Look, Ma, I'm on YouTube!
Full disclosure, it’s a terrible time for me to be writing a newsletter. In fact, I’m typing this on my phone in bed during the witching hour, since I’ve been up late crunching deadlines and will be up early doing the same, in preparation for some time out of the office. But irregular public updates wait for no man, particularly when…
FANTASTIC!
My first Marvel HQ series debuted! That’s right, the motion comic slash pretty-much-a-cartoon above was written by yours truly. I was over the moon to be asked by the good folks from Marvel’s YouTube division last year to script a Fantastic Four series in advance of the movie. While I’ve never written for an animated format before, it was a super fun challenge, and seeing the finished product knocked my socks off. To be honest, they downplayed how much animation they’d be able to pull off. There’s also really nothing like hearing talented voice actors bring words you wrote to life.
The purpose of the serial, which will run for ten installments in two chunks, one before and one after the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is to provide an exciting, evergreen adventure that will introduce young viewers to Marvel’s first family. We got to play around with a Modern Family-esque framing device that wouldn’t work nearly as well in a more static comic medium, so this whole experience was a real treat. I’m grateful to say this isn’t my last Marvel HQ project, either, so hit those like and subscribe buttons…
IN OTHER TIMELY NEWS
It’s that time of the year again—the Barnes & Noble preorder sale! Creators really do need to beat the drum on preorders, as they can make or break the success of books. If anything, I’m already super behind the promotion of some of my upcoming big releases, like the ARCHIVES OF THE UNEXPLAINED series and my KID FLASH: GOING ROGUE OGN, both of which I should probably devote whole newsletters to soon…
In the meantime, though, you can preorder those fine publications, as well as a number of other upcoming Foxe-tastic releases, for 25% off—but only until tomorrow, so act fast:
Archives of the Unexplained: Unwanted Guests
Archives of the Unexplained: Area 51
Friendship Upgrade! (Pet Simulator)
Tales of the Tiny Folk and Their Great Garden Adventures
Fall of the House of X/ Rise of the Powers of X Omnibus HC
X-Men by Gerry Duggan Omnibus (I make a brief cameo)
Spider-Man: Gang War Omnibus HC
If you’ll allow me a tangent, I’ll also say—longtime bookheads no doubt find it surreal that B&N has become the “ethical” alternative to Amazon, given that B&N and the late, lamented Borders were once the boogeymen threatening independent bookstores. But the enemy of my giga-powered enemy, etc.
As much as I love the B&N preorder sale because I love saving money, I have been making a concerted effort to support local bookshops, too. A brand-new shop opened near me not too long ago, Cellar Bird Books, and I just nabbed Murderland the other day, so I can read all about the thrills and chills of lead poisoning. If you don’t feel like dipping into the B&N sale, considering asking your local indie—or comic shop, of course!—to order any of these titles for you, instead.
PREORDERS SOUNDS LIKE PREDATORS, HUH?
Sure it does. Since dropping my last space-related newsletter, September solicits came out with my name attached to PREDATOR: BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD #3, telling a story pitting a Yautja against a yeti. Well, I’m sorry to say I won’t be in P:BW&B #3 after all…
…because I’ll be in issue #2!
Scheduling can get funny with anthologies, and my story was in a position to move ahead an issue. This was thanks largely to the speedy pen of my extremely good pal Phillip Sevy, who leant their artistic skills to the short. Phil and I have known each other for most of a decade now, and I consider them one of my best friends in the industry. We’ve had the good fortune to collaborate several times, most notably on X-MEN UNLIMITED, and PREDATOR unleashes Phil’s full brutal action skills on a print canvas. I can’t show off any of the interior artwork yet, but check out the Predator sketch above that Phil did for fun—that should tide you over.
AND IN CONCLUSION…
Before I bounce, shout out to SUPERIOR AVENGERS #4, which came out this week from Luca Maresca, Kyle Hotz, Mattia Iacono, and Rachelle Rosenberg (oh, and me). This issue pulls back the full treacherous curtain on these future “heroes” and answers some lingering questions about just who they are and why they’re here in the present. Knowledge is power—but it can also be deadly. Kristoff is going to find out the hard way…
NEW CHAMPIONS #7 is also less than a week away now, which will herald the debut of NIGHTDRIFTER. This Manchester youth has got mysterious ties to Blade—and Moon Squire. Ruaíri Coleman turns in another exceptional guest issue here with regular series colorist Arthur Hesli. New Champions remains the book that just always feels good—I’ve loved the cast, the creative team, and everyone I’ve heard from since working on it.
TH-TH-THAT’S ALL FOLKS
Now I can bounce in peace. My eyelids are drifting and even autocorrect is starting to become insufficient for my sleep-deprived typing skills.
Please buy my comics! Whether they’re new, upcoming, kf c gtþ
^ That’s actually how the note in my phone trailed off last night, so I’m leaving it for posterity. Everyone, get some rest.
xoxo