I’ll be traveling to Austin TX for SXSW Interactive, a gathering of all things shiny, wired and AJAX-powered. As part of their Book Readings series, I’ll be discussing SHOOTING WAR’s genesis and execution as well as casting a fiery eye to the gorgeous future. - Dan

I’m very proud to announce the following. Check this site for all of the inside skinny as the project develops. Below is the official press release. - Anthony

Power Options Critically Acclaimed Graphic Novel ‘Shooting War’

Power is going ahead with the development of a brand new state-of-the-art series on the war on terror, the media and the rise of “citizen journalism” after optioning the film and television rights for Anthony Lappé’s critically-acclaimed graphic novel SHOOTING WAR, illustrated by Dan Goldman.

The graphic novel, which was recently published by Grand Central Publishing in the US and Wiedenfeld & Nicolson in the UK, is a near-future political thriller/dark satire about a young blogger whose greatest dream becomes his worst nightmare when he finds himself in over his head trying to cover an out-of-control front of the war on terror.

The deal was brokered by Brendan Deneen of Objective Entertainment and Luke Speed of Marjacq on behalf of Ian Kleinert at Objective Entertainment, who originally sold the book to Executive Editor Jaime Levine at Grand Central. SHOOTING WAR began its life as an online serialized web comic on Smithmag.net, where it garnered instant critical raves, leading to the sale as a hardcover graphic novel.

Power is currently in co-production with Crusoe, an action-packed 13 part series for NBC in the US; XIII: The Conspiracy, starring Val Kilmer and Stephen Dorff; and the political two part mini series The Summit starring Mia Maestro, James Purefoy and Christopher Plummer, which will all headline at MIP.

Anthony Lappé, a journalist and documentary film-maker who has written for The New York Times and produced the Amnesty International Award-winning Showtime documentary about Iraq, “BattleGround: 21 Days on the Empire’s Edge,” comments: “I originally conceived SHOOTING WAR as a film so I’m very excited to have it come full circle. I really respect the kind of material Power develops and produces, and am excited to work with them in bringing SHOOTING WAR to life.”

Power founder and CEO Justin Bodle said: “This has to be the graphic novel of 2007. I am delighted that Power now has the opportunity to bring this astute, vivid and brilliant web serial and book to the screen.”

Praise for SHOOTING WAR:

“A stunningly rendered graphic novel that manages to stick a red-hot skewer into the war on terror, Islamic jihad, the mainstream media and the antiestablishment blogosphere in one fell swoop” (Newsweek)

One of the “100 Best Things in the World” (British GQ)

“Ferocious satire” (Financial Times)

“The Apocalypse Now of the War on Terrorism” (Forbes)

“Scary-smart” (Rolling Stone)

Thank you to all who came out to see my speech and came around to meet me at the NACA convention this weekend. I really enjoyed meeting all of you and look forward to coming to your school. - Anthony

I’ll be appearing on my good friend Rachel Maddow’s show on Air America tonight at around 7:30 ET to discuss John “10,000 year war” McCain, Shooting War and anything else she wants. - Anthony

Word has leaked. There’s some exciting news brewing in the Shooting War bunker. Check it out here and here. More details to come.

Speaking of good news. One of Shooting War’s unofficial military advisers, Paul Rieckhoff, founder of IAVA (see the web comic for his cameo), will be making his long-awaited debut on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher Friday night. Give ‘em hell, bro.

Josh Wolf, the videoblogger who in part inspired the Jimmy Burns character (and who himself makes a cameo in the book), has a great blog on Shooting War’s predictions coming true over on CNET. I’ll be writing more the topic shortly.

I’ll be at the NACA conference in St. Louis this weekend. If you’re a college booker, please come on by our booth for a free book and/or limited edition Dan Rather tee-shirt while supplies last or check out my showcase on Monday.

Shooting War artist Dan Goldman is interviewed in a feature on Shooting War Tokyo’s massive circ. Daily Yomiuri. The always insightful Chris Arrant over at Newsarama also caught up with the hardest working man in comics, for this update on Shooting War and Dan’s next zeitgeist-surfing project, the campaign diary 08, with New Republic editor Michael Crowley.

Finally, for those of you in the New York area, Dan and Anthony will presenting their multi-media presentation at the New York Public Library’s main branch on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 PM. If you haven’t got a chance to check out our Keynote extravaganza, this may be the last time in NYC for a while. (Note: Thanks to everyone who came out to the Library of Congress and the Modernist Society event at Bourbon in DC. Both events, in their own special way, rocked. As did the bourbon.)

And for any aspiring Jimmy Burnses out there who are interested in the intersection of citizen journalism and democracy, be sure to check Video the Vote. Shooting War author Anthony Lappé is helping the non-partisan citizen journalism/democracy watchdog group monitor and upload video of election irregularities. If you haven’t signed up, learn how you can help in November’s general election.

The Modernist Society presents a conversation about “Shooting War” with author Anthony Lappé

“A stunningly rendered graphic novel that manages to stick a red-hot skewer into the war on terror, Islamic jihad, the mainstream media and the antiestablishment blogosphere in one fell swoop.” – Newsweek

“Fierce, shocking, over-the-top, and wickedly smart.” – New York magazine

“A satire that could serve as the Apocalypse Now of the War on Terrorism.” – Forbes.com

Come hear author, blogger and filmmaker Anthony Lappé discuss his new graphic novel about the media and the war in Iraq in the year 2011. Drinks, DJ to follow.

Sponsors: shootingwar.com, themodernist.com, www.politics-prose.com

THURSDAY, JAN. 31
Modernist Society
Bourbon Bar, Washington DC, 2321 18th St NW
9:00 PM

Earlier in the day, Anthony will be appearing at the Library of Congress, for a talk hosted by the Professional Association Veteran’s Forum:

12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
101 Independence Ave. SE
Madison Bldg, Dining Room A, 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20540

A podcast of a lively interview on the Dragon Page’s Coast to Coast radio show is available here. Also up is a new review from libertarian magazine, Reason. Read it here.

Shooting War author Anthony Lappé is interviewed by NYC’s top blog, Gothamist.

Q: How much of yourself is in Shooting War’s protagonist, Jimmy Burns?
A: I’d say a lot.

Read the full interview here.

For those interested, Shooting War author Anthony Lappé be making what is fast becoming a weekly appearance via satellite on the London-based Sky News’ Sky.com ‘net news wrap-up show. He’ll be steaming live at 2:30 EST - 7:30 GMT. I don’t believe there is an archive. Yes, Sky News is owned by Rupert Murdoch. And yes, it’s sort of like Shooting War come to life…

Sky.com on Sky News