It’s always such a pleasure chatting with John Siuntres on the Word Balloon podcast, and it’s been over three years since we last talked, so there was quite a bit of catching up to do. This Word Balloon episode is almost entirely Conan-centric as we cover the transition of the comics moving from Marvel to Titan, working with our amazing team, future plans, and anecdotes aplenty. Since we were on livestream video I also shared some exclusive artwork from future issues as well.
On the same day as my Word Balloon chat, I also did a livestream interview with Tara Rout from D&D in a Castle and we talked all about 50 years of D&D and my excitement to be running a 3-day campaign in a castle in the UK in November:
Back to the Cimmerian Source, Part 2
Action from Rogues in the House, illustrated by Frank Frazetta.
In previous newsletters I mentioned Cimmerian September, with bloggers and vloggers reading and chatting about Conan stories. I’m hoping to reread all the original Robert E. Howard Conan prose stories and jot down a few thoughts about each one. I don’t want to overwhelm this newsletter with text, so if you want to read what I think of more of the original Cimmerian stories, click on through to the posts linked below:
And, speaking of reading material – If you want even more Robert E. Howard-inspired prose, make sure you check out the Heroic Signatures short fiction ebook series! $1.50 per story, or cheaper if you buy a bunch at once, and you get new tales of Conan, Solomon Kane, Bêlit, and Bran Mak Morn!
By Crom, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be at MCM Expo London on October 25-27! It’s been 12 years since I’ve been to the show and I am so, so pumped to be back.
Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #1 panels. Line art by Jonas Scharf, colors by Jao Canola, letters by Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith.
Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #1 has arrived in comic shops today, kicking off a flurry of promotion as a cast of Robert E. Howard-created characters from across time are pulled into a grand pulp-infused epic adventure. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to this point and I’m thrilled our first issue is finally here.
Just over a year ago at New York Comic-Con, editor Chris Butera, assistant editor Ashley Hodgkins, and I went out for dinner with artist Jonas Scharf so I could verbally pitch him the whole Black Stone tale, letting him know who was involved, every twist and turn, and the climactic conclusion so he’d be ready for what we had coming up. It felt good to lay out the big story beats and feel that sense of momentum building. Jonas’ art is a critical part of what makes this mini-series feel so epic and I can’t wait for you to see it all this Fall.
If you’ve enjoyed the new Conan the Barbarian comic series, you’ll essentially be getting a double dose of full color Hyborean action for the next 4 months as the regular book continues with Frozen Faith, our new non-Black Stone-related story arc. If you haven’t read the new Conan series at all, no problem. You can still dive in with Battle of the Black Stone #1 and can check out our FREE prelude issue online for a bit more context.
Titan Comics has put together a video trailer to help bring even more bombast to this week’s launch. Check it out:
The advance reviews for Black Stone have been enthusiastic and I’m hopeful that high praise brings even more readers on board.
A Skullkickers Bundle For You
The Bundle of Holding, a TTRPG-focused digital sale site, has posted up a SKULLKICKERS BUNDLE, with a terrific price for Vol. 1-6 and Caster Bastards available until September 23rd.
If you’ve never read my creator-owned sword & sorcery action-comedy comic series, the ‘Dungeons & Dragons by way of Deadpool’ trope-trashing tornado that kicked off my fantasy writing career, this is the perfect way to get all caught up, or you can buy it for a friend!
Back to the Cimmerian Source
Conan’s first appearance, from Weird Tales magazine, December 1932.
In my previous newsletter, I mentioned Cimmerian September, with bloggers and vloggers reading and chatting about Conan stories. I’m hoping to reread all the original Robert E. Howard Conan prose stories and jot down a few thoughts about each one. I don’t want to overwhelm this newsletter with text, so if you want to read what I think of the original Cimmerian stories, click on through to the posts I’ve made so far:
• Artist Fernando Dagnino, whose visceral artwork made a big splash in the pages of Savage Sword of Conan #4, has got a brand new website. Browse and gawk at his excellent work. We’re already working away on a new project and I’m excited for you to check it out.
• Wizards of the Coast PR Manager Greg Tito is stepping away from Dungeons & Dragons for a brand new job with the office of Washington’s Secretary of State as Deputy Director of External Affairs, and he will be sorely missed by everyone in tabletop gaming. Greg’s hard work in promotion helped D&D 5th edition surge and his work partnering with streamers and promoting the game through liveplay events helped transform the hobby. I’m wishing him all the best.
