The Song I Can Never Write

Post ECC

2008-05-13T17:48:21Z

So, Emerald City went very well, indeed. As always, a great show, lots of wonderful people, and a chance to reconnect with folks that I haven't seen in a while. The fans, as always, were uniformly pleasant and excited -- there seems to be a lot of anticipation for the "Gotham Central reunion" that'll be the four issues of Daredevil I'm doing with Ed and Michael.

On a business end it went well, too, though, again, I'm embargoed on what I can, and can't, talk about. Looks like a new project got locked down, which is good. Most likely that'll see print in early '09, maybe February. I have to admit that I'm getting a little frustrated about not being able to share the things I'm working on. Only a few more months until several of the cats I've been hoarding get to leave their respective bags.

Of the many highlights for me, though, was finally getting to meet Philip Tan in person. Up until now, we've been communicating on the phone and via email, so it was great to finally be face-to-face. He confirmed my worst suspicions: not only is he frighteningly talented, it turns out he's really, really, really nice. He's also incredibly enthusiastic, which is even better -- when the artist is charged up about the project, it's infectious. Philip was also kind enough to do the first sketch in my new "Question-themed" sketchbook.

Saw Southworth and his terrific lady, Michelle. The Stumptown pages are really cooking. I feel bad for the workload we've put him under; you do work-for-hire, you're already dealing with established characters, for the most part, reference readily available. Matthew's got to invent everything from scratch, and especially with the first couple issues, that means designing and detailing not only the regular cast, but also all of the regular sets. He's got an attention to detail that's terrific, and that I think will serve the book very well, indeed. He, James Lucas, and I, got to talk a little bit, and we're pushing back the launch to October. Better that we have everything ready than to rush it, we agreed, and frankly, none of us wants the book coming out with the delays I caused on Queen & Country. Flip-side is that Matthew and I are going to try to work on an eight-pager for distribution at San Diego, along with some other promotional material.

And I got to see Lieber's art for issue one of Whiteout: Night, though only briefly. The irony in having to go to a con in Seattle to see what he's been working on didn't escape either of us, but we're both so damn busy here, we barely have a chance to connect. We've resolved to change that. So I suppose I ought to call him, huh? I'm always amazed looking at Steve's work; there's such an effortlessness to his detail and character, and I know he puts hours in to make it appear so, but the effect is striking.

I'm grinding away on three different scripts this week, trying to get them all squared away before returning to the novel. Had a come-to-Jesus with my editor and agent last week, after sending off the first 35K words or so, and my editor was effusive (though she's yet to receive pages from me an say "this is utter crap", so I take it with a grain of salt). Looks like we're on the right track. I'd rather have sent the whole manuscript, to be frank, but as I was toying with a somewhat radical (or at least, from Bantam's end, unexpected) change in style, both David and I felt Kate needed fair warning. Turns out it was a wise move, but she's for it, which makes moving forward easier. I'll resume the keyboard punching in earnest early next week, I suspect, once research for this new section is completed.

And now...work.

Hype! Hype!! It's Hype, I tells ya!!!

2008-05-08T20:42:45Z

I know, I know, four posts in a single day, this is out of the ordinary even for me.

The Wired "Underwire Blog" has posted this about the upcoming Gotham Knight anime direct-to-DVD broohaha. I wrote one of the stories, as I mentioned before.

Incidentally, when I was in Calgary, I got a chance to catch up with Bruce Timm, who worked on the project. He said very nice things about my script. I'm kinda proud of that.

And while I'm at it...

2008-05-08T19:39:29Z

Today's Winning Headline:

Great Tits Cope Well With Warming.

From the BBC.

And coming soon in easy to swallow Mass Market Paperback...

2008-05-08T19:04:10Z

I'm actually not certain what the release date is for the mass market edition of Patriot Acts, but my agent forwarded the cover today. It's a subtle variation on the original hardcover version. I like it.

The EW blurb is kinda neat; always fun being compared to a swiss watch.

