us how Indy?s returning to four-colour fortune and glory?

Where does this title fit in Indy continuity?


?Indiana Jones And The Tomb Of The Gods takes place in 1936, so after Temple Of Doom but before Raiders. It's an interesting period in Indy's character evolution. One of the main things we talked about from the off is the dichotomy in Indy's character between Temple - where his mantra is ?Fortune And Glory?- and Raiders, where it's 'That Belongs In A Museum'. He's obviously extremely driven to find these acheological objects, ruthless, even, but along the way he becomes more respectful to his 'art' and more altruistic. In Tomb Of The Gods, he's not yet at the point in his life where he drops the bazooka and lets Belloq have the Ark. The younger Indy wouldn't do that. So our story is another part of his development on the way to Raiders.?

What's your take on Indy?

?First and foremost, he's an archeologist. That's his core. One of the first lines in the script to issue one is someone asking him who he is, and he replies 'I'm a college professor.' That's why he's such a great action hero. Your Arnies and Stallones of this world are invulnerable. Indy gets the crap beaten out of him by all and sundry and he STILL keeps coming, still keeps chasing, he won't give up. That type of heroism is far more impressive. He hates snakes above everything but he still goes into the tomb to get the Ark. That's why he's a hero, and his vulnerabilities make us relate to him so much.?

What's the quest in Tomb of the Gods?

?I don't want to give away too much here, as building the mystery is a large part of the story, but we wanted to make the stakes huge right from the off, so it's something that could possibly mean disaster for the human race and, of course for Indy. The point being to not just put his life in danger, but his soul too. There's a MacGuffin - something that could mean that everything Indy has studied all these years is a lie - a chase across the globe, and, eventually, a revelation. You'll have to read the series to see just what Indy's looking for, but it's a mix of real world basis and the work of a certain famous author.?

Is there still a place for Indy in today's pop-culture landscape?

?There's always a place for heroism and charm. They'll never go out of fashion. When you're trying to learn to write you realise that it's a character's choices and actions that get an audience involved, and Indy's a true hero - taking on overwhelming odds with right on his side. Of course, if you give him some great dialogue, stunning locations and a cool mystery to solve then you have the recipe for some classic entertainment. And Indy is, first and foremost, a champion of knowledge and education. How wonderful is that in this dumbed down world??
 

yodazone

Member
The PULSE has a new interview with Rob Williams on the new "Tomb of the Gods" series:

http://www.comicon.com/pulse/

BY JENNIFER M. CONTINO
If seeing Indiana Jones in the theaters doesn't quite sate your fix for the action hero and his escapades, Dark Horse has just what the doctor ordered: some brand, spankin' new comic adventures! Rob Williams is scripting a four-issue limited series, Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods that takes place between Raiders of the Lost Ark and Temple of Doom. The writer hopes this will be the first of many new stories featuring the whip-cracking, snake hating archeologist, Henry Walton Jones, Jr., Ph.D.

THE PULSE: When I was a kid, I got to see the first two Indiana Jones movies at the movie theatre. They were both very exciting movies, but I always wondered what Han Solo was doing looking for these kinds of treasures .... When did you first see Indiana Jones?

WILLIAMS: I think it was Raiders in my crumbly local cinema, The White Palace in Pontypridd, South Wales (since knocked down, probably wisely). I don’t recall it having much of an effect on me, really. Nothing like what Star Wars had done a few years earlier, anyway. I can recall seeing the poster very clearly in the foyer, for some reason. Raiders had much more of an impact on me as a teenager. And as an adult I absolutely love it as a wonderful piece of storytelling and movie-making. I think it’s a much more adult friendly film than a kids’ movie. I do remember a school friend coming in to the sixth form room the morning after Raider had been on TV for the first time and him saying he hated it. We all asked why; “Too far fetched. Would never happen.” Now there’s a man not in tune with the appeals of fantasy.

THE PULSE: What did you initially think about this action adventurer? I liked him, because he enjoyed snakes about as much as I did. Also he had that cool whip!

WILLIAMS: As a kid it’s the action and the heroics. We’re talking about one of the great leading man movies of modern times, so when you’re a kid in a playground it’s fun being Indiana Jones. Punching bad guys. Leaping off horses. Hanging off the front of Nazi trucks (well, trucks driven by Nazis. I’m not suggesting that the vehicles themselves had bought into the ethos of National Socialism). And the hat and the whip work too, of course. Who’d have thought such simple wardrobe choices could be so memorable?

THE PULSE: There have been a few Indiana Jones comic series and miniseries in the past, but how is what you're doing now going to be different than what has come before?

