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Hello friends and acquaintances,
Diamond Comic Distributors will not ship any new comic books for the week of December 30th. There's been some talk about reserving that week for independent creators to provide original material for our favorite comic shops. A year ago, I created a project called MINE ALL MINE. The mini-comic was a series of one page vignettes -- about thieves, crooks, scoundrels, con artists, etc. Each page, a different artist, written and arranged by me, all about stealing stuff. Here's the online version. I'd like to do a similar comic book to be released on December 30th. It's going to be called ONE NIGHT STAND. Stories about "casual encounters." The stories won't all be overtly sexual or explicit. Like MINE ALL MINE, I'm working with a broad definition. This mini-comic will explore sex and intimacy, guilt and anonymity, risk and fantasy. Lovely stuff. I want to use this ONE NIGHT STAND concept as an opportunity to grow as a storyteller. I'd like to work with people who are experienced comic book artists, but also talented artists who have never attempted a comic before. It's only a one page commitment (hence "One Night Stand"), and should be a good opportunity to try something new. April Wenzel is working the cover. It's going to look good, heck-I-wish-I-thought-of-this-first good. IMPORTANT: If you're interested, let me know and I'll send you a script as soon as possible. Due date for the finished inked and lettered page is October 30th. I need it grayscale, 300 dpi, tiff, 5.5"(width) x 8.5"(height). Put your name on page somewhere at the bottom, title at the top. I'll credit myself on the title page, along with all the participating artists. Please, any other talented people who you think might be interested, let them know. I'll print enough mini-comics for you to have copies. Send me a list of your favorite comic shops, and I'll make sure they get complimentary copies as well. If you want to print and sell your own or feature your own page on your site, whatever you want to do with it is up to you. A few months after the print version of the comic book, I'll make everything available online. Any copies I sell will be used to offset the printing. I'm excited about what will come together. If this one page project sounds like fun, join us. If not, no worries.
I haven't posted anything in quite a few days. I've been busy with my first week back at school and Kennedy's first week of school. It's just one of those chaotic seasons.
Dallas Comic Con was good (photos posted). I had dinner with lovely local artist and professor Erica Stephens, also hung out with Kyle Kondas. Great guy. April got back from China, so it's wonderful to have her home. April and I went to the Star Wars gallery show at the Soda Gallery. Afterward, April, Paul Milligan, and I went to Lee Harvey's to see two bands. *ahem* I finished Gaiman's The Graveyard Book audiobook. Read ASTERIOS POLYP and Andi Watson/Simon Gane's PARIS. Brent Schoonover and I did an interview for the Half-Hour Wasted podcast. It should post sometime in next two weeks. I'll share the link, once I have it. Last night, April and I went to a football game, and then to the Ozzie Rabbit Lodge. And I'm working on a project for Indy Comic Book Week. There. We're all current.
I finished listening to the audiobook for ELEMENTS OF STYLE by Strunk and White. I've read ELEMENTS a few times (and I teach from it in my Creative Writing class), but it was nice to have Frank McCourt's narration. He added some humor I never noticed before in a few of the lines.
For any writer, I consider it required reading. Seriously. I'm a full blown disciple of this little book and E.B. White's reminders on style. This section is especially comforting: "What," an imaginary student asks Mr. White, "if it comes natural to me to experiment rather than conform? What if I am a pioneer or even a genius?"I've never considered myself a genius or experimental, but I keep feeling if I can't be one (a genius) or at least fake it -- then there will be no room for me among the career writers. I love E.B. White's dismissive tone. He has no patience for the genius. He's addressing the writers who sweat each line and every word. Which means, he's talking to me.
Is it a shameless plug if it's posted on my blog? Free HOW TO LOSE BIG buttons! Free bookmarks! And lots of cool people will be there.
You can follow related twitter posts about Dallas Comic Con here. I'll try to update throughout the day. See you tomorrow.