I wouldn’t normally send out two newsletters in one week, but there is so much going on and a few time-sensitive deadlines that I needed to double up here. Trust me, I don’t have time to make this a regular thing.
Prep Your Fall Reading List For Glory
For the past 2 years on pulp literature-focused YouTube channels and various book blogs, there’s been a little movement called “Cimmerian September”, with people reading Conan stories – the original prose stories or pastiche novels/comics – and sharing their thoughts online.
On September 1st, it’s happening again and you can join in!
With the surge in interest around our favorite Cimmerian, I want to signal boost this fine endeavor and encourage old and new readers to join us. The original unedited Robert E. Howard prose tales are available physically and digitally in a wonderful 3-volume set published by Del Rey-
1) The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian
2) The Bloody Crown of Conan
3) The Conquering Sword of Conan
If you get a chance to participate any time this Fall, let people online know what you think and get discussion going. It’s a fantastic time to dive into grand adventures in the Hyborian Age!
If you want to convince friends or family to read Conan, let them know that the character and world is incredibly easy to jump into and core premise is simple:
Conan is a wandering warrior in a pre-historic time of swords, sorcery, danger and mystery. Wherever he goes, adventure and excitement is sure to follow.
The Wolverine 50th Anniversary Panel (left to right): John Kirk, Stephen Platt, Jim Zub, Marc Silvestri, Jackson Lanzing, Steve McNiven
Fan Expo Canada 2024 was a complete whirlwind. The weather was perfect and there was great energy in the air. The hometown show was busier than ever with friends, former students, and fans stopping by to visit and get books signed. Every few minutes someone new would pop up and I never knew if it would be a pal from high school, a colleague from Seneca, a long-time reader, or someone excited to meet me for the very first time.
By Saturday afternoon I was completely exhausted to the point that I almost fell asleep at dinner so I missed out on festivities that night, but the extra rest gave me enough energy to rally for Sunday and make the most of the last day.
There was a lot of discussion with friends about being “veterans” of the whole comic convention thing and it’s true. Year after year, it all becomes more familiar, but not in a bad way. We’ve seen the ups and downs, we’ve experienced good and bad runs, and we’re still here. Still making books and telling stories, and I’m thankful for it.
When someone brings this many of my books to get signed, I am amazed and humbled. (And yes, I signed them all.)
With Fan Expo Canada done, the summer con season is finished for me, but there are discussions underway for other appearances in the Fall, especially in the UK around D&D in a Castle. Hopefully I’ll have more to announce soon.
• Manifesto TV has an extensive interview with Jeff Shanks, the Robert E. Howard scholar who writes the essays in the back of each issue of Conan the Barbarian. It goes through a ton of different material across a broad range of topics.
That’s a full-size Atlantean Sword sent to me by Heroic Signatures, the rights holders of Conan the Barbarian…It was in my new contract. 😉
When we started negotiating for my long term writing deal on Conan, we bounced terms back and forth – how much work, schedule, pay rate, and all the other mission critical business stuff you’d expect – And, as we were getting close to the finish line, there was a catch-all “Anything else?” and I brought up a joke from last year when I said if things went really well I should get a sword.
The response back was an amused “Are you serious?”
And I realized, oddly, that I was.
Sure, I could just buy a licensed movie replica and be done with it, a gift to myself, but it wouldn’t have the same meaning as the Conan crew sending me one as a “signing bonus” – Bequeathing a blade to me for a job well done.
Many fans assume that since I write lots of sword & sorcery I must have a bunch of swords because it’s something that usually comes along with being a bone deep fan of the genre, but I actually don’t. I have a lot of books and original art in my personal collection, but not many statues or toys, and I don’t have any weapons…well, until now.
This one’s special. A kind gesture by my creative partners and a milestone on a wonderful journey.
Speaking of journeys, I had a great time at Fan Expo Chicago over the weekend. The show had a solid comic crowd at its core, with a lot more comic retailers and readers on site than many of the other pop culture shows I’m at. Hearing that Conan is doing so well and that it’s top of the pile for so many readers is humbling.
A few shop owners let me know that Hyborian excitement has extended to back issue bins as well, with old school fans snapping up old Conan the Barbarian and Savage Sword of Conan issues to get more material to tide them over between our new releases.
