On verisimilitude
Verisimilitude.
The word is defined as “the appearance of being true or real.” It’s something that’s always fascinated me, even before I knew the word. I always liked the idea - of fiction, stories - that wove through actual events, giving these ideas weight and the feeling that they, too, might be real.
Lots of authors do this to varying degrees, of course. It’s a whole sub-genre. But I was reminded of verisimilitude, or the idea of verisimilitude-as-guiding light while reading MCU, a detailed look at the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The book is entertaining, and useful for me in terms of research as I revise Alter Ego, the follow-up to Secret Identity. There’s a moment where you learn that Richard Donner, director of the Superman movie (and so much more - but for the purposes of this newsletter, let’s stick to Superman), had a sign with the word in his office. It was his guiding light - you would believe a man could fly. Reading that reminded me of how that word, “verisimilitude,” was also a big part of Secret Identity, my comic book noir set in the 70s New York comics industry, which - ahem - won the LA Times Book Prize and was nominated for a slew of other nice things.
Early on, my editor Zack Wagman and I hit a fork in the road. We could either write the book as if it had actually happened - weaving my story through established history, with nods to real creators and as if Triumph Comics, the company where our protagonist Carmen Valdez works, was another one of many third-rate comic publishers that just didn’t survive; OR we could just create a new world, with archetypes that resembled Marvel, DC, Superman, Batman, etc. I was much less interested in the latter. I didn’t want to spend too much brainspace creating StrongMan and The Amazing Grasshopper Lad. I wanted it to count, honestly.
I wanted to will this novel into existence, to make it feel like it was real. I researched as much as I could, trying my best to find little gaps in history to weave Carmen’s story, as if readers were unearthing a lost chapter of comic book history that even the most diehard of diehards had missed.
I didn’t think about the WHY of it all much, though, because I was so obsessed with the story, with making sure the tiniest details - not just in terms of the printer ink being used, but what was going on the industry at the time - rang true. i won’t get into the process much here, because a lot of that is outlined in the afterword of Secret Identity, but that was the big vibe - my guiding light for the novel was to basically manifest a lost character, and, in turn a lost company, creator, and universe of heroes. No small feat.
As I noted earlier, lots of writers do this well - but the one that comes to mind first is James Ellroy, particularly his seedy, gripping, and haunting American Underworld books, which weave an over-arching criminal narrative through real American history, from JFK’s assassination up through the early days of Watergate. You see history from a different perspective (its underbelly, natch), and you almost want to believe that this story, this fictional book, might actually be much more than that. The verisimilitude makes you want to believe in the fiction all the more. It’s a potent, hypnotic thing.
I’ve said it a few times in interviews while promoting Secret Identity: I wanted it to be the kind of story where, if the reader squinted a bit, they might just believe it happened. That there had been a comic call The Legendary Lynx, published by a tiny, fly-by-night operation called Triumph Comics in 1975. In fact, I’ve gotten a fair share of letters from people asking me just that - where could they find a copy of these issues? And had anyone spoken out about Carmen not getting the credit she deserved as the Lynx’s co-creator? I won’t lie, dear reader - it started to make me feel a little weird. Had the book, through its readership, basically summoned this story and canonized it in some way? In my heart I knew that wasn’t possible - but damn, was it cool to think about.
Then something funny happened on the way to the comic shop. An actual comic was created. Now, yes, if you’ve read Secret Identity, you know that the novel features interstitial sequences that show you the comics being created by the characters in the book - featuring Carmen, Harvey, and Doug Detmer’s Lynx. While insanely-talented artist Sandy Jarrell and I put those together, our running commentary often touched on one theme - there’s an actual comic book here. We’re not just creating little vignettes, we’re chipping away and finding something out. There was more to these handful of pages. Like a full series. But you never know with publishing, and it felt like maybe the idea-within-the-idea concept might be too complex to execute. But, again, sometimes we manifest things in our lives without really knowing. At least I do.
