NJW&C 05: The Dangerous Business of Looking Back (and Forward)
Hey, Kids! It’s Nice Jewish Words & Comics!, the latest installment from Neil Kleid's bi-monthly newsletter with updates and info about his latest projects!
Welcome, good-looking readers, to the very end.
The end of the year, that is! Yes, this is the Final Newsletter Of 2023, and as such we’re going to take a moment to do a little reflection on the Kleiderverse year that was —a recap, essentially, which always troubles me because, well…I tend to forget things when every week seems to be as packed as a Phineas & Ferb summer vacation. But let’s do it, shall we? A quick peek at the year that was—the highlights, mainly—and then some thoughts on 2024 and my attempts at helping you spend your hard earned money on folks you love, buying comics and graphic novels they might enjoy. So here we go.
NEIL KLEID: HERE WAS A YEAR
Many writers I love and admire do this thing where they tally up all the words or pages they’ve written during the year, displaying the data in a way that makes them feel “hey, look what I accomplished.” I’m not one of those writers (I mean, sure; I love and admire myself for other reasons). Personally, for the amount of rewrites and drafts I tend to do, even on a single project or pitch, I doubt I’d be able to land on an accurate count. That all being said, looking back at 2023 I can say with a certainty that, damn brother, I wrote a hell of a lot.
I went into January 2023 with a solid writing plan:
Nice Jewish Boys scripts
The script for “Crucify”, the short story I was contracted to write for Little Earthquakes
The first book of Project Red, a prose novel I’ve been writing
Comics pitches for Projects Vigilant, Wonka and Zion (superhero anthology)
And as a maybe, a pitch for Project Unwanted and starting the second book of Project Red
Of course, by the time we reached December this plan had undergone a seismic shift. First of all, I added a new horror pitch in April based on an idea inspired by a pal—Project Madness—and I waffled about another sci-fi pitch, Project Long Ago, from May through the end of the year. I also received agent feedback for a pitch I had called Project Loew (whose true name is Golem Girl, a middle-grade graphic novel) and so that kept coming in and out of my plan…and after NYCC I had acquired invitations to pitch a new prose anthology and some licenses that played havoc with everything.
Here we are, at the end of December, and in 2023 I managed to write and complete
Nice Jewish Boys (it’s done, folks. It’s not only written, but the art’s done too. Let’s not forget I lettered every single page of that comic, and I also designed the book)
“Crucify” for Little Earthquakes
Comics pitches for Projects Vigilant, Wonka, Madness, Zion and Valorous (this last one is really a revision of an old YA pitch)
55,456 words of Project Red, Book One
5,200 words of Project Vigilant, which became a prose novel in November
A pitch for Project Baker, the aforementioned prose anthology (greenlit!)
The Golem Girl revision,
A pitch for a DC Comics YA graphic novel that died because the editor left (ah well)
Ten springboards for a license with which I’ve never worked…but really want to
A pitch and script for an existing comics anthology that may or may not happen in 2024
Let’s not forget that in addition to all that I promoted the heck out of the Kings and Canvas Kickstarter campaign, designed all the social media graphics and wrote all the campaign updates, and also promoted both The Phoenix Chase and Nice Jewish Boys and did a bunch of interviews for that, as well, while also holding down a product design day job. So yeah, if you look at it…it was a pretty productive year.
The way it’s looking, with an eye on 2024, here’s my tentative writing plate:
Project Baker, a prose short story (Due in February, I believe)
Finish Projects Vigilant and Red (Book One)
Distill the Project Madness pitch into 2-3 pages (it’s about 8 now, and I’d like it snappier)
Comics pitches for Project Unwanted, Long Ago, and Burn (a MG graphic novel)
Maybe: start the second book of Project Red
None of that includes anything new that might come along, like outlines or scripts for the license to which I pitched the ten springboards after NYCC, or other pitches I have out there with editors. As of this moment, the only projects I have slated to be released in 2024 are the final issues and collection of Nice Jewish Boys, Project Baker, and the shipped and completed edition of the collected Kings and Canvas. The great thing is…all that can change in a heartbeat. Even today, someone reached out to ask about illustrating a children’s book (yeah, I know; we’ll see if it’s anything). Who knows what surprises 2024 will bring?
