Superbia @ Sci Fi/Virgin comics

[ENGLISH] SCI FI/Virgin Comics, the year-old joint venture between SCI FI Channel and Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Comics, announced today the imprint’s second title, Superbia. Imagine if the members of the Justice League moved to Wisteria Lane with spouses in tow, and you get a hint of what life is like in Woodshire Village, a planned community for superheroes, their spouses, girlfriends and domestic partners. Superbia is created and written by Lisa Klink and Jordan Gorfinkle. It is expected to be released this summer.

“We’re thrilled with the success of our ground-breaking partnership with Virgin Comics which is designed to expand our business beyond the television screen with the creation of new multiplatform properties,” said Dave Howe, President of SCI FI.  Our first title, ‘The Stranded,’ sold out on stands and is now in development as a television pilot.  Superbia is a fun and uniquely original concept that also shows great promise.

« ‘Superbia’ is the perfect expansion of our partnership with SCI FI, offering a completely different type of story than our first series, The Stranded. The team at SCI FI continue to be a flagship partner for Virgin Comics as we try and bring a new voice to the comic industry, » said Sharad Devarajan, CEO of Virgin Comics.

When the newest residents of Woodshire Village, a pair of young newlyweds, moved to the quaint cul-de-sac, they expected life to be strange. But “strange” doesn’t quite cover it. A residential community for superheroes, Woodshire Village boasts affordable housing and easy commutes to all major crime scenes. And when the heroes are away, the spouses play.

One would expect Woodshire Village to be the safest community imaginable however it’s not without its share of secrets, scandal, mystery and murder. With the superheroes off saving the world �� » their “day job” �� » it’s up to their partners at home to solve the crimes occurring in their own backyards and preserve the safety of their protected enclave.

With new comic book titles serving as the creative genesis, SCI FI/Virgin Comics are developing fresh properties that integrate the unique spirit and vitality of both brands. Innovative, multi-platform projects are being considered across all mediums from publishing, film and television to digital and gaming.

The venture’s first title, The Stranded (written by Mike Carey) has been a must-read for comic book fans since July.  The Stranded collection will be available later this summer at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders and booksellers everywhere.

Utilizing the global creative and synergistic resources that exist at SCI FI Channel, part of NBC Universal, and Virgin Comics, the partnership aims to attract some of the most talented creators from the worlds of comic books, television and movies.  SCI FI and Virgin Comics have brought together a multimedia, creative editorial board with members representing comic books, television, movies, digital, gaming, licensing and merchandising.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where « what if » is what’s on.  SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com ) and magazine.  Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies.

Virgin Comics LLC is a character entertainment company creating original stories and epic myths for worldwide audiences. The company was founded in November 2005 by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Enterprises Ltd., alongside author Deepak Chopra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan, Gotham Chopra and Suresh Seetharaman.  Virgin is developing new stories with acclaimed filmmakers, actors and musicians including John Woo, Guy Ritchie, Terry Gilliam, Hugh Jackman, Dave Stewart, Jonathan Mostow, Edward Burns, Nicolas Cage, Duran Duran, Sachin Tendulkar and others. Feature films based on Virgin Comics’ characters are also in the works, including an animated feature The Secrets of the Seven Sounds, Guy Ritchie’s Gamekeeper, with Warner Bros and producer Joel Silver and Virulents with FOX, directed by John Moore (The Omen, Max Payne). Virgin Comics also formed a joint venture with NBC-Universal to create new science fiction properties for graphic novels and television with the SCI FI Channel. The first title in this series, The Stranded, premiered in January 2008 and has already been green-lit for further development as a television pilot. www.VirginComics.com