Ha! I’m surprised this didn’t wind up on Snopes. For anybody who hasn’t heard of the site, it’s a regularly-updated archive devoted to debunking urban legends and hoaxes. If you ever been curious about whether or not “sex” really IS spelled out in the sky in THE LION KING, for example, then this is the site to check out. You’ll find far more detail on the subject than you ever probably desired.
I bring this up because apparently Mark Millar’s been busted for starting his own hoax.
"Times Square, New York City, 15 minutes ago. Is this what happens when you give a comic-book writer some movie royalties? Issue 1 is out today, my friends. Steve and I hope you enjoy."
He wrote those words on his own Millarworld blog before posting this image...
Considering that probably the only time that comics have ever been advertised on a billboard, I believe, was when the original GI JOE rolled out its own, the image of this is an inviting fantasy. It’d certainly be a measure of success and acceptance for comics to see a title advertised in such noticeable fashion, in such a busy section of New York.
Alas, it seems it is only a doctored photo and, actually, not the first hoax Millar has authored. I recall him creating huge buzz for WANTED’s movie adaptation way back when by announcing that Eminem (who was obviously the model for the Killer) was attached to star. Of course, the rapper hadn’t been approached about the project nor had he even heard about the title. He also put together an elaborate one about Orson Welles being the first director to consider making Batman in the 40s.
Huh... I was about to say that the Obama Weatherproof was an obvious giveaway about this being a doctored fake, but apparently, that thing's actually real. Anyway, I’ll give it to Millar, though. This is how you promote a book.
-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia. Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com.
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