SDCC: Aspen Catches Gargoyle Fever With Scott Lobdell’s “Scourge”

Aspen's panel at Comic-Con revealed much about the publisher's 2010 plans, but between the film development of Michael Turner's "Soulfire" and the continued progress on "Fathom," which is slated to star Megan Fox, one other exciting announcement might have been overlooked by some.

Scott Lobdell ("X-Men," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") is helming a new Aspen title called "The Scourge" that puts a new twist on concepts laid out by zombie movies and Will Smith's "I Am Legend," with victims of a viral outbreak transforming into winged gargoyles.

The kicker? According to panel the comic book miniseries will also be developed into a feature film by Gale Ann Hurd's Valhalla Motion Pictures, the same company behind the upcoming "Soulfire."

This is all well and good, but there's one detail the creative team might have neglected in the name of a more recognizable title. As Gail Simone has pointed out in more than one comic I've read, true gargoyles come equipped with water spouts; otherwise the little critters are just plain old grotesques.

So far, the only thing fans have to look at is a promotional cover image released at the panel (with no water spout verification), but if things progress as planned, you could see gargoyles attacking the streets of Manhattan in the near future.