12 Gauge Comics will release a Boondock Saints comic in conjunction with the release of Boondock Saints II:  All Saints Day in 2010.  It will be co-written by writer/director Troy Duffy and Jason Love.  The comic will be a side story to the films, and will tell the origin story of Il Duce, the father of the brothers MacManus, who act as vigilantes to clean up the streets of Boston.  

According to 12 Gauge President Keven Gardner, the Boondock Saints panel at Comic-Con was a raucous affair.  “There was a very, very good response,” he said.  “The only fans more rabid than Twilight fans have been the Boondock Saints fans.” 

The first Boondock Saints film became something of a cult hit during its DVD release, which was done as a promoted Blockbuster exclusive.  It was released in only five theaters theatrically in 1999, and received generally poor reviews at the time.   

The comic will be scheduled as soon as the film’s release date is set.  “We’re just waiting on Sony for release date for the film,” Gardner said.

12 Gauge is also releasing Luke McBain, a comic tied to country music star Trace Adkins.  The first of four issues will be released in November, which ties into an Adkins tour.  Adkins will be the fictional character in the comic, who will be drawn by artist Kody Chamberlain to Adkins’ likenesss.  David Tischman will write.  “It’s a Walking Tall, Billy Jack kind of revenge story,” Gardner told us. 

Boondock Saints and Luke McBain will be released by 12 Gauge under its own imprint; previous titles have all been released by Image Comics.  “From a business model it made more sense to do these on our own,” Gardner said.  “The Image model didn’t fit for what we needed to do for these particular titles.”  Other titles produced by the company will continue to be released by Image.