TVSquad

We've mentioned a couple of times that an actual comic book was being developed based on the fictional Tek Jansen character created by the fictional Stephen Colbert, played by the real-life Stephen Colbert.

Tek Jansen is the hero of Colbert's science fiction novel, Stephen Colbert's Alpha Squad 7: Lady Nocturne: A Tek Jansen Adventure. The comic series, created by Oni Press, will consist of five issues, with two stories in each issue (one of which is a continuing story stretching through all five issues). Entertainment Weekly has a look at the first "secondary" story, "Horn Like Me!" in which our hero disguises himself as a horn-headed Rombaron, a race of aliens who rule over the plain-headed Rombarons. The story, naturally, is a spoof of John Howard Griffin's book Black Like Me, though Jim Massey also points out the story owes a debt to The Sneetches, the Dr. Seuss story.

Annie told you not long ago that Oni Press wanted to create a comic book series based on Stephen Colbert's Tek Jansen character. Well, it looks like it's actually going to happen. Indie Comics News has an audio interview with artist Scott Chantler about the upcoming five-issue series.

Chantler states that the comic series will be a little "less goofy" than the animated shorts featured on The Colbert Report, but it doesn't sound as if the comics will stray too far from the basic idea of Tek Jansen being an idiot in super hero clothing. In the first issue, Tek manages to turn a peaceful visit from aliens into an all out intergalactic war.

Chantler is a freelance commercial illustrator who's previously worked for such clients as McDonald's and Reebok.

[via CC Insider]

If you rock the Xbox Marketplace and you're a fan of Stephen Colbert, I have food news for you, sort of. It's not full episodes of The Colbert Report, but it is full episodes of his Tek Jansen Adventures cartoon shorts, which is better than nothing at all, so no complaining. Oh yeah, and the first episode is free.

Tek Jansen, of course, is based on Colbert's novel Alpha Squad 7: Lady Nocturne: A Tek Jansen Adventure. The cartoons follow our superhero as he battles aliens and woos sexy vixens (because, as stated in every episode, he's had hundreds of girlfriends).

You can always watch the episodes on Comedy Central's Web site, too. I've placed the latest episode below for your enthrallment. It's basic cable safe, but possibly not safe for work, so proceed with caution.

Thanks to Zizzy.

Occasionally on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert reads an excerpt from his fictional fiction book, Alpha Squad 7: Lady Nocturne: A Tek Jansen Adventure, which features Stephen as the main character, Tek. The whole thing is a joke on Bill O'Reilly's 1998 novel, Those Who Trespass (O'Reilly clearly based the bad-ass TV journalist on himself). Well, Stephen's going to one-up Papa Bear because Tek Jansen's about to be thrown in the comic book world!

During Comic-Con, the Oni Press panel made their expected announcement about an upcoming My Name Is Earl comic and then followed up with the surprising revelation that they also want to work on Tek Jansen adventures. Talks are currently in process with Stephen and his writing staff, because they'll be involved in the project, right alongside the usual Oni team.

Exciting news for those who love Stephen and "crappy, Mary Sue sci-fi" parodies.