Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 54: Even More Amazing Adventures in Self Publishing!

[Continued from Part Seven.]

I'm starting to scare myself with the amount of time that I spend not sleeping these days (um, or nights, I suppose). I'm at a point where there just aren't enough hours in the day to get to everything I have going on.

For the first time in a long time, my creative energies are hitting on all cylinders, and I just can't bring myself to unplugging. Heck, I'm even finding time to blog again, which, if you'd have asked me a couple of weeks ago, I would have told you was not going to happen for a good, long while.

But here I am, up after midnight after a long day at the office, typing away and sending off countless emails to the artist on my next project. At the same time, I'm emailing and communicating with a number of people about my current project, the children's book I can't seem to shut up about.

I have no idea where any of this is going to take me. And, tonight (or, more accurately, this morning) as I start contemplating the cost of doing these things that I want to do, I have some butterflies in the stomach and a bit of worry, but it's a good, anxious, let's get this done already kind of worry.

I know full well that there's a pretty large possibility that none of the projects I'm currently hammering away on will make one single penny, and that the money I'm about to throw into them may not ever find its way back to me.

But I'm at a point where I can't afford to NOT do this. It's time to take that stupid risk that I have always been telling myself I'd take. It's time to suck it up and let the sacrifices of the past few years mean something. I've saved money and I've made decisions in my personal life that have always been rooted in getting my work out there, in the best-looking form humanly possible.

Nothing is cheap these days, especially within the publishing industry, so the money I'm about to spend is not going to be peanuts.

But I've been smart about saving it, and instead of using the money for other things that will assuredly help me down the road in life, I am going to use the money to try to get this dream off the ground. Because, frankly, I've had my feet planted for far too long.

Saying you're going to do something is nothing. Telling yourself you're going to do something is nothing. Convincing yourself that you're going to do something someday is nothing. It's all meaningless unless you actually go out and do it.

I'm at the point where "someday" is now. Right this moment. We're past the dreaming stage. We're past the let's-find-a-way-to-put-this-into-practice stage. We're miles beyond the, "Gee, I hope people will like this" stage.

We're at the Do It Now, or Do It Never stage.

Time to toughen up, Exfanders, because this is it. Right now is the moment the decision is made. This night (morning) is the one I look back on years from now and say one of two things about. And, even if this all amounts to absolutely zero, I promise you this: When I look back on this moment, I will not say, "I wish I'd just done it."

Because it's being done.

I have no idea what happens next. I have no idea if it's a financially stupid move on the part of a naive wanna-be writer.

The only thing I know is that, moving forward, there are no regrets.

Because I'm doing it.

I'm doing it.

Waiting for ... Well, Whenever

Yep. Sorry. Kinda missed Wednesday this week. Instead of harping on the negative, though, I want to talk about printers. Though that, too, may delve into the negative. Still, I really want to express my frustrations about the publishing industry ... again.

So. Here we go ...

My little independently created children's book is chugging along, and I've finally chosen a printer. Now all I have to do is wait for the quote I get about printing in quantities of both 100 and 500 copies.

And that, as I was told by the nice man at the printer who apparently doesn't like talking to small press publishers over the phone, will be "very expensive."

Excellent. That's precisely what I was going for. "Very expensive."

I'll hold off until I get the actual numbers before I launch into my missive about why the current publishing landscape is so incredibly, stupidly wrong, but I will say that, if the price per unit (what each printed book will cost me to produce) is higher than, say, oh, thirty dollars, I will flip my switch, man.

I know it's a really small print run (though that's not entirely true, as 500 is the average in the industry--the numbers are just thrown off by the Big Boys and Girls who actually make their livings after selling one mega-hit), but think about it for a second.

Let's say my cost per book is $30. What, then, do I have to sell each book for to make a profit on the project?

Factoring in artist costs? A lot more than $30. Which I absolutely will not do. Heck, I want to give the thing away for free to get my name and my company's name out there. (Please don't tell the printer that, though.)

In order to break even, using that $30 price point, I'd need to charge around $45 per book.

Yeah, because that's what thirty-page children's books go for. (Also, that was sarcasm.)

