IT'S OFFICIAL

LegalDispatch 0.30

Howdy.

It had been my plan to be writing this from New York with the idea that I’d be out east for the U.S. Open. But I did so much travel during August that even the thought of returning to the cathedral of my favorite sport was too taxing for me.

So, I’m writing with Serena Williams playing her third round match against Ajla Tomljanović on silently in the background. The match just started and Tomljanović is already up a service break. Ugh. I know it’s improbable to impossible that Serena goes all the wait to the championship, but I’m rooting very hard for her to make it as deep into the tournament — and, therefore, history — as possible.

WORK UPDATE

I delivered the first draft of Star Wars: Revelations on Monday. It feels good to get that one going. This week was mainly focused on continuing the screenplay for the feature adaptation of Too Dead To Die. Speaking of…

UPDATE

Wait. Serena just broke back in the second game. I have a feeling this is going to be a good one.

So where was I? Oh yeah: I’m working away on the screenplay for Too Dead To Die. Speaking of…

TOO DEAD TO ANNOUNCE

Today saw the release of the official announcement for Too Dead To Die. You can read it here.

After turning in Revelations, I spent much of Monday reviewing the letters for the graphic novel and its many, many — did I say many? — cool backup features. The whole package is coming along quite nicely.

One of the things we’ll be doing is taking readers down memory lane and talking a bit about the original Simon Cross comic series that (we’ll say) was published in the Eighties. Howard Chaykin and his team mocked up six covers. I’ll preview one here.

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that pre-orders for Too Dead To Die have begun, both on Amazon (here) and amongst comic retailers (Diamond Code SEP220161). It’s never too early to place an order. In fact, it really helps a book’s prospects. If you would consider putting in an order, I’d be grateful.

The cover for the TOO DEAD TO DIE graphic novel by the incredible Dave Johnson.

WRITE SOMETHING NEW

For some reason, the last few weeks have been replete with conversations I’ve been having with writers struggling to break into the entertainment business or writers who are struggling to stay in it. This in and of itself is not unusual; I talk to lots of writers all the time. But the theme that has recently emerged is that I’m noticing that a critical mass of the writers I’ve been talking to haven’t written anything new lately. Oh, they’ve rewritten the hell out of previously-written scripts. But in terms of generating new work in any form, those efforts have been thin to nonexistent.

Finding time to write is hard. Writing is hard. Finding time to write something new is especially hard.

But that’s the gig. As Hyman Roth remarked in The Godfather Part II, “This is the business we’ve chosen.” Writers write. And unless we’re writing something new — unless we’re increasing our familiarity with the dreaded blank page — our creativity is stagnating and our craft isn’t improving.

Just my unsolicited two cents in reaction to the solicited dollars I’ve been doling out recently.

We’re tied three apiece in the second set. I’m headed down to Laguna Beach for the long weekend. Lots of rubber hitting lots of road next week, so I’m looking to get some relaxation in (although I’m sure I’ll be keeping up the momentum on the Too Dead To Die screenplay.

Have a great Labor Day weekend and be good to each other.

Best,

Marc

Encino, CA

9.2.22