I hope everyone has enjoyed the end of year holiday season. No matter what holiday or traditions you celebrate I hope it has warmed the heart. I have enjoyed my own holiday celebrations this month and have been taking it easy the past couple weeks. I'm waiting to hear back from publishers on my comic book. In the meantime I'm working on my new novella and teleplay. But amidst all of that I wrote a review for a wonderful and charming holiday movie all about opening your heart. It's posted by the wonderful organization known as Victims and Villains where they talk nerd and hope and nothing else. Here is the link if you want to check it out:
https://www.victimsandvillains.net/reviews/benjichristmas
All the best wishes for 2019!
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Update
So the Kickstarter was a success! The goal was reached and now it is time to roll up the sleeves. I got some initial feedback from the pages of Wolf's Howl that I posted on social media to promote the Kickstarter. It seems that the lettering was not up to par with the art and story. One fellow comic book writer put it bluntly and told me that my comic looked fine if I was ok with it just being an indie but if I wanted to ever get a publisher interested I needed to have a professional do the lettering. Lettering for those of you unfamiliar with it is the actual words in a comic book. So since I would love a publisher to pick up Wolf's Howl I decided to hire DC Hopkins to redo the lettering. He is working on it now and we will see where it goes.
Either way the Kickstarter was a great experience for me to learn about myself, make new connections with people, and face my fears of exposing myself and my writing. Now it's time to get my writing out to the world. We will see what happens when DC is finished.
Either way the Kickstarter was a great experience for me to learn about myself, make new connections with people, and face my fears of exposing myself and my writing. Now it's time to get my writing out to the world. We will see what happens when DC is finished.
Friday, October 26, 2018
Final Days of my Kickstarter Adventure
The idea of self-publishing my own comic book probably came to me around 2 years ago. It came to me after my first trip to New York City Comic Con. Seems like an eternity has gone by since then. The idea of doing a Kickstarter campaign for my very own comic book came to me about a year ago after my second trip to New York City Comic Con. Meeting and talking to indie writers and comic book artists throughout my day at the convention made it clear that Kickstarters are a right of passage for indie comic book creators. Now in 5 days my first Kickstarter campaign for my first comic book will be coming to an end. Currently I am still $500 away from reaching my goal so it is too early to tell whether my first fore-ray into crowdfunding was a success or not.
But actually having been giving that a lot of thought over the last week I think perhaps the better term is that it is too early to tell whether it will be a financial success or not. Because even if I don't reach my goal it was a success in a lot of other ways. It forced me to expose myself and my writing. I met a lot of great people and have forged honest supportive relationships with several of them. I experienced and learned about a lot of new things. And I improved my strength as a creative individual and a writer. Wolf's Howl will still be exposed to the world in some form or another regardless of the outcome of the Kickstarter. Perhaps crowdfunding is not a road for me at this time or perhaps I just need to learn more and retool. We will see but I am not giving up my dream of being a storyteller again. That's one thing I have learned for sure.
If you are interested in the Wolf's Howl Kickstarter the link is below but it will only be active for another 5 days.
But actually having been giving that a lot of thought over the last week I think perhaps the better term is that it is too early to tell whether it will be a financial success or not. Because even if I don't reach my goal it was a success in a lot of other ways. It forced me to expose myself and my writing. I met a lot of great people and have forged honest supportive relationships with several of them. I experienced and learned about a lot of new things. And I improved my strength as a creative individual and a writer. Wolf's Howl will still be exposed to the world in some form or another regardless of the outcome of the Kickstarter. Perhaps crowdfunding is not a road for me at this time or perhaps I just need to learn more and retool. We will see but I am not giving up my dream of being a storyteller again. That's one thing I have learned for sure.
If you are interested in the Wolf's Howl Kickstarter the link is below but it will only be active for another 5 days.
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
The Kickstarter has arrived!
So yesterday was a busy and exhilarating day! I launched my Kickstarter Campaign for Wolf's Howl Part 1, my first self-published comic book venture. I posted all over on social media, sent out various emails, and generally just tried to get the word out. And it was a very successful first day. The project was more than 33% funded after the first 24 hours. I was thrilled as you can imagine. :)
People that I had no interaction with previous to the Kickstarter were donating money to help bring my dream to fruition. They say with a Kickstarter it is crucial to start off strong so I would say that part was accomplished. But they also say that a Kickstarter campaign is a marathon not a sprint. So now I have to settle in for the remainder of the month and just keep trying to build on the success of that first day. Just like the tortoise in that old fable we all heard when we were kids slow and steady wins the race. So I will continue to post and try to spread the word and stay positive. At the very least it was encouraging to see so much support at the beginning like that. Each contribution truly touched my heart deeply no matter how big or small.
So I am going to try to break into a "runners stride" so to speak and keep plugging away at this crowdfunding adventure. I'll post again to this blog as things develop. If you are interested in checking out my Kickstarter page feel free to take a look and spread the word if you like what you see or know someone who would.
Here is the link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theconjuringpen/wolfs-howl-part-1
People that I had no interaction with previous to the Kickstarter were donating money to help bring my dream to fruition. They say with a Kickstarter it is crucial to start off strong so I would say that part was accomplished. But they also say that a Kickstarter campaign is a marathon not a sprint. So now I have to settle in for the remainder of the month and just keep trying to build on the success of that first day. Just like the tortoise in that old fable we all heard when we were kids slow and steady wins the race. So I will continue to post and try to spread the word and stay positive. At the very least it was encouraging to see so much support at the beginning like that. Each contribution truly touched my heart deeply no matter how big or small.
So I am going to try to break into a "runners stride" so to speak and keep plugging away at this crowdfunding adventure. I'll post again to this blog as things develop. If you are interested in checking out my Kickstarter page feel free to take a look and spread the word if you like what you see or know someone who would.
Here is the link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theconjuringpen/wolfs-howl-part-1
Monday, September 24, 2018
So the ride begins
So in my last post I compared the Kickstarter experience so far to a roller coaster slowly climbing that first hill. Now that I am just about a week before the launch of the campaign I feel like I am at the top of that first hill. It's the moment that seems like an eternity right before you plummet back towards the ground and the ride really starts to get going.
I've been trying to promote myself and Wolf's Howl on social media. Getting as much prepared as I can before the Kickstarter campaign for Wolf's Howl Part 1 launches on October 2, 2018. I had a hiccup with my computer going down but was fortunate enough to get a spare one to use while it's being repaired. Should have it back in time for the launch date. Definitely a lesson in going with the flow though. Something that has definitely become key for my survival these days. And preparing for Kickstarter campaign for my self-published comic has only underscored that need all the more.
The reason I picked that date in case your wondering is because it's a 30-day campaign and since it begins October 2 the last night of the campaign will be Halloween night. I used to love trick or treating and wish I could still do it. This year on Halloween I will be trick or treating once more. But instead of going door to door for candy and other goodies to eat; I will be trick or treating for financial support of my dream.
Regardless of what happens with this Kickstarter it was a good experience so far I must say. It definitely got me out of my comfort zone in a lot of areas and helped show me what I was capable of doing. It also gave me the opportunity to make a lot of great contacts and friendships. So nothing left to do but hold on and see where this crazy ride takes me. Wish me luck!
P.S. I will be posting the Kickstarter page to this blog once it goes live in October.
I've been trying to promote myself and Wolf's Howl on social media. Getting as much prepared as I can before the Kickstarter campaign for Wolf's Howl Part 1 launches on October 2, 2018. I had a hiccup with my computer going down but was fortunate enough to get a spare one to use while it's being repaired. Should have it back in time for the launch date. Definitely a lesson in going with the flow though. Something that has definitely become key for my survival these days. And preparing for Kickstarter campaign for my self-published comic has only underscored that need all the more.