WILLIAMS: From what I’ve read of the old Dark Horse and Marvel series’, they seemed happy to tell Indy stories in a comics format, which sounds bloody obvious, but one of the interesting things that struck me was that these stories are based on movies, and the comics I love tend to embrace cinematic storytelling. Incremental panel progressions, silent panels, that type of thing. You watch that amazing opening sequence at the start of Raiders, it’s pure visual storytelling. No dialogue. We’re trying to incorporate that cinematic feel into Tomb Of The Gods. We want to make this feel like an unearthed Indiana Jones movie.

THE PULSE: One of the great things about the world of Indiana Jones is that it was set in the past, so it really is the same as everyone remembers -- there isn't a lot of need to update this or that to be "modern." How does that make the task of scripting this series a little easier?

WILLIAMS: I’d say it makes it a little harder, but it’s fun. You have to research if you want it to feel authentic. A few examples, I wanted to use a DC-3 Dakota in the story, which is a beautiful graceful, elegant aircraft, but this is 1936 we’re talking about, and the DC-3 wasn’t in service then, so we’ve gone with a DC-2 instead. The opening action sequence takes place in Manhattan amongst the then-new skyscrapers – the Chrysler, the Empire State. The ’30s was the decade of the skyscrapers in New York, so you have to read up on what’s been built in ’36. Similarly, what type of guns are people using. Both Steve Scott (our artist) and I have put effort into trying to make this feel authentic. It’s enjoyable to try and immerse yourself in this period.


THE PULSE: You said the tone of this was going to be akin to Raiders of the Lost Ark. How so?

WILLIAMS: I was watching Last Crusade last night as it was showing on the TV and trying to put my finger on what’s different about the tone. I love Raiders. It’s one of my favourite movies, it has an outstanding script, and it does have a different feel to Temple Of Doom or Last Crusade. It seems somewhat more adult, more grown up. Like a Bogart movie. Indy himself seems more credible (even though it’s quite plainly heightened fantasy). Temple and Last Crusade are more knockabout Hollywood sequels. With Tomb Of The Gods we’re trying to keep the tone more like Raiders. The stakes are high, both for the world and for Indy’s soul. Those punches are going to hurt him a little more. And while there’ll be comedy – it’s an important aspect of the Indy movies – I’m trying to keep the balance Raiders-like rather than Last Crusade, where the father-son double act goes a bit broader.

THE PULSE: One of the things that most people like about Indiana Jones is he's a character that both young and old seem to enjoy equally, albeit for different reasons. How open is what you're doing going to be for the ages? Are you going for a more mature audience or are you writing for everyone, but not writing down or up to anyone?

WILLIAMS: I’m just writing the story I want to tell. As I’ve said, our marker is Raiders. And all ages seem to enjoy that movie. We want Tomb Of The Gods to be accessible, and Steve Scott’s art is certainly that – the likenesses of the characters are all there – it has a realistic, Bryan Hitch-like tone rather than being heavily stylised. This is a comic book that, we hope, people who don’t normally buy comics can enjoy.

THE PULSE: How much time is covered in the mini-series? What's Indy searching for or up against here?

WILLIAMS: We’re in 1936, between Temple Of Doom and Raiders. One thing we talked about from the start is the dichotomy of Indy’s drives in those two movies. In Temple it’s “Fortune And Glory” and in Raiders he’s much more “That belongs in a museum.” Actually, he grows in Raiders, it’s one of the great things about Lawrence Kasdan’s script. At the start he’s all about the thrill of the chase, the prize. By the close he lowers the bazooka and lets the Nazis have the Ark rather than blow it up. He learns respect and humility. That’s a journey that we’re following in Tomb Of The Gods. At our opening he’s a little arrogant and obsessive about our Macguffin, and that blinds him to a lot of the things around him. And as our story progresses there’s going to be a point where his soul is at risk. Does he turn his back on his better aspects in order to claim the prize? We’re treating this like it’s an important moment in his life. Indy wouldn’t lower the bazooka at the end of Raiders if he hadn’t experienced what he does in the finale of Tomb Of The Gods.

THE PULSE: I'd imagine it's tough not to hear Harrison Ford's voice as you're writing the dialogue for Indy. Is that actor's portrayal of the hero influential on your vision for who the character is now?

WILLIAMS: Oh, absolutely. And it’s Indy in Raiders, again. There’s a greater intensity and focus in Ford’s performance in Raiders than in the other two movies. And he’s wonderfully angry, too. There’s this great inner rage in Ford’s Indy, even when he’s screaming at Sallah not to bring camels to the battle at the close of Last Crusade. He seems pissed off with the world, like all leading men, he doesn’t say a lot too. It’s more about his actions.
 

yodazone

Member
THE PULSE: What are some of the other things that are influencing you the most right now as you work on this adventure?

