My brother Allan, in Vancouver, is a writer of note. Mostly screenplays for TV and Movies as well as a comedy podcast No Shirt, No Shoes, Pants Optional he wrote with his writing partner, Cowboy Poet Davey Longworth, a script for a movie they titled United States of North America, or USNA. I thought it was a gripping and exciting story about a near-future time where the US engendered a corporate takeover of Canada to form a new country, USNA.
The movie got optioned but in the 1980's when it was written, it was too expensive to do the special effects. So it languished on the shelves for 15 years. Then, in the new millenium, notable graphic novels such as Sin City, 300 and the Watchmen became successful movies as well. The idea was planted and the decision was made to convert USNA into a graphic novel.
A third partner in the writing team known as the Reel Write Brothers, Harry Kalensky (of Trooper fame) helped convert the script and I hired the artist, Calgarian Dave Casey. It took a long time to create the art for the 200 page novel, but we are thrilled that it is finally published. With a Foreword by 2012 Giller Prize winner, Will Ferguson (419), the story has really come to life.
And now, in our effort to make USNA a Canadian Bestseller, we are having a booth at the Calgary Comic Expo, April 26-28, 2013. Drop by, pick up a copy of the book, or a poster, and have the authors personally sign your copy. If you cannot wait, the book is currently available at Another Dimension Comics in Kensington and Pages in Kensington, or online (see the USNA website for details).
Drop by and tell them, "Larry sent ya".