The reason I picked that date in case your wondering is because it's a 30-day campaign and since it begins October 2 the last night of the campaign will be Halloween night. I used to love trick or treating and wish I could still do it. This year on Halloween I will be trick or treating once more. But instead of going door to door for candy and other goodies to eat; I will be trick or treating for financial support of my dream.
Regardless of what happens with this Kickstarter it was a good experience so far I must say. It definitely got me out of my comfort zone in a lot of areas and helped show me what I was capable of doing. It also gave me the opportunity to make a lot of great contacts and friendships. So nothing left to do but hold on and see where this crazy ride takes me. Wish me luck!
P.S. I will be posting the Kickstarter page to this blog once it goes live in October.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
The comic book is finished!!!!!
Hope everyone who celebrates it had a great Labor Day Weekend!
So things have started to pick up pace for me. The river is starting to move faster. Sergio Drumond, has completed the final page of Wolf's Howl Part 1 which I put at the bottom of this entry. I am very excited to have one of my stories finally come alive visually like this! It is an exciting time! It was great working with Sergio. Couldn't have asked for a better creative partner on my first comic book venture. He is not only a talented artist but very professional as well. The Kickstarter page is almost finished and I will be launching the campaign October 2, 2018. I have sent out preview copies of Wolf's Howl Part 1 to several online publications that review indie comics over the last couple weeks. I will let you know if I get written about in any of them. I have also started reaching out to Wolf sanctuaries as well. I will be interviewed by Fortress Comics News on Oct. 7 and will be doing a podcast with my friend Josh Burkey over at Victims and Villains on Sept. 7. Hopefully all these 7's bring me good luck! I will continue to try and update this blog as things progress. I kind of feel like the start of a roller coaster ride as you slowly crank up that first hill with anticipation.
-Matthew Basile
So things have started to pick up pace for me. The river is starting to move faster. Sergio Drumond, has completed the final page of Wolf's Howl Part 1 which I put at the bottom of this entry. I am very excited to have one of my stories finally come alive visually like this! It is an exciting time! It was great working with Sergio. Couldn't have asked for a better creative partner on my first comic book venture. He is not only a talented artist but very professional as well. The Kickstarter page is almost finished and I will be launching the campaign October 2, 2018. I have sent out preview copies of Wolf's Howl Part 1 to several online publications that review indie comics over the last couple weeks. I will let you know if I get written about in any of them. I have also started reaching out to Wolf sanctuaries as well. I will be interviewed by Fortress Comics News on Oct. 7 and will be doing a podcast with my friend Josh Burkey over at Victims and Villains on Sept. 7. Hopefully all these 7's bring me good luck! I will continue to try and update this blog as things progress. I kind of feel like the start of a roller coaster ride as you slowly crank up that first hill with anticipation.
-Matthew Basile
Monday, August 13, 2018
The flow of life
I started this blog back in early 2016 as a way to share the lessons I learned from nature. Even though over the past year this blog has morphed to more of a story-telling/pop-culture blog I still learn lessons from nature. I wanted to share one I was reminded of this morning.
As I wait for my artist, Sergio Drumond, to finish up the last pages of my original comic book Wolf's Howl Part 1 and start prepping on social media for a Kickstarter campaign for Wolfs Howl this October, I find myself becoming impatient. Things seem to kind of be in a holding pattern for me. There was a flurry of activity in the spring and early summer with me starting work on Wolf's Howl and another comic series called Heart of Aurora. I also was helping a friend write a screenplay and was working on comic book reviews to be published in ICC Magazine #3. I worked on my novella Brandon's Fairy Tale and got it on Amazon. I even found time to help a very good friend with feedback on her novel she is working on.
Now Brandon's Fairy Tale is up on Amazon, ICC Magazine #3 is published, my friend is shopping the screenplay around, Heart of Aurora is still being worked on by the artist, and I am waiting for October 2 to launch a Kickstarter for Wolf's Howl. Now in fairness I do have a couple other projects I am trying to get off the ground but it's a slow process and I'll let you know if any of it ever gains traction. I was feeling a little impatient and frustrated the last couple days. Today I went for a run and stopped to sit by a stream. I had sat by this stream many times before. It usually trickles along. You can barely see the water flowing. This morning since it had just rained it was a gushing tiny river. The water was moving fast.
This got me thinking that the flow of life is like a stream or a river. Sometimes it is small and things are barely moving and sometimes it's a gushing fast moving current that takes you for a ride. You have to take whatever phase you are in and be open to change. Things in my life were moving fast just like the stream was this morning. But right now my life is like the stream on other days. Calming and taking it's time. I have to relax and let the flow of life takes its proper course. I should enjoy the calmer periods so I am more ready during the faster periods. Life like a river will always change. I will be ready for the next fast moving currents but in the meantime I will enjoy the tranquility.
As I wait for my artist, Sergio Drumond, to finish up the last pages of my original comic book Wolf's Howl Part 1 and start prepping on social media for a Kickstarter campaign for Wolfs Howl this October, I find myself becoming impatient. Things seem to kind of be in a holding pattern for me. There was a flurry of activity in the spring and early summer with me starting work on Wolf's Howl and another comic series called Heart of Aurora. I also was helping a friend write a screenplay and was working on comic book reviews to be published in ICC Magazine #3. I worked on my novella Brandon's Fairy Tale and got it on Amazon. I even found time to help a very good friend with feedback on her novel she is working on.
Now Brandon's Fairy Tale is up on Amazon, ICC Magazine #3 is published, my friend is shopping the screenplay around, Heart of Aurora is still being worked on by the artist, and I am waiting for October 2 to launch a Kickstarter for Wolf's Howl. Now in fairness I do have a couple other projects I am trying to get off the ground but it's a slow process and I'll let you know if any of it ever gains traction. I was feeling a little impatient and frustrated the last couple days. Today I went for a run and stopped to sit by a stream. I had sat by this stream many times before. It usually trickles along. You can barely see the water flowing. This morning since it had just rained it was a gushing tiny river. The water was moving fast.
This got me thinking that the flow of life is like a stream or a river. Sometimes it is small and things are barely moving and sometimes it's a gushing fast moving current that takes you for a ride. You have to take whatever phase you are in and be open to change. Things in my life were moving fast just like the stream was this morning. But right now my life is like the stream on other days. Calming and taking it's time. I have to relax and let the flow of life takes its proper course. I should enjoy the calmer periods so I am more ready during the faster periods. Life like a river will always change. I will be ready for the next fast moving currents but in the meantime I will enjoy the tranquility.
Friday, August 3, 2018
Update
So the artist is finishing up the last few pages of Wolf's Howl Part 1. I will paste the cover at the bottom of this entry. After he finishes up which should be within the next couple weeks I will start trying to send it out to publications and websites for advanced reviews. I have already started gearing up for the Kickstarter Campaign on social media. Feel free to follow me on any of these sites.
I have contacted a friend and we are currently working on putting together a trailer that we hope to have completed by early September. I plan to launch the kickstarter on October 2. In the meantime I am dabbling in writing some other projects to keep the writing muscle strong. I want to thank everyone for following me along on this journey and I will keep you updated as things progress.
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Welcome to the blog of The Conjuring Pen
So as I have mentioned on this blog before I have always been a fan of stories. I believe they have power and are an important part of the human experience. They shape and reflect our culture and our nature as humans all at once while also driving us deeper into our own souls. Ever since I can remember I had stories in my head. Characters that wanted to meet the world and have their lives told. About two years ago after a hiatus from writing I decided to give it my best effort to honor those characters and their stories and see where it took me.
Currently I have a novella up on Amazon called Brandon's Fairy Tale. May be writing a sequel to that within the next year. I have a comic book series that I am working on with a friend of mine called Heart of Aurora. I have another comic book limited series that I am working on called Wolf's Howl, which I plan to launch a Kickstarter for in October 2018. I am also looking into some other writing avenues including poetry. So to group all these projects together along with any others that come to fruition I have decided to create a branding label for my writing. I am calling the label The Conjuring Pen. I have come to see writing as magical and when people write stories they are conjuring their characters forth to speak. At least that has been my experience based on my own writing and talking with some other writers I have been fortunate enough to make friends with over the last year or so. So I felt the name was very applicable and fitting.
