Avatar Press proudly announces that the Zak Penn, the accomplished screenwriter with a half dozen superhero film credits under his belt, will launch his first-ever comic book series, Hero Worship, in July 2012. The six-issue miniseries will be co-written by Scott Murphy (screenwriter of Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and feature artwork by Michael DiPascale.
Hero Worship introduces the ultimate celebrity, an indestructible superhero called Zenith, and the rabid fans that worship him. These legions of adoring admirers follow every disaster, trying to speculate where they can catch a glimpse of their modern messiah – even risking their own lives in the process. But what happens when one fan’s unhealthy obsession leads to the development of powers all his own?
“We couldn’t be more thrilled about Zak Penn bringing his debut comic project to Avatar,” says publisher William Christensen. “Zak is an incredibly gifted and inventive writer, and Hero Worship is a fresh perspective on the entire genre. It’s slick and innovative, taking risks like every great Avatar title should. Let the other Brand-X companies tell the same-old, ‘Guy-in-Tights-Punches-Another-Guy-in-Tights’ stories; here at Avatar, Zak’s got the freedom to blow all the doors off their hinges.”
Zak Penn began his career as a screenwriter when selling his first script, Last Action Hero, at the age of twenty-three. Since then, Penn’s name has become synonymous with big-budget superhero films, predominantly those based on Marvel Comics characters: The Avengers, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, Elektra, and The Incredible Hulk. His first foray into television, the critically acclaimed Alphas, debuted in July 2011 on the cable channel Syfy and is set to enter its second season shortly.
Penn is joined in this creative venture by Scott Murphy, a writing partner whose work on Star Wars: The Clone Wars provides the perfect frame of reference for working with iconic characters. The series’ luscious, painted art style is provided by Michael DiPascale, whose artwork has long graced the front covers of Avatar Press (and sister company Boundless Comics) publications, including Lady Death, War Goddess, Crossed, and Night of the Living Dead, among others.