Marvel's Ender's Game Comic Books

The Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow comics have started at Marvel comics, and overall both has been met with praise from both critics and fans alike. I’ve been rather impressed by the quality and how well both novels translate to comic book format.

I believe the Ender’s comics are only available in specialty comic book stores. All five issues of each of the limited series will eventually be collected into a hardcover edition that will be available at bookstore as well, but that will likely be in nearly a year.

Like with most comics, there have been delays. The third issue of Ender’s Game: Battle School will be out in late January, and a release date hasn’t been set for the fourth issue. It might be best to wait for all the issues to be collected, than to read both of the series serial style.


Ender’s Game: Battle School

Script: Christopher Yost
Pencils: Pasqual Ferry

Issue #1: October 8, 2008
Issue #2: November 19, 2008
Issue #3: January 28, 2009
Issue #4: March 2009
Issue #5: April 2009



Ender’s Shadow: Battle School

Script: Mike Carey
Pencils: Sebastian Fiumara

Issue #1: Dec 3, 2008
Issue #2: January 7, 2009
Issue #3: February 25, 2009
Issue #4: March 2009
Issue #5: April 2009

Ender's Game Comic from Marvel

There hasn't been any news on the movie recently. However, it has been announced that there will be a comic book based on Ender's Game, published by Marvel comics, that will be released this fall.

It seems like these comics will be a sign of what's to come in the movie. Orson Scott Card said at the San Diego Comic-Con that the look of the Battle Suits and character design will be the same in the movie and video game.

You can view the designs for Ender Wiggin and the Battle Suits here.

Orson Scott Card will not be writing the series. Instead, veteran comic and animation writer Christopher Yost will be writing it. Card has had high praise for Yost saying, "What he came back with was so powerful that it made me feel like I was reading the story for the first time. It came totally alive."

Yost has previously written X-Men: Emperor Vulcan, a story that featured alien invaders that drew comparisons to the Buggers.

Also, Yost has written several direct-to-video animated features for Marvel Studios. Many EG fans have wondered if animation would be the best way to make an Ender's Game movie. Perhaps, Marvel Studios might consider a big screen animated feature of Ender's Game? Just some food for thought....

Ender's Game Movie Searching for New Director

io9 reports that Wolfgang Peterson is no longer directing the Ender's Game movie and producers are currently meeting with candidates to find a replacement.

Peterson's involvement in Ender's Game has been in doubt since last month when it was announced he would be directing the scifi movie Uprising.

EG Producer Lynn Hendee also gave a number of updates on the current status of the film:

• Orson Scott Card is currently working on revisions to his latest draft of the script.
• Casting will not begin until a director is chosen, so it's too early to speculate on who might be cast to play Ender Wiggin.

In other news, Marvel Comics announced today that there will be an Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow comic book series, written by Chris Yost (New X-Men, X-Force), with art by Pasqual Ferry (Ultimate Iron Man) and overseen by OSC.

This could be a warm-up for the Ender's Game movie, since Card explains that, "I'm hoping Marvel will show [Hollywood] how it's done, because you guys know how to put the story down in a visual way so that it comes to life."

Petersen Still Wants to Direct Ender's Game

Despite all of the problems facing the Ender's Game movie, Wolfgang Petersen is still interesting in directing it and told IGN that he believes that the movie will be made.

Last spring, Warner Bros placed the film into turnaround, essentially giving up on the project. Orson Scott Card said that he and the producers were shopping the script to other studios and that a director could not be hired until the financing had been arranged.

But now it looks like Petersen is still involved in the project.

He told IGN that he is working on developing three films, including Ender's Game, and that he had met with Orson Scott Card recently about it. He called it "a very, very tricky adaptation and an incredibly fascinating concept" and believes that he will some day make the film.

Movie Update From OSC

Orson Scott Card spoke to IGN Movies and gave them the latest on the Ender's Game movie. Unfortunately, it's not good news since it's doesn't seem like the movie will be coming out any time soon. On the other hand, perhaps it is best that the film not be made until it's going to be done correctly.

Ender's Game is currently in "turnaround" at Warner Bros, meaning WB is not going to be doing the film and the rights may be sold to another studio.

Here are the highlights:

Card advised us that Ender's Game has been put into turnaround at Warner Bros., a move that the author said was "a good thing" for the filmmakers since it allows them to shop the project to other studios. He also suggested that the producers behind Ender's Game -- Chartoff Productions and Fresco Pictures -- may try to raise funding independently.

Card said he is now the sole screenwriter on the project, disclosing that he was pulled away from his Iron Man comic book project to work on the Ender's script.

He emphasized that until financing is in place no director can be hired.

He added that there are several "excellent" special effects houses willing to work on the film because they know the book.