I had the pleasure of attending a reading by novelist Tom de Haven of new material from the just-released Dark Horse Comics graphic novel edition of Freaks’ Amour
Tom’s novel, Freaks’ Amour, tells of a horrific New Jersey after a nuclear blast, where survivors—many of them “freaks” of radiation—clash with each other in a city where there is no longer a normal.
His novel has had a long journey, achieving cult status. Before he began his reading, Tom told the history of his novel, including how it had been optioned for a movie by director Alex Proyas. Proyas was going to work on the movie adaptation of Tom’s novel just as soon as he finished his then current project, the filming of the movie The Crow
Tragically, Tom said, one of the actors during the filming was killed, and the director, overcome with guilt and sorrow, dropped the Freaks’ Amour movie project.
From my own interest in the martial arts, I’ll note that that actor who was killed during filming The Crow was none other than Brandon Lee, son of famed martial artist Bruce Lee. Brandon Lee died on March 31, 1993, when:
a blank cartridge was fired from a gun barrel in which a bullet of a real cartridge was lodged.
They were almost finished filming the movie when Brandon was killed. After some reflection, they decided to finish and release the movie, with some shots made with stunt doubles and CGI graphics to complete the scenes with Brandon’s character. The movie The Crow went on to achieve much critical and commercial success.
The Dark Horse Comics graphic novel edition of Freaks’ Amour combines the complete comic series adaptation and covers by Mark Burbey / Dana Marie Andra, Mike Mignola, Charles Burns, and James O’Barr, a new prose sequel by Tom de Haven, Gary Panter’s Freaks’ Amour adaptation from Young Lust, and an introduction from Steve Bissette.
At the event Tom read his new prose story from Freak’s Amour. From the reaction of the standing room only audience, everyone there really enjoyed it.
This event was held at the wonderful Chop Suey Books in historic Careytown, in Richmond, Virginia.
I got to the bookstore early and spent over an hour wandering up and down the aisles, lost in all the books. Everywhere I turned there was something new, something interesting, and something I wanted to buy.
If you have a chance to visit Richmond, Chop Suey Books must be on your bucket list.
Reading Dark Horse Comics graphic novel edition of Freaks’ Amour should be on your bucket list as well, whether you ever make it to Richmond or not.