I know this whole diatribe today is like trying to swing at ghosts since I do not yet have the actual quote. But, as you all know by now, I am not what one would call an optimist. I'm braced for the Worst Case Scenario. I'm ready to spend an entirely unfair and unreasonable amount on this project.

I'm going to get it out there, no matter what.

The only question is--how much will I complain about it come Monday?

You'll have to wait and see.

: )

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 26

Well, we've reached the official half-way point of 2012, and I think it's safe to say that it's been a ... different kind of year around the old blog so far. Things have changed a bit, including posting schedules and, well, the kinds of things we've been posting.

 It's pretty hard to wrap my head around the fact that we're now 26 weeks into what has been, in a whole lot of way, a year of changes.

From a new job that started the day after New Year's that has, by all accounts, taken me down an entirely different career path to a new(er) diet that's actually helped me shed a few more pounds to my rediscovery of espresso, it's been a whacky 6 months of 2012.

As for this week's new comics, I'm just now getting back from the shop and I had a couple weeks' worth of books piled up, just waiting for me. I now have (even more) books on my To Read Pile, which is teetering to the point of ridiculousness.

But, hey. Having comics to read is a whole lot better than not having comics to read, right?

Anyway, lots of changes, lots of new content being readied 'round these parts. But at least one thing is guaranteed to stay the same  - Waiting for Wednesday.

So, on that note ... what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 25

Well, I'm off to the golf course. Not to play, mind you, as that would be a bad idea. No, no, today, I'm heading out to a PGA Pro-Am event to cover Booker T, one of WWE's wrestlers who will be playing in the charity event.

So there will be no trip to the local comics shop today, but that's okay, because I'm looking forward to the golf event, even though it'll be near 100 degrees today with the heat index (whatever that is).

It's funny; all the local news channels are talking about how hot it's gonna be and how summer has arrived and what precautions you can take against the heat. I'm assuming one of those precautions is, "Don't carry camera bags around for 18 holes of gold on a shadeless course."

That's probably an Unwritten Rule of 100-degree days, though.

So, while I'm out there doing my best not to succumb to heatstroke, you enjoy your air-conditioned comic book store. And while you're there, consider picking up a book from Image Comics called Mind the Gap. Issue number two comes out this week, but you should be able to find copies of issue one.

It's the story of a young woman who has mysteriously been attacked and falls into a coma. The first issue introduces her friends and family and does a good job of establishing a mysterious external threat. The dialogue is snappy and it sounds like the way people talk; the art is great and expressive; and most important, the story has me ready for more.

There was a strange shipping glitch to some stores last week, so the bulk of comics shops should be getting their copies of issue two today. Be sure to check it out.

Okay, I'm off on the road. Wish me luck, Exfanders. But, before I go ... what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 24

Okay, here's the deal. I've started writing this week's Waiting for on Tuesday evening, so as not to break our 1:00 posting rule. I actually managed to not break the rule with my post about coffee yesterday, so if this puppy sees the light of the Internet by 1:00 today, that's two in a row.

As they say in baseball, if we manage to do that tomorrow, too, that's called a winning streak.

And, despite my recent ... shirking ... of the actual purpose of Waiting for Wednesday of late, today I plan to actually write about a book that comes out this week. Even more shocking, it's published by Marvel, a company that I have been pretty tough on this year--frankly, with good reason, I think.

Once again, The House of Ideas is in the midst of a sprawling cross-over event as the summer months draw near, and while I might not be too into that story, lots of other people are, as Marvel is back on top of the sales charts.

While I've not been a fan of Avengers vs. X-Men, and that pretty much limits my Marvel-reading choices to a handful of non-crossing over titles, there is one Marvel book that is must-read fare.

And it's Daredevil, by Mark Waid and Paolo Rivera.

It’s a book I’ve talked about before, and it’s one I continually return to. Waid and Rivera manage to make these new stories feel classic but modern at the same time. You really don’t need any prior knowledge of the character to get what’s going on, but some familiarity with DD can only help to further your enjoyment of the book.

Volume two ships today, so I would suggest grabbing volume one first—though, again, these stories can stand on their own.

Since Frank Miller took the character and ran with him, Daredevil has been a dark, brooding, down on his luck hero. But Waid and Rivera bring him fully into the light—and old Matt Murdock doesn’t seem to mind the change of scenery. 