I will still be using my name as author of these works. The Conjuring Pen will just be the umbrella that will house all the various stories I am trying to get out into the world as well as the social media identity of my writing. I very much appreciate your support as you follow me along on this journey. So please continue to follow me on this blog but also feel free to follow The Conjuring Pen on social media as well.
www.facebook.com/theconjuringpen
https://www.instagram.com/theconjuringpen/
https://twitter.com/theconjuringpen
Currently I have a novella up on Amazon called Brandon's Fairy Tale. May be writing a sequel to that within the next year. I have a comic book series that I am working on with a friend of mine called Heart of Aurora. I have another comic book limited series that I am working on called Wolf's Howl, which I plan to launch a Kickstarter for in October 2018. I am also looking into some other writing avenues including poetry. So to group all these projects together along with any others that come to fruition I have decided to create a branding label for my writing. I am calling the label The Conjuring Pen. I have come to see writing as magical and when people write stories they are conjuring their characters forth to speak. At least that has been my experience based on my own writing and talking with some other writers I have been fortunate enough to make friends with over the last year or so. So I felt the name was very applicable and fitting.
I will still be using my name as author of these works. The Conjuring Pen will just be the umbrella that will house all the various stories I am trying to get out into the world as well as the social media identity of my writing. I very much appreciate your support as you follow me along on this journey. So please continue to follow me on this blog but also feel free to follow The Conjuring Pen on social media as well.
www.facebook.com/theconjuringpen
https://www.instagram.com/theconjuringpen/
https://twitter.com/theconjuringpen
Friday, July 6, 2018
Kraven's Last Hunt Review
I read the graphic novel Kraven's Last Hunt when I was a teenager. It blew me away and still stands as one of my all time favorite Spider-man stories. I also thought it was a very impactful story in it's own right. Reading up on it's history and controversy I thought it was a story known by all comic fans. But I was surprised when interviewing artists for my own comic book that very few of them had ever read it. I know it's a graphic novel with spandex super-heroes but it's a super-hero story that delves into deep physchological territory and covers themes that I felt were very mature and profound.
Kraven's Last Hunt was published in 1987 by Marvel. It was written by J. M. DeMatteis. Mike Zeck did the pencils and is often credited with J. M. DeMatteis as being an equal in the creative drive and feel of the story. The story has a definite moody and dark feel and look to it which was very pronounced especially for a Spider-man tale. It's why I was mentioning it as a reference to artists for my own Wolf's Howl storyline. Bob McLeod did the inks with Rick Parker doing the lettering. Bob Sharen, Janet Jackson, and Mike Zeck provided the coloring.
Like I said Kraven's Last Hunt was very influential for me because it was a super-hero story with many deep psychological layers. It showed me that you could tell a very mature, profound and deeply emotional story while still having people running around in costumes and doing battle with each other in typical superhero comic book format. What's more the story also showed me that you didn't need to have gruesome sequences and a lot of brutal events to still tell a dark and powerful story that could be appreciated by adults. These were all elements that I took to hard in my own story crafting.
The comic can easily be taken as simply a battle between Spider-man and one of his foes who is clearly delusional. But you can also take it as a rich character study on the effects of loneliness, love, strength of will and heart, as well as the devastating affects of obsession and self-hatred. This is how I personally like to enjoy it.
Kraven's Last Hunt tells the story of Kraven, one of Spider-man's early foes who was always kind of a joke villain. He never really seemed to be all that dangerous like the Green Goblin or the Kingpin. He was just a nutty Russian hunter who was obsessed with big game hunting and somehow got the idea in his head that Spider-man being like a human-spider was the ultimate big game to hunt and his greatest challenge as a hunter. But in the hands of J. M DeMatteis, Mike Zeck and company that idea of Spider-man being the ultimate prize for an obsessed hunter became much darker and serious. In Kraven's Last Hunt we learn that Kraven is a very troubled individual with a lot of demons. He has come to see Spider-man as the epitome of these demons and that through conquering him Kraven believes he can find release from his tortured existence. How this plays out takes us down some surprising and deep journeys of the soul. Spider-man, Mary Jane, Kraven, and Vermin each are affected by the actions of Kraven and it takes them to some dark places that they must face. How each character faces this darkness and how they ultimately emerge speaks to the make-up and strength of each character. For some the results are tragic, others inspiring but for all life changing.
Ironically J. M. DeMatteis pitched the overall concept of Kraven's Last Hunt with different characters to both DC and Marvel several times before it was finally accepted as a Spider-man story by Marvel. But even then it wasn't until the script writing began that through chance Kraven and Vermin were added to the story. Like all greats the universe helped with little winks of coincidence and tokens of inspiration to make a truly astounding work of art. Kraven's Last Hunt is somewhat controversial because of a suicide taking place in the story but I think the suicide speaks to the hopelessness that people can face when their darkness has eaten away at everything they are. I think it's a story to help people face their darkness and seek help rather than let it consume them. I recommend Kraven's Last Hunt for any Spider-man fan, comic book fan, and for anyone interested in deep psychological stories about hope in the face of darkness.
Kraven's Last Hunt was published in 1987 by Marvel. It was written by J. M. DeMatteis. Mike Zeck did the pencils and is often credited with J. M. DeMatteis as being an equal in the creative drive and feel of the story. The story has a definite moody and dark feel and look to it which was very pronounced especially for a Spider-man tale. It's why I was mentioning it as a reference to artists for my own Wolf's Howl storyline. Bob McLeod did the inks with Rick Parker doing the lettering. Bob Sharen, Janet Jackson, and Mike Zeck provided the coloring.
Like I said Kraven's Last Hunt was very influential for me because it was a super-hero story with many deep psychological layers. It showed me that you could tell a very mature, profound and deeply emotional story while still having people running around in costumes and doing battle with each other in typical superhero comic book format. What's more the story also showed me that you didn't need to have gruesome sequences and a lot of brutal events to still tell a dark and powerful story that could be appreciated by adults. These were all elements that I took to hard in my own story crafting.
The comic can easily be taken as simply a battle between Spider-man and one of his foes who is clearly delusional. But you can also take it as a rich character study on the effects of loneliness, love, strength of will and heart, as well as the devastating affects of obsession and self-hatred. This is how I personally like to enjoy it.
Kraven's Last Hunt tells the story of Kraven, one of Spider-man's early foes who was always kind of a joke villain. He never really seemed to be all that dangerous like the Green Goblin or the Kingpin. He was just a nutty Russian hunter who was obsessed with big game hunting and somehow got the idea in his head that Spider-man being like a human-spider was the ultimate big game to hunt and his greatest challenge as a hunter. But in the hands of J. M DeMatteis, Mike Zeck and company that idea of Spider-man being the ultimate prize for an obsessed hunter became much darker and serious. In Kraven's Last Hunt we learn that Kraven is a very troubled individual with a lot of demons. He has come to see Spider-man as the epitome of these demons and that through conquering him Kraven believes he can find release from his tortured existence. How this plays out takes us down some surprising and deep journeys of the soul. Spider-man, Mary Jane, Kraven, and Vermin each are affected by the actions of Kraven and it takes them to some dark places that they must face. How each character faces this darkness and how they ultimately emerge speaks to the make-up and strength of each character. For some the results are tragic, others inspiring but for all life changing.
