• Alright, after last week I have a new resolution: No more bitching about comics until I actually do something to actively make them better (something that doesn’t involve elves). Which, based on some conversations/brainstorms over the weekend, might be sooner rather than later.

• In an effort to get out of my apartment and take advantage of living in LA, I went to see Ricky Jay’s show on Friday night. Great time, great performance, and some amazing tricks. Highly recommended if you can get tickets before the end of the run.

• So, as it turns out, San Diego was a bit of a bust. Not from a personal standpoint, I got to meet a lot of friends old and new, and I’m happy to say that almost all of them seem to be doing really well. And those that aren’t now will be soon, I have faith. I wish, however, that I could say the same thing about the comics industry as a whole. I went to the con with a couple of hundred dollars in my pocket, desperately looking to find some great new books to read. I came up empty. There was a lot on offer in San Diego, and while too much of it seemed like movie pitches on paper (see the previous post for my long winded thoughts on that new trend) there were some good books mixed in. But nothing great. Nothing that really grabbed me. As a result I picked up a few trades I’d heard good things about (Phonogram, Damned, Age of Bronze), and that’s about it. As I’ve said for awhile now, I really do think comics are in a bit of a creative slump, and San Diego did nothing to disprove that. Here’s hoping it ends soon though, as a fan of the medium I’m hungry for New.

• As far as my own comic writing goes, aside from jotting down some notes for a potential project with Sal (of Atomika fame), there’s not much going on. I should be more ambitious I suppose, especially given how critical I’ve become of the industry, but I haven’t yet found the idea that sparks me enough to dive into it with the energy necessary to get a new creator owned book off the ground. I may be in a bit of a creative slump of my own.

• Luckily, things on the TV side are going better. My first episode of Supernatural is set to film later this month, and I’ve started working on a second which I’m very excited about. Once again, I can’t really talk details, but I’ll let you know when they’re going to air at the very least. The readership of this blog should bump the ratings at least five people. Maybe six!

• Not much new to say writing wise, other that work continues apace on Supernatural. So instead, how about some rambling thoughts on crap:

The big news this week is the San Diego con. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’m only going to be able to make it down for a day (Sunday), and since I don’t have any signing obligations this year, nor do I have any meetings lined up (the comics industry = bleh), I’m going to spend my time wandering the floor and, God willing, finding some good new comics. Nay, GREAT new comics.

I very much believe that the overall quality of writing and art in comics has gone up over the last 5-7 years, but I just as ardently believe that comics are in something of a creative funk at the moment. There are a lot of 6-8 books out there right now, but very, very few 9’s and no 10’s that I can think of. Part of this is probably just due to the cyclical nature of the business, but I think it’s also a symptom of the Hollywood invasion comics is currently experiencing. At the moment, there are far more companies interested in putting out movie pitches on paper in a desperate bid for film industry money (everyone from your new indy start-up to Marvel and DC), than there are companies interested in, you know, publishing comics.

We’ve still got Vertigo, and some of the old stalwart indies like Slave Labor and Top Shelf working to put out good stories, but too many people are just looking to get that big (relatively speaking) Hollywood payday, and that’s hurting the industry as a whole. For every IDW, which has done an amazing job of building itself up over the last few years, there’s a Platinum, or any one of a dozen producers masquerading as publishers.

People don’t seem to realize that what’s drawn studios to the world of comics is, you know, comics. Great comics. Look at the comics that have actually been made into movies: 300, Hellboy, League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Sin City, The Spirit, Watchmen, American Splendor. All of them really amazing books. You know what’s NOT getting made into movies? The crappy comics publishers are trying to pass off as groundbreaking IP. No one cares if your book is Spider-Man meets Jaws if it sucks. Sure some production company might toss a little $ your way, but if you want to see your creation on the silver screen (and I’m not saying that, as comic book creator, you should want that, mind) you have to do your job. You have to make it great. Great work inspires, and it takes inspiration (sometimes misguided, but still) to get a movie made.

