Magic Leap, Inc. has announced that Watchmen co-creator and artist Dave Gibbons has joined the company as a creative adviser and will be developing projects and IP designed to take advantage of the next personal computing platform.
In addition to Watchmen, the best-selling graphic novel of all-time, Gibbons has also worked as a writer and artist on comics like Martha Washington, Rogue Trooper, Green Lantern, The Originals, Secret Service, Dr. Who, Superman and Treatment.
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Magic Leap is a company developing software to break down the barriers between vitual reality and the real world. Gibbons met with Magic Leap at San Diego Comic-Con International in 2013 and later visited Magic Leap’s Ft. Lauderdale, Florida headquarters to experience their work firsthand.
“Intellectually I knew what I was seeing wasn’t real, but viscerally, experientially, it most certainly was. My brain started wrestling with the meaning of the word ‘real.’ It hasn’t stopped doing so since,” said Dave Gibbons. “I have seen the future and the future is magic!”
Magic Leap President & CEO Rony Abovitz commented, “We are honored that Dave will be joining our merry band of techno wizards to develop out-of-this-world creative content for our new platform.”
Gibbons will work alongside former Guardians of the Galaxy comic book writer Andy Lanning in his role as Magic Leap’s Comic World Ambassador.
“Andy and I will have a few more announcements to make, regarding some of the most creative and visionary folks in the comic world.” said Abovitz. “The computing platform we are creating at Magic Leap will enable a very wide array of applications – one of them for sure will be to bring the dreams of comics and sci-fi to life in ways that will make fans incredibly happy.”
He continues, “I grew up drawing comics and dreaming sci-fi dreams, which led to starting robot companies and now Magic Leap. Working with legendary comic creators like Dave and Andy has brought things back full circle – we are making childhood dreams real.”
Lanning has worked as a comic book writer and artist for over 25 years. The 2008 Guardians of The Galaxy comic series that he co-authored was the primary source material for writer/director James Gunn in creating Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy film, which grossed more than $160.4 worldwide and $94 million in the U.S. during its opening weekend (August 1- August 3, 2014) according to Rentrak Corporation.
“We congratulate Andy and the folks at Marvel on the success of “Guardians of the Galaxy” which has broken all records for an August opening. He has been part of Magic Leap since our very beginning. He has helped to infuse Magic Leap with his overflowing enthusiasm for comics, comic-culture, sci-fi, and all things cool and fun”, adds Abovitz. “The whole team is incredibly buzzed to see Andy’s work on Guardians hit the silver screen. Andy’s guardian spirit can be felt throughout the galaxy.”
“To have a #1 box office hit movie based on the comic I worked on is a dream come true,” said Lanning. “But, to be working with the amazingly talented and visionary people at Magic Leap is almost unbelievable – I have to keep pinching myself at the wonderful opportunity I’ve been given here.”
