Kobolds in the Catacombs
Somewhere outside the realm of coherence and linear time lies the Akashic Library, its phantasmagorical shelves stretching off endlessly into the distance. What arcane esoterica shall we uncover there today? Read on, bold wanderer . . .
Hello, friend! Last month I told you, very vaguely, about some bad stuff going on with my family. I'm happy to report that things are better, though still not ideal. Don't worry, we'll be okay, and I think things will take a big upward swing in the next couple of weeks.
And hey, it's summer! You know me, I love my various projects, and I always have grand creative ambitions for the summer. Right now, though, I am devoting most of my time and energy to a little thing called ENG 6070: Theories & Methods of Literary Criticism. This is the sixth grad school class I’ve taken in the last couple of years and boy, it sure is time-consuming! More so than the previous five classes. I’ve been reading Roland Barthes, Michel Foucault, bell hooks, really smart folks like that, and their writing can be pretty dense.
I like to share exclusive bonus content with you, the reader of this newsletter, so here you go, it’s a presentation on Jean-Francois Lyotard I made for class. Enjoy!
Okay, you’re getting bored, I completely understand. Let’s change the topic . . .
S.P.A.C.E.
I went to SPACE, the Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo, in Columbus, Ohio on June 10 and 11. Even though I set up a table and display products, I don’t really go to SPACE to sell things; I go to catch up with friends. I had good conversations with, for instance, Joseph Morris and Steven Hager, and got to spend most of the con catching up with Matt Kish and his partner Ione, who were conveniently located right next to me.
The big news of the con was that, after 17 years, Matt has released a new issue of his series Spudd 64. I’ve been a big fan of Spudd since 2003. I loved issues 1-3, and I’m proud to say I wrote the script for issue 4. I was excited to read issue 5 and, friends, it did not disappoint. There were some twists that genuinely surprised me, so I won’t give anything away, just say that you need to get yourself a copy. I don't think Matt has it available to order online yet, but check out his Etsy shop and message him if you're interested. You should also check out his comic Fear (which I’ve mentioned before, when I published it last year.)
I also have a new story out from another publisher . . . I wrote an 8-page story called "Octopus Jones in: E.D.I.C.T. Equals Danger!" for the third issue of Small Press Comics Party, published by Torc Press. It's drawn by Joseph Morris, creator of Octopus Jones. That's like writing a Captain America story for Jack Kirby to draw! Joseph did a great job with my script, I'm very happy with how it turned out, and you should get yourself a copy from the Torc Press website. 
Oh, I almost forgot, I sold this heart drawing at SPACE. It was available through Etsy, it's gone now, but DON'T WORRY, there's still other stuff available in my Etsy shop.
SWANN CASTLE
My amazing firstborn child Blumiere and I continue to work on our epic RPG sourcebook Swann Castle. Our stated goal from the Kickstarter campaign is to finish layout by the end of July, and we are still on track to hit that goal.
Back when we started planning this campaign I had the idea to release three different versions of the book with three different rule systems. And I knew that I would regret this later but I was like, “Hey, that’s Future Me’s problem.” Now I’m having to write up three sets of stats for all the characters in the book and, dammit, Past Me, I’m pretty pissed at you. But I’m working on that, and overseeing the editing, and almost all of the artwork has been delivered, and it’s all coming together, gradually. It’s time-consuming, like ENG 6070.
But you don’t want to hear me complain, you want some kind of cool content. Makes sense. I’ve gotten a lot of great artwork for the book, but let’s stay with our Matt Kish theme. Chapter 3 of the book describes the catacombs below Swann Castle, so for that section Blu and I wanted an illustration that had an old school D&D vibe. We commissioned “Mighty” Matt Kish to draw some kobolds in a dungeon, and he delivered this beauty:
LIGHTNING MAN #3
This is, what, the third month in a row where I’m writing about how I’m still working on Swann Castle and still working on Lightning Man #3. It’s getting tiresome. Good news, though, I just drew the 26th and final page of Lightning Man #3, the story is finished, now I just need to draw the cover. I’ll have information about how you can order a copy next month, mark my words.
