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Great news! The artwork for the graphic novel is done (bar little tweaks here and there) and it looks terrific! We don’t have a specific pub date for this yet—sometime in 2010—but we do at least have a title. This is called THE EXILE (An OUTLANDER graphic novel).
I took some of the artwork with me to DragonCon last weekend (I did the Decatur Book Festival and DragonCon more or less simultaneously, which made for an interesting time all round), and was very pleased that everyone who saw it raved about it.
In celebration, here are two more sample pages, to show off Hoang’s mastery of color and light (and anatomy). One small note: Please don’t nab these pictures and go posting them all over the net. I don’t own the copyright; that belongs to the artist, Hoang Nguyen, and these are posted here by his kind permission and that of the Ballantine editor. If you’d like to share these with your friends—and I’m all for it [g]—please just send them a link to this page.
Thank you! I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product…but for now, Lord John will keep me entertained until Echo!
The pictures are absolutely AMAZING! I am in awe of this artist. I can not WAIT until this comes out! I was able to glance at a page or 2 at the Decatur book festival, but I was near the end of the autograph line and everything was rushed because Diana had to leave for Dragon Con (which now I wish I went to too because she had just a small crowd there as opposed the the MASS amount of people in Decatur!). That and being in awe of meeting Herself, i was pretty speechless and in a daze. Oh I hope this comes out early 2010. An Outlander graphic novel is a wet dream to an artist/Jamie fan like myself!!!
Sorry had to add after I read all the comments:
I love the style, don't think its 'too Asian' or Claire looks too old or Jamie not hairy enough etc etc. If I could draw as well as this man I would do a back flip! The lighting and the dynamic poses and expressions are to die for. Hoang Nguyen has a new fangirl! His Jamie is the closest anyone has ever gotten to the Jamie in my head (including my own drawings!). I want this graphic novel like, yesterday!
Bravo you two!
xoxo
Dove
Please insert fan girl squeal here..lol!
This looks GORGEOUS and I cannot wait!
Why is Jamie's hair maroon? Has the artist never seen anyone with naturally red hair? Because it don't look like that. Seriously unimpressed.
LOVE LOVE LOVE. Can't wait for it!
Just started the Outlander series last month and I am reading Voyager now. I am very impressed with Diana's talent. And a graphic novel, wow. For me, too, a new experience. So I am looking forward to the release. What is The Echo?
Also, I was thinking Jamie's hair was a variety of reddish, chestnut, roan, red. A unique redhead. Can't wait till the finished version.
A new fan.
WOW!! Thanks for posting the amazing artwork. Can't wait until it's finished. I'm going to the Asheville book signing…excited to meet you. =)
Why Jamie has got brown eyes??? His eyes must be blue!
Dear Nancie–
AN ECHO IN THE BONE is the seventh of the OUTLANDER novels–due out in [counting on fingers...] One Week. Better read faster! [g]
Diana,
I am a long-time fan of your work, especially all of the Outlander novels. I have both read and listened to the entire series many, many times and feel imtimately familiar with all of the characters.
I love these portraits. The artwork is really beautiful, especially the rendering of the water. I thought it was a nice touch that Claire's hair, in the scene where it is dry, seems to be just starting to grow out of a short 20th century haircut, just as it would have been. And Jamie's youth and strength are both clear in that gorgeous body.
I just wanted to add my voice to the list of praise and congratulations. I am eagerly awaiting the release of Echo next week and this graphic novel next year.
Thank you so much for everything you, Claire and Jamie have added to my life.
- Nicole Z
Hate to say it, but I'm disappointed with the illustrations. Except for the English solder (BJR?), the characters look too much like anime cartoon characters. They seem to be too angular or something.
WooHoo!! I just got notice from Amazon that my Echo HAS SHIPPED!!! It is only the 21st…so what a treat to have it on the way a day early!!
Diana, thank you for providing the most wonderful series I have ever read…and I read a lot! You make scenes, people, landscapes, details, come alive like no other!! Your style fits my likings
As for the Graphic novel..WHAT A TREAT!!! I must say, however, that my first impression is that the characters have WAY too much of an Asian influence and Claire looks quite a bit different than how she appears in my minds eye. Their features NEED to be anglo, or it doesn't fit. Also Jaime's hair color needs tweaking. It is his crowing glory, and here it looks like it came off of Raggedy Andy!! Please do not take this as an insult, as the artist has done a tremendous job overall. He does, however, need to try and stick with how YOU have SO BEAUTIFULLY and DILIGENTLY painted Jaime and Claire in all of our brains. No license to alter, I say
Thank you again, Diana, for giving us the gift of your talented writing…and of course..for Jamie and Claire!!!
Diana,
Having looked at the pictures several more times since my last comment, it has occurred to me to wonder: I understood the graphic novel would be told from Murtagh's POV. And yet, it is clear which scene Claire is depicted in here, and (at least to the Claire's and therefore the readers' knowledge) Murtagh was not present.
Does the GN go beyond just being from Murtagh's POV?
Thanks,
Nicole Z
Nicole–
One of the ways in which a graphic novel differs from a prose novel is the speed and facility with which you can change viewpoints. Since viewpoint is largely visual, you can in fact have _multiple_ viewpoints in even a single panel–which is virtually impossible to do in straight prose (have multiple POV's in even a single scene, let alone a single paragraph).
Note that all of the novels other than OUTLANDER use multiple viewpoints, though–even though the major part of the novels is told from Claire's point of view.
The graphic novel _is_ told mostly from Murtagh's point of view, but it does _use_ others.
Brandi/Christine/et al–
No, I'm not insulted. [g] All I can say is that a) a graphic novel _is_ a comic book, after all (i.e., rather pointless to expect portraits that match a mind's-eye imagination of real people, surely?), and b) you've seen maybe four pages of (essentially) middle-draft art. When you see the final product in a bookstore, you can flip through and see what you think.
I agree Diana, the graphic novel format is not for everybody especially those who want to keep their own mind pics of the characters in tact. The artwork is just luminous so far. Beautiful colors. I enjoy seeing the artist's interpretation of the characters.
Hi Diana, thanks for yet another great read in the series of amazing books, so glad I found the spoiler for the ending, will be only too happy to cry 'happy' tears having enjoyed the series so much & other books you have blessed us with. Will eagerly await the Graphic Novel next year to add to my collection also.
Cheers, Andi
It looks fantastic.What a great idea!Just when I thought I had nothing to look forward to and how can I possibly wait for Book 8.
So yeah.Good.
Dear Diana,
Need to tell you, just love your work, I have all of Outlander series and Lord John series in hardcover and they have a special place in our home where I can see them and besides reading them, that gives me pleasure too, silly he?!
Have never bought a graphic novel before, well one for my friend ones, but that's besides the point….
But I will run out to buy "The Exile", it looks awesome and it will make a nice addition to the rest of the series.
Also glad to hear that your going to publish a second companion to go with the first.
Anything regarding these "friends" is welcome indeed!