Ironically J. M. DeMatteis pitched the overall concept of Kraven's Last Hunt with different characters to both DC and Marvel several times before it was finally accepted as a Spider-man story by Marvel. But even then it wasn't until the script writing began that through chance Kraven and Vermin were added to the story. Like all greats the universe helped with little winks of coincidence and tokens of inspiration to make a truly astounding work of art. Kraven's Last Hunt is somewhat controversial because of a suicide taking place in the story but I think the suicide speaks to the hopelessness that people can face when their darkness has eaten away at everything they are. I think it's a story to help people face their darkness and seek help rather than let it consume them. I recommend Kraven's Last Hunt for any Spider-man fan, comic book fan, and for anyone interested in deep psychological stories about hope in the face of darkness.
Friday, June 29, 2018
Update
So things are still moving along for me. I have 6 completed pages of Wolf's Howl(lettering and all). I just approved pages 7-9 for completion so I hope to have them finished sometime next week. I had a nice conversation with a good friend about setting up a kickstarter and marketing plan for Wolf's Howl a few days ago. So I am starting to plan that out and hopefully will start posting stuff soon.
Meanwhile I am also working on another comic book series with another artist. The series is called Heart of Aurora. The artist is about half-way through the sketches for the first issue so I might have two comic books out by the end of the year. This artist is a friend of mine so we are having a lot of fun co-creating this series and I am excited about.
There are a couple other writing opportunities that are in the works as well but they are still very much in the infancy stages so I won't post anything about them just quite yet. I will wait a little longer to see if things take flight or not but either way I am very encouraged by them and hopeful.
Also if you haven't already please check out my novella on Amazon entitled Brandon's Fairy Tale. And if you did read please feel free to write of review of it on Amazon. I would love to hear people's thoughts on it. Currently Brandon's Fairy Tale is only available digitally but that might be changing soon ;). Keep you posted.
Anyone else had a productive month of June? Feel free to comment with what has been going on with you. Would love to hear what others are up to.
Meanwhile I am also working on another comic book series with another artist. The series is called Heart of Aurora. The artist is about half-way through the sketches for the first issue so I might have two comic books out by the end of the year. This artist is a friend of mine so we are having a lot of fun co-creating this series and I am excited about.
There are a couple other writing opportunities that are in the works as well but they are still very much in the infancy stages so I won't post anything about them just quite yet. I will wait a little longer to see if things take flight or not but either way I am very encouraged by them and hopeful.
Also if you haven't already please check out my novella on Amazon entitled Brandon's Fairy Tale. And if you did read please feel free to write of review of it on Amazon. I would love to hear people's thoughts on it. Currently Brandon's Fairy Tale is only available digitally but that might be changing soon ;). Keep you posted.
Anyone else had a productive month of June? Feel free to comment with what has been going on with you. Would love to hear what others are up to.
Friday, June 22, 2018
Tales of the Jedi: Redemption
So one day I was flipping through a bin of graphic novels at a local comic book store and came across an old graphic novel called Star Wars Tales of the Jedi: Redemption. It was published by Dark Horse Comics about twenty years ago. The story was written by Kevin J. Anderson. Pencils were done by Chris Gossett(who by the way came up with the design for a double bladed lightsaber made famous by Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace). Chris Gossett and Andrew Pepoy did the inks. Colors and lettering were done by Dave Nestelle and Willie Schubert respectively. I am a Star Wars fan but I tend to enjoy it more for the Skywalker Saga than anything. Darth Vadar/Anakin Skywalker being one of my all time favorite fictional characters(as I have mentioned before). So I generally don't read or watch Star Wars stories without a Skywalker in them. But I have always loved tales of redemption so I decided to give this book a try. And am I glad I did.
This story is pretty straightforward. Before the time of Yoda, Palpatine and the Skywalker clan there was a great war between Sith and Jedi called the Sith War. The war had devastated the galaxy but eventually the Sith were defeated. The leader of the Sith was betrayed by his chief lieutenant who himself was a fallen Jedi. This man's name is Ulic. Now ten years after the Sith War Ulic has been stripped of his connection to the Force and can no longer wield it(some think his punishment should have been even more severe). Ulic now wanders the galaxy in exile looking for a remote planet to live out the rest of his days in seclusion. Ulic is a tortured soul regretting the choices he has made and the gruesome deeds he has done. He wishes for the release of death.
Meanwhile a young woman named, Vima Sunrider dreams of becoming a Jedi. But can't find a Jedi to train her. Through a series of coincidences she learns of Ulic's location and seeks him out begging him to teach her the ways of the Force. The story then centers on whether Ulic can find redemption with this young girl.
This sounds like stuff we have all seen before but the story takes an interesting approach. Ulic being cut off from the Force adds an interesting element. I found the morals and themes of the story very powerful and thought provoking. I highly recommend this book. In fact I wish Disney would make Star War spin off movies like this. The way Ulic is handled shows the grey areas that we can wander into in life which gives a sort of real-world purpose to a space adventure. Can people who are not Jedi force users still connect to the force? How do you move on from guilt and regret? What does forgiveness mean? These are all questions that are addressed in this story and I feel handled very well. So if you're a Star Wars fan and especially a fan of Jedi lore then definitely seek out this book. Also if you are one meditating on past regrets and/or forgiveness this story might speak to you as it did me. It is fairly accessible even if you are not a Star Wars fan.
This story is pretty straightforward. Before the time of Yoda, Palpatine and the Skywalker clan there was a great war between Sith and Jedi called the Sith War. The war had devastated the galaxy but eventually the Sith were defeated. The leader of the Sith was betrayed by his chief lieutenant who himself was a fallen Jedi. This man's name is Ulic. Now ten years after the Sith War Ulic has been stripped of his connection to the Force and can no longer wield it(some think his punishment should have been even more severe). Ulic now wanders the galaxy in exile looking for a remote planet to live out the rest of his days in seclusion. Ulic is a tortured soul regretting the choices he has made and the gruesome deeds he has done. He wishes for the release of death.
Meanwhile a young woman named, Vima Sunrider dreams of becoming a Jedi. But can't find a Jedi to train her. Through a series of coincidences she learns of Ulic's location and seeks him out begging him to teach her the ways of the Force. The story then centers on whether Ulic can find redemption with this young girl.
This sounds like stuff we have all seen before but the story takes an interesting approach. Ulic being cut off from the Force adds an interesting element. I found the morals and themes of the story very powerful and thought provoking. I highly recommend this book. In fact I wish Disney would make Star War spin off movies like this. The way Ulic is handled shows the grey areas that we can wander into in life which gives a sort of real-world purpose to a space adventure. Can people who are not Jedi force users still connect to the force? How do you move on from guilt and regret? What does forgiveness mean? These are all questions that are addressed in this story and I feel handled very well. So if you're a Star Wars fan and especially a fan of Jedi lore then definitely seek out this book. Also if you are one meditating on past regrets and/or forgiveness this story might speak to you as it did me. It is fairly accessible even if you are not a Star Wars fan.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Things are finally moving
So last week I published my novella Brandon's Fairy Tale on Amazon. Click here if you want to read it. I want to give my deepest thanks and appreciation to all those who have purchased it and shared it and supported my writing. Your congratulations and encouragement touched me deeply. It means more to me than I can express.
This past week I approved the first 5 pages of my new comic book series called Wolf's Howl. Wolf's Howl is very special to me and I am looking forward to sharing it with you. I started writing it back around late 2011 and early 2012 but stopped mid-way. I had lost my zest for writing back then and turned my back on what always had come naturally to me as a passion. Fast forward to mid 2016. While I was cleaning out the apartment due to a move I stumbled upon the notebook I had started writing Wolf's Howl in. I flipped through the pages of my writing and thought the story was good and deserved to be finished. So I set about not caring what medium or fate the story would have I just wrote what the characters were telling me had happened to them. I finished that first notebook and nearly finished a second. It felt good to write again and I started having all these fresh ideas that I wanted to get out there. So I kept filling notebooks and soon I was going to writing groups. People started suggesting I try writing a comic book so I came up with an idea for a series and hired an artist. That artist didn't work out and in March of this year I shelved the idea not knowing what to do. I started working on this other story about a fairy I had come up with and decided to try and turn it into a novella while I figured out the fate of my comic book career.
