Of all of Stephen King’s works, The Dark Tower series is one of the most beloved and one of the most complex in terms of lore. And now, the series will be getting more prequels as the rights move from Marvel to Simon & Shuster’s graphic novel imprint Gallery 13.
The first series they will produce is a prequel series about the main character Roland: BEGINNINGS: The Gunslinger Born (Book #1), The Long Road Home (Book #2), Treachery (Book #3), The Fall of Gilead (Book #4), The Battle of Jericho Hill (Book #5). They will also be putting out a six-part comic adaptation of the first novel in the series: The Gunslinger: The Journey Begins (Book #1), The Little Sisters of Eluria (Book #2), The Battle of Tull (Book #3), The Way Station (Book #4), The Man in Black (Book #5), and Last Shots (Book #6).
These novels will be illustrated by artists Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, will by plotted by longtime Dark Tower expert Robin Furth, and scripted by comics writer Peter David. Stephen King will be creatively overseeing the project.
Ed Schlesinger, Senior Editor at Gallery 13, released a statement about getting the rights to this beloved franchise:
“Simon & Schuster has been the official publisher of Stephen King for twenty years now, and we’re thrilled that Gallery 13 will be publishing these essential works that he and Marvel Comics originally and vividly brought to life as a canonical expansion of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dark Tower novel series. Whether you’re just joining Roland Deschain on his brutal and epic journey to the Dark Tower or have already been a longtime member of his ka-tet, these graphic novels boldly and unforgettably capture the one-of-a-kind essence of Stephen King’s Dark Tower reading experience in comic form.”
The first issue of The Gunslinger Born will be released on August 14, 2018.
