DragonFUZE #14

I sent off the full I Hate You pitch to the anthology editor tonight. I feel really good about this story. This is the first time in the 11 years that I have been working towards writing comics (I can't believe it has been that long) that I feel as though I am really pushing myself into new territory. I Hate You is fictional, but not fantastic fiction; there are no dragons or robots, there is no magic or enhanced technology, there is no genetic mutations or super powers in this story. I Hate You is raw and it is real and it is solid, dark and painful human emotion.

I feel quite liberated by this story, despite its intense melancholy and stark violence. I don't feel that I prove anything by writing about mythical demons, but when I write about a girl and her tangible, personal demons; that resonates with me. Without going into details here, I have been to some dark places in my life and I have stared death in the face too many times. I understand Deborah (the story's main character) and the emotions that consume her because, while the way I acted is very different to the steps Deborah takes in this story, I have been to that terrible place.

Much of my writing is dark, melancholic and, even, depressive. Whatever a writer writes comes from within. I may not be thrilled that this stain is still there on my soul during what will be the happiest years of my life, but the fact is that there is no wonder product that can wash this mark out of my heart.

Writing can help though. As with HellGrunt I am somewhat disturbed by where I Hate You is taking me, but I am inspired by the opportunity to take this journey.

DragonFUZE #13

I hate you - that's the title of my pitch to the Revenge anthology at Ape Entertainment. I just came up with the idea a few minutes ago and fired an email off to the editor.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Two posts in one day - WOO HOO!

DragonFUZE #12

Hey! Got some quick updates for you. I have been invited to pitch for two anthologies. YEAH!

The first is to be published by Ape Entertainment. The theme for this one is 'revenge'. To be honest with you, when it comes to this theme, I got nada, so I think I will let this one go.

The second is for Arcana Studios. The theme for this one is horror. I think I have a good story idea for this one; it involves closets... So, yep, this is the one I am going for. If our pitch gets picked up, the concept artist for my creator-owned book HellGrunt, Jacob Bear, will draw the story. Jacob and I have tossed around a few ideas and we finally found one that we both agree on, so this should be fun - or bloody ... Heh, it's horror after all!

Speaking of HellGrunt, the script is still moving, albeit slowly. So, I have a few irons in the fire now, which is riddiculous as I have so little time to get anything done...

PopFUZE #23

Click the title of the post to head over to Newsarama and their page of video interviews from New York Comic Con 2008. The highlight for me is an interview with Rob Liefeld in which he talks about Armaggedon Now, The Assembled, Killraven and Youngblood.

Rob looks so 'buzzed' in this interview. I remember when I met him in 2004 at Wizard World LA, he was exactly like this. Rob is pumped full of energy, it's no wonder his pages are bursting with raw power.

DragonFUZE #11

What is it that they say about the light that burns twice as bright?

I'm struggling at the moment. I am working long hours. I want to spend as much time as possible with my baby boy. I want to be with my wife. I want to write and create comics, most specifically a creator-owned horror book that I am supposed to be working on at the moment.

It's fatal, but time is what I want...

I don't have enough of the stuff; time that is. I think that I fell in love with comic book story telling at completely the wrong time in my life. I just can't fit it in. I do seem to waste a lot of time on the computer, just aimlessly surfing for the next big thrill. When I sit down at my iMac with all intention to write (usually after 9:30 pm), I find I am too tired to crank out more than a page (at best) and then ... I am on the net checking for useless entertaining pap.

I also think that the fire in my belly is no longer there. Yes, I still want to be a published comic book writer. Yes, I still want my ideas and characters to get out there. Yes, I have the skill to write a decent story, but do I have the will and the commitment and the passion to actually do it?

I am not so sure anymore ...

Once upon a time storytelling and writing meant everything to me. But, now I am married, I have a son, I have a demanding job ... priorities change. Once I bought 15 comics each month. Now, I buy one (if it comes out on time), plus the odd TPB every few months. Once every spare minute of my life was consumed by creating storylines and characters, now it seems to be consumed by working and (more importantly and rewardingly) our boy.

Sorry for the negative post. I am just so tired and I am feeling like the opportunities to be creative are diminishing by the day.

PopFUZE #22

I just found this pic on line, it's from The Ultimates 3 #5. I don't even know if this issue is out yet, but I love this pic. Wow, Madureira is kicking it on this book (from what I have seen of it anyway). I wanted to pick this up from day one, but now that I am a TPB/ HC guy only, this won't be on my bookshelf until it is collected.

To be honest, I am not that excited about The Ultimates without Millar/ Hitch. I have a lot of respect for Jeph Loeb, he is an awesome writer, but I feel he is inconsistent; look at Onslaught Reborn. I bought that book solely for Rob Liefeld's art; the story was poorly executed. I want The Ultimates for Madureira and Madureira only.

Call me mad ... I dare ya!

SonicFUZE #4

Sin City pop legends EMF have recruited a new guitarist and are working on their first new songs for 13 years.

Well, the new guitarist thing isn't entirely accurate (click the title of the post to read the article for the detail), but the "working on their first new songs for 13 years" is! (Sort of - see below)

I am in a sonic fit! I am so excited, this is the news I have waited ... well ... 13 years for! Actually, it hasn't been that long. The band recorded two new tracks on their best of, The Best Of EMF - Epsom Mad Funkers, which was released in 2001. So, really it has only been seven years since they last recorded new material. However, their final album was Cha Cha Cha and then they recorded the Afro King EP in 1995, so that's where you get the 13 years from ...

Wow, new EMF songs! WOW! There are few things that I struggle to put into words, but the importance of EMF in my life is one of those. I listen to their second album, 1992's Stigma, at least 10 times per week; I am addicted to that album! Every piece of EMF music I could get my hands on is in my CD collection. Sadly, there are some rare tracks that I have never heard, but I own every one of their major releases.

Somehow, EMF's music defines me in a way that no other music does. Their return to the world of music excites me even more than, say, the return of Indiana Jones to the silver screen.

Long live the new flesh!

PopFUZE #21

Last week Rob Liefeld posted some updates on his website (you can read the update if you click on the title of this post). While there was plenty of good news for Liefeld fans, the part that got me most excited was news of a long brewing project called The Assembled . Rob refers to the project like this:

Speaking of assembling, for the past 8 years I've been drawing pages for a personal project that is epic in its scope, because it involves every single character I ever created from my Extreme Universe that started with the launch of Youngblood #1. The book is called The Assembled and is told in the present, flashbacks, and flash forwards. The Extreme Universe is now ruled by an army of Supreme's headed by the Supreme that returned in Supreme #1 in 1992. He has taken control of the Supremacy and imposed his rule on the world. Heroes have scattered and formed rebel factions in order to break Supreme's rule. You will see how it all originally went down and how the alliances are formed as well as glimpse the struggle that the heroes now face as the Supremacy tightens their grip. The story actually began in the pages of the Suprema one-shot two years ago. I've imagined this story many times and now it's coming to fruition.

Now, that sounds cool! The original concept of Supreme in 1992 (before Alan Moore turned him into a wimpy Superman knock-off) was this: "What if Superman used his powers for self aggrandisement, rather than for truth, justice and the American way?". The concept was way ahead of its time in the early 90s and has since been ripped off many times. The arrogant, bad @$$, god-like, delusional, agressive 'hero' that was Supreme was a perfect example of 90s excess.

So, this story fits in well with the original Supreme. To me, this sounds like Star Wars with superheroes (work it out yourself). As you can see, Rob is on the art duties for this one too, and his work looks incredible. The colors are ace too. I wonder when this book will drop and who will publish it - I hope it's Image.

To the Extreme!