I'd kind of prefer there not be a Dollhouse comic, if ever, for a long time. Seems to me the premise is so built specifically around Eliza that it needs to be seen and develop that way before lending itself to other media.
Whilst I wouldn't object to see things like the artwork and such, you know, I think there's a possibility to peg yourself into a corner before the show has even begun if you've comic booked your way into things. Meaning - something like Southland Tales, great, there's a 3 part comic book story set before the movie, but going into a movie have I had less enjoyment because I didn't read the comic book? Is that fair?
Also, if you've set certain things up in the comic book and then it transpires you can't do it on screen for whatever reason (casting, network, whatever) I can imagine it being an issue.
Anyhow back to the Dollhouse comic book. This is a typical non committal answer from Joss that gets puffed up and made to look substantial i.e.
Hack: "Will you cast Brad Pitt in Dollhouse?"
Joss: "[laughs]It'll probably not happen."
Joss says maybe to Brad in Dollhouse
Though I could see a Dollhouse comic book happening along the same lines for Heroes i.e. supplementary online multimedia content. I guessing Fox will provide additional extras for the show in some shape or fashion and a comic book would be ideal.
Aside from that... I think a comic would be great if the show never, ever gets picked up. But it has already, for seven episodes, I reckon those seven will happen, even if its a few years down the line. If after those seven, the show gets canceled (hate to be a pessimist, speaking hypothetically) I would love to see a comic made. But I need the TV show first. Also, Tara.
From a purely I'm-on-a-budget-at-the-moment/trying-to-save perspective, I would far prefer Dollhouse to be available on the cable I already pay for rather than requiring me to spend extra money each month on a comic book. I love comics, but I think I'm ready to watch new Joss TV again (and I am, by necessity, cheap at the moment. That was the point I was going for, that cheapness = wanting this as a TV series).
Wait, what? Joss Whedon has not hinted that Morgan Freeman would not play Wonder Woman in an upcoming comic book adaptation of a Serenity sequel where Wash is secretly still alive and was an Alliance mole all along? But do the bracelets work in space?!
Meaning - something like Southland Tales, great, there's a 3 part comic book story set before the movie, but going into a movie have I had less enjoyment because I didn't read the comic book? Is that fair?
And Star Wars the novel came out before Star Wars (A New Hope) the movie did. Did that hurt your enjoyment of Star Wars?
Well, technically, one would probably enjoy the movie more with the added info from the book, since Luke and Biggs' friendship was given more depth in deleted scenes. But that's not the point. If those graphic novels were done with any skill at all, they were done to add stuff (background, depth) to the movie that the movie wouldn't have had anyway.
I don't think it's fair to say that a tie-in dimishes the core product just by its existence.
That said, Joss created Dollhouse with and for Eliza, so there's really no way he's going to start it as a comic. Joss is clearly talking about a tie-in to the show being somewhat possible someday, and Aussiello sounds like he wants us to think that Joss'll take the series to comics instead of TV if the strike lasts.
Definitely ! Or at least, Joss hasn't said they don't. Which is nearly definitely, right ?
Re: other media prequels, I kind of see gossi's point but I also really like the idea of stories that sprawl a bit, play off the high-points of what a medium can do to create a complete universe (and the sort of watercolour art in the "Southland Tales" comics is very nice).
(and this is pure speculation since I haven't seen it yet, but I do suspect the "Southland Tales" graphic novels in particular will enhance the film experience - if for no other reason than they prepare you in advance for the sort of ideas that might be floating around i.e. viewers that have read them may grasp more on a first viewing than those that haven't. Much moreso than e.g. the "Heroes" comics which look more like normal extras)
It's way too early for "Dollhouse" comics though, that's built around Eliza and i'd like to see her as Echo initially, not someone else's interpretation of her. And of all Joss' 'verses so far, I think it probably has the most straightforward episodic appeal so not really a perfect fit to the serial ongoing nature of comics.
A one-shot Dollhouse prequel comic would be cool. Something that sets the scene, maybe tosses out a mystery-- it wouldn't even have to use the same characters as the show (actually, I think it would be better if it didn't)-- and the plot could be unrelated other than the fact it takes place in a "dollhouse". I could really get into something like that.
Hey look a comic book called Echo coming out in March.
Ha! I hadn't even made that connection, yet.
Marvel has had a character called Echo running around for years, of course. A character who can learn new skills pretty much instantly by copying what she sees. ;-)
... and the plot could be unrelated other than the fact it takes place in a "dollhouse". I could really get into something like that.
Actually, despite what I said above, that could be cool. Maybe set in the first "Dollhouse", a prototype where things went wrong/were aborted for reasons related to another Doll's emerging consciousness (as Echo herself starts to develop) ? So long as the characters were all different it'd be fine.