What I can say is that I did have a lot of content come out in 2023 between the release of both Judas Priest: Screaming for Vengeance and Little Earthquakes by Z2 Comics early in the year; The Phoenix Chase in May; and Nice Jewish Boys starting in November. Not bad for a lot of seeds and work planted over the last two to three years, right? And yeah, I kind of lump Kings and Canvas into 2023 even though the book will actually get shipped to backers next year because this is the year I did all the heavy lifting on it. I’m kind of hoping people dig that one; I’ve got more stories set in that world. If I let myself—and folks would indulge me—I know that could be my Dark Tower cycle, my Game of Thrones. I just need to get someone to put out the work, you dig? Cross dem fingers for me, friends.
Aside from comics and writing, 2023 was a busy year in other ways, too. Sure, the writers’ strike—I did manage to picket once or twice, but for the most part I wasn’t affected by it as much as many of my hard-working, wonderful friends. It was my first full year at the current day job, and I was productive as all hell there, thankfully. Of course…there’s been the war and the rise in anti-semitism, which truly affected my mental health. It’s strange—this is a year in which I not only helped rally around my community but also put out a comic pointing out it’s flaws. That alone really fucked with my headspace, and I’m still going through it here at the end of the year.
We lost a dear and beloved family member in 2023, and I traveled a fair bit—went back to Detroit three times this year to my usual one, was down in Florida and for two glorious weeks this past August, we were lucky enough to celebrate our son’s bar mitzvah together throughout Israel. I watched my oldest boy graduate middle school and start high school, spoke on two or three panels at various conventions (including one completely focused on Jewish comics and Jewish comic book creators), took my boys to the Basketball Hall of Fame, watched a bunch of great movies and TV, read a shitload of fantastic books, and met a bunch of cool people. I spent time with my family, but definitely not enough. I didn’t get enough sleep, and have to change that in 2024. Uh, the Detroit Lions are…good?
Oh, and I won an award. Writer honoree of the year, remember?
Not a terrible way to spend the year, other than the whole war and despicable Jew hatred part of it, I suppose. But I want to look forward.
Here’s to a more peaceful and successful 2024—a happy and healthier year for us all. Scroll down past the gift guide to check out some of my favorite art and photos (that don’t include my family, of course, who didn’t ask to be highlighted in my newsletter) of 2023.
THE KLEID GIFT GUIDE!
So yeah, it’s the holiday season…and that means you may be searching for some last minute gifts—or may have received (will receive) a bunch of gift cards and you aren’t sure what to buy. Might I suggest…BOOKS?
Yes, books! The gift everyone loves to receive and no one like to give. But why can’t books be cool? Why can’t they be SEQUENTIAL books (okay comic books)?! Here I am, lil’ ol’ me, with a few suggestions for some books I like that others (or you) may enjoy, too. For each category, I’ll try to pair one of my books with a book by a creator I admire or a book I’ve loved. Since we already highlighted my original X-Men novel The Phoenix Chase in the last installment of this newsletter, I’ll let you go back and read that entry to decide if you’ll dig it on your own. In the meanwhile, let’s begin with…
Superheroes!
Have kids who dig masks and spandex, web-shooters and magic rings? I was one of those kids, and I have three more who like them too. If you’ve got a superhero enthusiast in your family, might I recommend you get them one of the finest superhero books I’ve ever read: Thor, The Mighty Avenger, by Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee. This one’s for all ages, and highlights Thor’s relationship with his beau, Jane Foster, as he also acclimates himself to life among humans…and life in the Marvel Universe. Bright, clean, compelling art; engaging humor and ridiculous adventure. I really love this book and maybe you and your kids will too.
If you’ve got an adult pal who likes superheroes, and want something a little more mature, have a look at two books by Tom King. The first, Mister Miracle with Mitch Gerads, is about the titular hero grappling with marriage, family, self-esteem, babies and Batman. The second, The Human Target with Greg Smallwood, is a noir thriller with a countdown, completely immersed in the world of the Giffen, DeMatteis & Maguire era of Justice League comics from the late eighties and early nineties. Both of them are gorgeous clockworks, and the writing is top-notch.
Of course, if you like your superhero comics with some maturity, you should also check out Astro City by Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson and Alex Ross. Set in the titular metropolis and all across the world, each volume follows a recurring stable of familiar—and unique—superheroes crafted by this team of master storytellers, telling both intimate and epic tales set on the streets of a city so well-established you’d think it really existed. I always recommend you start from the beginning, but if you can only grab a single volume, my vote’s for “The Tarnished Angel”, a gripping down-on-your-luck noir thriller.
