Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.

Nice buy, guys.

The story broke last week that Douglas TenNapel managed to sell CREATURE TECH, his new graphic novel from Top Shelf Comics, to Regency Pictures.

Actually, I believe the VARIETY story put it like this:

Ending a fierce bidding war, Fox-based Regency Enterprises has snapped up Doug TenNapel's forthcoming graphic novel "Creature Tech" in a deal valued at high six figures against low seven figures.

A fierce bidding war, eh?

I can appreciate what would send people into a bit of a frenzy about the project. I said as much in my recent ecstatic review of the graphic novel. And, actually, I believe I put it like this:

Simply put, CREATURE TECH is the best American animated film since THE IRON GIANT. Yes, better than TOY STORY 2. Better than SHREK. Better than anything from any studio. I know... it’s a graphic novel... but when you read this thing, there’s no doubt what it is. It’s a movie that just happens to be in print. It’s the complete storyboard, every frame, of something that would blow people’s minds. It’s incredibly entertaining, first and foremost. No matter how strange it gets, no matter how daring a moment TenNapel goes for, the thing always entertains. Every panel is worth looking at. Every character is worth spending time with.

Doug himself wrote to me to let me know how excited he was by the opportunity he’s got now. Actually, I believe his e-mail put it like this:

New Regency are not out to make a brain-dead action film, they want to elevate the graphic novel into a great film. I'm writing the script so it's mine to screw up!

I know the feeling, man. Congratulations, and I look forward to seeing this movie in a few years. I sincerely hope it proves to be worth the wait.