Do yourself a favor--grab this book if you get the chance. It'll remind you why you love superheroes.

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 23

This isn't a spoiler, I promise.

It's kind of a big media week in comics, as one of the classic DC superheroes will come out of the closet and a time-honored classic of the medium will get a series of new prequels.

Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern, is revealed to be gay in today's issue of Earth 2, one of The New 52 titles. As expected, speculators have picked clean the shelves and it'll be a bit of an uphill battle to actually find this issue.

Which, of course, is ridiculous. I've written about speculators before, and my feelings on those lowest of lifeforms has not since changed. I know in one local shop, "customers" came in and cleared out all 25 issues the store ordered first thing in the morning.

One guy even bought 10 copies. eBay, much?

Grrr...

And, oh, yeah. That whole Before Watchmen thing starts today, too. But I'm sure that won't create any Internet fervor. Nah. Couldn't possibly.

Now, while sarcasm is fun, it's also usually rooted in underlying truth. Everyone is going to hate on the new series of titles ... mostly just because.

Oh, comic book culture, how I love thee.

And with that, we wrap up yet another insanely late post. But before we do, what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 21

Well, it's Wednesday again, and that means one thing--new comics! Actually, it also means that Alex has four meetings in a row and hasn't spent more than ten minutes at a time at his computer.

That's okay, since I have a whole buncha stuff due in the next couple hours and I still have two more afternoon meetings to attend.

Plus, lunch, and possibly squeeze in a trip to the comics shop.

So, instead of talking at length here about...well, anything, really...I think I'm gonna cop out totally this afternoon and just encourage you all to go buy some comics today. And, if comics aren't your thing, then go to a local bookstore (preferably not one of the big ones) and buy a book by an author you've never before read.

Or, hey! If you haven't yet seen The Avengers in theaters, go do that. It's two hours of (nearly) mindless fun. But, boy, is it fun! Great characterization, cool plot, and everything that should blow up real good most definitely blows up real good!

I'm gonna go see it again this weekend, which is something I very rarely do. Actually, I think the only movie I've ever seen in theaters more than once is The Dark Knight. And, while The Avengers is not Dark Knight (my opinion, anyway), Joss Whedon's epic is well worth your time and attention.

So, yeah.

Go do one of those things. Before you do, though...what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 20

Ya know, I don’t think I ever really understood the term “my fever broke” until last night, when I alternated between being freezing cold—literally teeth-chatteringly cold—and ridiculously hot. I had a couple of very strange dreams, which someone later pointed out were likely fever dreams.

Again, another term that until last night meant very little to me.

One of those fever dream things was particularly interesting, as for a little while there, I pretty vividly dreamt that I was a character in Game of Thrones, warding off a Lannister attack while riding on the kingsroad on my way back to Winterfell.

Aside from demonstrating how utterly clueless I am about a wide variety of things, my fever-induced insomnia last night made me realize that apparently even my fever dreams are dorky, which made me laugh.

Which then made me swoon a bit before laying back down.

Anyway, after the weird dreaming and teeth-chattering coldness of the night, I actually started to feel human again sometime around 4:00 in the morning.

Not to fear, though, because not only did I make it to work this morning—I was even about an hour early. Probably because I was still shaking off the effects of whatever the heck plague I caught last night was.

All this is basically to say that I won’t be posting much today about comic books.

You know, because of the weird fever.

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 19

Hey, look at that—I’m actually writing this post the day before it’s due to go live on the blog! That...somehow doesn’t seem right. It’ll be fun to see what ends up getting in the way of the post this week, but until that happens, let’s keep a good thing rolling and dive right in.

And instead of going right to today’s new comics—though there are a number of very good ones this week—I want to take a moment to write about bookstores. (I know, I know. You’re asking, what’s a bookstore?) And, by “a moment” I probably mean “a lot more than a moment” as my ire was raised this past Sunday and I’d like to talk about it here.

Okay, so. Back to the question above—what’s a bookstore?

Apparently, the answer to that is: A place with very few books, all arranged haphazardly, and with very little in-store promotion, and with a bathroom that’s downright disgraceful.

Now, since the bookstore I’m talking about specifically here is a Barnes & Noble, and there are hardworking employees at this Barnes & Noble dealing with inane corporate policies that have led to such a sad state of affairs, I will not mention where this particular store is.

