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Comic creator and animator Shannon Denton told Comics2Film that he's working with Hollywood talent to develop a new property for comic and, possibly, other media. Denton, along with screenwriter Ross LaManna (Rush Hour) and actor Russell Wong are close to signing a deal with a major comic publisher to launch the new concept. Wong may be best known for his recent role as the heavy in Romeo Must Die.

Denton and LaManna have been working to set up his concept The Big Game as a movie. "We were going out pitching that, and we had so much fun working together we were like, 'let's work on something else,'" Denton said. "So we created something together with Russell Wong."

 That something is a high-tech, martial arts action comic named Markus Fang. It's a high-adventure concept that's geared toward all ages. "If it was a move it would be rated PG, maybe PG-13," LaManna told C2F. "We'd like for a 30-year-old guy  to be able to read it, like it and pass it to his 10-year-old nephew and he read it and like it, without either one of them going, 'this is lame.'"

The title character is a near-future, Asian America spy whose just as at home inventing weapons as he is wielding them. "His mind has been disciplined by science. His body had been disciplined by martial arts," LaManna said. "His cover is that he works for a multi-national corporation, P.T.T. (Peace Through Technology). They're the cover for this really cool secret organization called O.S.I.R.I.S. (Organization Strategic International Research and Intelligence Services)."

LaManna goes on to describe the character, "If [James Bond's] Q had a son, it would be Markus. He uses all the gadgets that he, himself, is part of the team building. It's a little bit of that Clark Kent double life, in that he's kind of bookish and kind of smart. But then, when somebody needs to go off and use this stuff, he's the guy that can do it."

"I just really want this to be a good comic," Denton assures stating that the primary goal is the book. However, with the team of a comic creator, a screenwriter and an actor, all the pieces are in place to move Markus Fang into other media. LaManna tells us they have "an eye towards possibly turning it into a TV series or a movie if people respond to it. It's all kind of built-in because, I can write it, Russell can play it, and we're good to go."

Denton and LaManna will be promoting the comic at the upcoming Comic-Con International in San Diego. "We're actually working on a 3-D animated trailer right now. We've got Jack Chan's stunt-double, Jet Li's stunt double and Russell Wong to do motion-capture for this fight scene," Denton told C2F. "It'll look cool."

Star Trek veteran Dennis McCarthy is scoring the 90 second clip.

Denton, LaManna and Wong will also be speaking on a Comic-Con panel called "Film To Comics and Back Again". They'll be joined by Star Trek's Brent Spiner (a.k.a Mr. Data). Denton tells us they may also be joined by a well-know producer and special effects whiz. The panel is scheduled for on Thursday July 19th at 4:30.

Comics2Film talked to animator and comic creator Shannon Denton about a number of his properties that have been optioned for TV and film. Denton is the founder of Meteor City Productions. As an animator he's done work on many of the Fox Kids action programming including X-Men and Silver Surfer.  He created an anthology comic which was published by Antarctic Press and has also worked for Marvel and DC.

Two of Denton's entertainment deals have spun out the comic he did for Antarctic Press. "I did an anthology comic called High Stakes Adventure. From that, I got some attention,"  Denton told us.

Danger Squad is in development at Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Denton describes the concept as "Indiana Jones meets meets X-Files. Supernatural adventure like Indiana Jones, except its a team of guys set in the here-and-now. It's high adventure with high-tech equipment." The comic featured a team of operative investigating paranormal phenomenon. 

Denton seems pleased with the relationship with the producers. "The Bruckheimer guys, I really like working with them because I know when it does get made it's going to be made well," Denton said. "It's going to appeal to the masses. It's going to be fun. It's going to have action in it. I've really enjoyed working with them."

The other concept from High Stakes is called Big Game. "Lethal Weapon meets Blade," is the five-second Hollywood pitch-line Denton told us. He further elaborated: "East meets west, Kung Fu and Western tradition coming together on the streets of Los Vegos." 

John Peters Entertainment currently holds the option on this property.  A new Big Game comic series is in the works.

Both the Danger Squad and Big Game projects are in the early stages of development.

Denton has also optioned his property Astro Aces to Fox Kids. Aces has never appeared in the comic book format, but was put together first as an animation pitch. The 3D trailer that Denton created with the help of Foundation Imaging can be viewed at the Lightwave Lab website. "The trailer was done mainly so that I could convince Fox that it could be done in 3D," Denton told us. 

Although the deals present exciting opportunities, Denton is taking it in stride. "It's just been fun. I totally was not expecting any of this but I've thoroughly enjoyed working with everyone and look forward to what comes next."