ODY-C Sneak Peek
We're late.
You're not shocked.
- matt fraction -
SATELLITE SAM #9
The second arc races to its wrap-up. All the threads start coming together. I think 10 is maybe the best issue yet, and it's extra-sized, and everything there gets all cued up here. Thanks for sticking with this book, y'all. As Brubaker once asked me, "Are there supposed to be any likable characters?" And it takes a while, I know. It's not terrifically easy. It's the kind of book only Image would publish and I thank them for it, and you for reading it.
The first trade is still available, at only 10 bucks, if you want to get caught up. The second trade will follow 10 rapidly.
SEX CRIMINALS #7 cranks right along. It was really hard for me to write, and that, along with a couple other real-life catastrophes, knocked us off-schedule some. Mostly it's on me. Blame me.
HAWKGUY. As soon as I send this to Kel for the newsletter, I'm doing a lettering pass on 19, aka "the sign language issue" that deals with what comes after Clint and Barney were left bleeding in the vestibule of their building. David did some career best work. I worked with Rachel Coleman, the emmy-nominated creator of "Signing Time," sign educator, and personal hero, on the issue. Matt's coloring, I'm tweaking and polishing. It'll go out very soon -- the holiday complicates things -- and should be out... oh if I had to guess, by the end of July. Annie's banging through 20, so figure that'll come in August. Again it's just a guess but it seems like the right ballparks.
ODY-C. here, read this next part.
So I got into soccer. Having resisted and mocked the sport for most of my adult life I now find myself watching the World Cup obsessively, planning a Timbers cover of SEX CRIMINALS to support the Timbers Army and the many local charities they help, watching as many MLS games as I can find, memorizing what channel BEIN lives on so I can watch the game worldwide, and reading, reading, reading. Literally twelve different books on soccer sit on my desk right now. And this from a guy who, just a month ago, would've parroted the old bigger-net/no-goalie line. Almost overnight I've grown an obsession. It's very new. I don't know what I'm talking about most of the time. Still. It's fun.
After, no doubt, having politely endured my blabbering about how boring and slow I found soccer, my friend (and yours!) Mr. Greg Rucka of Portland, OR, asked "Why don't you come with us to a game some time?" and I took him up on it. Worst case, Greg said, they give you free donuts and the park is nice and we can hang out for a few hours and get away from work. Who says no to that? I've been way down a little lately and could use a break from everything, even just a couple hours. I said yes.
And like Paul on the road to Damascus I returned a changed man. Paul came back with Damascus F.C. kit, right?
See, what it was, was seeing the pitch. That magnificent green, that ballpark green. It's a very special green, y'know. Any ballpark. Ballparks are one of the last places where Technicolor occurs naturally, did you know that? Bing it, it's true. Anyway, the pitch, that 110x75 yard perfect rectangle of Technicolor Portland Green. How do you not fall in love, right then and there? It makes the cones in your eye feel good.
That green, and the twenty completely insane motherfuckers who run across it at full speed for ninety minutes-plus, got me. The scale and speed of the thing seen as an event -- you lose it on TV. You lose the adrenaline and speed and endurance. Depth flattens out and as the camera pans and glides from a God's-eye view, your TV kills the vibe. You can't tell how fast they're going, you can't really feel the full forty-five minutes during a highlight clip. And I'd only ever seen soccer in SportsCenter highlights. To see the thing played in broad daylight with the whole 107th screaming and chanting like maniacs -- to get wrapped up in the moment, even a losing one -- made all the difference. I think I've had "Mighty PTFC" in my head for a month.
Along with a healthy dose of civic pride -- believe me few things are more Portland than a damn Timbers game -- and that was that.
I say and do and think dumb stuff all the time and it's never more frustrating as when that dumb stuff keeps good things out of my life. In some rooms they call that 'contempt prior to examination,' borrowing the phrase from theologians and philosophers, and it haunts me. The things I thought, the things I did before I knew. Right? With the best of intentions, sometimes.
One of the things that most infuriates me about modern American political bullshit-rhetoric, the canard that we, as we grow older and live longer, should not learn more. Who gives a good goddamn what you said/thought/did when you were twenty-two -- who are you NOW? Investigate! Learn! Right? Like -- stay curious. Where's the shame in learning? In -- shudder -- admitting you've learned?
It's a thing my friend Laurenn excels at: learning, growing, changing. Evolving her opinions as she continues investigating, never afraid or embarrassed to grow, even if it reveals that, previously, she was not that big, not that shape, not that -- what, encompassing, engulfing. I admire it in her and wish I were better at it because you miss things. Like soccer. Or sobriety. Or mental health. Or feminism.
