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LegalDispatch 0.39

Howdy.

One of the potential pitfalls of any writing project is the possibility that you might have to throw everything out and start from scratch with a blank — or semi-blank — sheet of paper. The more projects one has, the greater the likelihood of such setbacks (problemtunities?). As it turns out, in the past week or so, I’ve had to go back to the drawing board on three different projects for three different reasons.

I was, initially, quite bummed. For one thing, it means throwing out a fair number of pages that I’ve written and like. For another, it’s no fun to end up back on the 50-yard line after being on the 10. But that’s the job. That’s what makes writing a job. And I find it helpful to embrace the “opportunity” component of the “problemtunity.” I’ve since re-broken all three projects and, although I’m still tweaking the new structures, I have to say that I’m more excited for all three than I’ve ever been.

Onward.

PROJECT CRACKERJACK

Previous newsletter editions have made reference to something called “PROJECT CRACKERJACK.” This morning (i.e., as Twitter burns and you’ve got to admire our sense of timing), the news finally broke that this project is a new comic book series from me and Justin Greenwood, with whom I’ve previously collaborated with on Resurrection and Stringers from Oni Press.

It’s called Torrent. The idea sprang from asking myself, “What is the difference between Spider-Man and the Punisher?” Going further, I started to consider whether there were any circumstances that might turn Spidey into the Punisher. And these questions led to Torrent. It’s the story of a super-hero’s descent into darkness and the question of what happens when a super-hero is no longer a hero.

Torrent Cover A by Justin Greenwood & Rico Renzi (Diamond Code DEC220096)

This actually makes Torrent my first creator-owned super-hero project since Halcyon (with my wife Tara Butters and the departed Ryan Bodenheim) in 2010. It’s also my first collaboration with Justin since Stringers in 2016.

The first five issues are already scripted and I’m hard at work cogitating on what will be the second arc.

Torrent variant Cover B by Justin & Rico (Diamond Code DEC220097)

The news has spread far and wide, but I’m partial to my buddy Russ Burlingame’s write-up on comicbook.com which you can read here.

But maybe the most exciting thing is that Justin, Rico Renzi, Keith Wood and I actually put together a four-page preview just to announce the series that you can check out below:

The first issue hits the stands on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

STAR WARS: REVELATIONS

Next week (Wednesday, November 23, to be exact), the much-teased Star Wars: Revelations drops. Starwars.com published a preview which I’ll repurpose below:

Cover by Phil Noto. Art by Salvador Larocca and Justin Mason.

STAR WARS: HAN SOLO & CHEWBACCA VOL. 1

Wednesday also sees the release of the first volume of Han Solo & Chewbacca, collecting Issues 1 through 5. Check out the gorgeous Phil Noto cover below

:STAR WARS: JABBA’S PALACE

This past week also saw the announcement of the Star Wars project I’d previously alluded to: It’s a 30-page one-shot set inside Jabba’s Palace shortly before the events of Return of the Jedi as part of that (iconic) film’s 40th Anniversary celebration.

I’ve already written the script for this one and had a blast. Appropriately, it has lots of palace intrigue. It’s being drawn by the appropriately-named Alessandro Miracolo, who I’m also collaborating with on Yoda. Of course, it was starwars.com who broke the news. You can read all about it here.

Art by Ryan Brown

Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace will be out in February.

WHITHER TWITTER?

Yeah, I don’t know what’s gonna happen. But in terms of outward facing online presence, I’ve got this newsletter —

— and I’m also on Instagram at @marcguggenheim. Come say hi.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Yeah, it’s a short one, but I’ll still be working away. I’m doing some think time on two potential TV projects. Both of which are at such an early stage I haven’t bothered to give them codenames as yet.

I’m also revising the new outline on one of the three “re-break” projects alluded to up-top.

Finally, I’m starting work on a new, non-Star Wars Marvel project which I’m calling PROJECT HOURGLASS. It’s very exciting and I wish I could talk about it further, but my work on it begins with a fairly big continuity deep-dive. More details to come in the ensuing months, I’m sure.

That’s it from me for this week. I probably won’t be putting out an edition next week on account of Thanksgiving, but I’ll see you all on the flipside of Turkey Day.

In the meantime, be good to each other.

Best,

Marc

Encino, California

11.18.22