Jeff Lemire's Essex County Headed to TV

First Generation Films announced today it has optioned Jeff Lemire's critically acclaimed and best-selling graphic novel Essex County to adapt into a scripted television series.

Writer Aaron Martin has been signed to pen the pilot script and showrun the series currently in development with the CBC.

Based on award-winning cartoonist Lemire's award-winning graphic novel trilogy from Top Shelf Productions, Essex County intricately weaves the genealogy of a family's origins across generations. "The novel is an intimate study of an eccentric community and a tender meditation on family, memory, grief, secrets, and reconciliation," said a release from FGF.

Lemire went from being an acclaimed indie cartoonist to one of the most sought-after names in comics following beloved runs on a number of DC Comics and Valiant titles. Besides his ongoing Valiant work, Lemire is currently writing Marvel's (All-New, All-Different) Extraordinary X-Men, and his Image Comics series Descender is being adapted into a major motion film by Sony Pictures.

Ted Adams, Chris Staros, Lemire and Aaron Martin will Executive Produce along with Christina Piovesan of First Generation Films.

"Essex County is a vivid and haunting book that has inspired a dedicated and distinguished following. We are thrilled Jeff has agreed to collaborate with FGF to bring his vision to the screen," said First Generation Films President Christina Piovesan.

This will be the first deal under the direction of Julie Di Cresce, VP scripted programming.

"With Aaron Martin's wealth of writing and production experience, we hope to break new ground with this material," Di Cresce said. "We are excited by his vision for adapting the novel and can't wait to bring it to the screen."

Today's news comes less than three months after FGF announced the launch of the television division.