Eventually I came to the conclusion that if nothing else I wanted to get that original story called Wolf's Howl out there for better or for worse. I needed to honor that story for helping me get back into writing. So I found a new artist and broke that story up into issues and am now working on completing the first issue and can't wait to share it with everyone. And in the meantime I published that fairy story on Amazon. So hopefully by the end of this year I will have a novella and comic book out that I can be proud of. Stay tuned.
This past week I approved the first 5 pages of my new comic book series called Wolf's Howl. Wolf's Howl is very special to me and I am looking forward to sharing it with you. I started writing it back around late 2011 and early 2012 but stopped mid-way. I had lost my zest for writing back then and turned my back on what always had come naturally to me as a passion. Fast forward to mid 2016. While I was cleaning out the apartment due to a move I stumbled upon the notebook I had started writing Wolf's Howl in. I flipped through the pages of my writing and thought the story was good and deserved to be finished. So I set about not caring what medium or fate the story would have I just wrote what the characters were telling me had happened to them. I finished that first notebook and nearly finished a second. It felt good to write again and I started having all these fresh ideas that I wanted to get out there. So I kept filling notebooks and soon I was going to writing groups. People started suggesting I try writing a comic book so I came up with an idea for a series and hired an artist. That artist didn't work out and in March of this year I shelved the idea not knowing what to do. I started working on this other story about a fairy I had come up with and decided to try and turn it into a novella while I figured out the fate of my comic book career.
Eventually I came to the conclusion that if nothing else I wanted to get that original story called Wolf's Howl out there for better or for worse. I needed to honor that story for helping me get back into writing. So I found a new artist and broke that story up into issues and am now working on completing the first issue and can't wait to share it with everyone. And in the meantime I published that fairy story on Amazon. So hopefully by the end of this year I will have a novella and comic book out that I can be proud of. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Just released a novella
So I know about a year ago I was writing about making my own comic book and how excited I was and how it was going to be taking up so much of my time. Well I hit a lot of bumps on that journey over the last year. It's in the past and hopefully all for the best so I won't dwell on what happened instead I wish to look to the future.
Out of the ashes two new stories have arisen that I feel very passionate about.
Just today I published a novella I wrote entitled Brandon's Fairy Tale. It is available on KDP on Amazon. I am very excited about it. It's short but I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it. It was a little nerve wracking publishing it because its the first time I made one of my writings public(aside from on this blog of course). It was funny I had recently seen this video with Will Smith talking about his skydiving experience. He stated that he was terrified up until he actually jumped out of the plane and at that moment all the fear left him. I haven't gone skydiving yet but publishing my novella kind of felt like how Will Smith described skydiving. I was afraid and worried but then as soon as I pushed that published button on my computer it was just bliss. The worries were gone. I am grateful for the mishaps that happened last year to my comic book because they gave me the opportunity to write my novella and publish it on Amazon KDP. It was a great experience for me as a writer and a person on this journey of life.
And I now have a brand new comic book that I am hoping to release at the end of this year. I will start posting its progress on this blog regularly. I am very excited about it. It's called Wolf's Howl and I think people are going to like it. It was actually the story that reinvigorated my passion for storytelling and got me back into writing. It is very personal to me and I hope I can share it all with you.
In the meantime feel free to check out my novella on Amazon and please let me know your thoughts and what you think of it. Thank you for sharing my writing journey with me :)
Out of the ashes two new stories have arisen that I feel very passionate about.
Just today I published a novella I wrote entitled Brandon's Fairy Tale. It is available on KDP on Amazon. I am very excited about it. It's short but I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it. It was a little nerve wracking publishing it because its the first time I made one of my writings public(aside from on this blog of course). It was funny I had recently seen this video with Will Smith talking about his skydiving experience. He stated that he was terrified up until he actually jumped out of the plane and at that moment all the fear left him. I haven't gone skydiving yet but publishing my novella kind of felt like how Will Smith described skydiving. I was afraid and worried but then as soon as I pushed that published button on my computer it was just bliss. The worries were gone. I am grateful for the mishaps that happened last year to my comic book because they gave me the opportunity to write my novella and publish it on Amazon KDP. It was a great experience for me as a writer and a person on this journey of life.
And I now have a brand new comic book that I am hoping to release at the end of this year. I will start posting its progress on this blog regularly. I am very excited about it. It's called Wolf's Howl and I think people are going to like it. It was actually the story that reinvigorated my passion for storytelling and got me back into writing. It is very personal to me and I hope I can share it all with you.
In the meantime feel free to check out my novella on Amazon and please let me know your thoughts and what you think of it. Thank you for sharing my writing journey with me :)
Friday, April 20, 2018
Infinity War and the purpose of storytelling
So on April 27(in the U.S. at least) there will be a major cross over event in the Marvel Cinematic Universe(MCU). Cross-over events are common in comic books that are published by companies with many titles taking place in the same world such as DC and Marvel. Cross-over events are usually big story lines involving many of the characters that exist in that fictional universe of the comic book publishers. Often these storylines result in major changes in the status quo not only for the individual characters but the fictional universe as a whole. Although Captain America: Civil War was a cross-over event with many different heroes in one movie(it was based on the major cross over event Civil War that marvel published in 2006-2007) Infinity War will be even bigger with more characters and we have been told will drastically change the MCU.
Cross-over events are often used to relaunch titles, boost sales and take characters in new directions. I have no doubt Disney/Marvel will be doing just that with Infinity War. And I along with other comic book fans are hopeful that they live up to the excitement that usually comes with big cross-over events such as the original The Infinity Gauntlet comic cross-over event in 1991.
But I also hope they take advantage of an event like this to show us what a great story can be. Since Disney took over Marvel we have seen a cinematic version of what Marvel fans have always loved about their comics. With intersecting storylines and characters fighting larger than life action sequences. They have almost made going to the movies like going on an exciting ride at Disneyland or Disney World. I love Disney World and the fun carefree rides and amusements there. Their parks are specifically designed to make people feel happy. And pretty much every Marvel movie I have seen since Disney took over has been an enjoyable experience.
Recently though I watched the Elektra movie which was a Marvel movie that was released in 2005 before Disney took over Marvel. I always wanted to see Elektra since I love martial arts movies and was always intrigued by Elektra's character even if I never got into her comics. However the movie was pretty much universally panned when it was released. It currently has a score of 10% on Rotten Tomatoes which is pretty awful. Even only 29% of viewers liked it on that website. So I didn't rush out to see it and only happened to get around to it 13 years after its release.
Now there are reasons it was not liked. Jennifer Gardner does a phenomenal job inhabiting the role but it tends to be very simplistic with plot holes. Not to mention it is littered with side characters who you don't quite understand their motivations. I don't want to spoil it for those who like me still wish to check it out but haven't gotten around to it yet so I won't go into detail. But for all it's flaws it definitely is different than what a lot of comic book movies have become. Although the hero does find a sort of redemption at the end there no rainbows and sunshine. The storyline of the movie just like real life is not that cut and dry. Instead the hero must still find their way they just managed to climb out of a pit of darkness. The evil is not fully vanquished but simply wounded. This wasn't a movie made to have us feel good. Instead it wanted to show a character in pain and darkness who had to navigate a dark world. But by doing that it allowed us to identify with our own shadows. At least it did for me. Yes it definitely could have been more clearly executed(an OCD diagnose in the movie was almost completely missed by me). But it was those flaws of the script and the characters that made the world and characters portrayed seem less idealized and more real.
Now I am not saying Infinity Wars should be like Elektra. But I am hoping Infinity Wars gives us depth besides spectacle. Yes I understand summer blockbuster about an alien god courting death herself is not going to be gritty and realistic but I hope it can still do what stories were originally meant to do in my opinion. You see my take on stories of any kind is that some can just simply be entertainment and even then they always have a kernel of truth to them that touches the collective consciousness(even if only slightly). But the stories I prefer are the ones that symbolize our internal struggles or the struggles of the collective consciousness of humanity. The ones that make us dream or believe in something or make us examine who we are or the shadow parts of our collective psyche.