I spoke to Derek McCaw at Fanboy Planet all about working on an iconic character like Conan, second chances, long term plans, and a lot more. I think we cover some really good ground here, so check it out!
I mentioned in my previous newsletter that I’ll be Dungeon Mastering a wild adventure on November 4th-8th in northern England as part of D&D In a Castle and seats are extremely limited.
Normally only D&D In a Castle members get first crack at tickets with a special registration password, but the Castle crew has kindly allowed me to extend that same password to my newsletter here, so if you’re looking for a special gaming experience on D&D’s 50th anniversary year, click on through HERE to the registration page and use the Secret Password:
Fan Expo Canada, the country’s biggest pop culture convention, is just a few days away. I’m a feature guest at the show this year and will be set up with the Comic Sketch Art crew in Artist Alley in the South Hall. More details on my website once the location and panel schedule is finalized.
Health Update: Thank you to all the people who reached out about my previous newsletter where I talked about catching Covid and missing Gen Con. So many kind messages about that and the Conan contract helped bolster me through a tough week. A few friends came through with food care packages and many others offered to help, which was also deeply appreciated.
Two days ago I tested negative for Covid. I still have some minor aches and bouts of exhaustion but it’s getting better, day by day. Stacy seems to be about two days behind me in terms of symptoms and recovery so our fingers are crossed that she tests negative later today so we can fully restock groceries and start to socialize again.
Chicago Fan Expo is next week and if I wasn’t clear of Covid obviously I wouldn’t be going, but I am so I will, though I’m definitely going to be less cavalier about handshakes and hugs. I haven’t been to the Windy City since 2018, so I’m really looking forward to it.
C2E2 2018 with the Avengers: Me, Tom Brevoort, Mark Waid, Pepe Larraz
A quick browse through photos from that show and it’s a bit mind boggling to me that it’s already been six years. Tom, Mark and I were out for dinner when Tom told us Marvel would be licensing Conan the Barbarian again and he wanted us to include the Cimmerian in our second Avengers weekly event series. A month later I was in a boardroom at the Marvel offices hashing out story beats with our team as we brought together a wild amount of elements in Avengers: No Road Home. So many great memories.
As always, in the rearview mirror the route of these creative projects make sense, but in the midst of the journey it can feel like you’re just driving into the dark and hoping it all works out.
Seats are extremely limited, so if you want to travel to the UK and play with me in a castle as we celebrate 50 years of Dungeons & Dragons, gather up your dice and register as soon as possible. It’s going to be one for the ages.
All in all, Erdtree has incredible design and atmosphere – The new locations look epic, the new dungeons are interesting, and the new weapons are fun to try out. But, even with all that new stuff and stellar art and design, it didn’t push Elden Ring to the top of my personal Souls game list. Not even close. The issues I had with the base game are still here and some are even more pronounced in the DLC.
The bosses are designed to challenge characters across such broad power builds and assume you’re using spirit ash allies, so by the time you reach the end game they have to unleash ridiculous movements and area of effect attacks that make battles feel less like epic one-on-one duels and more like hooligan free-for-alls with anime explosions.
Without spirit ashes, most of the big boss battles are winnable but become endurance slogs as you jump and flip like a fool waiting for those moments when you’re allowed to punish the enemy.
With spirit ashes, most of the bosses get distracted so you can unleash combos or have time to heal, but then it feels like you’re ambushing them with attacks or running away to hide and lick your wounds instead of actually being in a direct duel. This means that even when you win, it can feel remarkably unsatisfying.
For me, Bloodborne had an ideal balance of aggression and maneuverability. You face down boss creatures or other hunters, the combat is intense, and you feel like you earned each victory.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice laser focused on sword combat and pushed it to the absolute limit. Every key boss battle was a white knuckle struggle that was hard as hell, but also fair in its application of the gameplay skills it taught you.
Elden Ring has a massive amount of content and a ridiculous amount of flexibility, which is really impressive, but the need to encompass all that creates a host of problems that crop up over the long haul. Even still, my first playthrough was flush with discoveries and a feeling of my character’s power growing, bit by bit. The Erdtree DLC has that same sense of awe and discovery. It is absolutely worth the price of admission…but also exhausting.
When I finished Bloodborne and Sekiro I immediately wanted to play them again, and soak up every moment, showcasing my new confidence and mastery.
