Margaret Atwood has long been at the forefront of experimental science fiction. From The Handmaid’s Tale to Oryx and Crake, with 14 published novels and many non-fiction and poetry collections, Atwood has never been afraid to push the boundaries with her work. In 2016, she tried her hand at comics, collaborating with the incredible Johnny Christmas on Angel Catbird, which told the story of a young genetic engineer who accidentally mutates into a cat-owl hybrid. The pulp-inspired YA book was a hit and, in classic Atwood style, is now transcending media to become an ensemble audio play, which is now available on Audible!
We got an exciting sneak peak at the play (which you can listen to below!), in which Atwood herself plays The Wise Owl. In Atwood’s own words, the adaptation is inspired by classic radio dramas and comics. “In the 1940s of radio shows and comic books, I was six when I first started drawing the flying cats with wings that eventually turned into Angel Catbird, the superhero,” Atwood told Nerdist. “It was great fun to work on my first audio script: a retro radio revisit, complete with theme song, sound effects, and amazing voice actors who turn my team of furred and feathered fighters into full-throated stars.”
This isn’t the first time Audible has adapted a comic to an ensemble cast audio play, as they earlier premiered Locke & Key starring Haley Joel Osment and Tatiana Maslany, adapted from the cult comic from Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez! We’re excited that comics are going to be reaching an even wider audience, and that Atwood is once again leading the charge!
Are you excited to check out Angel Catbird? Interested in learning more about how you adapt a visual medium into an audio play? Let us know in the comments!
Images: Dark Horse Comics