Oscar Wilde Reimagined in the Graphic Novel and Audiodrama “GRAY”

Prodigal Entertainment, the producers behind Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Mother of Frankenstein, and Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill, and publishers Clover Press have radically reimagined Oscar Wilde’s classic (and only) novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, in GRAY, a modern, feminist, supernatural revenge thriller.

The first volume of GRAY will hit stores in July 2021, with the second volume and the audio drama slated to release nationwide in Fall 2021.

The Kickstarter to fund volume 2 as well as the star-studded audio drama launched today and runs through May 19. Reward tiers include digital and print versions of the graphic novel, a digital download of the 8-episode audio drama, postcards, and signed prints. The $300 tier offers the chance to either be drawn into the comic or play a small role in the audio drama. And if you’re a Broadway fan, you might consider the $500 tier, which is chock-full of Jagged Little Pill merchandise, including two tickets to the show (whenever it reopens).

Early backers who pledge $45 or more will receive an exclusive 10-character tarot card set, but you have to pledge in the first 48 hours to get it for free! The set will be available for purchase after the 48 hours are up.

From the Kickstarter:

Our DORIAN GRAY is a social media princess who drifts through the coolest cliques of NYC, living the most debauched of lives, breaking hearts and turning heads wherever she goes. But Dorian has secrets. For one thing, she’s a violent criminal. For another, she’s an immortal creature of magic, hell set on a mission of revenge against some of America’s most powerful men.

Written by Audible Best-selling and Stoker-nominated author Arvind Ethan David from Prodigal Entertainment, and drawn by Eugenia Koumaki, inked by Diana Greenhalgh, and colored by Joana Lafuente, the story will touch on important modern-day issues like sexual assault and the #MeToo movement, the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, and systemic racism. Prodigal Entertainment is working with RAINN, the country’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, to provide resources to listeners and project members about the issues with sexual assault explored in the story.

As a side note, April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and if you’re looking for an organization to donate to, RAINN is matching donations up to $40,000 through the end of the month.

Meanwhile, the audio drama, featuring a slew of Tony- and Emmy-nominated actors, will tell Dorian’s story as a true crime investigative podcast. The drama stars Tony nominee Lauren Patten (Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill, Blue Bloods) as Dorian Gray, Neil Brown, Jr. (SEAL Team, Straight Outta Compton) as Detective Hank Wutan, Emmy Winner Richard Schiff (The Good Doctor, The West Wing, Se7en) as Detective Augustus Bracknell, Tony Nominee Samuel Barnett (Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Penny Dreadful, The History Boys) as the villain, Baron Claus Arnheim, Kiran Deol (Sunnyside, Greatest Ever) as Gwendolyn. Milena Govich (FBI, Chicago Fire), will direct and also play the role of Mrs. Cheveley. The role of Speranza, the mysterious narrator of the podcast, has yet to be cast.

Praise is already rolling in for GRAY, from screenwriters like Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer’s Body) and Stephanie Folsom (Toy Story 4) and Eisner-nominated writers like Mike Carey (Unwritten, Lucifer), who have lauded GRAY as “incisive”, “wickedly funny”, “gorgeous”, and “provocative”.

For more on the project, or to join the mailing list, visit sistersofgray.com.

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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