(and wow Telltale, I thought "Heroes" had come up with an original ability for once. Not so much as it turns out ;)
If Joss was directly involved in a Dollhouse comic, I'd read it. If it was out of the series canon, like the Buffy novels and the earlier Dark Horse stuff, I'd give it a pass. That's really the only deal breaker for me.
The One True b!X | November 21, 11:24 CET
UnpluggedCrazy | November 21, 12:02 CET
Shey | November 21, 12:07 CET
electricspacegirl | November 21, 12:10 CET
Also, if you've set certain things up in the comic book and then it transpires you can't do it on screen for whatever reason (casting, network, whatever) I can imagine it being an issue.
gossi | November 21, 12:56 CET
Why not?
Anyhow back to the Dollhouse comic book. This is a typical non committal answer from Joss that gets puffed up and made to look substantial i.e.
Hack: "Will you cast Brad Pitt in Dollhouse?"
Joss: "[laughs]It'll probably not happen."
Joss says maybe to Brad in Dollhouse
Though I could see a Dollhouse comic book happening along the same lines for Heroes i.e. supplementary online multimedia content. I guessing Fox will provide additional extras for the show in some shape or fashion and a comic book would be ideal.
Simon | November 21, 13:04 CET
Hmm, so basically "No. But it's not actually impossible". That's a helluva scoop, Ausiello can now retire and give up this life of "journalism" ;).
Saje | November 21, 13:19 CET
People say 'no' to Morgan Freeman?!
Aside from that... I think a comic would be great if the show never, ever gets picked up. But it has already, for seven episodes, I reckon those seven will happen, even if its a few years down the line. If after those seven, the show gets canceled (hate to be a pessimist, speaking hypothetically) I would love to see a comic made. But I need the TV show first. Also, Tara.
Vortigun | November 21, 13:42 CET
billz | November 21, 14:32 CET
Madhatter | November 21, 17:28 CET
swanland | November 21, 18:04 CET
Madhatter | November 21, 18:10 CET
swanland | November 21, 18:23 CET
Madhatter | November 21, 18:43 CET
swanland | November 21, 18:52 CET
Kris | November 21, 20:46 CET
*runs to pen blog entry*
Sunfire | November 22, 01:39 CET
And Star Wars the novel came out before Star Wars (A New Hope) the movie did. Did that hurt your enjoyment of Star Wars?
Well, technically, one would probably enjoy the movie more with the added info from the book, since Luke and Biggs' friendship was given more depth in deleted scenes. But that's not the point. If those graphic novels were done with any skill at all, they were done to add stuff (background, depth) to the movie that the movie wouldn't have had anyway.
I don't think it's fair to say that a tie-in dimishes the core product just by its existence.
That said, Joss created Dollhouse with and for Eliza, so there's really no way he's going to start it as a comic. Joss is clearly talking about a tie-in to the show being somewhat possible someday, and Aussiello sounds like he wants us to think that Joss'll take the series to comics instead of TV if the strike lasts.
Niels | November 22, 01:41 CET
Definitely ! Or at least, Joss hasn't said they don't. Which is nearly definitely, right ?
Re: other media prequels, I kind of see gossi's point but I also really like the idea of stories that sprawl a bit, play off the high-points of what a medium can do to create a complete universe (and the sort of watercolour art in the "Southland Tales" comics is very nice).
(and this is pure speculation since I haven't seen it yet, but I do suspect the "Southland Tales" graphic novels in particular will enhance the film experience - if for no other reason than they prepare you in advance for the sort of ideas that might be floating around i.e. viewers that have read them may grasp more on a first viewing than those that haven't. Much moreso than e.g. the "Heroes" comics which look more like normal extras)
It's way too early for "Dollhouse" comics though, that's built around Eliza and i'd like to see her as Echo initially, not someone else's interpretation of her. And of all Joss' 'verses so far, I think it probably has the most straightforward episodic appeal so not really a perfect fit to the serial ongoing nature of comics.
Saje | November 22, 03:01 CET
http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/11667.html
Simon | November 22, 03:08 CET
dispatch | November 22, 03:14 CET
Ha! I hadn't even made that connection, yet.
Marvel has had a character called Echo running around for years, of course. A character who can learn new skills pretty much instantly by copying what she sees. ;-)
Niels | November 22, 03:30 CET
Actually, despite what I said above, that could be cool. Maybe set in the first "Dollhouse", a prototype where things went wrong/were aborted for reasons related to another Doll's emerging consciousness (as Echo herself starts to develop) ? So long as the characters were all different it'd be fine.
(and wow Telltale, I thought "Heroes" had come up with an original ability for once. Not so much as it turns out ;)
Saje | November 22, 03:46 CET
NimNams | November 22, 06:16 CET
Wish to add, "I'm so tickled pink over this!"
Madhatter | November 22, 06:39 CET
napua | November 22, 07:42 CET
[ edited by Madhatter on 2007-11-22 05:19 ]
Madhatter | November 22, 08:13 CET