This weekend saw James OBarr, the creator of The Crow, hold court at Lexington Comic and Toy Convention, pouring forth for something like 45 minutes worth of personal, sometimes passionate discussion. As far as these panels go, it was an unusually meaningful and candid one, with OBarr talking pretty freely about what his creation means to him. And I believe his enthusiasm for the upcoming new film of The Crow is easy to understand too. Talking about director Corin Hardy, the new approach and the cast, it was obvious that OBarrs endorsement wasnt just motivated by the potential for big-bucks earning. You can see the whole talk in the video below, but here are the headline points. First of all, OBarr says that the new film will be very true to his original comics, offering something like a page by page adaptation. This will go as far as the inclusion of his original visual metaphors - the chair, the horse, the window. Alex Proyas film stylised the violence but downplayed a lot of the visual peculiarities of the comic, and it seems that Hardy is planning to go in the exact opposite direction. According to OBarr, the new Crow is going to be Jack Huston, best known for Boardwalk Empire, and the new Shelly is going to be Jessica Brown Findlay, best known for Downton Abbey. Each is a very capable performer, no doubt - and suggest, again, a film that wont feel too much like Proyas original at all. Maybe the most interesting comments, however - if likely the ones that will be most subject to change - is OBarrs notion for how sequels will play out. Instead of reprising the Eric Draven story, or near-clones thereof, Obarr suggests that further Crow films in this new series will displace the basic iconography into different times and places. The first one, he says, would be about a young punk girl, comparing her to Joan Jett. Of course, this would depend on the first film being successful enough to merit a sequel, and on the producers having the balls to not then just try and carbon copy their successful film. I cant help but be sceptical about the chances of landing in the sweet spot which satisfies both of those criteria. OBarr says the film will shoot in Belgium, and according to the BBC, some production will be done at Pinewoods studios in Wales too. It sounds like things are really, finally about to move ahead on the new Crow. About time too. Well keep you posted.