Oh, and if you’re a creator who signs away the bulk of your rights to a publisher to get your work in print then you, my friend, are an idiot. I realize that a lot of publishers claim that the only way they can make ends meet is to sell/control other media rights. And I have no doubt that’s true in some cases. But when a publisher tells you that, realize what they’re saying isn’t I’m gonna get this book turned into a movie, kid! but I’m not even going to try and market this book and make money off it, I’ll just print up 1,000 copies and hope an exec at Paramount likes it enough to cut me a check. I realize some people may not believe this, but people actually do make money publishing comics. The comic book industry doesn’t just have to be an IP farm for the film, tv and video game industries. Though it certainly seems to have turned into one lately

So, in closing, as I wrote above: the comics industry = bleh. And here’s hoping this current cycle ends quick. I need some cool new stuff to read.

• So much for that more frequent updates thing. I’ve spent the last two weeks writing, re-writing, polishing and re-polishing the first Supernatural script. Did a final(ish) pass today, and will hand it in tomorrow. Then the re-writes begin.

• And since I have no other news of note, here’s a movie recommendation for you: Young People Fucking, a Canadian comedy directed by Martin Gero and staring a group of very talented actors including Carley Pope (Popular, Dirt) and Callum Blue (late of Dead Like Me, currently in The Tudors). I saw this yesterday and really, really enjoyed it. The premise is all in the title, and the movie interweaves five short narratives, each revolving around a sexual encounter, with varying results. It’s well written, well acted, and well worth your time.

• Wow, you know you haven’t updated in awhile when Firefox’s cache can’t remember your site’s URL. Anyhow, apologies for the vanishing act. I’d love to say I’ve been incredibly busy but that would be a lie. Busy? Sure. But not so busy I couldn’t have typed a few things here over the past two weeks. So, to make up for my laziness, let’s do some catching up, shall we?

• The outline for my first episode of SUPERNATURAL has been approved by the show’s executive producers, and the studio. Hopefully the network will give it the thumbs up early next week, and I can start working on the script. I’m really excited about this story, and would love to drop a few details here (or at least some juicy hints), but if I do I’m pretty sure Bob Singer will beat the crap out of me, so I’ll stay mum for now.

• Erech has sent me the bulk of the DESCENT pages, and this weekend I’m going to go through and do dialogue placement for the letterer. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m very happy with the way this book has turned out, and how Erech has improved as an artist over the course of the 3(!) years it’s taken him to draw it. I’m really excited to see how the book is received when it comes out, probably in early 2009.

• After waffling back and forth, it looks like I will be attending Comic-Con in San Diego this year, but for (in my best mid-80s WWF announcer voice): One Day Only! Between the day job, losing out on the Hotel Room Sweepstakes, and my unwillingness to fight Saturday crowds, I’ll only be at the con on Sunday. I’ll be taking the train down from LA that morning, and riding back around 9pm that night, which, I’m hoping, will give me enough time to at least say hello to all my friends/co-workers who I only see once a year in San Diego, and pick up a stack of comics (I’ve slacked on keeping up with stuff since the move west). There’s a small chance I’ll sign briefly at the DDP booth, and a slightly larger chance I’ll be at the Supernatural panel, but most likely I’ll just be wandering the con floor. So if you know me and want to meet up/grab lunch/complain about the comic book industry (my current favorite passtime!) drop me an e-mail and we’ll set something up.

• Reminder: Sal will be at the Wizard World Chicago Con this weekend with limited print run copies of Atomika #8 and #9, so, if you’re going, track him down a grab a set.

• Tomorrow I’m having lunch with Darran Hurlbut, my talented collaborator on BAD MEN, and I’m hoping we can set down a schedule that will see that graphic novel finished before the end of the year. That might be a bit of a stretch given that Darran’s still doing video game design work to pay the bills, but I’m keeping hope alive.

• It looks like Boussourir and I will be collaborating on a new project together, most likely a follow up to Vaistron. When, what and where you’ll be able to see it is still being sorted out, but stay tuned for more news on that front.

• Finally, now that things have settled a bit with the new gig, I’m hoping I can make good on my major comic book goal for this year: getting more creator owned work in print. Aside from the aforementioned projects, I have three I’m really focused on: my historical epic CRUSADE (which stalled due to a combination of my move and some artist issues), ILLIUM (my long time dream project which I’m dying to get re-started), and another book that would be gasp superheroic, a first for me. Hopefully one, maybe two, of those will shake out over the coming months. Fingers crossed.

• Just got back from seeing The Incredible Hulk which I actually thought was pretty good. Of course I went in with lowered expectations, and I like to see things get smashed, so your mileage may vary. Tim Roth and the movie’s director were at the theater to introduce the flick though, which was sort of cool.

