293: Is there a towel here?
Hullo.
Judge
Jacky
Jury
Jabber
Jooks about writing
Links
Bye
The Pre-orders cut-off on The Power Fantasy is Monday, so in this final approach we figured...
Let's change the cover. That's fun.
Full story over at Gizmodo, including the other variants for issue 1 from Rian Hughes and Tula Lotay.
We loved the original cover, and how it showcased the characters, we realised it wasn't capturing the scale and stakes of the book. One recurring bit of feedback we had from people who've read it was that it was definitely more serious than they were expecting, and we suspect that was mainly the tone the cover set. It's a book which is playful, sure, but it's also an adult book where the end of the world is the gun on the mantelpiece. It also shows exactly how much Caspar is bringing to the imagery in the book – he changes modes a lot, and a classic character shot isn't showing hinting what a journey you're in for.
To me, the cover feels like the final piece in the picture. I'm really happy with it. That's the book, and we can't wait to get it in your hands.
(We'll likely use the other cover for something else down the line. It never hurts to have a cover spare, right?)
The first spoiler free review over at Gamesradar/Newsarama dropped yesterday, which gave it the strapline of "An apocalyptic cross between Watchmen and Succession" which seems to be the speed the cover is working at now. AIPT's has just popped up as proof-reading this, and is a 10/10.
As said, the pre-order cut off is Monday 15th. Speak to your retailer before then to express interest. Even if you don't pre-order formally, asking about books you're interested in is just good stuff to let your retailer know.
We also unveiled the final member of the cast, over at Popverse. Full details there, but here's the quotes I sent over.
The Power Fantasy is a story about six people with the power to destroy the world - Watchmen with six Doctor Manhattans, who know direct conflict is the lose state for everyone, and except the cold alien distance of Jon is replaced with six messy, messy people. We've also talked a bit about how it's set in an alternate Earth, that divulges from Earth history in 1945, when the first powered individuals appeared. Because while our six cast - "the Superpowers" - are by far the biggest kids on the block, there's a lot of other, lesser ones. Not superheroes (it's not sort of book) but some people can fly. Not very many, but some.
And while everything in our story comes from one event, there's basically three sorts of origins. One is having a direct relationship to an extraplanar source - such as our angel Valentina and definitely-not-an-angel Eliza Hellbound. They're the rarest. In fact, they're the only two on Earth. Then there's the Atomics - who we've introduced with Etienne Lux, Heavy and Masumi. These are people who've gained gifts spontaneously post 1945. There's quite a few of these, enough to be a small demographic. Then there's a third group - who are most common.
Magicians.
Something happened in 1945, along with everything else. Magic started working. Not "returned." Started working for the first time ever. Not a huge effect, but enough to turn the dial up on party tricks. It wasn't easy to learn, but with a lot of time and effort, you can do stuff. It's philosophically interesting, and has led to a lot of weird physics research, but it's nothing which was actually powerful.
Until Jacky Magus properly emerged in the 1970s, and suddenly magic was the real deal. At least, for him, and those who chose to join him in his organisation - The Pyramid.
Jacky keeps his secrets tight, but if you join the Pyramid and climb his organisation, you can get abilities. Joining the Pyramid - or having artifacts supplied from them - is the only way one may actively become a being with extranormal abilities. Of course, there are costs. There always are.
Jacky was around quietly since the 60s, but his inspiration is definitely 1970s. He's a first generation Indian immigrant to the UK (I mentioned Eliza was a squat-punk, and yes, there's a strong connection there). Like everyone's names are meant to ape the names of musicians in the period, Jacky's name is meant to ape that slightly snotty 1970s punk name. Johnny Rotten was a big influence in my thinking... specifically, him in his later years. When he's turned from that young firebrand to a guy who sells butter. Or, in Magus' case, weapons.
Because Magus' politics have changed. After what went down in 1989, he moved right. He's got strong connections with the US government. for example.
I've said the pop cultural reference, but if you want it in comic book one? John Constantine meets Doctor Doom. John Constantine meets Doctor Doom... who sold out.
You may have noticed I keep on mentioning 1989, right? We'll get there in time.
Jacky Magus is an interesting one to write. As a character who's changed a lot across the length of the story, we'll get to see him in lots of different points, which should be fun – and also a heartbreaker. People believed in him, and this is where we are.
I mailed TPF to some peers earlier, and have gathered quotes off them. I thought it'd be fun to put some quotes up on actual individual social things. I'll be putting these out, probably tomorrow.
And here's a big one grabbing a load. Coo, what a load of people who like TPF.
I'll have to start work on a second page, as there's been more since then too.
Anyway, pre-order and stuff. I swear, next week I'll stop saying that, and start saying something else, likely “pre-order issue 2.”
I think that's enough TPF hype for now, right?
Okay, this is abstractly also TPF hype, but it's wider ranging. I plugged the TLDR podcast last week, but I saw Ramzee say he was digging it, which made me go and listen, and I realise it's a good burst of a lot of things about writing, creativity and all the best stuff. If you want to capture where my head's at, this is a good place for a sample.
Also over on AIPT you can get a dual-Kieron-Caspar sandwichh. I think you can hear us working out exactly what our dynamic is, which is fun.
Alyssa Wong was in town last week, so I went out to hang with them and a few creators. Rian Hughes, Ram V, Alyssa and me got into a chat about writing in the broadest sense, touching on books you'd actually recommend for writing. In the morning I wrote a quick mail, and I realised that “practical books on writing” isn't something I've done for a while, so I'd include it here.
I didn't say my standard advice to new writers - which is to read STORY by McKee and ON WRITING by King back to back, because they're both good primers about writing, offer a lot of good advice and are absolutely 100% contradictory. As such, the lesson is you have to build your own toolbox.