Emerald City ComicCon

2008-05-08T16:37:03Z

Headed up to Seattle tomorrow for the Emerald City ComicCon. I'll be at a table with Jen and mercuryeric. I'll have some books to sell, stories to tell, and if it goes well, all will be swell.

I'm very sorry about that last sentence, and I beg your immediate forgiveness.

There's a DC Nation panel on Saturday, from 1 to 2 pm in "Panel Room A," which I suspect I'll be asked to sit on. Dan DiDio is out for the show this year, so if nothing else, he'll be endlessly entertaining as he frustrates fans. As for my part, I've actually got no idea if I'll be up there, because just about everything I'm doing for DC is still under information embargo at the moment, which inevitably leads to me repeating, over and over again, "I can't answer that." So maybe I'll be the one who's endlessly frustrating.

Oni Press will be well-represented at the show, as well, and Sunday from 11 to 12, again in "Panel Room A," they'll be having their Quiz Show. Apparently, I'm on that as well, along with Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O'Malley, and Jennfer Van Meter, who, for those of you who still haven't figured it out, is the same Jen from Paragraph One, above. Bryan's very talented wife, Hope Larson, will be at the show, as well.

I like this show; Jim Demonakos has done a terrific job with it, and it's one of my favorite of the circuit, one of the few I actually get excited about attending every year. The Portland Crowd tends to be pretty thick in attendance, as well, including most -- if not all -- of the Periscope Studio crew. I'll also get to see Matthew Southworth, which is great, because Stumptown is inching its way ever-closer to a release; we're hoping for the first issue in September.

Work is continuing apace. The novel has reached a crossroads. Should know which direction I'm taking it in the next two days, and once that's decided, then it's just a matter of typing the draft as fast as I can. I'm running about two weeks behind (according to my personal schedule), and I'm eager to make it up, as other work (primarily comics works) is back-burnered for the time being.

Philip Tan -- who will also be at the show this weekend! -- is continuing to deliver amazing pages on FC:R. I get leery of posting stuff without permission, but if you've checked out his blog, you can see some of his work-in-progress.

Developments and, uh...Complications

2008-04-29T22:42:42Z

Back home after Calgary. Very nice show. Figured out how to solve a problem I was having with the new novel, and in the process discovered a new character who I quite like. Not sure how she'll play out, but she's fun to write, and she's keeping Atticus on his toes.

The Russia/Georgia thing is continuing to get virtual ink. kali921, thoughts?

And then there's the big event this weekend, what Gabo herself calls "the happiest day of the year", Free Comic Book Day. Bride, myself, and the children will be at Gabi's Olympic Cards and Comics from noon until...until rather late, I expect. Dashiell and Elliot are both intending to come in costume. I may post pictures. I may not. I may dare to eat a peach.

Checkmate #25

2008-04-25T05:51:46Z

I'm not a big fan of posting reviews of my work. Figure if I post the good ones, I should maybe give equal time to the bad ones, right?

Well, I'm breaking my rule. These two reviews, in particular, of mercuryeric's and my last issue of Checkmate, are ones I feel worth sharing. This first one, from IGN, and this one from Hannibal Tabu at CBR.

The ComicBloc chat tonight was terrific, and lasted four hours, with short breaks for Eric and myself. Something that Eric and I are hoping to do again when Final Crisis: Resist hits the stands.

Just my Luck

2008-04-24T19:29:41Z

So, this story has been slowly escalating over the last week. Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and this...I'm really hoping I won't have to tag a disclaimer on the new novel saying "This was before the war."

And in entertainment news, the new Bond film is having consistent car trouble.

I'm leaving for Calgary at oh-dark-thirty tomorrow morning, to attend the Calgary Comic Expo. I've heard nothing but good things about this show from everyone I know who's ever attended it, and I'm quite looking forward to it. Hoping to score some Avatar: The Last Airbender swag for the kids, maybe a sketch or two.

Of course, this means I'll be missing the Stumptown Comics Fest for the second year in a row, which means, once more, I'll be out of town while Matthew Southworth is actually here. I'm getting a little worried that he thinks I'm avoiding him.

