Tank Girl
ASHLEY WOOD AND TANK GIRL
TEAM UP
Acclaimed Artist Wood Will Illustrate Tank Girl's Return To Comics
San Diego, CA (January 9, 2007)—Award-winning artist/designer Ashley Wood (Zombies Vs. Robots, D’Airain Aventure) has been nominated for an Eisner (among other awards and accolades), and has drawn everything from Popbots to Solid Snakes. And he's made quite a career for himself as an artist of exotic and erotic females, too. But there's one female character Ash has never handled before—Tank Girl. That's about to change.
Coming in May of 2007, Ash will work with Tank Girl co-creator/writer Alan Martin on an all-new, four-part Tank Girl adventure, Tank Girl: The Gifting. While Ash will be handling the character for the first time, Scotland-based Alan Martin is returning to the character he originated with artist Jamie Hewlett (also of Gorillaz fame). The Gifting will feature a series of non-linear stories (as you'd expect in a proper Tank Girl adventure) with such titles as "The Dogsh*t in Barney's Handbag," "Kill Jumbo," and "The Innocent Die First."
Tank Girl first appeared in 1988, and was the subject of a 1995 film starring Lori Petty. But it's in comics where her adventures truly come to life. About this new venture with Ash, Alan Martin (who also has a Tank Girl novel in the works) says, "We went to the comics graveyard and dug her up. She's smelling pretty bad, but we're gonna put her in a wheelbarrow and parade her around for all to see, anyway."
"So if there ever was going to be a new Tank Girl series, I would want Jaime Hewlett doing the artwork and Alan Martin writing it... right...” Wood writes. "Well if Jaime cant draw it, then damn it, I'm putting my hand up... and I am."
Another point Wood notes is that Tank Girl will have a new look, something Martin addressed in a message:
"We were concerned that she didn't make her re-appearance in the same, tired old clothes that she bowed out in some twelve years ago. What was alternative, upsetting, anarchic, and just plain odd-ball back then has since become common place. Mainstream media smothers us daily with punky chic, and modern day babies can be seen sporting spikey hairdos and Travis Bickle T-shirts. The uniform of the cultural revolutionary has been sold to The Man. So how to rebel? How give the finger to the fashion fascists? Normal is the only way ahead. Dress like a high school teacher from the mid-eighties, or pick clothes from your boring aunty's wardrobe.
The only way left to rebel is to dress like you're not rebelling."
TANK GIRL: THE GIFTING is an all-new, four-part miniseries arriving in May 2007.
ABOUT IDW PUBLISHING
IDW PUBLISHING is a division of Idea and Design Works, LLC, a revolutionary creative service company with a wide range of clients. Among their best-selling titles are Hasbro's THE TRANSFORMERS; Fox's ANGEL, Konami's METAL GEAR SOLID, and FALLEN ANGEL. IDW's 30 DAYS OF NIGHT film is in development and will be released by Sony Pictures in October 2007. IDW has films in development at Dimension Films and Paramount Pictures, as well.
IDWords: Tank Girl
YOU CAN'T KEEP TANK GIRL DOWN
IDW Celebrates Tank Girl's Return to Comics With Artist Ashley Wood!
Originally published in the fall of 1988 in Deadline Magazine, Tank Girl returns to the pages of comics! And she ain't coming alone—Award-winning artist/designer Ashley Wood (Zombies Vs. Robots, Popbot) is stepping up to the bristol board with pens and paints in hand to initiate the return of the female armored pilot originally created by artist Jamie Hewlett and writer Alan Martin.
Kicking off in May of 2007 from IDW Publishing, fan-favorite artist Ashley Wood will be teaming with Tank Girl co-creator Alan Martin on an all-new, four part Tank Girl adventure—Tank Girl: The Gifting which will feature a series of non-linear stories with titles that run the gambit from "The Dogsh*t in Barney's Handbag," to "The Innocent Die First."
Tank Girl has been described as "Mad Max designed by Vivienne Westwood" by the character's original creators. Tank Girl was also the subject of a 1995 movie starring Lori Petty. And although she has traversed the celluloid world of the big screen, it is her adventures in comics that truly resonate the Tank Girl spirit. And to top it off you throw Ash in to the mix... Heaven help the world of comics.
We were able to wrangle Scotland-based writer Alan Martin into answering a number of questions regarding Tank Girl and her return to comic books with Ashley Wood handling the art chores.
IDW PUBLISHING: Alright, Alan, let's start with... The return of Tank Girl—why now?
ALAN MARTIN: I didn't make the decision to stop writing Tank Girl, it was just the up-shot of a series of unfortunate events. Likewise, the return has not been planned for this specific point in time, in actual fact I have been trying to get this comic made for nearly five years. It has been my meeting up with the fabulous Rufus Dayglo, and him introducing me to Ashley (and Ashley's passion for the character) that has brought the project to fruition.
IDW: After your sabbatical from writing Tank Girl how was it getting back into her groove, so to speak?
AM: Painfully easy, like donating blood. Tank Girl's voice (at least the way I write it) is the voice in my head that slags everything and everyone off. I hope I never become a Buddhist, that's meant to eradicate any negative internal dialogue.
IDW: Fans familiar with the Tank Girl of days gone by have already begun to buzz about her "new" look. What is the cause and effect—if any—of her makeover?
AM: It would be insanity to have such an incredible artist as Ash and not let him run with the ball. I mean what would be the point in clinging to a look that had its day a dozen years ago or more? And there never was a definitive Tank Girl outfit, I mean she never wore a leotard with the initials TG on the front of it. Of course Jamie originated and perfected Tank Girl's style, but we're not putting ourselves in competition with that. This is something wholly other. We're just having some fun with it, so we've put no restriction on where Ash can go with it, perhaps he will dress her like Princess Diana, Doris Day, Louise Brooks, or maybe he will use some of the old clobber.
IDW: While Ashley Wood is no stranger to IDW—having produced many titles with the publisher—what has he brought to the plate stepping into the world of Tank Girl?
AM: A more frantic, kinetic style, which is very exciting. In my muddled brain, Tank Girl and Booga et al. were always part of the same reality that me and Jamie occupied. So I guess that Ashley is now a new member of Tank Girl's gang, a member of the stinky inner circle, he can now borrow the keys to her tank.
IDW: Without giving too much away, can you give us a hint at what's in store for Tank Girl with her "second coming?"
AM: A war with a family of cab drivers, pooing in a handbag, sticking an antique toy gun up Booga's bottom, joining a 60's style beat combo, painting her face with the rotten brains of a dead cop, and throwing a lovely tea party.
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