Double Take Comics was the pilot project of video game conglomerate Take-Two Interactive. The subsidiary was a place to publish comic books under… Bill Jemas?! The guy known for creating one of the worst comic books (Marville) to ever be published? Who was known for his micromanaging ways that he was all but blacklisted from Marvel? How? Wait… in less than two years, this company publishes comics about an alternate Night of the Living Dead. Why?
Double Take Comics: The Plan
Bill Jemas somehow manages to find his way in comics through the most unorthodox ways. In 2012 he started a website for his Transverse Universe and somehow physically publish one of his projects Wake The F#CK Up at Zenescope. He even advertises that comic through a hip-hop artist on YouTube. With the quality of that series being similar to Marville, he had too. Even then the only issue of the series sells poorly in comparison to reprints of other more successful comics. Yet somehow he convinces Take-Two to start the Double Take imprint.
Jemas planned on publishing comics based on the XCOM, BioShock, and Civilization franchises. With Take-Two owning their developer/publisher 2K this should’ve been easier. However Jemas could never come to terms with the game studios, I can’t imagine why… So he decides to use Night of the Living Dead as a base. Being public domain he could get away with it and move in on The Walking Dead‘s popularity. He even uses an innovative plan of digital platform publishing on Comixology and motion comics platform Madefire. Before moving on to physical 10 issue bundles of titles every other month for readers.
The Zombie Double Take
Each of the Double Take Comics series are during Night of the Living Dead‘s original plot or spinning-off of it. In any case this begins with the zombie apocalypse and how people in different parts of America handle it. From survivors trying to live through mobs, some very odd families, medical drama, and people trying to make a living during these times. Starting out, the franchise has a very basic zombie apocalypse formula. Zombies show up, people are injured, people survive and try to kill each other, doctors try to figure things out.
But then things start to get weird. After the first two batches of issues, half of the artists and writers drop out. There are no specifics but I’m confident the readers can use their imagination. This coincides with a hiatus period on new releases in comparison to the initial bi-monthly releases. For the new release dates, Jemas partners with non-profit storytelling organization The Moth for more “realism”. But it’s more apparent Jemas was looking for replacements he didn’t have to pay considering he himself takes up some of the writing duties. It’s also where the entire Double Take Comics twist into something completely unlike its source.
By the third issues of each series and onwards some of the characters display superpowers like regeneration or gigantism. It is later revealed the zombie pandemic comes from an all-female species of misandrist aliens from Venus. They released the virus to jumpstart humanity’s evolution, selecting a few Earth women to join them. In fact the zombie states were only temporary. Also a family are revealed to be aliens from somewhere else.
Here’s The Key to the Combine Harvester
Jemas makes a lot of questionable decisions before the end of his franchise. From what little does come out, Jemas already forwarded plans for a movie about Z-Men. He really doesn’t see how many ways that can go wrong? After issue 5 of all of the series’ releases, Jemas makes a last ditch effort to boost interest at New York Comic Con 2016. He needed it in order to jumpstart 4 spin-off titles that continue the initial 10. Only for the advertisements to be banned for “suggestive” appearances.
In the end the Double Take Comics franchise ends much like Marville, a product of Jemas’ vanity. From riding on a successful company and brand’s coattails, micromanaging, rushing for success, to taking advantage of passionate storytellers to cut corners. George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead was a passion project reflecting 1960s American society. From the Cold and Vietnam Wars to the mass consumption and protests. This franchise, especially the twist involving man-hating aliens with holier-than-thou attitudes is a complete mockery of the beloved classic.
Bill Jemas Has A Double Take With Comics
Even in spite of this failure and rumors about Jemas trying to buy Double Take Comics through investors; Bill Jemas is still doing business in comics somehow. AWA Studios featuring the likes of J. Michael Straczynski and Garth Ennis has Jemas as one of the chief creative officers. As a fan I am grateful for Jemas raising funds for this publisher. But AWA has something truly great going for it thanks to The Resistance. I’ll put my faith in Axel Alonso, Jon Miller, and the creative council to keep Jemas on a short leash. Because they know better than anyone what Jemas did and what he’s capable of.
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Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.