AMIN AMAT :: DESIGN | ILLUSTRATION

Artist Amin Amat Shows Off “Code Word: GERONIMO” – sfnewsfeed.us

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (9/17) – Comic book fans gathered at Mission Comics, in the heart of the Mission District to welcome the unveiling of a new graphic novel. IDW Publishing and Charlie Foxtrot Entertainment unveiled CODE WORD: GERONIMO, an original graphic novel illustrating the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound by SEAL Team 6 on May 1, 2011. Expertly written by Captain Dale Dye (USMC, Ret.) and Dr. Julia Dye, Ph.D., CODE WORD: GERONIMO offers the amazing, moment-by-moment inside story of the clandestine raid that rid the world of this terrorist mastermind. Artist Amin Amat spoke to fans and curious onlookers alike, in an effort to tell the story behind the graphic novel.

“Due to entirely appropriate security concerns, there is some creative license in our script,” said Captain Dye said in a press release. “But I think readers will be gratified with the detail and thrilled with our take on one of the most daring and successful commando raids in American military history.”

 

This historical keepsake details the bravery and valor of SEAL Team 6 as it descends into Abbottabad, Pakistan and achieves the near impossible. Joining the Dyes to bring this incredible graphic novel to life are artists Gerry Kissell (The A-Team: War Stories, Iron Sky) and Amin Amat (Buckaroo Banzai, Iron Sky). John M. Del Vecchio, decorated Vietnam veteran and best-selling author of the The 13th Valley, will also provide afterword material. A portion of the proceeds from CODE WORD: GERONIMO will be donated to a charity supporting military service members.

“I have worked for many years now with Charlie Foxtrot Entertainment on a number of successful projects,” said Tom Waltz, IDW editor, former Marine and Desert Storm I veteran. “But none of those compare to the excitement and pride I have for CODE WORD: GERONIMO. The Dyes have put together a fantastic script detailing the heroically dangerous raid by SEAL Team 6 against Public Enemy Number One, Osama Bin Laden, and I firmly believe you won’t get a more accurate account of this pivotal moment in history unless it is told by the SEAL team members themselves.”

When asked about how he got into the comic book industry, Amin Amat said,”I was denied into architecture school. I think things definitely were driven by that moment. A friend of mine who saw my work said, “Why don’t you get into comic books? You would get to create buildings and whole entire worlds” I took him at his word and it seems to have worked out well…”

Amat appealed to people who don’t consider themselves fans of comic books or graphic novels, saying,”Part ofthe experience of the graphic novel is that you get to see events in a fashion that you normally wouldn’t be able to receive. This a very unique experience. While a books allows for different interpretation of events, a graphic novel allows readers to enter into a creator’s vision of the story and creates a whole new world that they wouldn’t normally be able to enter into… A great example of this would be “The Walking Dead” (Image Comics), which has been adapted for television. If it was a book, we would have completely different ideas as to the events of the story. Also it is just a lot of fun to experience events in this medium. With the age of Photoshop and Windows, the hand-created nature of the art creates a new authority that you can’t find in other mediums…”

When asked about the complaint by some critics that the graphic novel comes out “too soon” after the event, Amat stated,”Due to the sensory mass-media overload that we face on a day to day basis, which has turned us intoa short-term memory society. If we waited roughly 6 months to a year to tell the story as some people have suggested, the graphic novel would have certainly had less of an impact than it could have. Since it is still fresh in peoples’ memories, we can have a stronger impact on the reader…”

Amat was certainly willling to talk about future projects as well. “There is a lot that I can talk about future upconing rojects. Currently I am attatched to a comic project regarding the upcoming film “Iron Sky” which is coming up next year. I am also doing an adaptation of “Tokyo Vic” another film that will be coming out next year. In terms of projects not related to films, I have a medeval period piece called “Bayeux”. I will also be working on a book adapting the 1930s character “The Saint” for comics… Let’s not mention the Val Kilmer movie from the 1990s…”

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of “Code Word: GERONIMO” will be donated to the American Veterans Center, a group whose mission statement says,”The mission of the American Veterans Center is to preserve and promote the legacy of America’s servicemen and women from World War II through Operation Iraqi Freedom…”

For those interested in the graphic novel, please check out:

http://www.codewordgeronimo.com/

-Jose Ricardo G. Bondoc

 

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