When I finished Elden Ring (and now Erdtree) I was glad I went through it in general, but had zero desire to jump back in. The whole thing wore me down instead of pumping me up for another playthrough.
In Sekiro, when I fought Genichiro, Owl, and Isshin I felt the intensity of those duels. They were a test of my skill in watching enemy movement or listening to the audio cues for tells, and then executing moves in the core gameplay to succeed. I didn’t just want to move past those bosses, I wanted to prove myself.
In Elden Ring and Erdtree, the big fights feel so chaotic, the camera so unwieldly, and the arms race of combos so unrelenting that I used anything at my disposal to just get them over with. Most of the bosses felt like a punishment endured instead of a challenge surpassed.
I eventually platinumed Elden Ring and I’m sure I’ll play Erdtree again at some point, but right now I’m happy to set it down and try something else. It didn’t get its deep hooks into me like Bloodborne and Sekiro did…and that’s kind of disappointing.
Current + Upcoming Releases
Now that the solicit info for Conan the Barbarian #16 is out, I can show off Doug Braithwaite and Diego Rodriguez‘s wonderful connected covers for this story arc:
• Campbell Walker has a neat video on the history of fonts, from ancient record keeping through to modern design. We take a lot of the typefaces around us for granted, so it was a nice reminder of the way these things build on each other over looong periods of time.
San Diego Comic-Con went so well, with almost no downside at all, and I joked with Stacy that it meant Gen Con would be a disaster…
We drove down to Indianapolis Tuesday and Wednesday, and everything went well. Laughing and singing on the road, chatting about our plans. On Wednesday night I saw lots of friends and could feel that convention excitement starting to build. Then, on Thursday morning, literally minutes before the exhibit hall opened, my head suddenly felt stuffy and lightheaded, so I went back to our hotel room and took a Covid rapid test-
And there it was. The joke was now the reality.
As soon as I called Stacy, she stepped up to cope with a rapid series of logistic needs. She took a Covid test and it came up negative, and then sprang into action. While day one of the show kicked off, I notified everyone I met the day before and started repacking our luggage while she carted a load of books back to the hotel room so I could autograph them in the hope that they might sell at the booth even if I wasn’t there.
(And if you’re at Gen Con right now, BOOTH #1145 is still selling our signed books all weekend.)
Going to the show Covid symptomatic would be irresponsible. Staying sequestered in a hotel room wouldn’t work. Not being able to socialize with anyone and spending more money would just be pointless. So, heartbroken and frustrated, we loaded up the car and drove out of Indy less than 24 hours after we arrived.
The drive to Indianapolis from Toronto usually takes about 9 hours and on the way down we split it up over two days, so it was leisurely. Thanks to construction slowdowns and bad weather the drive home took 11 hours and it was utterly miserable, especially as I kept getting messages from people asking where we were at the show
The crapola icing on the cake was that when Stacy got home she tested again and this time was Covid positive. We knew that would likely be the case, but having that at the finish line after such a hard day was pretty demoralizing.
I slept almost 12 hours today and have been congested and a bit feverish. Stacy hasn’t slept as steadily and has more body aches and fever. We know we need to just rest and recover, but doing that while Gen Con rolls on feels so strange.
Last year I managed to attend a lot of events and not get Covid, but obviously I became too lax and need to be more methodical about future appearances. Ironically, I have new events to announce coming up but, as you might imagine, that is not my top priority at this moment.
Years In The Making
Art from Conan the Barbarian #13 by Doug Braithwaite. Colors by Diego Rodriguez. Letters by Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith.
I was really taken aback, in the best way possible. It’s been a steady stream of excitement and well wishes that continued even while our Gen Con plans unraveled in real time. I woke up this morning from my feverish sleep to dozens of new congratulations from colleagues and fans, so word is still getting out to wider circles. It’s been a bright spot through a couple dim days.
Thank you. I’m genuinely humbled by all the kind words.
I firmly believe that serialized storytelling like this works best when the creative team has room to build with confidence. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a place for short and powerful stories, but iconic characters or teams carry on and thrive, decade after decade, when the fanbase isn’t getting the rug pulled out from under them multiple times per year. Yes, a fresh first issue can be a potent jumping on point, but it can just as easily be an off ramp if readers feel like they’re not getting their money’s worth and it’ll all be vaporized in a reboot/relaunch in a few months anyways.
