Josh Gad to co-write comic book ‘The Writer’

Josh Gad and the Berkowitz brothers

Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics (2)

A few years ago, Josh Gad received an unexpected email from Frank Miller, someone he had never met before.

The legendary comic creator behind The Dark Knight Returns And Sin City asked Gad, a stage and film actor who also voices Olaf in the Disney films Frozen Movies, if he’s interested in writing a comic book. Miller thinks Gad would be good at it.

“I was terrified,” Gad says. Hollywood Reporter. “I didn’t think I was capable of it. In theory, I didn’t have a way to do it and personalize it and create something worth people’s time.” He politely responded to Miller and declined his invitation.

But in the intervening years, Gad has found his voice, so to speak. Although Miller is not involved, the actor has now co-written a comic that will be published by independent Dark Horse Comics starting in June.

Written with Ben and Max Berkowitz, Writer is a four-issue mini-series featuring artwork by Ariel Olivetti, a veteran pencil artist who has worked for Marvel and DC on titles such as reckless And Punisher War Journal. The hero is very similar to Jad.

The comic introduces readers to Stan Siegel, an author already known for his heroic and fantasy comic books. However, his life takes a dark and unexpected turn when he is plunged into a mysterious Nazi nightmare, full of hidden identities, high-speed chases, and demonic mayhem. The Chalabi writer will have to become the hero of his pages and show that the pen is mightier than the sword.

The idea originated with the Berkowitz family, who grew up on a steady diet of comic books, movies, Saturday morning cartoons, and cereal. The brothers saw a disturbing trend in characters whose Jewish traits are being erased in Hollywood adaptations.

“Jewish identities have been erased from comics to the screen,” says Ben Berkowitz, who as a child ate a small Torah leaf in the hope that the authorities would bestow it upon him. “We wanted to build a story that represented where we came from, all the mythology and folklore of where we came from, and that had a unique, fun character and was inspired by all the movies we watched as kids.”

The Berkowitzes were connected to Gad through his manager at Sugar23, the same company that represents the brothers, and the three began cooking. Finally, Gad felt a personal connection and his imagination lit up.

“I’ve always been drawn to mythological folklore and everything steeped in the dark religious arts, and this goes back to my obsession with the dark religious arts. Raiders of the Lost Ark He says: “And the legends of the Ark of the Covenant.” “There are a lot of films, series and comics that deal with different mythologies, whether Norse or Christian, but not a lot of Jewish mysticism. What a fertile ground for character creation.”

The story combines these elements with a look at the pitfalls of the creative process, while also paying homage to comic books (the hero’s name is taken from comic book writers Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, and Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman).

Max Berkowitz reached out to Olivetti via Instagram and convinced the established artist that the project was worth his time.

“I am in the fortunate position of choosing projects that truly resonate, the kind that leave a lasting impression on me and my readers,” the Argentine illustrator said in a statement. “When I first read the script from Josh and the Berkowitz Bros., it was clear that this was one of those rare, memorable projects.”

The first issue of Writer It will be released on June 19. Check out the trailer, showcasing Gad’s voice work, below, as well as the covers for Issues 1 and 4.