ENDER’S GAME- THE CLASSIC SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL COMES TO MOVIES AND COMICS

There are some incredible books in the science fiction genre, books that have defined generations and the genre itself simultaneously. Among their vast number are classics such as Larry Niven’s Ringworld, Asimov’s Foundation books, Alfred Bester’s The Demolished Man, HG Wells’ The Time Machine and so on. One book of that ilk is Orson Scott Card’s brilliant Ender’s Game, originally published in 1985, the book that kickstarted the Ender series in breathtaking style. Now, with Hollywood and other entertainment centres turning their gaze to more and more classic series, it only seems right that Ender would, erm, end up being offered too.

The long awaited feature film version of Ender’s Game may still be having teething troubles (namely losing its director, Wolfgang Peterson, recently), but the story has already made it onto shelves in the form of a comic book. Something that is very positive about the forthcoming movie adaptation is that Orson Scott card himself has written the screenplay for it, and you can’t get much more authentic than that can you? The story, that of a young boy being sent to take part in an intergalactic war, is timeless enough to enthral viewers and readers of any age. Its longevity has already been proven by the subsequent novels in the series, which now runs to nine books in total. The original book is an expanded version of the novelette of the same name, and it is that first book (and elements of the second tale, Ender’s Shadow) that is to form the basis of this leap to the big screen.

Unfortunately, it appears that with the departure of Wolfgang Peterson, the film is going through its fair share of troubles in its journey to the screen. The story is already getting out to people in a new form though, via the excellent new comic book series that is being published by none other than Marvel Comics. The comic series has taken a few liberties with the various designs of armour and technology, but for the most part it remains faithful to the original source material. Plus, the comic book series will provide a nice indication of how the movie would be accepted by audiences.

Under Card’s supervision, the comic series has been scripted by Chris Yost (New X-Men/X-Force) and pencilled by the incredible talent of Pasqual Ferry. While offering a unique look at a science fiction legend, the Ender’s Game comics also mark another point in the literary interests of Marvel Comics, who are proving that they are increasingly happy to try something a little different. Ender’s Game is finally starting to make the transition to other aspects of public consciousness, and with such a powerful message to convey, that can only be a good thing.