Back in May we reported the news that Kevin Smith, Phil Hester and Dynamite Entertainment would be bringing us the new and updated adventures of the Six-Million Dollar Man. Starring Lee Majors and running from 1974 to 1978, the show has long held a special place with those that were alive when the show aired on television.
Now that the Bionic Man is getting the Dynamite treatment, it makes perfect sense that Smith and Hester would be involved. If you've been reading the current Green Hornet series from Dynamite, you know what Phil Hester and Jonathan Lau are capable of. Phil has also done amazing things with other characters such as Wonder Woman, Darkness and even Godzilla.
To find out what we could expect from The Bionic Man and why you should read it when issue #1 is released in August, we asked Phil a few questions.
Comic Vine: Obvious question: were you a big fan of the show?
Phil Hester: I'm in that age group that grew up watching the original show. It was pretty rare to see anything even remotely super-heroic on television then, and Steve Austin's adventures were like an oasis. Like anyone my age, it's impossible to do any sort of exercise without making the "nnh-nnh-nnh-nnhh" sound effect under my breath.
== TEASER ==
CV: The comic is said to be based on the television series, how closely will it follow? Is it just the characters and ideas? Do you have room to create your own storylines and other characters?
PH: We're going back to square one and retelling the origin, much like we did with The Green Hornet, and, like in that book, we'll find all the familiar characters and elements, but with a new, Kevin Smith twist. Unlike the show, we have no budgetary limitations, so you'll be seeing a lot more bionic slugfests, exotic locales, and a cast of thousands. It's not an exercise in nostalgia, but a retelling of a modern myth for today's audience.
CV: What type of 'villains' will the Steve Austin go up against?
PH: There's a guy called Hull who's not too fond of civilization as we know it, and he happens to be in Colonel Austin's weight class. He's got Lex Luthor's cunning, the Joker's insanity, and the body of Colossus. Bad, bad guy. We'll meet a greedy Russian industrialist with organized crime at his beck and call, and a guy named Naga who is forced to sew on bits of flesh from his victims to keep his decomposing skin intact.
CV: Has inflation changed the six-million dollar price tag?
PH: Yes. Six-million gets you a hearing aid these days. We do work the name in, though, for you diehards.
CV: The Bionic Woman is set for 2012, we will see Jaime Sommers in this series?
PH: You really want to get spoiled, don't you? Yes! Jaime is on the scene, but not yet bionic.
CV: Sorry, I can't help it. Will we be seeing Steve go up against Bigfoot (like in the series)?
PH: Only time will tell. He's got a new crop of villains to tackle in the first ten issues.
CV: Okay, here's the most important question that fans really need to know, will the duh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh...sound FX be used/drawn in the comic?
PH: Everyone must supply their own bionic sound effects when reading. Perhaps we should have a contest of people reading the book and freestyling their best bionic sounds on youtube.
Issue #1 is on sale in August with a $3.99 cover price for 40 pages. You can read the full solicit here.