Disney/Marvel has been able to touch on big social/political/economic issues such as the phenomena they created with Black Panther. But even if they don't go that far I hope Infinity War is a story that can be more than a thrill ride. It is going to be hugely popular no matter what. I hope they capitalize on that opportunity to give us a story that can help all of us in some way examine our demons and fight them or teach us a lesson we need to learn or to inspire us as to how far our potential can reach. Or maybe all three. Because in human history and especially in these times we need stories that can do that more than ever. We can't mask the pain that lies within us and we can't hide from lessons we need to learn and we have to keep moving forward to the beauty that we can be. Sometimes that means going into shadows or looking at things that aren't that pretty. And stories can not only offer us a breather in our journey but help us go where sometimes we don't want to go or are afraid to go. Like any creative art form they are most powerful when they propel us to where we need to go.
Cross-over events are often used to relaunch titles, boost sales and take characters in new directions. I have no doubt Disney/Marvel will be doing just that with Infinity War. And I along with other comic book fans are hopeful that they live up to the excitement that usually comes with big cross-over events such as the original The Infinity Gauntlet comic cross-over event in 1991.
But I also hope they take advantage of an event like this to show us what a great story can be. Since Disney took over Marvel we have seen a cinematic version of what Marvel fans have always loved about their comics. With intersecting storylines and characters fighting larger than life action sequences. They have almost made going to the movies like going on an exciting ride at Disneyland or Disney World. I love Disney World and the fun carefree rides and amusements there. Their parks are specifically designed to make people feel happy. And pretty much every Marvel movie I have seen since Disney took over has been an enjoyable experience.
Recently though I watched the Elektra movie which was a Marvel movie that was released in 2005 before Disney took over Marvel. I always wanted to see Elektra since I love martial arts movies and was always intrigued by Elektra's character even if I never got into her comics. However the movie was pretty much universally panned when it was released. It currently has a score of 10% on Rotten Tomatoes which is pretty awful. Even only 29% of viewers liked it on that website. So I didn't rush out to see it and only happened to get around to it 13 years after its release.
Now there are reasons it was not liked. Jennifer Gardner does a phenomenal job inhabiting the role but it tends to be very simplistic with plot holes. Not to mention it is littered with side characters who you don't quite understand their motivations. I don't want to spoil it for those who like me still wish to check it out but haven't gotten around to it yet so I won't go into detail. But for all it's flaws it definitely is different than what a lot of comic book movies have become. Although the hero does find a sort of redemption at the end there no rainbows and sunshine. The storyline of the movie just like real life is not that cut and dry. Instead the hero must still find their way they just managed to climb out of a pit of darkness. The evil is not fully vanquished but simply wounded. This wasn't a movie made to have us feel good. Instead it wanted to show a character in pain and darkness who had to navigate a dark world. But by doing that it allowed us to identify with our own shadows. At least it did for me. Yes it definitely could have been more clearly executed(an OCD diagnose in the movie was almost completely missed by me). But it was those flaws of the script and the characters that made the world and characters portrayed seem less idealized and more real.
Now I am not saying Infinity Wars should be like Elektra. But I am hoping Infinity Wars gives us depth besides spectacle. Yes I understand summer blockbuster about an alien god courting death herself is not going to be gritty and realistic but I hope it can still do what stories were originally meant to do in my opinion. You see my take on stories of any kind is that some can just simply be entertainment and even then they always have a kernel of truth to them that touches the collective consciousness(even if only slightly). But the stories I prefer are the ones that symbolize our internal struggles or the struggles of the collective consciousness of humanity. The ones that make us dream or believe in something or make us examine who we are or the shadow parts of our collective psyche.
Disney/Marvel has been able to touch on big social/political/economic issues such as the phenomena they created with Black Panther. But even if they don't go that far I hope Infinity War is a story that can be more than a thrill ride. It is going to be hugely popular no matter what. I hope they capitalize on that opportunity to give us a story that can help all of us in some way examine our demons and fight them or teach us a lesson we need to learn or to inspire us as to how far our potential can reach. Or maybe all three. Because in human history and especially in these times we need stories that can do that more than ever. We can't mask the pain that lies within us and we can't hide from lessons we need to learn and we have to keep moving forward to the beauty that we can be. Sometimes that means going into shadows or looking at things that aren't that pretty. And stories can not only offer us a breather in our journey but help us go where sometimes we don't want to go or are afraid to go. Like any creative art form they are most powerful when they propel us to where we need to go.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Marvels
So this one is a little unique as far as spoilers go. This post is about the graphic novel called Marvels which was published by, you guessed it, Marvel back in 1994. The story is written by Kurt Busiek and the art was done by Alex Ross. The reason this one is unique as far as spoilers go is because the graphic novel comprises of four smaller story arcs that cover major well known events in Marvel's storytelling history. So to know about these events is not to spoil the story. Instead the power of the story comes from how an ordinary every day human citizen of New York City reacts to these events.
Marvels centers around a reporter and photographer named Phil Sheldon living in New York City in the Marvel Universe. Phil has no powers and no direct connection to any Marvel heroes or villains. He is an everyday normal guy trying to make a living and start a family. And that is the power of this story. It takes the larger than life characters and story arcs that comic fans know and love and forces them to be examined by someone who isn't privy to the personal lives of these mythic heroes. Phil doesn't see the conversations or battles between the characters of Marvel. He doesn't know who the Green Goblin or Spider-man are and why they are fighting. Instead all he sees is a normal person like himself caught in their crossfire. He doesn't know how Reed Richards got Galactus to spare Earth all he knows is a silver guy is telling everyone Galactus is coming to devour them all. He doesn't know Wolverine or Mystique personally he is just a regular human who sees people with bizarre powers stirring up a lot of fear on both sides.
When I read this story the sheer power of it felt like a tidal wave. It reframed how I saw these famous comic story arcs and made them more personal and human. It took out the action and adventure and left only the heart behind. It examines what happens when we see larger than life people and events play out and how they can affect our faith, beliefs and values.
I highly recommend this book for Marvel fans because it takes new perspective on milestone events in that universe. I also highly recommend it for people who don't read comics. Because you don't need to know who the Human Torch is or what Sentinels are to get this story and it's message. The story takes the point of view of someone who also doesn't know these characters and allows the reader to journey into why these storylines are so universal and impactful. It helps you understand in a very abstract way why comics are so beloved and the power that they can hold as a medium of storytelling.
Marvels centers around a reporter and photographer named Phil Sheldon living in New York City in the Marvel Universe. Phil has no powers and no direct connection to any Marvel heroes or villains. He is an everyday normal guy trying to make a living and start a family. And that is the power of this story. It takes the larger than life characters and story arcs that comic fans know and love and forces them to be examined by someone who isn't privy to the personal lives of these mythic heroes. Phil doesn't see the conversations or battles between the characters of Marvel. He doesn't know who the Green Goblin or Spider-man are and why they are fighting. Instead all he sees is a normal person like himself caught in their crossfire. He doesn't know how Reed Richards got Galactus to spare Earth all he knows is a silver guy is telling everyone Galactus is coming to devour them all. He doesn't know Wolverine or Mystique personally he is just a regular human who sees people with bizarre powers stirring up a lot of fear on both sides.
When I read this story the sheer power of it felt like a tidal wave. It reframed how I saw these famous comic story arcs and made them more personal and human. It took out the action and adventure and left only the heart behind. It examines what happens when we see larger than life people and events play out and how they can affect our faith, beliefs and values.