So, fast forward to now, and there are three complete issues of a comic book titled The Legendary Lynx, credited to writer Harvey Stern, artist Doug Detmer, with special thanks to someone named Carmen Valdez. If you believe what you’ve read so far, Sandy and I, along with Allison O’Toole, Jack Morelli, and Grey Allison, have discovered these lost comics and repackaged, remastered, and reworked them in preparation for a print re-release via Image Comics’ Syzygy imprint. In our efforts to wink and smile at readers, we’ve basically been complicit in manifestation of the idea. Now there is a Lynx. Now there have been stories printed in comics. And now you’ll get to enjoy them. It all feels very Grant Morrison/.
Life is wild.
The first three or so issues were serialized digitally via Zestworld, and you can still read them there. I’ll also be sharing these via my newsletter archive for paid subscribers as full issues. And if you want, the print edition of the book is coming early next year from Image. All good things, but not really the point of this newsletter. Though, please, read the comics! But here’s what I was getting at:
While we’re finishing up the Lynx comics (or remastering!), I started the process of writing Alter Ego, the “spiritual sequel to Secret Identity. Zack, my amazing editor, really nailed down what it could be when we first started toying with the idea for another book - when Secret Identity was still being written, and before I’d crafted the epilogue that, in many ways, tees up Alter Ego: “It can be the other side of the coin.”
If Secret Identity was about a comic book industry few remembered, in a New York City even fewer remembered, Alter Ego would be steeped in the present - a tale of media companies, IP, multi-platform narratives, content creation, a post-pandemic world, and the people forced to tell stories in that space. About a fan - a woman who loved the Lynx as a kid, who’s managed to carve a place for herself as a creative person and has learned to navigate the politics and land mines of working in comics, Hollywood, and beyond - who then gets the chance to tell stories about this character that shaped her, only to learn, as she delves deeper into the story of the Lynx, just how badly people behaved behind the scenes to prevent the Lynx’s true creator from getting the credit she deserved.
I joke with friends that Alter Ego is a thriller that touches on fun topics like parenting, generational trauma, and what we do when we realize bad people have been involved in the stories we love. But that’s the truth, and it fascinates me as much as the idea of verisimilitude did with Secret Identity.
Anyway, there’s no pre-order link here - I’m still finishing revisions for the novel, which will hopefully serve as a nice mirror to Secret Identity without feeling like you have to read both to understand/enjoy either. But if this sounds even mildly appealing to you, please take note. We’re shooting for late 2024 to get the book out there.
In the meantime, The Legendary Lynx #1 hits early next year - and I’m so happy to see we willed that into existence somehow.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE ON TWITTER
I was - I kind of am, but not really? Actually, no. I’m off Twitter.
I talked about this a little bit a few weeks ago, but I’m taking a big step back from the platform. I’ll pop in to check on DMs and to do a quick promo post where needed, but I’m not engaging in The Discourse anymore. Let’s be real - Twitter is toxic and as much as I enjoyed the platform and poured myself into it for literal YEARS, it’s just not a good place any more. Bummer, but what can you do? The majority of my updates will be here. So, if you’re not signed up to this newsletter, please do if you want to keep up with me and my work. I’m also on Instagram, if you like pictures.
In terms of The Awakened and The Legendary Lynx (both of which were being syndicated via Zestworld), future updates will be posted here in the coming weeks, first for paid subscribers, then to everyone. Both will also be out in print in some form soonish. Lynx via Image and The Awakened from beloved publisher, TBD.
Speaking of! paid subs. I’ve turned them on. I’m not totally sure what I’m going to do for those that choose to pay, but rest assured that these weekly updates will remain free. For now, look at it as a way to support my work. In addition to the remaining pages of the comics mentioned above, I’ve also thought about syndicating The Dusk here, once the backers receive their rewards (I know, I know), and in advance of the graphic novel’s eventual release via Chispa Comics. I also have my lesson plans for the Splash Page comic book pitching class that I used to run at LitReactor - so I’m happy to include those as paid perks, though I can’t promise I’ll have the bandwidth to grade everyone’s pitches. That said, the lectures are informative, I think!