The Conan the Barbarian relaunch with Heroic Signatures and Titan was a unique opportunity to refocus and renew a character and world with over 90 years of published stories and 50 years of comics, but we had to make absolutely sure the end result felt worthy of that restart. I pitched a wider mythic story that encompassed all kinds of ideas, some self-contained stories and other longer interweaving plotlines, but also knew I was only promised one year to prove it could work. Conan the Barbarian #0-12 had to serve as a self-contained epic and also tee up the future. Thankfully, by issue 4 we could see how solid the response was and could start ratifying the long term plan.
So, here we are! This 3-year contract extension I’ve signed with Heroic is a way to ensure we deliver the goods, with all of us confidently pushing in the same direction. Conan the Barbarian #13 just arrived in stores, and I’m writing issue #22 while tightly plotting out material for the end of year 2 and into year 3. Rob De La Torre, Doug Braithwaite, Richard Starkings, Jeff Shanks, and the rest of our amazing crew are on board, all of us excited to be part of this grand adventure. It’s going to be an absolute blast.
Scholar Jeff Shanks, painter Joe Jusko, letterer Richard Starkings, artist Geof Isherwood, and I talk about the exciting year we just had and exciting plans to come:
I’ve known about this for a few months but couldn’t say anything public, obviously. Both Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse reached out to let me know well ahead of time. Since the announcement didn’t come with any creative team attached and I’ve written more D&D comics than anyone else, a lot of people asked me if I would be involved in this new DH-D&D comic initiative. I’m not part of the launch line-up, but I know who is and I think fans are going to be really happy once they’re announced.
(That said, I’ve already been talking to my friends at Dark Horse about possible future stories, so don’t be surprised if I do pop up again at some point down the road…)
I flew home to Toronto on a red eye flight from San Diego and didn’t get much sleep, so there’s definitely a spacey quality to the universe as I unpack and then repack my luggage while following up on correspondence before heading off tomorrow to Indianapolis.
This might be the first San Diego Comic-Con I can remember where I didn’t actually have a “washout moment”, a crisis of faith or momentary stab of imposter syndrome about being at the show, meeting people, or talking about the work. From the moment I touched down Wednesday morning to the late night Sunday takeoff, there was a wonderful burst of uplifting energy, excitement, and engagement from friends and strangers. Despite how busy it all was, I felt weirdly comfortable and settled in, going with the flow and letting inconsequential stuff slide. It felt great. If I saw you there, thank you for making this year extra-special.
Editor Chris Butera, YouTube host Shawn Curley, scholar Jeff Shanks, and me!
I’d love to be more elegant and verbose about this year’s SDCC, but unfortunately I don’t have enough time between two crazy cons, so bullet point anecdotes and info will have to do:
• The teams at Heroic Signatures and Titan were amazing. Their enthusiasm and organization kept everything cooking and I could not be more proud of where we’re at with it. Our signings throughout the show were packed and the panel on Sunday was energized.
• Speaking of which, I’m ecstatic to announce that I’ve signed a multi-year deal with Heroic Signatures to keep writing the Conan the Barbarian monthly title and related narrative development (event mini-series and Savage Sword in particular, but other stuff too) for the foreseeable future! Working on such an important character and building out this vibrant mythology over a longer span is both an honor and a privilege, one that I don’t take for granted.
The new contract I’ve signed is non-exclusive (so I will have work with other publishers), but it solidifies my commitment to the Hyborian Age going forward. Like I said at our Conan panel, none of this would have been possible without reader and retailer support, so thank you for helping make my dreams come true.
When I was a kid it would have been a dream to meet the people who made Conan the Barbarian or Dungeons & Dragons. Actually being one of those people is stratospherically beyond anything I could have imagined, even in those fantasy worlds.
• Savage Sword of Conan is getting a second year of magazine-sized black & white glory. We defied expectations with the classic format and year two is poised for even more. Roy Thomas is teaming up with Rob De La Torre for a B&W feature story and Jason Aaron and Geof Isherwood are set for a King Conan epic.
• Conan: Battle of the Black Stone action figures are in the works and first out of the gate is our savage Cimmerian, including armor and weaponry taken from our Free Comic Book Day 2024 story.
Battle of the Black Stone Conan figure design work
• Getting to meet and talk with Kenichi Sonoda (Bubblegum Crisis, Riding Bean) at the UDON Booth this year was a glorious experience. It was hard to express to him how much his work blew my mind when I first saw it in high school.