I highly recommend this book for Marvel fans because it takes new perspective on milestone events in that universe. I also highly recommend it for people who don't read comics. Because you don't need to know who the Human Torch is or what Sentinels are to get this story and it's message. The story takes the point of view of someone who also doesn't know these characters and allows the reader to journey into why these storylines are so universal and impactful. It helps you understand in a very abstract way why comics are so beloved and the power that they can hold as a medium of storytelling.
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Indie Comic Recommendations
So my comic reviews have all been about popular mainstream comics that, lets face it, most comic book readers have read(or at least heard of). So I wanted to switch it up and give some recommendations on small indie comics I have had the pleasure of reading. Again no spoilers.
1. First Law of Mad Science #1: Written by Oliver Mertz and Mike Isenberg; Art by Daniel Lapham
This is a story about a scientist, named George Baker, who in the not too distant future has revolutionized how humanity lives with his inventions. His family consists of his equally successful archeologist wife, Emma and their young son Hank. They also have an A.I. robot that is their adoptive daughter who is named R.A.I.CH.E.L. George's latest invention called 'cyber eyes' is a great success until a year after their release to the public strange things start happening with them. The first issue bounces around quite a bit but you can tell their just moving pieces around to get everything set up for a wild ride. I especially liked the dynamic of R.A.I.CH.E.L. She has quite the biting personality and I saw a lot of potential with her. This story offers scientific adventure and mystery that definitely peaked my interest for more.
2. Kodoja Vol. 2 #1: Written by Keith Foster; Art by Rory Smith
I jumped in on this one with the start of Vol. 2 but based on what I read I will be going back for Vol. 1 The story is revolves around a Kaiju-sized super weapon named Kodoja that goes rouge and causes mayhem and destruction. Monster battles aplenty in this series with the humans scrambling to try and survive and stop the monsters from destroying everything in sight. Vol. 2 has a mystery component as well surrounding a mysterious word that keeps appearing and no one knows what it means. This series felt like a summer blockbuster to me in the best possible way. It was a what a popcorn flick should be in my opinion but in comic form. And if you do for some reason decide to start with Vol. 2 like I did you don't really miss much. They do a great job bringing everyone up to speed in the first issue. If you are fan of monster melees like me then definitely check this one out.
3. Machine Girl #1: Written by Matts; Art by Sergio Monjes
This is the story of young woman named Megan who lives with her dad on a planet full of bizarre interplanetary beings. She competes in a gladiatorial arena for money. She keeps winning the fights and it is making some unsavory characters very upset. Also she keeps having screws pop out of her head for some odd reason. The story is basically set around the mystery of who or what Megan truly is and how she ended up on this planet. This story drew me in almost solely because of the main character. There is something about the sweet natured spunk of Megan that just makes you care and root for her to come out on top. Even if you aren't quite sure how exactly everything fits. And honestly who does in life :)
4. The Skeleton #1: Written by Salvador Sanz; Art by Salvador Sanz
This is a fresh interesting take on the whole zombie apocalypse thing. In this particular story zombies aren't the undead. Instead they are people who got infected by a new kind of virus from eating the cattle that carried it. The virus turns people into insatiable meat eaters whose very physiology changes so they can consume huge quantities of meat. They become addicted to meat of any kind even eating each other. It is all they think about and all they care about. The survivors are all vegetarians trying to not get eaten at any cost. I found it a very interesting twist on the zombie trope. Any zombie fans or fans of apocalyptic survivor tales should definitely check it out. It seems to hold promise for a lot of interesting character interplay as well.
1. First Law of Mad Science #1: Written by Oliver Mertz and Mike Isenberg; Art by Daniel Lapham
This is a story about a scientist, named George Baker, who in the not too distant future has revolutionized how humanity lives with his inventions. His family consists of his equally successful archeologist wife, Emma and their young son Hank. They also have an A.I. robot that is their adoptive daughter who is named R.A.I.CH.E.L. George's latest invention called 'cyber eyes' is a great success until a year after their release to the public strange things start happening with them. The first issue bounces around quite a bit but you can tell their just moving pieces around to get everything set up for a wild ride. I especially liked the dynamic of R.A.I.CH.E.L. She has quite the biting personality and I saw a lot of potential with her. This story offers scientific adventure and mystery that definitely peaked my interest for more.
2. Kodoja Vol. 2 #1: Written by Keith Foster; Art by Rory Smith
I jumped in on this one with the start of Vol. 2 but based on what I read I will be going back for Vol. 1 The story is revolves around a Kaiju-sized super weapon named Kodoja that goes rouge and causes mayhem and destruction. Monster battles aplenty in this series with the humans scrambling to try and survive and stop the monsters from destroying everything in sight. Vol. 2 has a mystery component as well surrounding a mysterious word that keeps appearing and no one knows what it means. This series felt like a summer blockbuster to me in the best possible way. It was a what a popcorn flick should be in my opinion but in comic form. And if you do for some reason decide to start with Vol. 2 like I did you don't really miss much. They do a great job bringing everyone up to speed in the first issue. If you are fan of monster melees like me then definitely check this one out.
3. Machine Girl #1: Written by Matts; Art by Sergio Monjes
This is the story of young woman named Megan who lives with her dad on a planet full of bizarre interplanetary beings. She competes in a gladiatorial arena for money. She keeps winning the fights and it is making some unsavory characters very upset. Also she keeps having screws pop out of her head for some odd reason. The story is basically set around the mystery of who or what Megan truly is and how she ended up on this planet. This story drew me in almost solely because of the main character. There is something about the sweet natured spunk of Megan that just makes you care and root for her to come out on top. Even if you aren't quite sure how exactly everything fits. And honestly who does in life :)
4. The Skeleton #1: Written by Salvador Sanz; Art by Salvador Sanz
This is a fresh interesting take on the whole zombie apocalypse thing. In this particular story zombies aren't the undead. Instead they are people who got infected by a new kind of virus from eating the cattle that carried it. The virus turns people into insatiable meat eaters whose very physiology changes so they can consume huge quantities of meat. They become addicted to meat of any kind even eating each other. It is all they think about and all they care about. The survivors are all vegetarians trying to not get eaten at any cost. I found it a very interesting twist on the zombie trope. Any zombie fans or fans of apocalyptic survivor tales should definitely check it out. It seems to hold promise for a lot of interesting character interplay as well.
Monday, March 5, 2018
Art by Kevin Miller Story by yours truly
Hello,
So Kevin Miller and I met on the face book group called Independent Creators Connection(ICC). He posted a drawing he did of three characters one day from his mind that I thought looked cool and had a lot of potential. He was gracious enough to allow me to come up with a story for them and posted the story with the sketch he drew. You can see it at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/140385652820869/permalink/846397612219666/?notif_id=1520206131454766¬if_t=group_post_mention&ref=notif
Let me know thoughts. Would love to hear them!
So Kevin Miller and I met on the face book group called Independent Creators Connection(ICC). He posted a drawing he did of three characters one day from his mind that I thought looked cool and had a lot of potential. He was gracious enough to allow me to come up with a story for them and posted the story with the sketch he drew. You can see it at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/140385652820869/permalink/846397612219666/?notif_id=1520206131454766¬if_t=group_post_mention&ref=notif
Let me know thoughts. Would love to hear them!
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Who watches the Watchmen?
As always I will not be discussing specific spoilers but if you want to go in completely fresh knowing nothing about Watchmen(like I did) which is how I would recommend doing it if you haven't read it yet then don't read this till you read Watchmen.
I was lent the graphic novel Watchmen by a former co-worker of mine over a decade ago. He was shocked I was a comic book reader and had never read it and we both agreed it should be remedied. When I returned it to him he asked me what I thought. My response was derived from a famous Simpson's character. It went as follows: "Worst superheroes ever." To which my co-worker replied something along the lines of: "Uh, well, yea but that's not really the point." I knew it wasn't the point. The themes, discussions, ideas, ect. that were brought up and delved into within the pages of Watchmen were too much for me to sort through and explain at that time(still have trouble pinning them down).
