Brian Wood (DMZ, Northlanders, Demo) has announced the full reversion of publishing and other media rights for Public Domain, the Channel Zero design book originally released in 2002 by AiT/Planet Lar.
The book, which consists of unused pages from Channel Zero, character designs, short stories and other material, is now available as a free PDF download on Wood’s website. Channel Zero was Wood’s first graphic novel.
In September, Wood and artist Becky Cloonan announced the rights reversion for their critically acclaimed 2003 series Demo.
Vertigo will release a new collected edition of that comic this spring.
The full text of the Public Domain press release can be found below:
Brian Wood Announces ‘Public Domain’ Rights Reversion and Free Download
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – January 30, 2008 — Brian Wood announces the immediate and full reversion of publishing and other media rights for the Channel Zero designbook Public Domain.
First published in 2002 by AIT/Planet Lar, Public Domain is a collection of extras generated in 1996-98 during the creation of Wood’s first graphic novel Channel Zero. Consisting of unused pages, character designs, short stories, photography, and illustration, Public Domain is 145 pages of black and white artwork that is now available as a free PDF download here: www.brianwood.com/downloads
“This book is low res, rough and grainy, created mostly with ink, a photocopier, and a glue stick”, Brian Wood said. “I love it, it’s a look back to my time in art school before I owned a computer and I made mini comics and zines by hand. I’m a big process junkie so I was happy to assemble this material in the first place, and even happier now to make it widely available online.”
Channel Zero and Channel Zero: Jennie One (with artist Becky Cloonan) is still in print and orderable via your local comic book shop and through online shops.
Brian Wood is currently writing DMZ and Northlanders for DC/Vertigo, The New York Four for DC/Minx and Local for Oni Press. He can be found at www.brianwood.com.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:43 am
I’d highly recommend this; it’s a great supplement to Channel Zero.
January 30th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
lol i bought this not too long ago.
January 30th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
And yet not one organ of the comics press will ask what’s up with AiT.
January 30th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
“And yet not one organ of the comics press will ask what’s up with AiT.”
No lie. I’ve been wondering what’s been engendering the seeming bad blood for a while now. But nobody says anything substantive. You’d think at least one of the comics rumor columns would touch on it, but I’ve seen nada.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Well, it’s not necessarily any of our business. People get offered better deals, right? And in the case of Public Domain (a five year old companion to his first, uneven but brilliant work), it’s probably not worth printing through Vertigo, Bri’s publisher of choice. So, it being called Public Domain, why not put it out there?
Hopefully things are good at AiT– Larry’s done a lot of good for comics.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
At least one site is willing to ask.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Thanks, Johanna!
January 31st, 2008 at 12:57 am
“Any of our business”? Of course it’s not. [Very little in life ever is.] Nor am I, or any other fan, entitled to any explanation for anything ever. [Welcome to capitalism. Your dollar is your only vote.]
But.
That being said, a big hook of guys like Wood, and publishers like AiT, and anybody with a web presence, forum, or internet death cult [All Hail Warren Ellis] is how they do, in a way, invite you in to observe the whole process of their creation and interactions.
Which is an awesome thing.
The frustrating bit is that it’s the “elephant in the room” that no one is talking about. Something or another is clearly going on, but no one will say anything. Perhaps rightly, perhaps wrongly… who knows?
I mean, they got us - well, me anyways - to make an emotional investment in them, and then they never call, they never write, those da&n kids…
But it’s just weird, and slightly dissassociative, and nobody seems to mention it. Except “Comics Worth Reading” apparently.
It’s not like I want to know every blow and parry of a “Woods - Young breakup/Beland - Young breakup” but something’s up…