• Seeing Hitoshi Ariga was also an absolute thrill. We worked together on the Klonoa: Dream Traveler of Noctis Sol webcomic for Bandai-Namco way back in 2012 and I hadn’t seen him since then, so it was a rush getting to touch base again.
• My Artist Alley table was hopping thanks to the staff at Comic Sketch Art. They rolled with every schedule change and press request and it was always nice settling back in for signings there and focusing on readers instead of the hustle and bustle needed to keep the booth running.
The D&D 50 panel: Ross Thompson, me, Kailey Bray, Matt Forbeck, Anjali Bhimani, and Luke Gygax.
• The Dungeons & Dragons 50th Anniversary panel was unbelievable. The crowd packed a triple-sized panel room, the kind normally reserved for big movie-TV panels, and the energy was off the charts. The crew at Random House filmed the panel, though they did miss our intros, but you can watch the rest of it HERE:
So many great stories and aspirational thoughts on the magic of tabletop roleplaying games – where they’ve been, why they matter, and the needs of creative VS corporate desires. Watch it!
Zub is Gen Con Bound
Like I said above, I’m mid-marathon with SDCC and Gen Con, two of the biggest conventions, back-to-back. I just posted up my Gen Con location, live play, panels and more right HERE. Just like with SDCC, I’ll be keeping that site post up to date in case things change.
• My friend Mark Jones has a new book coming out next month about creative careers and the creative economy called The Starving Artist Myth. Mark helped guide Seneca’s award-winning Animation program when I was in charge there and his expertise and guidance helped us thrive, so I’m incredibly excited to give this a read.
• My friend Gail Simone announced that she’s written a new Red Sonja prose novel that arrives in stores in November. Can’t wait to read it!
• My friends Fred Kennedy and Adam Gorham produced a graphic novel for Blizzard called Diablo: Legends of the Necromancer- Rathma. Fantasy and a beloved video game series? I’m pumped to check it out.
Last year I did a rundown of why San Diego was such a special show, for the industry as a whole and me in particular. Feel free to wander back to those words and drink them in, because they’re still extremely relevant.
I’m excited, I’m nervous, I’m frustrated, I’m pumped. That’s just how it goes.
Dealing with water leaking into our newly ‘waterproofed’ basement after severe thunderstorms in Toronto and our hot water heater breaking down this week definitely made it more challenging than usual, but all I can do is keep my head down and keep working away, checking off items on my To-Do List even while unexpected new ones get slotted in.
Avengers #688 artwork by Kim Jacinto. Colors by David Curiel. Letters by Cory Petit.
NZT reached out to me through Marvel’s PR department to see if I could be in on a joke as part of a skit they were putting together. I signed the release form, filmed a couple clips with them (and yes, the Producer asked me to act annoyed and unimpressed), and then didn’t hear anything after that. I searched online and couldn’t find the segment, so I assumed it never got used.
Well, apparently it did make it to air back then, but wasn’t available online until this week when New Zealand Today returned to YouTube. So…Check it out:
It’s surreal seeing myself on a Daily Show-esque segment. It’s also a testament to how wildly popular the Marvel Cinematic Universe was at that moment. Good memories all around.
Q&A
I asked for questions from readers and several of you delivered – Bring ’em on, and feel free to post more!
Adriano asks: What’s a good use of my time as an attendee at a con like San Diego? I know what I want to do as a fan (which, usually, is empty my wallet on cool books), but what can I do to help my own comics career without coming off as “sales-y” or disingenuous?
“Networking” is one of those nebulous terms that seems impenetrable to people starting out and obvious to people who are more established, so let me be more specific – Meeting staff at publishers face-to-face can be a really powerful tool, especially if you have professional quality samples, you’re sociable and make a good first impression. Be aware that staff at a booth are working so they won’t be able to give you much time, if any, but it can still be helpful to touch base with them, get contact info, and then follow up after the convention.
Other things you can do:
• Go to “Breaking In”-type panels to get more information or ask questions.
• Check out Artist Alley and independent creator booths and make contact with potential collaborators.
• Go to social events after hours where new creators or comic professionals might be.
And through it all, do your best to be patient, polite, and kind because breaking into in any creative business can take a whole lot of time and a big swack of luck. The old saying is that you need the “right place, right time” to make things happen and that is true, so you need to create places and times for interaction, patiently getting yourself out there until the ‘right’ one comes along.
