‘Too Cool to Be Forgotten’ Heading for Theaters, Top Shelf Sells 33% Share

Indie comics publisher Top Shelf Productions announced today that independent film producer Anthony Bregman and media entrepreneur John S. Johnston have purchased a 33% share in the company, and Bregman, who has produced movies like "The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," will have a first look deal for movie and television adaptations of Top Shelf material through his production company, Likely Story.

Their first Top Shelf movie has already been announced: An adaptation of the 2008 graphic novel "Too Cool to Be Forgotten" by Alex Robinson, about a man who tries hypnosis to quit smoking and finds himself reliving his high school years.

The deal sounds like a pretty advantageous one that gives Top Shelf more access to TV and film possibilities, while the minority 33% share means that co-publishers Chris Staros and Brett Warnock will remain in control of the company. We spoke with Staros today about the news, and what these changes are going to mean.

"On a day to day basis, it's really business as usual at Top Shelf," said Staros. "We had to look long and hard to find people who really dug what we do and didn't want to change anything. These guys really fall into the category of angels, because they're willing to put money in without taking control. They absolutely love the direction of the company, and they want to let us do what we do. This is not something we rushed into. They were willing to put the safeguards into the deal that meant that no one could be voted out, no one could sell their shares of stock independently. We are a family, we're in it together, and no one's going anywhere. Nothing changes."

And while the "Too Cool to Be Forgotten" movie project is "still in the early stages, Anthony and Likely Story love it, and want to put it on their roster," said Staros. "We've been shopping it around to a bunch of writers to get people on board and we're still trying to put the team together. It's going to take a while to put together, but it's what he's most excited to start with."