LINKS! CHECK ‘EM OUT
Lydia Kang and I spoke to Ed Aymar at The Washington Independent Review of Books about writing in other people’s universes, like Marvel and Star Wars. Thanks to Ed for taking the time!
The first issue of Captain Ginger: The Last Feeder, by friends Stuart Moore and June Brigman, features my contribution to / Grant Morrison’s epic serialized cozy mystery, Partially Naked Came the Corpse, the ninth installment that features an all-star lineup of contributors. If you know me at all, you know I worship at the altar of Grant, with their run on Animal Man as a constant inspiration, just to name one book. The prose story is part of Ahoy Comics' fifth anniversary celebrations, so please make a point of picking up the book wherever comics are sold on Nov. 8.
My pal Sebastian Girner has a new publishing shop, Goats Flying Press, and they’ve launched their first Kickstarter. Please consider supporting it!
This oral history of the “Five Year Later” Legion run by Keith Giffen and co., which David Harper at SKTCHD re-upped recently, has been living in my head rent-free. Giffen was a huge loss to comics - a unique voice that was humble and self-deprecating but also responsible for some of the best, most memorable runs on iconic characters. It was nice to “hear” him again via this story.
Huge congrats to good friend Dan Schkade on the launch of his Flash Gordon newspaper strip from King Features! Here are all the basics at The Washington Post. Very cool that Flash and my strip with artist Nickolej Villiger, Mara Llave, Keeper of Time, get to share space together.
I found this peek into the office politics of DC in the ‘90s to be pretty fascinating! Excerpted from writer/editor Paul Kupperberg’s upcoming memoir, which I can’t wait to read.
Harry Potter and the Problematic Author by Maia Kobabe.
Taffy on Taylor? Yes, please.
Bob Kolker, who wrote the definitive book on the Gilgo Beach/Long Island serial killer case, Lost Girls, returns with this amazing piece about the systemic collapse that delayed the capture of the case’s prime suspect. A fitting epilogue to something that has probably consumed much of Bob’s professional life.
Substack has become a nice oasis from social media, so I think I’ll plug a few newsletters each week:
- Men Yell At Me is simply the best. I love reading it with my coffee. I can’t do it justice with a brief description. Just sign up.
- Chip is one of my favorite people in comics and beneath that “funny” exterior is a frightening - I mean, really nice person you should follow. Yeah.
- If, like me, you love comics or comic book history, then Tom Brevoort’s newsletter will immediately become essential reading. Tom is a fountain of knowledge and I learn something new with each installment.
- Aaron Rupar and his team do a great job of tackling the big political issues of the time with care and insight.
- Tini Howard’s not only an amazing writer but a wonderful person and I love keeping up with her work. She’s the coolest.
- Sarah Weinman’s a dear friend and has been one of the most compelling voices in the genre of crime and true crime for quite some time. I didn’t mean for that to rhyme, but here we are.
- Gerry Duggan’s one of the best writers working in comics today, and I love not only his X-stuff, but his creator-owned series as well. Check him out if you haven’t.
- Henry Barajas is the real deal. Very talented, kind, and passionate about comics, he’s a true lifer in this industry. I’m proud to know him, and his newsletter is comprehensive and fun. Sign up for his podcast, too!
- Matthew Rosenberg’s another old friend in this wild biz, dating back to our first collab on Archie Meets the Ramones. He’s a really big deal now, but still humble and kind. Great writer, great person, great newsletter.
- I am forever a Laura Lippman fan and supporter.
- Amina Akhtar’s a powerful voice in crime fiction and her upcoming book is going to be one of the buzziest of 2024. Plus, beauty tips and her cute dog!
- The home of all things Brian Michael Bendis! I’m lucky to call Brian a friend, and before that he was one of my biggest writing influences. His newsletter is not only a great place to learn about his work, but to learn about the craft.
Speaking of, I was one of the select few to get an early peek at the first issue of Masterpiece, his latest series with frequent collaborator, Alex Maleev. It’s a truly special crime comic that will certainly make best-of lists for 2023, and it feels both cinematic and loaded with memorable characters. I can’t wait for the next one!
Okay, that’s all for now! Chat soon.
Alex