You know, because of the awe-inspiring power of this blog.

I even hesitate to bring it up at all, since I hate bashing one of the few remaining stores in my remote area, but my visit Sunday was so depressing that I feel it’s important to bring up as part of a larger problem.

For a mainstream store, I’ve always felt that Barnes & Noble does a pretty good job of carrying some lesser-known authors. That, apparently, is no longer the case. And, sure, I realize that this particular store was not one of their superstores, so the selection is, understandably, less than one of the larger stores.

Even so, there needs to be a better balance of big, honking mainstream titles and smaller ones. People don’t go to the bookstore anymore in hopes of scoring the latest big release—they simply pre-order at Amazon and get the thing at a ridiculous discount.

Barnes & Noble—and Borders before them—has no hope to ever compete with Amazon’s pricing.

And while they can’t compete with Amazon’s selection either, what the brick and mortars need to do is start carrying some lesser know, genre books. I don’t say this simply because I’m a dork and I want more books that I like in the store; I say this because the type of person wandering around a Barnes & Noble on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon is likely to be very similar to me and will likely spend just more time in the graphic novel and science fiction/fantasy section than he will in the new release section.

I know what the new releases are. People like me know what the new releases are. If I’m in the store looking for them, I’ll have picked them up first before wandering around aimlessly through the genre sections.

While I might buy a new release, it’s in that genre section that I’ll do the most damage, as wandering around the stacks makes me want to buy books. And if there’s one or two or three books I’ve not before heard of that look interesting to me just sitting there, chances are I’ll buy them all.

That, of course, would be the ideal bookstore experience.

What more usually happens, however, is that I come to—duh—buy a book. After an hour-plus of looking and coming up with nada, I get annoyed and try to find anything to pick up—even a magazine that I’ll likely just flip through once when I get home then recycle.

Going into a bookstore with the intent of buying multiple items and walking out both frustrated and empty-handed is a problem.

Going into a bookstore with the intent of buying multiple items and walking out both frustrated and empty-handed and having had to use a dirty restroom somewhere in the middle of searching for books I’d never find is even more of a problem.

Coming from publishing, this type of stuff just really annoys me. It's hard enough to sell books in this market. Barnes & Noble needs to do better, plain and simple.

 Oh, and also? Go read the new Batman issue today. It’s good. I promise.

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 17

Yeeaaah.

Not gonna have the time today to write up a proper Waiting for Wednesday, so instead I’ll make it short, sweet, and to the point.

It’s Wednesday, it’s a beautiful day out there, and comics shops have new product just waiting for you to go out and pick up. So today, take a little field trip on your lunch break and venture out to your nearest comic book proprietor.

And while you’re there, pick up the latest issue of The Goon, from Dark Horse Comics and Eric Powell. Also, today's a good day to jump onto Wolverine from Marvel, as a new creative team takes over with an all-new storyline.

Sorry, folks. I'm not gonna be much more of a help than that. I'll be back tomorrow with a real post.

Promise.

 In the meantime, what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 16

And, hey, look at that! It’s Wednesday again! Which is nice, because I’m in need of a trip to the comics shop.

Lessee what’s on tap for today...

There’s Rachel Rising, issue 7, by the incredibly talented Terry Moore, and the latest issue of Vertigo’s excellent Hellblazer series (issue 290). Hmmm...what else? We’ve got issue number 8 of DC’s very best comic book of the past year, Batman, written by Scott Snyder and with art by Greg Capullo.

Marvel has another big week as Avengers vs. X-Men, issue 2, hits stands today. This is a make-or-break issue for me, as I really wasn’t all that thrilled with the first issue.

But for my part, I’d rather talk about a book that came out last week. That’s just how I roll.

Last week, Oni Press released the first volume in their new hardcover collections of Ted Naifeh's Courtney Crumrin series, which is celebrating its ten-year anniversary. I, however, had never read any of the books in the series until last night, when my order arrived from Amazon.
I read that first volume, entitled Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things, in one sitting, and immediately set about pre-ordering the subsequent volumes.

The book is wonderful--great, crisp, smart writing and perfectly cute, creepy illustrations. At times a biting satire of societal tendencies and at times a really good, scary story, Crumrin brilliantly delivers a post-modern fairy tale with characters who are both real and over the top.

Here's the solicitation information from the publisher:

Fan-favorite and critical darling Courtney Crurmin is back in a series of newly remastered, full-color hardcover editions! Courtney's parents have dragged her out to a high-to-do suburb to live with her creepy Great Uncle Aloysius in his spooky old house. She''s not only the new kid in school, but also discovers strange things lurking under her bed!

If you have the chance, be sure to try this book out. And be sure to catch the new ongoing, which started last week.

Okay, time to go. Before I do, though, what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 15

Wow...it is a light week of comics for me. I actually don’t have anything that’s jumping out at me to write about today. Huh.

Well...this is embarrassing.

Um. Okay, let’s improvise a bit, shall we? Just to piggyback on Nathaniel’s post from yesterday about negative comments on his YouTube page.

Let me quickly say that I do not understand people who go online just to criticize the work of others.

It’s like listening to the radio, or watching television—if you don’t like something, then simply don’t watch it.

Of course, the Internet exists for people to complain about things behind a wall of anonymity. At least, I’m pretty sure that’s why it exists.

And let’s be clear here—complaining about things you don’t like it perfectly fine. As long as you make a clear, reasonable counterpoint. If you’re just here to yell and deem something “bad,” then I have no time for you.

It’s the main reason I don’t lurk around comics forums online—there’s simply too much vitriol about...well, about everything.

Let me also say that it takes quite a bit to get Nathaniel angry. It takes even more to discourage Nathaniel from adding to his impressive list of YouTube videos. I know firsthand how much work he puts into them, and how much time they take.

I also know that Nathaniel is busy with work, and family, and occasionally, he even likes to sit around and do nothing. For a couple minutes, at least.

I’m currently reading the latest Kevin Smith book, where the writer/director talks about how he managed to get as far in life as he has. And the big thing he talks about is not listening to the people who ask, “Why?” every time you set out to do something different. Or creative.

Obviously, the people who ask why are the same people who never try. Ever.Instead, they sit in their chairs and complain about the people who actually do try.

So, I know I don’t have to tell him this, but Flashman? Keep on keeping on, brother.

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 14

Hey, here's a goal for today: I'm going to try having this post ready to go by the 1:00 deadline. I'm writing this first paragraph at 9:55 Wednesday morning, so that gives me all of three hours to get it done.

[UPDATE: I just returned to this tab. It's now 12:19. Should be interesting to see if I can actually squeeze this out by 1:00.]

Looking at my list-o-things to buy for today, I'm immediately struck by one book. One big, important mainstream book. From Marvel, issue one of Avengers vs. X-Men ships today.
In my opinion, this book is the most important comics event of 2012; a book that has to deliver on its promise to be as big and as epic as the ads leading up to its publication have said it will be.

Personally, I have high hopes as I really (really) want this book to get me back into the Marvel Universe proper. I just...want to read enjoyable stories about Spider-Man and The Avengers again.

Because...well, it's been a while.

Here's the (slightly hyperbolic) solicitation information for the issue:

The Story: It’s No Longer Coming—It’s Here! Does The Return Of The Phoenix To Earth Signal The Rebirth Of The Mutant Species? That’s What The X-Men Believe! Unfortunately, The Avengers Are Convinced That Its Coming Will Mean The End Of All Life On Earth! The Stage Is Set For The Ultimate Marvel Showdown In This Oversized First Issue!

All those exclamation points must mean that it's good, right? Right?

Today's a huge day for Marvel. They launch their biggest book of the year, a title that will certainly have an impact on every other book they produce.

I know this whole post sounds snarky, but I'm being honest when I say that I want back in. I want back in to the world of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. But I need something big and, more importantly, good, to get me there.

So, fingers crossed Exfanders.

On that note, I'm heading out. Before I do, though, what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 13

Welcome to a lucky number edition of Waiting for Wednesday!

Two books on the old list today that are worth a mention here. One's a new, weird number one from Vertigo, and the other is what looks to be the kickoff of the biggest comics event of the year.

First up, we have New Deadwardians, issue one, from Vertigo. When I saw this in Previews, I was pretty much sold by the name alone.
Written by Dan Abnett and with art by I. N. J. Culbard, this book promises to deliver something new and different to a played out genre.

Here's the solicitation information from the publisher:

Another vampire/zombie comic? Really, Vertigo? Trust us. This is different.

In post-Victorian England, nearly everyone of the upper classes has voluntarily become a vampire to escape the lower classes who are all zombies. Into this simmering cauldron is thrust Chief Inspector George Suttle, a lonely detective who's got the slowest beat in London: investigating murders in a world where everyone is already dead!

But when the body of a young aristocrat washes up on the banks of the Thames, Suttle's quest for the truth will take him from the darkest sewers to the gleaming halls of power, and reveal the rotten heart at the center of this strange world.THE NEW DEADWARDIANS is brought to vivid life by fan-favorite writer Dan Abnett (RESURRECTION MAN, LEGION LOST) with art by newcomer I. N. J. Culbard (At The Mountains of Madness).

Well, I’m in.

Next up, we have what’s shaping up to be a comic book mega-event, Avengers Vs. X-Men. Today sees the release of the zero issue for this series, a book that should lay the groundwork for the big event.
I haven't been all that gung-ho when it comes to The House of Ideas lately, but I am going to pick this book up today. And, honestly, my hope is that I love the series and jump back (head first!) into the Marvel Universe.

Here’s all the info from Marvel on today's issue zero:

The Story: The battle of the ages is about to begin! Before the events of AVENGERS VS. X-MEN unfold, join Scarlet Witch & Hope as their allegiances are questioned. With all eyes on Wanda and the mutant messiah, the Marvel universe has become a powder keg on the verge of exploding!

Gah! So much going on at work today! Must...go...now. Before I bounce, though, what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 12

Wednesday again, eh? Didn’t we just do this? Fine, fine. I guess I’ll just have to write something up for today, then. This whole 1:00 posting thing has really saved my butt in terms of getting new content up on the blog, but it's also taught me a lesson about myself.

No matter how much extra time I have to do something, I'm always going to put it off until the last possible moment. I guess it's kind of my thing.

Anyway...

Luckily (for all of us), it’s an uncharacteristically heavy week for me at the comics shop, so instead of a lengthy (and no doubt pithy) introduction, let’s get right to the good stuff. At the top of my list today is the latest issue of Eric Powell’s The Goon.
Today’s issue 38 promises to delve deeper into the back story of Powell’s main character, giving readers a look at the life of Goon’s beloved Aunt Kizzie. As Goon himself has said before, she was the only person who ever cared for him, and her death (not a spoiler, folks, as it happens in issue one) is the inciting incident that puts Goon on his life’s path.

While Powell has given readers glimpses into Kizzie’s life in the past, we haven’t been privy to the whole story, and this issue looks to be a major one in the overarching tale the writer/artist has been telling.

Here's the solicitation information from Dark Horse:

You might have thought you knew everything about Goon's past after Chinatown, but there's more to the story. And most of that story has to do with his aunt. How did he come to be raised by her? How did she wind up as a circus performer? And what is the tragedy that ties them inseparably together?

* Dive deeper into the Goon's origin!

* The Goon is back--and bimonthly!

* "Powell is serious about his craft, turning in gorgeously grotesque artwork that balances the horror and humor of the script remarkably well. Part H.P. Lovecraft, part Harold Gray, Eric Powell is a twisted genius with the talent to compensate for his perversion."--The A.V. Club

It just seems that all is once again right in the world with The Goon now back on a consistent bi-monthly shipping schedule.

Dark Horse has been churning out new editions of all the trades, so keeping up with the series has never been easier for readers looking to jump on at any given time.

And, obviously, I suggest you do so. Right now.

Before you head out to buy up every Goon trade at your local comics shop, however, I have a question—what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 11

Well, thank goodness for Nathaniel's suggestion to push our daily posting time to 1:00. Now I'm just trying my best not to miss that (self-imposed) deadline. We'll see how I do.

There are more comics than usual on my list for today, and there's one big Marvel hardcover that I'm really interested in. But I'll get to that in a minute.

First, I'd like to direct your attention to one of the most interesting comics-centric interviews I've read in a very long time. Conducted by independent publisher Seraphemera, this interview features the one and only Alan Moore.