Ram mentioned INTO THE WOODS by John Yorke, which is really good - it's centering the five act structure, and approaching screenwriting from the stage (and I think very much coming from British TV writing).
Away from story per se and onto prose style, Alan Moore was recommending THE ELEMENTS OF ELOQUENCE by Mark Forsyth recently in some lectures, and I liked it a lot. It's short, very funny and deliberately provocative - I laughed a lot. It's based around going through all the main tricks the English language does - it's interesting to see where this falls on the talent/craft argument, in that this is basically a short lexicon of all the basic craft shit we can do with a sentence.
And for a quick Ebook: Screenwriting 101 by Film Crit Hulk! You'll probably remember him from twitter, but this has a lot to talk about story, MAINLY IN CAPITALS. Honestly, I think this is the book of all of them which was most useful for me in terms of realising my own failings as a writer, which says more about where I was when I read it than anything else.
If you are thinking writing for Hollywood, both of William Goldman's books are absolute delights (ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN TRADE and WHAT LIE DID I TELL?). Not a systemic study by any means, but lots of things about writing and the business worked in there.
Oh - and it's always worth going back to Artistole and trying POETICS. It's short, and it's nice to go and nose at the roots of the western tradition, and see what's changed and what hasn't.
See, we got a whole entry done without mentioning The Power Fantasy, except I just blew it.
- Caspar and I did a AMA over at reddit/comicbooks last night. I'll likely pull some of the answers out for content in the next couple of newsletters (I wrote a lot, and Caspar did too) but there's a lot here, about The Power Fantasy, but also all our previous work, things we love, hopes, fears and all the bood stuff.
- The 11th year of the award-winning Uncanny Magazine is kickstarting. I've yet to read any Uncanny, but heard only good things, so decided to jump aboard.
- I talked about #LET5D0IT previously – basically music fans on that there internet do a list of their fave 50 singles from 54 to 76, and they're compiled to get a list. The full thing 250 song list has been competed, and here it is. This was great fun to be part of, and also fascinating to watch slowly unveil. It's got me listening to all manner of good stuff too. It's part of a 1000 song project – that's why it's 250 for each period – to work out the best music of a sentury. Next up is 77-99, which will be interesting, being a period I was an active participant in.
- Oh – eight days to go on the Wicked + the Divine: The Covers Version kickstarter. Just crossed 75k. We're really looking forward to getting this all pulled together, off to the printers, and into folks' hands.
Something interesting happens to me when I've been beating the drum for a big Creator Owned book launch for too long. I get loopy. With WicDiv, this led to me doing a ska walk while trying to explain the pre-ordering system in a photocomic. This time it's mainly me doing a whole lot of content about towels on my Instagram stories. This was mainly born of me realising I had to use Stories, and then realising there's no way I could just put plugs about the new book or other comics in there, as it would be really boring for everyone, so I did a silly post about the towels in the house, and it kind of escalated. Now about 80% my thought processes any time I enter a room is “Is there a towel here?”
Still: it's a weird sign, but a good sign. It means I've done everything sensible to get the word out about a comic, which means my brain has moved onto doing insensible things to get the word out.
It has been a covid house – I've been spared so far, but C has been taking as much downtime as we can have. She appears to be on the mend – the line is nearly invisible now, which is a relief. It's meant that I've had to take more Iris duties aboard, which made me relieved that I actually am ahead on TPF hyping, so the plates can keep spinning by themselves.
I've also been running a game of Heart for Rowan Rook & Decard – this was a stretch goal for the crowdfunder of their latest expansion, Dagger In The Heart. It's the first time I've actually GMed an actual play, so it's been somewhat nervewracking. Has that led me to prepare intensely for it? Of course not, you silly goose. Luckily Heart is a game I mostly know well, and is beautifully designed to turn character desires into rock solid encounters. The players are great too, and it's making me examine my technique as a GM a little.
What will likely be the third session of the podcast had some significant technical problems with one player's recording, which led us to have to stop for 20 minutes near the end to try and sort them, which basically meant we didn't have time for the episode climax. So instead, I managed to cut it to five minutes, and present something which I feel works as a cliffhanger and thematic climax for both players and listeners – and also actually allowed each player to get their head back in the game after the lengthy break. I'm aware it's something I've done before, and is kind of is using a few techniques that evoke the classic/cliched HBO-derived episode end – basically, the meaningful montage to music.
What I do is this...
1) Ask each player in turn how their character is feeling. Let them talk freely. What have they learned in this session? What are their hopes and fears?
2) If there's anything in their monologue which stands out – and there likely is – give a detail which chimes with what they've said. Someone talks about their feelings over murdering someone? Cut back to the town, and talk about the family finding the body, or something.
3) End with the character who is most connected to where you want to end the session.
4) Describe the final thing you want them to know. A little slow build if you're that kind of a GM, and then the final reveal of what it is – which implies what's going to happen next. “Ahead of you, standing waiting, is your brother. Your dead brother.”
5) And before anyone reacts cut to black and say “And that's where we'll leave it. Thanks for playing.”
Takes about 5 minutes to do, tops, and seems to create a mood from nothing, gives each player spotlight and closure time and then gives them a reason to come back next week.
Cliffhangers and not just stopping a session is a backbone of my technique, and having something which feels meaningful that can be cooked up in no-time at all is just really useful.
Oh – the game is also using a bunch of stuff from Dagger In The Heart, so I had to read the early PDF of it, and Gareth Hanrahan has really created wonders. It's an amazing book.
Speak soon.
Kieron Gillen
London
10.7.2024
p.s. Pre-order, etc, etc.