‘Deadliest Catch’ Beers Rides Graphic Novel to Movie Theaters

Producer Strikes While Iron's Hot

By Linda Moss -- Multichannel News, 7/18/2008 1:45:00 PM

Thom Beers, the producer of cable mega-hits such as Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers, is developing his first feature film, which will be based on his new graphic novel Chopper Zombie. 

Original Productions chief Beers, whose shows garnered six Emmy nominations Thursday, is releasing his novel at Comic-Con next week in San Diego, to be followed by a live-action movie.

Created by Beers, the Chopper Zombie movie is anticipated to go into production in the early spring next year and will be produced by Beers and Original Productions' president Philip Segal.

The novel Chopper Zombie is being published by Devil's Due Publishing and was written  by Beers and Todd Livingston, with cover artist Scott Keating. According to the publisher, advance sales from major booksellers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com have been brisk.

Limited-edition copies will be available at Comic-Con, with Chopper Zombie arriving in stores July 30.

"We've been doing series like Biker Build-Off and Monster Garage because I love choppers,” Beers said in a prepared statement. “My son Max, who's 10, loves zombies. He told me that choppers and zombies go together. So, we gotta' do it! Choppers and zombies.”

Segal will participate in the Devil's Due Presents Panel July 24 at 6 p.m.

Chopper Zombie Day is set for July 27 where the creative team including Beers, Segal and Livingston will be available to sign limited editions of Chopper Zombie.

"Chopper Zombie" follows the fate of a Taz, a brilliant motorcycle builder who becomes the victim of his own success when he refuses to sell his formula for a new super-fuel to a dangerous corporation. When a team of thugs drowns him in his own toxic creation, he rises from the dead with a score to settle.