Speaking of superheroes with maturity, haaaave you met Powers by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming? Exploring a team of police detectives investigating a world of superheroes, Bendis and Oeming present just the most screwed up characters you’ll ever meet in situations and scenarios that gleefully and inventively deconstruct the genre. Yes, I was privileged enough to write an original novel with Brian set in this world, but trust me folks—go to the source and read the many, many books and collections. Just don’t leave them around where your kids can see, okay?
Finally, if you like your heroes with a bite of Kleid, pick up Spider-Man: Kraven’s Last Hunt—a novelization of one of the most famous Spider-Man stories ever told, adapted from the comics by J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck. This was my first and only time writing Peter Parker, and I got to creep inside both his Jewish neuroticism and the skull of one of his lamest—and possible greatest—enemies, Kraven the Hunter. No spoilers here, but if you do read the novel, I encourage you to also track down the comics (it’s been collected so many times by now). The novel is available from Titan Books.
Thrillers!
This one’s more of a horror story than a thriller, but I cannot say enough good things about The Nice House on the Lake by James Tyrion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno from DC Comics. Beautiful, suspenseful, horrific, wonderfully designed. It’s a modern-day social media infused story of psychological terror and the end of the world. Get your copy today.
Additionally, I always go with my gut and recommend Locke and Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez from IDW whenever I can. Sure, you may have watched the Netflix adaptation but I promise you that the comic—delving deeper into terror, exploring the past like the show never does—offers a creeper and more visceral take than was delivered on the smaller screen. Look, the show is great, but you really should check out the comic and explore it’s roots.
And as for me, I can offer you some panic—in, uh, The Panic, mine and Andrea Mutti’s gorgeously painted story about a PATH train that crashes beneath the Hudson River, forcing the inhabitants of one compartment to put aside their political, social and cultural differences and work together to survive. Yup, a little ‘woke’ perhaps, but I love the story and there are rat stampedes. And also there’s more, if we get to tell more of it some day. Originally offered by Comixology Originals, the book was collected last year by Dark Horse Comics.
Adventure!
You can never go wrong with bone, friends—er, that is, Bone. An epic all ages graphic novel collection by master cartoonist Jeff Smith, this book follows the three Bone cousins—Fone Bone, Phoney and Smiley–as they enter an unknown valley of dragons, cow races, locusts and dreams, and get lost in one of the best adventure stories I’ve ever read. Every one of my kids has read and loved this book, and so have many of the adults to whom I’ve recommended it. Don’t let your library—or the libraries of your friends and confidants–go without getting a little Bone. From Cartoon Books.
Hungry for more? How about a taste of Savor, the young adult food-fighting graphic novel by me, John Broglia and Frank Reynoso? It tells the tale of young Savor Batonnet, an adventuring chef who returns home after six years away from her island home, learning to be a hero, only to find its been overtaken by a band of demon pirate chefs. Faced with her first quest, Savor has to travel the island paradise and use her unusual food-infused fighting skills to defeat a group of demons, assemble the ultimate knife, and use it to rescue her parents and the woman she loves. I always say it’s “Legend of Zelda meets Top Chef”, but master storyteller Kurt Busiek once said about it, “a fast-paced adventure that reads like Moana and Iron Chef had a baby, and it grew up on a strict diet of Mortal Kombat.” See which of us is right (maybe it’s both?!) when you check out the book from Dark Horse Comics.
Additionally, if you missed out on the Kickstarter campaign, you can still get a copy of Kings and Canvas, my boxing fantasy adventure story with Jake Allen and Frank Reynoso, from the folks at Outland Entertainment, originally offered via Monkeybrain Comics. Boxing dragons, folks. Boxing. Dragons. This edition collects the original five issues and offers the sixth, never-before-seen issue which wraps up the first story arc. (Will there be more? Here’s hoping.)
Drama! Crime!
Look, I love any graphic novel by the great Will Eisner. You can’t go wrong with any of his books, but if I had to suggest only three they would be The Dreamer, which is a look at the early days of the comic book industry through the eyes of a Golden Age genius who helped create it; The Plot, which follows Eisner’s life-long quest to uncover the roots and history of the insidious Protocols of the Elders of Zion; and Dropsie Avenue, a masterwork that explores the life cycle of a New York neighborhood and the various characters, communities and families that inhabit it over the years. All of these books have been published by a number of companies over the years. