Sumerian Comics announced today that they are teaming up with artist Vanesa Del Rey to launch a comic book series based on Basic Instinct, the 1992 thriller from RoboCop director Paul Verhoeven. The movie, which starred Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone, earned more than $350 million on a budget of just under $50 million, and helped popularize the erotic thriller genre in the mainstream. The movie, written by Joe Ezterhaus, centered on San Francisco police detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), who was investigating the murder of a rock star. During the course of the investigation, Curran “becomes entangled in a passionate and intense relationship with Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), an enigmatic writer and the prime suspect,” as the movie’s Wikipedia entry succinctly describes it.
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Deadline broke the news today, revealing that the comic is set for release in comic shops and online on November 1. They also revealed a first look at three variant covers for the first issue, all of which can be seen below.
Per their description, the series — which is a continuation of Trammell’s story rather than Curran’s, “will follow an anonymous artist who draws inspiration from famous murders — their newest exhibit is inspired by Tramell’s ‘Icepick Murders.’ When a security guard at the exhibition space is murdered on opening night, the art director responsible for the opening is thrust into an investigation that forces him to question his own involvement.”
While it isn’t unusual for comics to look to the movies for inspiration, the Oscar-winning Basic Instinct isn’t the kind of film that usually gets that treatment. It does fall into line with a recent announcement that American Psycho was getting a comic book follow-up (also from Sumerian), though. Sumerian secured all comic adaptation rights from Studiocanal through Creative Licensing Corporation.
Del Rey will work with writer Sam Freeman and colorist Keyla Valerio on the series. Also working on the covers were Brao, Chuma Hill, Alberto Massaggia, Patricia Martin, Andrea Milana, and Lorenzo Colangeli. Eisner-nominated artist Del Rey has is best known for her work on titles including Scarlet Witch, Spider-Women Alpha, and Daredevil Annual (2016) for Marvel.
Basic Instinct #1 is due to be released in comic book stores and online November 1, 2023.
