Lawnmower Man comic

BluGilliand

For Bev or anyone else who might know:



I have the comic adaptation of "The Lawnmower Man" in Bizarre Adventures magazine, illustrated by Walt Simonson. But did King write the text/continuity for it?



Spignesi, in his The Lost Works of Stephen King, writes that King did pen it, but the moderator on King's own message board says she doesn't believe so. Not that it matters, because the comic version is great.



But the writing style is so King-ish, and no other writer is credited. It's credited as "by Stephen King and Walter Simonson." I'm sure Simonson didn't do the text, just the artwork.

There's a comic version of "Popsy" in Masques 2: Innovation Comics and that one (great as it is) is NOT written by King. Another writer is credited.

But what about "The Lawnmower Man"? Don't ask me why, but I would love to know...

BluGilliand

Hi Peter -



I have a copy of that as well (found it at a local antique shop for $1!!) and, although I have no documented proof to back it up, it appears that the text is lifted straight from King's story. That story was visual enough that I can imagine Simonson drawing from it without having to have another script to work with.



Just a guess.



Blu

BevVincent

I agree with Blu--I doubt that King had hands-on involvement with the adaptation, but some clever person took the story and blocked it out literally. Whether it was the artist or some house writer I have no idea.

BevVincent

Thanks for the replies. Well, the adaptation is good, King or not King. But the writer (whoever he/she is) not only adapts King's words as well, but writes like him. And the new names for the lawnmower man and the unfortunate cat - Karras and Shasta. Karras was the young priest in The Exorcist and I think I've stumbled upon the name of Shasta in another famous horror thingy.



I know it's a minor flaw, but maybe Spignesi should have researched more. Still, I love his books on King and he seems to be quite an inside expert...like you, Bev, although you da man:)

BevVincent

I just spoke to Spignesi and he believes King did write the text for it. He had several credible sources that confirmed it, but then again, he also admits that perhaps it could be a slip.

BevVincent

Walter Simonson’s Lawnmower Man Artist’s Edition portfolio, collecting the entire Stephen King-penned story into a deluxe portfolio, will soon join the IDW Artist’s Edition catalog.

The 22-page Portfolio Edition is set to arrive in time for San Diego’s Comic-Con International in July.

>>> Source