I'll confess it's difficult to mourn the passing of John Hughes. For one obvious reason, I didn't know him. To me, he was always an adjective. "John Hughes" described a type of movie.
A John Hughes movie had something important to say. A John Hughes movie often dealt with teen alienation and the absurd battle for acceptance, acceptance from peers and parents. A John Hughes movie introduced the viewer to a world of humorous stereotypes and then fleshed them out until they were beautifully nuanced three-dimensional characters. Think of Duckie in PRETTY IN PINK (written by Hughes, not directed). Think of Cameron Frye in FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF. Think of every single character in THE BREAKFAST CLUB. A John Hughes movie is incredibly funny, but deceptively moving as well (SHE'S HAVING A BABY). You are likely to miss the point of a John Hughes movie depending on your perspective. As a teenager, I was outraged Duckie never got together with Andie Walsh. As an adult, I absolutely get it. The movie might be one of the most mature movies on the subject on young love (Just because you have things in common with someone, it does not obligate anyone to love you the way you love them). Likewise, with SIXTEEN CANDLES, if you juxtapose the wedding to the final scene between Samantha and Jake (you can also throw in the morning-after scene with Farmer Ted and Carolyn) you get a deeper statement on our expectations for the possibility of romantic love. I'm not making this stuff up. It's there. The movie snobs may scoff, but I believe THE BREAKFAST CLUB is one of greatest screenplays. I reference it repeatedly in my Creative Writing class. It is a flawless movie, amazing structure. It behaves like a stage play, but was crafted for the screen. Only a John Hughes movie could integrate a cheesy dance number and still make it work. Claire Standish and Allison Reynolds doing that dance in the library is the most adorable two seconds in film history. John Hughes had many imitators. "80s movies" became a genre in itself, primarily because of Hughes. Most copycats were mindless teen comedies, which failed to understand the respect John Hughes showed to his young audience. Even the good copies fell short. SAY ANYTHING, written and directed by Cameron Crowe, had the obligatory wacky graduation party. It had all the Hughesian archetypes. The movie shifted to a deeper message. Even still, the ending was too heavy handed and the comedy was forced. Yes, I dare challenge SAY ANYTHING. (It wasn't until JERRY MAGUIRE that Cameron Crowe found his voice as a director.) John Hughes wasn't a genius. Actually, he might have been. I don't know. However, anyone who could write and direct the way he did, who could work with young actors and bring out such performances, had to be an amazing person. His movies are on my shelf. To say "John Hughes is gone" doesn't quite fit into my brain. What do you mean? He's right there (as I point to my DVDs). Fact is I didn't know him, but he knew me. And I think that's what made him great. He really understood how his characters felt and it perfectly mirrored his audience. Whenever we forget what it's like to be a teenager, to be young adults on the verge of needing everything "figured out," his movies are a reminder.
Brock Rizy posted the first pages of "Koo Too" (click here) on his website. This short story was entirely written and illustrated by Brock. I looked at his script beforehand, but didn't have any notes. We've been discussing the future of Emily and Koo for awhile. "Koo Too" and "Emily Edison Stomps Sassy Pants" fit within our master plan for a second volume. You're getting a few pieces of the puzzle. You may want to re-read volume 1 (I'll have copies available at Dallas Comic Con). There are a few hints tucked away.
The synopsis for volume 2 is more or less complete. We've worked through all the details. The first series was originally conceived as a monthly comic book. Each issue had a self-contained story with a developing subplot that grew to dominate the final issue -- Continuity 101. However, the second series is a much bigger story. We'll keep you posted on its progress.