The point I was making to my co-worker was that the story was never meant to be taken and digested as a simple thrill ride or good guys vs. bad guys tale. If it was just a simple tale of superheroes trying to save the day then the only reaction would be "Worst superheroes ever." And to be honest at the time I didn't like the book because it was just too challenging and too complex and I tried to resist it. I was forcing myself to take it superficially. As I realized the full power of stories in life I grew to respect Watchmen more and more. You have to look at Watchmen as what it is trying to say underneath the costumes and fight sequences. Watchmen, more than any other comic book I have read throws that in your face. It forces the reader to take its story as more than surface depth and gets them to think and have an emotional reaction to what unfolded in the lives of the characters. And that's great storytelling.
Watchmen is a graphic novel consisting of 12 parts that were published in the years 1986 and 1987 by the comic book publisher DC. It was written by Alan Moore(the same writer of V for Vendetta) and the artwork was done by Dave Gibbons and it was colored by John Higgins. The story is about a group of superheroes trying to solve the murder of one of their own community. To say any more than that I feel would be a disservice to potential readers of the story. Those who have read it know that there is so much more going on in the story. As we get to know these characters we see the world through their eyes and it's not always an easy thing but it is very rewarding. Moore himself stated that the main characters in Watchmen represent "radically opposing ways of seeing the world". And that is the beauty of Watchmen. There is no simple answers. There is no right and wrong. There is no pure good or pure evil. It lays beyond all that. It requires us to consider how we want to see the world. It puts the responsibility on the reader to make up their own minds and carry through as they see fit.
In an era when we are constantly bombarded and deluged with information maybe we need to remember stories like Watchmen that ask us to see things through different lenses and form our own opinion on what we want our world to be like.
I highly recommend Watchmen for anybody who wants to be challenged by what they read. Anyone who likes critical thinking and looking at things in different ways will be very pleased with Watchmen. And even if you aren't a comic book reader I recommend it because it reads like a cross between a pulpy detective story and a Russian novel, just with pictures.
I was lent the graphic novel Watchmen by a former co-worker of mine over a decade ago. He was shocked I was a comic book reader and had never read it and we both agreed it should be remedied. When I returned it to him he asked me what I thought. My response was derived from a famous Simpson's character. It went as follows: "Worst superheroes ever." To which my co-worker replied something along the lines of: "Uh, well, yea but that's not really the point." I knew it wasn't the point. The themes, discussions, ideas, ect. that were brought up and delved into within the pages of Watchmen were too much for me to sort through and explain at that time(still have trouble pinning them down).
The point I was making to my co-worker was that the story was never meant to be taken and digested as a simple thrill ride or good guys vs. bad guys tale. If it was just a simple tale of superheroes trying to save the day then the only reaction would be "Worst superheroes ever." And to be honest at the time I didn't like the book because it was just too challenging and too complex and I tried to resist it. I was forcing myself to take it superficially. As I realized the full power of stories in life I grew to respect Watchmen more and more. You have to look at Watchmen as what it is trying to say underneath the costumes and fight sequences. Watchmen, more than any other comic book I have read throws that in your face. It forces the reader to take its story as more than surface depth and gets them to think and have an emotional reaction to what unfolded in the lives of the characters. And that's great storytelling.
Watchmen is a graphic novel consisting of 12 parts that were published in the years 1986 and 1987 by the comic book publisher DC. It was written by Alan Moore(the same writer of V for Vendetta) and the artwork was done by Dave Gibbons and it was colored by John Higgins. The story is about a group of superheroes trying to solve the murder of one of their own community. To say any more than that I feel would be a disservice to potential readers of the story. Those who have read it know that there is so much more going on in the story. As we get to know these characters we see the world through their eyes and it's not always an easy thing but it is very rewarding. Moore himself stated that the main characters in Watchmen represent "radically opposing ways of seeing the world". And that is the beauty of Watchmen. There is no simple answers. There is no right and wrong. There is no pure good or pure evil. It lays beyond all that. It requires us to consider how we want to see the world. It puts the responsibility on the reader to make up their own minds and carry through as they see fit.
In an era when we are constantly bombarded and deluged with information maybe we need to remember stories like Watchmen that ask us to see things through different lenses and form our own opinion on what we want our world to be like.
I highly recommend Watchmen for anybody who wants to be challenged by what they read. Anyone who likes critical thinking and looking at things in different ways will be very pleased with Watchmen. And even if you aren't a comic book reader I recommend it because it reads like a cross between a pulpy detective story and a Russian novel, just with pictures.
Friday, February 2, 2018
Long Halloween
I will not be revealing any big spoilers for this review of Batman: The Long Halloween and will be keeping to mostly general tone and how the story affected me. However I will be providing a synopsis of the story but will leave out how it ends.
Batman: The Long Halloween is probably my favorite graphic novel. It is written by Jeph Loeb and was published in installments that ran from 1996-1997. I haven't read too many of the Batman comics over at DC but I have always loved the character of Batman ever since I was a little kid. Maybe it was because my Dad used to give me packs of Batman bubble gum cards from the 1st Batman live action movie when he got home from work. Or maybe it was because I was obsessed with watching reruns of the Adam West Batman TV show while my mom made dinner when I was a kid. However, I can safely say it was Batman: The Animated Series that cemented me as fan of the character(as I am sure it did for many in my generation).
Somehow or another I ended in possession of a copy of Batman: The Long Halloween(I really don't recall how I ended up with that particular book). And I remember putting it down after reading it and thinking, "Now that's a Batman story."
The story takes place in the early career of Batman. His infamous rogues gallery of villains such as the Joker, Poison Ivy, and The Riddler have yet to take over Gotham. Instead Gotham is still run by mobsters, in particular The Falcone crime family. Batman and Jim Gordon, who is just a police captain still, are more concerned with taking down the mob than stopping the Joker or the Mad Hatter's latest scheme. In fact The Falcone Empire has such a strangle hold on Gotham that a young Jim Gordon and Batman make a pact along with the District Attorney Harvey Dent to work together to do whatever it takes to bring The Falcone's down and remove their influence on Gotham City. Even if it means bending the laws as long as they aren't outright broken. Things start to derail though when a serial killer begins targeting high profile mobsters on holidays. I'll leave the rest to readers because the conclusion is a powerhouse one.
The story overall is filled with mystery and has a film noir feel to it. The colorful rogues gallery that Batman is known for contrasts with the sinister mobsters leaving a realistic haunting feel to the evil lurking throughout the story. Even the beautiful artwork by Tim Sale is full of shadows. There are nods to popular darker cinematic master pieces of past decades. For instance a nod to Silence of the Lambs when Batman talks with an incarcerated serial killer through a wall of glass to gain insights into the Holiday serial killer they are trying to track down. All of this along with the dark and foreboding tones that run throughout the book keeps the reader unsettled and lets them know that this story has no such cliched "good triumphs and heroes win the day" conclusion.
Instead the story is a tale of obsession. Obsession over power, obsession for your cause. It pits the team of Batman/Gordon/Dent, obsessed with ridding the city of crime, against the criminals who seek power at any cost over the same city. But since both sides are insistent on not resting until their will prevails the conflict creates sparks that end up setting a fire ablaze that consumes all involved.
I love the story for it's rich emotional drama and interplay of characters all blindly hell bent on getting what they want before they can find any peace within themselves. After all, isn't that what Batman is all about at the core. The angst and sorrow are palatable in this particular story and it proves to be a very cathartic and poignant tale. In these current times I also find it almost a cautionary tale. Even if your intentions are virtuous, when you blindly set an unbending will to see your cause through it may in the end burn you and what you love, as it sadly did for these characters.
Overall though I recommend Batman: The Long Halloween to anyone who is a Batman fan, a noir fan, or just a fan of emotional stories about the prices we pay to get what we want or hold onto what we have.
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