• I officially joined the WGA today, I expect my picket sign and copy of Written By magazine in the mail any day now.

• This weekend’s writing project: nuthin’. I may actually have to leave the apartment. Horror.

• Comic Book Resources has posted a preview of Atomika #9, the comic won’t hit shelves until the fall (when most [if not all] of the maxi-series will be finished), but Mercury has done a limited print run for the con season. Copies will be available at this weekend’s MoCCA show, Comic-Con International in San Diego and Wizard World Chicago, so track Sal down and pick up an issue or two. And speaking of Sal, his most recent appearance on Comic Geek Speak was a classic, check it out.

• This weekend’s writing project: War of the Twins #3.

• The script for Starless Night #2 (aka the thing I should have been writing last weekend, instead of heading back to Utah) is done and submitted. 10 page fight scenes FTW!

• Reviews of the Vaistron trade paperback are starting to pop up here and there, my favorite so far comes from Graig Kent at Rackraids.com who writes (among other things):

Vaistron is, yes, extreme, and there are moments that are visually or verbally toying with bad taste, but what could have been a simple sight-gag gross-out is actually a farcical and highly enjoyable sci-fi romp in the vein of Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill’s Marshal Law.

• Finally, I want to mention a very cool blog being written by my friend Adam Sacks. Adam moved to Malaysia for a few months to oversee an animation project, and is chronicling his adventures here, it’s a great, interesting read.

• Today is my 30th birthday, a big one. I know that because pretty much everyone I talked to today said some variation of “30, huh? That’s a big one,” in that knowing, “you’re not young any more, slugger” tone of voice. But, you know what? I’m okay with being 30. I think I’m in a decent place professionally, personally, and as a writer. Some things could be better, true, but more, I think, could be worse. And, looking back, I’ve had a pretty productive decade, with something like 200 comics in print, well north of 100,000 script pages under my belt, and a lot of lessons learned about, well, everything.

Heading into the new decade, I’m pretty well established in my comic book career, and have been very fortunate to have some good luck in Hollywood, which has lead to a cool job writing for a TV show I really enjoy. I think I’m getting better as a writer (sometimes more slowly than I’d like, but still…), I’m finding more avenues to get my own comic book work in print, and some opportunities in film and video game scripting have started to reveal themselves. If I had one complaint, it would be that since I moved to LA I haven’t had much of a social life, but I’m sure that’ll change as I get to know more people. In the meantime, I’ve got deadlines to meet, episodes to break, and cupcakes to eat. Like I said, things could be worse…

• This site was offline for the last few days because some idiot (me) let the URL expire, but we’re back now. So brace yourselves for a whole nother year of boring updates and infrequent art dumps! Let the excitement begin!

• The script for my Kung Fu Panda short has been finalized and turned in. Overall, I think the story came together fairly well, though if I never have to type the word “Noodleympics” again it’ll be too soon.

• Debating whether to fly back to Utah over the long weekend. I probably shouldn’t, since I have a D&D script due Monday, but it would be a chance to celebrate my 30th birthday (which technically isn’t until Tuesday, but still…) with the family and some old friends.

• Two weeks into my Supernatural Experience and things are going pretty smoothly I feel. I’m still climbing the TV learning curve, but think I’m slowly starting to get the hang of things. After freelancing for the last 5 years, being in a writer’s room is a change of pace, but it’s been a lot of fun so far.

• I received my copies of the Vaistron TPB this week and they look great! SLG did an amazing job with the whole package, I’m really happy with it and think everyone should buy a copy. In the world.

• This weekend’s writing project: Noodlefest! An 8 page Kung Fu Panda short for DreamWorks Tales Magazine.

• 20 pages yesterday, 20 more today (with a break in the middle to watch the Jazz beat the Lakers in overtime) and War of the Twins #2 is done, proofed and submitted. Good times.

• My first week at Supernatural is in the books, and so far so good. I’m learning a lot, and really enjoying the whole experience. And I haven’t been fired yet, which is a nice surprise.

• This weekend’s writing project: War of the Twins #2. Back to the elf mines!

• First day at the Supernatural office today. Cool place, great people, but most importantly: free Junior Mints. I’ve finally made it!

• The script for Starless Night #1 is finished and submitted. Tomorrow: GTA IV!