Hey gang.
As threatened, I’m back after a skip week for Thanksgiving. I hope those of you who celebrate had a wonderful holiday.
This past week has been taken up with Zooms about two potential TV projects — it’s waaay too early for codenames — work on PROJECT ARTERY and PROJECT SPECTRE and lettering and coloring notes on Star Wars: Han Solo & Chewbacca #9 (our penultimate issue).
I also delivered a pitch for a new Marvel Comics gig that’s not Star Wars-related. Let’s call this one PROJECT HOURGLASS.
TOO DEAD TO DIE
Well, we’re almost there! Advance copies of Too Dead To Die arrived this week. We are ready to drop on Wednesday, December 14.
To commemorate, I’ll be taking part in what’s being billed as a “mega signing” at Collector’s Paradise in Pasadena.
Should be fun!
In addition, earlier this week, I was interviewed by the great Byron Brewer at dynamicforces.com about Too Dead To Die. You can check out the interview here.
PETER DAVID
Growing up, one of my comic book idols was the writer Peter David. I was first introduced to his work with his landmark “The Death of Jean DeWolfe” story in Peter Parker: Spectacular Spider-Man before he went on to do his epic run on The Incredible Hulk. He also co-created Spider-Man 2099 and wrote a wonderful series of Star Trek comics and novels.
He’s also a genuinely great guy.
Unfortunately, he’s recently suffered a series of health problems: kidney failure, a series of strokes, and a heart attack. His family has established a gofundme fundraiser to try to summit the Everest of medical bills that have been piling up. Such extreme measures are necessary because we live in a shithole country, apparently.
But I digress.
(That was the title of Peter’s regular column in the now-defunct Comics Buyers Guide newspaper and I just had to work it in somehow.)
I’ve donated and would encourage you to do so as well by clicking here.
LA TIMES
Today, the front page of the Los Angeles Times has an article about the reproductive rights fundraiser Tara and I hosted a few weeks back and about larger efforts on the part of showrunners to restore important rights to women. For reasons passing understanding, I’m quoted a couple times. You can check out the article online here.
TORRENT
I was just about to hit “publish” on this sucker, when Justin Greenwood shared this kick-ass promo piece for Torrent.
This is a really fun one, folks. I’m looking forward to sharing more about this in the coming months.
“NO ONE IS SAFE”
I was listening to a podcast the other day about the recent firings of Disney CEO Bob Chapek and AMC Network CEO Christina Spade. The latter stepped down after only three months in the job. Speaking against the backdrop of the current spate of layoffs — and layoffs to come — in the entertainment industry and elsewhere, the podcaster remarked that “no one is safe.”
Now, forgetting the fact that Chapek received a severance package of $23 million dollars and Spade received one for $10 million (that’s over three million per month for those counting), I was given cause to think that writers have never enjoyed the “safety” that is now eluding executives and producers. Feature writers have long since been viewed as interchangeable as a lightbulb. And that is quickly becoming the case for showrunners as well. Don’t even get me started about the myriad of ways television writers have never been on firm ground, employment-wise.
I’m inclined to think that uncertainty is at least in part the reason why those in the entertainment industry are hearing the drumbeats of a potential strike coming out of the writer camp. (Despite the fact that there’s no way a strike can provide employment stability since that’s not something that can be legislated through the MBA (the Minimum Basic Agreement between the writers and the studios).
But that’s a topic for another newsletter.
I meant to get this out yesterday, but the day got away from me. But I’ll be back Friday with another edition, including some exclusive preview pages from Too Dead To Die.
Be good to each other.
Best,
Marc
Encino, California
12.3.22
Thank you for continuing to share your process and what’s happening with your projects. I look forward to them every week.
Marc,Im looking forward to reading Too Dead to Die. How did you collaborate with Howard on the Story?
It was such a surprise to find out there will be interior artwork from JLGL and Michael Golden ,it really it an all star line up for the book. The highlight of the Holidays for me !
Regards
Mark