Somebody said something silly on the internet the other day -- I know, I know -- but maybe they'll hear the uproar. Maybe they'll think, holy shit, why are people freaking out about what I said? And investigate some.
And maybe all our worlds will be a little more encompassing for it.
In that spirit, enjoy this color and lettered preview of the preview of ODY-C, which comes out in NOVEMBER, from Image, by Christian Ward, Chris "The Token Greek" Eliopoulos, and me, technically co-plotting with a talented newcomer named Homer.
This is the first two pages of a five-page prelude. It's about a horse. You might know the punchline.
Y'all are the first folks to see this. And it's the internet so it can be downloaded and cut and pasted and sent about and posted wherever, I know -- but I'd like it if that didn't happen. I'd like it if this was just for this list. I can't control it, I know, but I'm asking. Don't distribute this. It'll be out in the world soon enough, I promise. Keep this special, yeah?
- kelly sue deconnick -
Some of you know my Grandfather died on Tuesday. Fourth death in my family since the first week in April. It makes sense if you think about it -- 3 of the 4 were about the same age and all related -- so it's not really as shocking as it feels, but... yeah. My family tree got topped off very suddenly.
If there's a silver lining, it's the outpouring of love and support -- messages from friends and colleagues around the world. I've been deeply moved by it. So... thank you. So much. Thank you.
I'm not depressed, just a little sad and a lot of tired. It's been the eldest, going after fruitful lives and on their own terms. As these things go, we've been lucky. It's just the frequency of the blows and the slog of Things To Do that's been a bit much.)
Anyway. There's that. So I'll be traveling again next week.
Status report:
CAPTAIN MARVEL 5 - OUT NEXT WEEK. Penultimate issue of the HIGHER FURTHER FASTER MORE Arc. Drawn by David Lopez.
CAPTAIN MARVEL 6 - Done. I really love this issue. I don't want to jinx anything, but it feels like we stuck the landing. David Lopez again.
CAPTAIN MARVEL 7 - Marcio Takara comes on for 2 issues here. Being drawn. LOOKING SO GOOD OH MY GOD. This issue is a good jumping on point if you're looking got join us, or if you want to harangue your friends.
CAPTAIN MARVEL 8 - The wrap up of the Flerken saga, drawn by Marcio Takara. Script is in the works.
CAPTAIN MARVEL 9 - Script is done. Waiting for editorial notes. It's space-glam-rock-opera-fairy-tale thing featuring Lila Cheney. David is back and sending me sketches that make me giggle and bounce. ANOTHER GOOD JUMPING ON POINT. Issue #9s are historically my favorite issues. We'll see if the pattern holds. I have a good feeling.
BITCH PLANET 1 & 3 - In the works simultaneously. Watch the Pinterest boards for clues. This book has taken the biggest hit from the funeral barrage because it was the easiest one to push back, which sucks and isn't fair. Feels like I've been looking forward to it for forever. Had a call with the designer about the backmatter Monday -- very excited about that. We're going to do a classified section like the old mail order ads from when we were kids. Email exchange yesterday with Danielle about the calendar.
PRETTY DEADLY VOLUME 2 - We won't set a date for this one for a while yet because it's a slow book, but work is up and happening. Jumping forward in time a bit from the last volume. Can't remember if I told you that or not. Been in touch with the Spanish translator -- the Spanish language edition is gonna be something very special.
PROMETHEUS FIRE AND STONE: OMEGA - Last meeting of the writers room yesterday! This has been a great experience and I'm looking forward to telling you more about it, but I don't think I'm allowed to yet. Great group of guys though -- Paul Tobin, Chris Roberson, Chris Sebela and Josh Williamson. All overseen by Scott Allie, whom I just adore.
...And some other stuff. Believe it or not.
No previews or links from me this week -- this is already a day late and I've got to get back to work.
"Submission calls for fan photos contest"
This week's special request from the survey.
We're not sure what this one means exactly, but we're game. Send us a pic of you and/or your fan gear/swag/books/art and we'll pick a favorite and send out a prize.
Let me be very clear here: we don't want to see your dick pics. Or really your vadge pic either, okay? Don't creep me out.
tl;dr
July 2 - Satellite Sam 9 in stores
July 9 - Captain Marvel 5 in stores
July 12 - True Believer Comic Awards
July 15 - Kelly Sue's Birthday
July 19 - Kelly Sue & Matt Clackamus Town Ctr Mall Barnes & Noble Signing, Portland, OR
July 25 - Eisner Awards
August 29-31 - Kelly Sue at Dragon*Con
September 5-7 - Fraction at Cincy Comiccon
September 9 - Henry Leo's Birthday
September 20-21 - KS & MF at Rose City Comic Con