Last note -- Checkmate chat with meself and mercuryeric at ComicBloc tonight, don't forget!

Self-Promotion? What's That?

2008-04-17T16:14:51Z

There's an interview with me up at Newsarama right now about the next thing with my name on it that'll be coming out from DC, Final Crisis: Revelations. Look for a companion interview with the amazing Philip Tan, as well. If you've seen any of his art, then you'll understand why I'm willing to use the word "amazing" to describe it.

So we have an official announcement, now, of at least one of the things I'm working on, Final Crisis: Revelation, five issues of 30 pages each, Crispus Allen and Renee Montoya sharing pages again, though each of them in a much-altered form. The Spectre and The Question. Has to go down in history as one of the all-time oddest team-ups ever, which is probably one of the reasons why I'm enjoying writing it so much. First issue is out in August, I believe, so yes, it's a wait, but I think it'll be well-worth it.

While we're on the topic, the ancillary material for the The Question: The Five Books of Blood hardcover that's coming out in June was finalized on Monday; we've included some six pages in the back about the Montoya Journal, including images of a couple of the props that didn't make the final cut for inclusion. I've written some commentary about the journal, the process, the ideas behind it, and the like. For those of you who were intrigued by that particular flight of fancy, it's definitely Value Added Content.

I promised a couple of posts back to explain the quiet that has descended here... and it's going to be relatively quiet for another month or so as I finish the draft of the tentatively-entitled new Kodiak novel, The Walking Dead. That's priority right now, and until I get out of the Very Dark Place that is this novel, I'm not going to have a whole lot I want to share, or even will feel like talking about, I suspect.

A week from today, on the 24th, mercuryeric and I will be doing a live chat at the ComicBloc Foum, starting at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific. I expect it'll last 90 minutes or so, but it may run longer. If you're not registered at the 'Bloc, I believe you'll have to be to participate, but I could be wrong, as I've yet to actually do a chat there.

And then there's The Blue Religion, a new short-story collection edited by the blazingly-talented Michael Connelly, including shorts by the man himself, Laurie R. King, Alafair Burke, and many others. I'm one of the others, and the short is entitled "Contact and Cover." Fans of A Fistful of Rain might want to check this out, as the story is told by Tracy Hoffman, and gives a little insight into what her life on the job was like before making detective.

Finally, an unsolicited endorsement. Find E. Benjamin Skinner's book A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face With Modern-Day Slavery.

Buy this book.

Read this book.

Read the parts that make your heart break. Read the parts that make your eyes burn. Read the parts that twist your stomach.

Read this book.

Then find someone else, and make them read this book.

And while they're reading it, get to work, and any way you can, in any of the ways that Skinner suggests, join this fight.

Body Count

2008-04-16T21:38:50Z

I just realized that, by 15K words in the new novel, I've already racked up a body-count of 8.

Not sure what to make of that, frankly.

Lonely Planet(s)

2008-04-13T19:14:06Z

My brother sent me this link this morning. Disappointing, but, I suppose, not surprising. Thing is, I've been a fan of the Lonely Planet guides for years now, ever since I realized that the chances of me actually getting down to the Ice while researching the first Whiteout were pretty much nil. They had the only guidebook on Antarctica that I ever found.

Ever since then, I've relied on their titles pretty heavily to provide broad secondary research for the many travels of Atticus, Chace, and others.

Another reminder of the need to practice due-diligence, I suppose. Gonna have to read this guy's book, I think....

Edited to add: Accusations refuted, though I'd think that's to be expected.

I Don't Even Know What To Call This

2008-04-12T18:00:54Z

Unbelievable.

I Call Bullshit

2008-04-10T17:43:33Z

Liar.

Remarkable Courage

2008-04-10T05:44:21Z

Here.

Appearance - Powell's Beaverton

2008-04-09T16:01:38Z

Along with a slew of other local Portland crime and mystery type writers, I'll be at the Powell's Books in Beaverton this evening, from 7:00pm until around 9:00pm or so. It's looking to be a very relaxed signing-slash-Q&A, with questions moderated by the Very Tall John Walsdorf, of Friends of Mystery, an Oregon mystery fan association. Friends of Mystery give out the Spotted Owl award. I've never won, but I like John, anyway. Couple of my favorite local writers will be there, as well, including Ed Goldberg and Lono Waiwaiole, amongst others.

I know it's short notice -- I've been remiss in promoting this (hell, I haven't said ANYTHING about my participation in this new anthology published by the MWA and edited by the terrifyingly good Michael Connelly).

Anyway, for a write-up of the Powell's event and a full list of attendees, take a clicky-click here.

Amused Gamers

2008-04-05T07:31:34Z

Syncronicity is a wonderful thing. jonlaw posted about his long dark night of gaming, or lack thereof, and on this end -- yet again -- it's become impossible to get our group to actually, y'know, meet for a regular session.

Then I see this over at the Wired blog, and am amused. Fair warning, this is gamer-geek speak at its mightiest.

For those wondering about the prolonged radio-silence, I'll be posting in the next week or so a longer explanation as to where I've been, why it's been quiet, and why it'll continue to be so for the next four weeks or so.

Cheers!

Ink

2008-03-20T18:41:29Z

steverolston already put this up on his blog, but in the interests of vanity, ego, and self-promotion, I'm embedding it here, as well. I'd been told that Blair Butler was a fan of Queen & Country before, but it's damn nice to see her saying as much for all the interwebs to see.

She mentions the first volume of the "Definitive" editions as the last piece of the segment. Kinda makes me want to sit down and start writing series 2. But I can't do that, because I have, like, a half-dozen other projects to clear out or start first, not the least of which is this DAMN NOVEL.

Anyone out there who can link human trafficking in East Africa to the UAE, drop me a line, okay? (And let's face it, it's not very often you hear a request like that get made...at least, not in public.)

Is it the water or what?

2008-03-19T23:18:12Z

Okay, this is just getting silly.

Jen suggested calling this entry, "Tribe Dies When Virgin Cannot Be Found To Satisfy Angry Volcano God." Which I like, but is a little long-winded.

You Talk The Talk, Zeschuk...

2008-03-12T19:34:01Z

...can you walk the walk?

Clawing Back to the Land of the Living

2008-03-10T17:04:41Z

The long silence here has been due to unforeseen nightmare circumstances on the homefront.

This week is going to be different. This week will see writing done, and life return to normal, or at least will see life return to whatever passes for normal around these parts, and writing will get done. But with the exception of the OCC Grand Opening (and hey, mercuryeric, you might want to see about updating the website), it's been pretty unrelentingly fuckawful around here. The mere fact that anything was written surprises me, frankly.

It may be going around, actually. I've a number of friends and acquaintances who seem to be in Dark Days right now, and they know who they are. Maybe it's something in the air.

I've begun researching a new project, and in so doing, have been burning my way through David McCullough's books, specifically 1776 - which I finished some two-weeks back and then promptly went out and bought the illustrated edition, which is deliciously chock full of extra goodness - and John Adams. The Adams biography is a stunning work, in my opinion, not the least for the attention McCullough pays to Abigail. In my darker fugues, I have to confess that reading the book puts me in mind of the Tom Lehrer quote about Mozart, or, alternately, the the line from Hannah and her Sisters about how Jesus would react if he came back today, with appropriate substitution of "the Founding Fathers" for Jesus.

It's a nice coincidence that HBO's going to start running this in another week or so.

Time to go and break-down DD 108 with Ed. Michael's pages for 107 look amazing, of course. Can't wait to see them with Stefano's inks and Hollingsworth's colors.

Edited: Linked the wrong trailer below the cut!

Mid-Week

2008-02-27T08:45:43Z

Which means this bitch of a ride is half over. It has not been a good week.

But the end of it will certainly be better than its start, for two immediate reasons.

First -- The last issue of The Crime Bible: The Five Books of Blood, "The Parable of the Faceless," comes out tomorrow. I'm very happy with the issue for a number of reasons, but in particular, Manuel Garcia did a fantastic job on the art, and where he was allowed to ink himself, the work is, in my opinion, outstanding. Timing on this is good, as I'm just about finished with the first issue of "the next thing" that the Question is appearing in, and the progression from CB into this new project is a good one.

And because I like the cover so much, I'm sharing it again:

So that's the first thing.

The second thing is that on Saturday myself, JVM, and Matthew Clark will be heading up to Lacey, WA, to join Eric Trautmann (mercuryeric and Brandon Jerwa (sd6) celebrate the grand opening of Olympic Cards and Comics' new home, which, conveniently, is just across the street from its old home. The new address is 4230 Pacific Avenue, in Lacey, just north of Olympia. Honestly, OCC is one of the best comic stores I've ever had the pleasure to spend inordinate amounts of money in, and if you're even remotely close to the area, I urge you to come by. We'll be signing, and I have it on reliable authority that there may be a grand-opening freebie for the first 100 or so who make it in. Ribbon cutting is scheduled for noon.

Edited to complete the list of those in attendance.

Mate in Three

2008-02-20T04:18:25Z

Solicits came out today for DC's May books. If'n you're the kind what's interested in this kind of thing, you can find them posted at Newsarama. If you scroll WAAAAY down, you'll find the listing for Checkmate #26. And you will note that it is written by Bruce Jones, and that it is illustrated by Manuel Garcia (who, incidentally, did a fantastic job with the art on Five Books of Blood #5, which is out tomorrow).

All of this is a bass-ackwards way of confirming for all and sundry -- those of you that care, that is -- that, yes, Checkmate #25 is the last issue for Joe Bennet, mercuryeric, and myself.

So as there's no confusion about this, I was not removed from the book. I decided that #25 would be my final issue on the title at least a year ago, and informed DC Editorial of my decision shortly thereafter. Since then, I've tried to arrange things such that my departure would leave the book in as strong a position as possible, and headed in the direction I thought best. Ultimately, however, the choice on who takes over the book is DC's, and not mine.

Mine and Eric's final arc will be "Castling," beginning with issue #23 and ending with issue #25. We think it's some of the best work we've done on the title, and, hey, it finally -- finally! -- reveals the identity of the Rooks! I firmly believe we're going out strong, and I hope you'll all continue to read it, and that you'll share our opinion if you do.

Men Without Fear

2008-02-15T18:15:40Z

A couple weeks back, I got a call from Ed Brubaker, pretty much out of the blue, asking if I'd be willing to co-write an arc on Daredevil with him. And I asked him if Michael would be drawing it, and he said yes, and I think at that point I gave it all of two seconds thought before saying, "Hell yeah."

It's a four-issue arc, running from DD 107 to DD 110, with Ed and I pretty much tackling it the way we wrote Gotham Central back in the day. So far, it's a lot of fun, and honest to God, it's as if no time has passed, at least in how he and I collaborate...or in how Michael applies the stick to keep us in line.

Cover to Daredevil 107

You can read a brief interview with me about the "reunion" at Newsarama.

Still in LA, with Xtie and Nunzio. Visited Nunz's comics writing class last night and had a great time, pretty much as expected. I'm hoping I didn't annoy-and-or-bore those in attendance. As those who've heard me interviewed can attest, I can ramble on with the best of them.

Story Seed (espionage flavor!)

2008-02-12T17:02:53Z

Off the BBC feed.

There's a lot you can springboard off of this one. Especially tying it to the abduction of Tariq Azizuddin.

As you were.

More on Game Theory

2008-02-11T20:53:58Z

Chris Kohler has an interview with UbiSoft's Yannis Mallat at the Wired blog. In particular, Mallat talks about wanting to create emotional investment in games. In particular, he talks about what I referred to as "parlor tricks" -- ie, reliance on cinematics to give the illusion of investment.

He seems to get it, though in specifically game-design terms, rather than in story terms, talking about "building a relationship between the game and the player."

Here's an idea.

Hire. Good. Writers.

Or am I out of line?