In the piece, the legendary creator of Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and countless others, talks about a whole mess of things. Most interesting among them, however, are his feelings about the recently announced prequels to Watchmen, coming soon from DC.

Moore, as you might expect, is not happy about the books, and he is certainly not shy about telling it exactly as he sees it.

While I may not agree with his views on the current comics landscape being devoid of talent, I do sympathize with his feelings of ownership and how he feels cheated out of his creation.

Do yourself a favor and check out the full interview--it is fascinating reading, I promise. You can find it right here.

Now, onto the books.

Well, book. From Marvel, we have the hardcover collection of Avengers: Children's Crusade, a nine-part series that had a somewhat...rocky...shipping schedule when it was releasing as single issues.
From Young Avengers creators Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung (who provides breathtaking art for the series), Children's Crusade was a book that I knew wouldn't ship on time, and so decided to pass on until the story was eventually collected.

Well, it's been collected, and apparently, it tells a key story in the Marvel universe moving forward. Here's the solicitation information from Marvel:

The Young Avengers return in an epic saga by series creators Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung! When Wiccan’s reality-altering powers begin to rival those of the Scarlet Witch, the young hero sets out on a quest to find her that spans the Marvel Universe and pits Wiccan against both the Avengers and the Young Avengers.

But will Wiccan’s desire to solve the mystery of his parentage be his salvation or his undoing? With three words, the Scarlet Witch changed the world forever — and with her return, nothing will ever be the same for the Marvel Universe. This self-contained event reintroduces and redefines the Young Avengers and the Scarlet Witch for the Heroic Age, and is essential reading for any Avengers fan.

Reviews of this book have been overwhelmingly positive, and I can honestly say that this is the Marvel book I'm most looking forward to reading. It's a bit pricey, but it's over-sized and it contains quite a bit of content.

While Heinberg's and Cheung's track record for turning out stories in a timely fashion may not be stellar, their work speaks for itself, and I really can't wait to get my hands on this title.

So, hey. It's just a couple minutes after 1:00, and I'm pretty much done with this post. Before I hit that orange PUBLISH button, though...what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 10

Not a whole lot of new product that I’m looking forward to today, which makes writing this up a bit easier since I was just handed an assignment that's due by the end of the day.

Hopefully this post will be up sometime before that. The end of the day, I mean.

Anyway, I do have a really interesting factoid that I learned at work that I'd like to share with you guys, so that's something at least.

Did you know that the playwright Samuel Beckett used to drive Andre the Giant to school when he was a kid? I...didn’t know that. But when I learned about it, my head nearly exploded.

Beckett is my favorite playwright (Waiting for Godot is my favorite play), and Andre is everyone's favorite person. So the thought of those two driving to school every morning is pretty awesome.

Apparently, they were neighbors, and Beckett was good friends with Andre's dad.

Like I said, pretty awesome.

Now, on to the comics. Or, should I say, comic. From Vertigo, today sees the first issue of Fairest ship. A spin-off of the incredible Fables ongoing series, Fairest is written by Bill Willingham (creator of Fables) and drawn by the excellent Phil Jimenez. Covers are by the incomparable Adam Hughes.
I'm reading Fables in trades, and I'm about halfway through the series at the moment. Still, I'm on board for this new series, as I have been constantly blown away at how good Willingham is.

Here's the solicitation information for issue one:

New York Times best-selling, award-winning creator Bill Willingham presents a new series starring the female FABLES.

Balancing horror, humor and adventure, FAIREST explores the secret histories of Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Snow Queen, Thumbelina, Snow White, Rose Red and others.The first 6 issue arc follows the misadventures of Briar Rose after she is stolen away by the goblin army in FABLES #107.

Fan-favorite artist Phil Jimenez (WONDER WOMAN, THE INVISIBLES) returns to Vertigo to pencil the opening storyline. Award-winning cover artist Adam Hughes (WONDER WOMAN, BATGIRL) provides covers, starting with a wraparound cover on issue #1.Future arcs will be written by 2011 Arthur C. Clarke winner Lauren Beukes with art by Inaki Miranda, and iZOMBIE scribe Chris Roberson with art by Shawn McManus! And remember: They may be beautiful, but there will be blood.

