A new publishing company, Best Sellers Illustrated, plans to launch its line of graphic novels this spring with a 100,000 copy first printing of War of the Worlds, based on the H.G. Wells science fiction classic.  

The novel is also the basis for one of the summer's major motion picture releases.  Steven Spielberg is directing Paramount's new mega-budget version of War of the Worlds, which stars Tom Cruise and debuts in theaters across the U.S. on June 29th.  It's receiving the ultimate in pre-release marketing -- an advertising spot during this weekend's Superbowl.

Stephen Stern, writer/creator of Zen Intergalactic Ninja, is adapting Best Sellers Illustrated's War of the Worlds graphic novel, which will be illustrated by Star Trek comic book artist Arne Starr and will feature a cover by legendary artist Frank Brunner. 

Although there have been other comics based on War of the Worlds in the past decades, the most memorable is undoubtedly the Classics Illustrated adaptation which came out in 1955, just two years after the original Paramount film version.