WILLIAMS: Pressure! When I tell people I?m writing the new Indiana Jones comic they all seem to say how much they love the character. He?s so fondly remembered. So you know that, if you slip out of character, people are going to pick you up on it. People seem genuinely excited about this comic. It?s Indy?s big comics comeback. We don?t want to disappoint.

THE PULSE: How is working on an iconic series like Indiana Jones different from the work you're also doing within the Star Wars universes?

WILLIAMS: With the Star Wars comic there?s a load of expanded universe characters that are already established and out there. Indy?s not quite the same. OK, there?s the Young Indiana Jones TV series and the other comics and novels but there?s not the same density of expanded universe stuff. It felt like we had a little more of a free reign. And anyway, accessibility was a key word for us. Like I said earlier, we wanted this to be a comic you could pick up without having to know 14 graphic novels worth of Indy?s history.

THE PULSE: You mentioned this begins as a four issue miniseries and then will be an ongoing. With the ongoing, will you be doing any done-in-one type tales or will all of them be multiparts?

WILLIAMS: We?re still waiting to see on that. I?ve go the second arc planned and, if we get the go-ahead, I?m very excited about telling that particular story. I think it?s a cracker and it has a big reveal that I know Indy fans would fall off their chair for. I?m sure, if the movie?s as big as everyone thinks it will be, there?ll be more in this incarnation of Indiana Jones from Dark Horse.

THE PULSE: Why should PULSE readers give this new incarnation of comic book Indiana Jones a try?

WILLIAMS: Because it?s one of the great heroic figures of modern times returning to comic books. And that means spectacular action sequences, a compelling central supernatural mystery, nazis (you?ve got to have nazis, right?), a central threat that puts the world and Indy?s soul at risk, some fun comedy, Marcus Brody, multiple international locations, probably at least one snake. It?s the Indy movie that they never made, but should?ve back when Ford was in his mid-thirties. The art by Steve Scott?s outstanding and movie-like - as you?ll see from the preview pages, the likenesses? of the characters are great ? unlike previous Indy comics this actually looks like Harrison Ford and Denholm Elliott. And we have covers by Tony Harris. Why wouldn?t you give it a try?

THE PULSE: What other projects are you working on?

WILLIAMS: Well, running in 2000AD at the moment is The Ten-Seconders, with killer art by Ben Oliver (Ultimate X-Men) and a two-part Judge Dredd drawn by the excellent Richard Elson. A new series of Low Life has just started in the Judge Dredd Megazine with art by Rufus Dayglo (Tank Girl) and that?s looking great. And I have a two-part arc in Star Wars: Rebellion coming up, which is part of the Vector storyline, and the art on that by Dustin Weaver (Knights Of The Old Republic) is astonishingly good. Dustin?s going to be a star in this industry, I think. There?s a few other things in the works too, but nothing I can talk about yet. And more Indy, I hope.


Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be in theaters May 22. The first of four parts of Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods from Rob Williams and artist Steve Scott will be in stores this June.
 

00Kevin

Indyfan
OhioJones said:
Does anyone know the official release of this thing? Looks and sounds pretty good!
TITLE DATE PRICE

Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods #1 06-25-08
Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods #2 07-30-08
Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods #3 08-27-08

first issue is less than a month away! I've very excited, i enjoyed the indy comics alot!
 

yodazone

Member
New art page!

http://www.robwilliamscomics.co.uk/?m=200805

indytog.jpg



(y) (y) (y)
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Nice. I like how the whip splits the two panels. Let's hope whoever inks it does a good job.
Thanks, yodazone!(y)
 

Crack that whip

New member
Mmm, that's very nice art. I don't remember the last time I saw main narrative interior page art for a licensed title look this good. From a purely visual standpoint alone, this looks as though it'll be the new gold standard of Indy comics.

(y)
 

agentsands77

New member
Crack that whip said:
Mmm, that's very nice art. I don't remember the last time I saw main narrative interior page art for a licensed title look this good. From a purely visual standpoint alone, this looks as though it'll be the new gold standard of Indy comics.

(y)
Well, let's just hope the coloring is up to snuff. Poor coloring can really hurt great pencil work. So we'll see.

Anyway, I'm excited to check out this series. The Indy comics, for me, were always the best EU material.
 

Snakes

Member
I'm more worried about the inking personally. Bad inking can really ruin great pencil work. Great new page by the way, I'm really looking forward to this comic.
 

yodazone

Member
Dr.Sartorius said:
So the release date is June 25th, June 29th, or July 2nd?

Dark Horse has it listed for July 2nd on thier site, but the Diamond shipping lists are the most accurate for release dates.

They also bumped up the "Indiana Jones Adventures" book from September to June!

(y)
 
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