A recent report in the London Sunday Mirror tabloid has gotten a lot of attention in the comic world.  According to the article, 'Millionaire author J.K. Rowling, who created Harry, has been holding secret talks with Marvel Comics.' In the Mirror's version of events, Marvel-Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada, who recently traveled to England to talk with Alan Moore, also met with Rowling in her Edinburgh home where they discussed a comic series as well as an animated cartoon series based on the Harry Potter adventures. The Mirror quotes Joe Quesada as saying, 'I'd like to see JK Rowling involved with comics.  The qualities she would bring are evident -- not to mention her built-in audience.'

 

Newsarama, which has very good sources at Marvel, ran with the story and it is unlikely that they would have done so if Marvel had told them it was all 'hogwartswash.'  When asked about a possible Harry Potter comic at last week's press conference, Quesada simply said 'no comment,' though he did make it clear that Marvel was serious about creating a line of children's books, and he stated that they were looking for some key licenses.  So the betting here is that Marvel is indeed trying to secure a license to create Harry Potter comics.

 

The first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is set for a November, 16th release (see 'Best in Shows').  If Marvel doesn't do the movie adaptation (the film is being produced by Warner Bros. after all), this winter would still be the ideal time to launch a Harry Potter comic in order to get a free ride on the movie's wave of publicity. The fact that Quesada reportedly went to see Rowling herself rather than Warner Brothers Licensing, which controls the licensing rights for the film, indicates that Marvel is interested in an on-going Harry Potter series, something that could anchor their line of kid's comics.