Lastly, there’s nothing disingenuous about wanting to create stories/art, or being passionate about wanting to be break into the business and make a career out of it, just try not to let that passion overwhelm your common sense or decency. We’re all doing the best we can and these conventions can be stressful even at the best of times.
Nacho asks: What would it take for a character created nowadays to reach an iconic status akin to Conan or Sherlock? I mean, sure, there is the matter of time, but the way culture is published and distributed has changed a lot from the beginning of the 20th Century. Also, what characters do you think can reach that status that were created in, say, the last 15 years?
Iconic characters like Conan, Sherlock Holmes, and Superman pioneered entire genres in publishing, so it’s incredibly hard to imagine what a future one could be because, if anyone could envision that, they would be set to trailblaze a new shift in the entertainment landscape.
Even some of the most recognizable ‘recent’ characters in fiction – Deadpool (1991), Sailor Moon (1991), Daenerys Targaryen (1996), Harry Potter (1997), Jack Sparrow (2003), Katniss Everdeen (2008) – move in well-established genres and it’s easy to argue that several of them have already ‘peaked’ and are on the decline in terms of their pop culture footprint.
In terms of current audience and global relevance, a lot of manga would certainly be worth looking at, but that industry also has a natural cycle of popularity wax and wane, with a handful of titles carving out their own powerhouse spot but many falling away over time. Will there be extensive discussion around the cultural impact of Monkey D. Luffy or Naruto in the 2100’s? Hard to say.
Harvey asks: This isn’t worded as a question, but I’d love to hear more about your Star Wars short story, the origins and process. I always admired the collection sitting there in the back of your videos.
If you want to zero in on the Star Wars stuff, jump ahead to the 24 minute mark of the episode because that’s where my anecdote about it starts and I go through it in more depth than I would have room to easily cover here in text.
• There are a wild number of new projects and initiatives underway at Marvel and DC with the From The Ashes X-Men relaunch and DC’s All-In promotion. Calling out all the new books being put together by friends would take up more space in this newsletter than I have room/time to type but, suffice to say, it’s an exciting time full of possibilities in terms of ‘Big Two’ comics on the horizon. I’m eager to dig in to as many of these as possible to see what my friends and peers are building and discover new talent riding big waves as well.
• My friend Cavan Scott announced a new comic series at Magma called Night of the Slashers with artist Paul Fry that sounds really fun, especially if you’re a fan of 70’s/80’s horror movies.
• Not Just Bikes posted a fascinating video about how Japanese cities are designed – zoning, public transport, retail, traffic, bike lanes, and more. Lots of great info about Japan I find useful and appreciate even more now.
If you’re headed to San Diego Comic-Con or Gen Con and want to talk business or you’re a friend and want to hang out, now is the time to reach out and find a good time for it instead of leaving it to chance.
Who will I see at the shows?
Are you ready for impact?
My contribution this issue is small in terms of page count, but big for me in terms of flexing new creative muscles. Check out more info here:
Big thanks to Chris Butera and Fredrik Malmberg for the suggestion and encouragement, and Rob De La Torre for the incredible art that accompanies my piece in the magazine.
We cover graphic novels versus prose, working with artists, writing a short story, the eb and flow of nerd culture, working on Conan the Barbarian, structuring stories for serialized storytelling, and more! Give it a listen.
I’m continually impressed by the number of questions that Tom Brevoort answers in each installment of his newsletter. It’s clearly a lot of work, but he’s also able to maintain a great sense of back and forth with his readers.
I’ve done extensiveQ&As before, and am happy to answer more here if people pose questions in the comments.
Got questions about current or old projects I’ve done? Want to know more about working in the industry or attending conventions? Other queries about other things? Ask away and we’ll see if it gets some traction.
• I read an advance of the first issue of The Power Fantasy, a new creator-owned comic series by Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard, and it’s really sharp stuff. Make sure you pre-order to get on board this rocket before it launches to the stratosphere.
• My friend Phil Rickaby is crowdfunding a Christmas horror stage play called It Sees You When You’re Sleeping about terrors that lie beneath the holiday season, embodied by that damn elf-doll. If you’re in the Toronto area or want to support an independent theater production, check it out.
• I made Sam Zien‘s Saucy Pasta recipe on Friday night and it cooked up fast and turned out really tasty. It’s also a simple base to build other pasta recipes around, so I’m definitely going to make it again in the future.
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