Producer Simon to Develop B.C., Wizard of Id

Thursday, March 04, 2010
By: Thomas J. McLean

Animation producer Mark Simon has reached a deal with the estate of late comic strip creator Johnny Hart to develop, pitch and produce feature movies and TV series based on the strips B.C. and Wizard of Id.

Under the exclusive agreement, Simon will work with the Hart Estate, Jack Newcombe of Creators Syndicate and The Metropolis Talent Agency on the projects.

"This is a dream project for me," says Simon. "I've been a huge fan of both B.C. and Wizard of Id since I was 5 years old. Johnny Hart's family continues the strips, and have done an incredible job matching the same quality of humor Johnny created, while at the same time making it more accessible to the younger generations again. Both of these hysterically funny properties are overdue for greater exposure on both the big screen and the small screen."

B.C. launched in 1958, featuring a cast of colorful cavemen and anthropomorphic animals. The strip is appearing in more than 1,300 newspapers and has been collected in 37 book editions, with a new one set for publication this year. After Hart’s death in 2007, the strip has been continued by his grandsons Mason and Mick Mastroianni.

Wizard of Id began in 1964, following the adventures of the titular magician in the oddball medieval kingdom. The strip won a Reuben for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year, and is a four-time winner for the National Cartoonist Society's Best Humor Strip. The strip’s original artist, Brant Parker, died in 2007 within two weeks of Hart’s death. The strip is continued by Parker’s son, Jeff Parker, as artist with the Hart family overseeing the writing.

Simon has worked on over 2,800 productions, ranging from feature films to television series, and with both animation and live action. His animation projects have been seen on Nicktoons, G4 and Comedy Central mobile. He also is the author of ten entertainment industry texts including Producing Independent 2D Character Animation and Storyboards: Motion In Art.

Reader Comments

• David M. Allen : Owner : DMA Media Design

  Thursday, March 04, 2010

  This is great news for me that Wizard of Id will become animated - I loved the strip since I was kid, when I used to draw/trace the characters and make my own cartoons. The style was one I really enjoy and it inspired me to become an artist & media designer.