It sounds great, and it's definitely something I think will be right up my alley. Hopefully I'll have a chance to go to the comic shop at some point (this week) to pick it up.

*sigh*

Trucking onward, Exfanders. Trucking onward. Also, what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 9

I almost did it again.

I almost started this post off with the word, "so." Not that it's the biggest deal, but I've noticed I do that friendly, throw-the-reader-right-in introduction thing a whole heck of a lot.

And, apparently, in order to do that I use "so" every time.

But not today, my friends. Not today. Today, well, I'm scheduled to be in a tutorial meeting from 10:00 to 4:00, and at some point during the day I need to turn in a story that's due at some point tomorrow.

In between all that, it would be awesome if I could manage to get to the comic book store.

But my Spidey Sense is telling me that's probably not going to happen. Too much other stuff going on, which is pretty depressing. But, luckily, I've been so busy that I wouldn't have the time to sit down and ready any comics, even if I had the time to go buy them.

Lucky, right?

I'm woefully out of touch with the current comics landscape, and other than knowing about the next big Marvel event, I can't say that I've been a very good fanboy lately. I have been watching Comic Book Men on AMC, though.

So that's something, right?

Sure it is.

At this point, I'm sure (at least one of you) might be wondering what my comics recommendations for today are. Well, actually, my list consists of two books--Justice League, issue six, and Joe Hill's The Cape, issue four--so I don't have much for you in that regard.

What I do have, however, is another hastily written post. Hopefully, however, I was able to deliver this hastily written post with just the right amount of charm.

And with that, I'm outta here. Before I go, though, what are you Waiting for?

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 4, Issue 8

As Nathaniel mentioned yesterday, my posting has been rather sparse of late. This has mostly been due to the fact that I really don’t have much time to do…well, anything lately. I got in from work last night sometime after midnight, and as I hurriedly write this morning’s column, I realize that I should probably work on planning things out a bit better when it comes to posting.

To that point, Nathaniel’s idea of a new weekly column is a good one, I think, mostly for the reasons he laid out yesterday.

For my part, Waiting for Wednesday is always the easiest blog post to write on any given week, mostly because I’ve “shaped” it into something that can be anything, really. Sure, it started out with the sole purpose of previewing upcoming comic book releases, but as they tend to do, things changed.

Rather quickly, too, as I guess I’m just no good at following rules, even if they’re rules that I’ve set.

Today, as you might be able to tell being that this column is going up around 1:30, is the perfect example of what I'm talking about. No comics reviews, no nothing really. I didn't get out of work until after midnight, and I have a pretty good amount of work due in the not-so-distant future.

So, yeah. I apologize for making this brief and kinda pointless, but...um. I'll make it up to you?

Forget Corinthian and Ionic; I Want a Dork Column

There'll likely be a follow-up to yesterday's post later this week, but first, I need some opinions on something. You might have noticed that Alex's posts have been fewer and shorter recently, and that's simply due to a lack of time to write. One thing that's helped to keep order and focus on this blog has been Alex's Waiting for Wednesday column, and I'm thinking it might be time to start a column of my own.

For one thing, I've been toying with the idea of a regular feature for a few months now. It's been great for Alex to have a day of the week where the subject matter is already laid out for him, and it's been great for me to have that day as a (mostly) guaranteed blog vacation. With his schedule being as relentlessly busy as it is now, it might be nice to give him a weekly holiday, and to help me from running out of posting ideas prematurely.

The trouble is...what would I write about every week?

The obvious answer is "Mega Man," but I feel that's a little too specialized--video games I could get away with, but one series exclusively is pushing it. I talk about my Backloggery enough that perhaps a weekly gaming progress update might work instead.

I could take a page from The Arglefumph Blog and do a sort of Three Things Thursday, where I pick any three things and talk about them. Simple, straightforward, structured, and yet flexible.

Maybe Random Recommendations would be in order--a quick blurb about one or two things I recently watched, read, heard, attended, or ate. I did that once, and it worked pretty well.

Alex said he'd like to read about my world-building process for my Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. There'd be too many spoilers for the players if I wrote about my upcoming quest, but I've got about six years of previous adventures I could cover, so that's a possibility.

I'm also open to other suggestions. As long as it's something I could write about easily and sustain indefinitely, I'll certainly consider it. Any thoughts?