You don't have to wait for a paper copy, though, because I've been serializing the book online. Issue 3 begins here; if you haven’t read the previous two issues, start here.
YES, VIRGINIA, I HAVE BOOKS AVAILABLE THROUGH KINDLE VELLA
You can read the entirety of my occult detective novel The Lobster-Quadrille on Kindle Vella. If you like hardboiled detectives, men with lobsters for heads, Nancy Drew, occult conspiracies, and/or the works of Lewis Carroll, go ahead and start at the beginning.
There are also 26 chapters available of my science-fiction adventure Armistice Hawkins and the New Architects of Creation. More will be coming this summer, after I finish my class.
BOOKS I'VE READ SINCE LAST MONTH
The Immortal Hulk Omnibus volume 3, Al Ewing, Joe Bennett, and various
Power of Shazam volume 2: The Worm Turns, Jerry Ordway, Peter Krause, Mike Manley, and various
Superman: Camelot Falls: The Deluxe Edition, Kurt Busiek, Carlos Pacheco, Jesus Merino, and various
I was reading novels for awhile there, wasn’t I? Now I’m mainly reading excerpts from The Norton Anthology of Theory & Criticism, but on the side I’m also reading comics. I’ve read all of Immortal Hulk before but I’m rereading it-- guess what, it holds up, it’s wonderful. Highly recommended if you like your Marvel comics with body horror and metaphysics.
I’d previously read Power of Shazam volume 1, reprinting the series Jerry Ordway wrote in the 90s, and it was a fun blast of nostalgia. As I started reading volume 2, though, I realized that this book picks up right after I stopped reading the series. It was all new to me but, alas, I remembered why I stopped reading, as this volume was noticeably less entertaining than the previous one.
I read Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco’s Camelot Falls storyline as it was coming out in the monthly Superman comic, and I’ve wanted a hardcover collection of it for years. Now it’s here, and it’s lovely, but it's a sad reminder that Carlos Pacheco died just a few months ago. His artwork here is excellent, though, and this book is a great testimony to his talents. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good Superman story.
MOVIES I’VE WATCHED SINCE LAST MONTH
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Mission Impossible 3
The General
Inland Empire
Creed 2
The Terminator
You Hurt My Feelings
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Creed 3
Confess, Fletch
The Cameraman
Cloud Atlas
I watch movies now! Traditionally I don’t watch that many movies, at least not compared to my media-obsessed peers. For one thing, I’ve been more likely to watch TV shows than movies; for another, I have an intense, laser-like focus, I don’t believe in multitasking, and I don’t ever have a movie on “in the background.” If I’m going to watch something I am going to commit to it, heart, mind, body, and soul.
Anyway, for years my friend Josh recommended the podcast Blank Check, I finally started listening to it, and what do you know, it’s great! It’s hosted by Griffin Newman and David Sims, and they focus on, as Griffin says, “filmographies, directors who have massive success early on in their careers and are given a series of blank checks to make whatever crazy passion projects they want. Sometimes those checks clear, and sometimes they bounce, baby."
Listening to their mini-series on the Wachowskis, James Cameron, and Buster Keaton inspired me to watch Cloud Atlas, Terminator 1 and 2, the General, and the Cameraman. All very good! The Cameraman is a silent movie from 1928 and, if you’re like me, you probably don’t watch a lot of silent movies. But Buster Keaton is a master and the comedy still works—I literally laughed out loud. You can find all his movies online for free, check ‘em out.
Unrelated to Blank Check, I’ve been meaning to watch Creed 2 for years, and I got to it just as Creed 3 came out on HBO. The original Creed is transcendental, Creed 2 is okay, and Creed 3 is better than 2 but not as good as 1. Solid trilogy, recommended.
Okay! Next time we chat, I’ll be done with my class, I’m really looking forward to that. See you in a few weeks!
Your Pal,
Leighton