A Dune prequel comic is in the works. Titled Dune: House Atreides, the comic will adapt the 1999 novel House Atreides set three decades before the events of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel. The novel details the early days of Baron Harkonnen’s rule as Pardot Kynes searches for the spice melange’s mysterious origins on Arrakis, all as an 8-year old Duncan Idaho escapes slavery and heads to his destiny.
The rights to adapt the novel as a comic have been acquired by Los Angeles based Boom! Studios. The comic will reportedly be scripted by the novel’s writers, Frank Herbert’s son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. On his part, Anderson issued a statment about the project, stating:
It’s been more than 20 years since Brian and I published House Atreides, the first of our new novels set in Frank Herbert’s Dune universe. We loved exploring all the possibilities Frank created for us, and those books introduced a whole new audience to Dune. Now, in adapting House Atreides into a vibrant graphic format, it’s like rediscovering the story and the world all over again. So much of the novel is visually driven, the union of comics and House Atreides is a natural.
Meanwhile, Boom! Studios CEO commented on the deal, stating:
There are few novels in modern history with bigger impact and continued relevance than Dune, so it’s an honor for Boom! Studios — and for me — to be a part of sharing this unforgettable world with readers.
Truer words have never been spoken. Dune: House Atreides is set to launch later this year.