When I write, I always keep this quote by Alan Moore at the forefront of my mind:
"Don't be afraid to use your own ideas."Some people never have a problem. They are fiercely independent. However, by nature, I am a people pleaser. I want everyone to be happy and happy with me. Often, I get into the terrible habit of adapting to people's own preferences. You lose your identity pretty quickly. For anyone pursuing a creative interest, this can be the kiss of death. You have your ideas for a reason. They are meant to be used and explored. You have to be a bastard (of sorts) about your ideas. You sit in front of Microsoft Word, and you say to yourself: "No one is going to get it. Who cares? Move forward and let it be." This reminder from Alan Moore helps me turn off the internal censor. Now, I'm reaching a new stage in my writing. New challenges. And I turn to this quote by Neil Gaiman about persistence (YouTube link): "You put one word after another like putting brick onto a wall. And sooner or later, you look and you've managed to build the palace of Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria... out of matchsticks."I've learned how to stand my ground and trust my ideas, but now I need to get more ambitious. After visiting the Hearst Castle, I learned quite a bit about William Randolph Hearst. The man was simply incapable of thinking small. Great writers and artists seem to have this one unifying trait. They are ambitious. All people are born ambitious (my daughter told me she wants to marry Joe Jonas and have a house the size of a mall), but many people have tamed it in exchange for smaller goals. That's not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it's the reality of life. It's easy to think big, when your dad is George Hearst. Still. It's important to reclaim ambition for the things you truly love. And you build: one word after another.
Scott Kurtz posted this video, and I wanted to pass it along. "A must watch for anyone who struggles with being creative on a regular basis." A few months ago, April and I saw Elizabeth Gilbert as part of the Arts & Letters Live program hosted by the Dallas Museum of Art. She is a true inspiration and a teacher to this generation of writers and artists.
I watched the video last night, and the timing couldn't have been better.
For those who worry that a year spent writing a novel will mean a year with no comics from me (awww... thank you hypothetical fan, too kind), you'll be glad to know that won't be the case. I will have short stories featured in PopGun Vol. 4, Outlaw Territory Vol. 3, the roller derby anthology from Oni Press, plus another anthology searching for a publisher. That's four comics right there. ASTRONAUT DAD is finished (as previously mentioned), and I completed the first draft for HOW TO LOSE BIG. So that's six. Brock and I are working on EMILY EDISON 2. The synopsis is shaping up nicely. That's a potential seventh comic. And by the time all this stuff arrives at your neighborhood retailer, the novel (which we're not supposed to talk about) will be finished. Hopefully. And I'll be ready to write more comics.
It's a perfect plan.
I have a superstition. I believe that the more you talk about a book (before it's finished) the less likely it will happen. If I go on and on, it jinxes the book. I have evidence to support this claim. Think of all those friends who told you they were writing a novel.
Now, where is that novel? So, it is with great fear that I tell everyone: this week, I'm starting my novel. Yes, an actual novel. I spent the summer finishing KARMA INCORPORATED: VICE & VIRTUE and HOW TO LOSE BIG in order to clear some room in my schedule. With the exception of an occasional short story or Souvenir of Dallas comic, I plan to focus solely on the novel. Before any of you recommend NaNoWriMo as a solution to getting my novel done... no. This isn't an experiment or a dare. This novel is a thoughtful and passionate endeavor. In that regard, it's no different from any other story I've written. At the same time, it's a frickin' novel. I haven't written one of those before. I have the synopsis more or less finished. I've decided to no longer pursue BOLIVAR as a graphic novel. I've changed the title, re-worked the plot, and trying it as literary prose. I feel good about it. The story was too big as a graphic novel. I kept taking short cuts to reduce the page count for the artist. Now, the only one I'm punishing is myself. This novel is three stories in one -- a mythic journey into the spirit world, a family's experience during World War II, and a glimpse into the ghosts of Galveston's tragic history. It's an American fantasy. Folklore, mythology, religion, and fairy tales all mix together. Think Carnivale, Bayou, Pan's Labyrinth, and American Gods. "I never go back to the Island without sensing the ghosts. I can't think of a place where they run thicker." - Gary Cartwright, Galveston: A History of The Island There you go. I'm going to shut up now. Hopefully to avoid the jinx.
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