September 29, 2023

Taking the L

Reflecting on wins and losses.

Hello friends.

Writing to you on the occasion of my 21st wedding anniversary… that I’m spending by myself 1,300 miles away from my husband and children. Womp womp. We were apart for our anniversary last year as well, so Fraction’s taken to making the joke, “Well, we spent the first 19 together…” I don’t like where this is going. (Through the magic of technology we are going to watch a movie together later, though, so the state of our union is strong.) ::KS thanks the heavens and knocks on all the wood::

Anyway.

Rose City Comic Con Post-Mortem Part 1

Hard truth? I kind of blew it.

I mean, it was a success overall. It was lovely. I met some incredible folks and spent quality time with treasured friends and colleagues. But if I’m being honest—and why waste time not?—I took on far too much considering my life of late and consequently, didn’t execute anything as well as I could have. I have a habit of this and if we know each other you’re not the least bit surprised, but the thing is? I usually I end up pulling it off. This time… not so much.

It wasn’t a disaster. And I mean, truly: “nagging dissatisfaction and mild regret” is a pretty small price to pay for the lesson learned. Likely no one but me and maybe Mimi Chan (bless you forever, Mimi), Denise and Andréa were even aware of the gulf between what I hoped to do and what I was actually able to do with the time I had. But I’m saying it “out loud” so to speak to cement the lesson. It’s endlessly cringy to quote YOURSELF, I know, but there’s a line from a Captain Marvel comic just on the corner of my thinking right now. Something about taking a car out into the desert to see how fast it will go, I think she says, “I need to find the edge of me.” Took 53 years, but I feel like I have pushed past the point of yeah, no, this is too much. Found my limit.

“Do less, but better.” I’ve said it before, but I had to fumble before I’d let it sink in.

Podcast Spotlight: Visible Women - Episode 1

One lovely thing that happened at Rose City was that we had a booth for #VisibleWomen for the first time! There was a balloon arch and tote bags and a number of incredible folks that staffed it and that showed up to do signings and answer questions and whatnot. And in tandem with that, right here, right now, in this very newsletter, we’re launching the inaugural episode of the #VisibleWomen podcast.

Your intrepid hosts are Katie Pryde and Andréa Gilroy (of Books with Pictures and Books with Pictures Eugene, respectively) and I got the honor of being the very first guest. The idea is to spotlight women (and other folks of marginalized genders who are comfortable under our banner) of all levels working—or training to work—in all areas of our industry.

I really hope you’ll check it out and subscribe and… what is it the podcasters say? Leave five star reviews! Tell your friends! Suggest guests! All that good stuff. Catch the first episode here or on any podcast platform. [On Apple Podcasts, it’s here.]

Celebrate a Decade of ‘Pretty Deadly’ with The Vault Edition

It's the 10th anniversary of PRETTY DEADLY. Can you believe it?? To celebrate, Emma Ríos has graciously opened her personal vault to share something exquisite with all of you.

Coming to stands on March 20, 2024, the Pretty Deadly Vault Edition is an ode to the artistry that went into shaping this narrative. This artist’s edition boasts the first five issues of PRETTY DEADLY in their detailed artboard scale, encapsulating the arc collectively known as THE SHRIKE.

Here are the specifics:

• Pages: 144

• ISBN: 9781534327177

• Age Rating: M

• Cover Price: $125

For reasons that aren’t quite clear to me, but probably have to do with the size of thing, the book won’t be out until March, but somehow final order cut off for your local comic shop is this week — October 4th. I know that’s a hefty price tag, but if you’ve ever seen a oversized artist’s edition, you get it — these books are reproductions of the original art at scale! You can see the brush strokes! It’s like you can see the thinking. (That’s my favorite part. Every artist I work with, I’m so much more interested in their minds than their hands. The physical and technical skills are remarkable, but it’s the thinking that makes me fall in love.)

Get those orders in. Oh, and if you don’t have a local comic shop, you can pre-order at from Bookshop.org at a discount here.

The Writers Strike is Over!

Hallelujah!

After five months of standing firm and united against existential threats to our profession, our Guild is emerging from the strike stronger than ever. Our collective resolve will lead to improved conditions and compensation for the hard work we put into creating the stories that make the studios literal billions of dollars.

Now we do everything in our power to make sure SAG-AFTRA sees similar results1.

As the dust begins to settle and all the calls are frantically getting scheduled, we can talk about our screen work again!!!

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

In the aftermath of the titanic clash between Godzilla and the Titans, a reality shattering revelation looms: monsters are real. "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" unfolds through the eyes of two siblings, venturing into the legacy of their father, unveiling their family's ties to the enigmatic organization called Monarch.

Following a trail of clues, they plunge into a realm where monsters roam and stumble down a rabbit hole leading to Army Officer Lee Shaw (portrayed by both Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), with tales unfolding both in the 1950s and fast forward to half a century later when Monarch faces the threat borne from Shaw’s knowledge.

This Apple+ show, co-created by my brilliant husband Matt Fraction, is a tapestry of generational drama set against a backdrop of the Monsterverse from #Legendary. With a star-studded cast featuring Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski, the saga dives deep into buried secrets and shows how earth-shattering, epic events ripple through the lives of those entangled in this grand narrative.

Check out the trailer:

The Marvels

Marvel was kind enough to bring me back to consult again and playing even a small part in the mapping of the Marvel Cinematic Universe2 has been nothing short of stellar. This time Carol’s powers mysteriously intertwine with those of Kamala Khan, the effervescent Ms. Marvel from Jersey City, and those of her estranged niece, S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau.

The trio have to learn to work together, challenging their own limits to restore balance to the universe yadda yadda yadda—it’s so much fun, y’all. Flerken! And Prince Yan! This one isn’t a Captain Marvel movie so much as an ensemble piece featuring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani… who is a revelation. They’re all powerhouses and I adore them all—Brie was wonderful before and she somehow is even more our Carol now and Teyonah is just brilliant and funny force of nature, but it is literally impossible to take your eyes off Iman.

And while we’re talking incredible women, Nia DaCosta is at the helm this time. You ever see a natural leader in their element? Calm, unwaivering authority, curiosity and a point of view. That’s a whole thing right there. I’d follow her anywhere3.

Music: Ghost of Vroom's Latest Adventure

Together, Mike Doughty and Andrew "Scrap" Livingston form Ghost of Vroom, and they’ve released their third album, creatively titled Ghost of Vroom 3. Orchestrated alongside the legendary producer Mario Caldato Jr., the album delivers a dozen tracks of their unique blend of art pop that leaves an indelible mark. Check it out here and catch the magic live on tour (dates and stops).

(I mention this not just because I love the music, but also because Mike, the former Soul Coughing frontman, and I somehow go back two decades and DJ Mikey D did us a favor and played an acoustic cover of the Magnetic Fields' Book of Love, at our wedding 21 years ago today.)

The Bits at the End

• I Showed You Mine… I ran myself so ragged up to Rose City that I slept TWELVE HOURS two nights in a row after the show. Basically, I’m an idiot. But! A fail isn’t time wasted if you make a point of learning from it. In the spirit of growth and giggles, I’m inviting you to share your “fails” and lessons learned in the comments or chat. Remember, every stumble can still be a step forward (or at least a funny story for the rest of us).

• #KeepJenReading. Jen could use our help in her cancer fight.

• If your bookshelf is craving more epic narrative, snag a signed edition of Historia to benefit the HERO Initiative over on Ebay, or grab a hardcover at a discount at Bookshop.org. And guess what? The Historia team is getting together again for a convention in Europe this fall. Stay tuned for a sweet announcement on that.

• Exclusive: Bluesky Invites Up For Grabs As a little treat for making it all the way to the end, the first four to holler about how much they hate “X” in the comments will snag an invite to Bluesky. Ready, set, go!

Stumbling toward something, I remain,

Yr Shark Mom

PS Did you see my kid’s Artemis cosplay??? She KILLED.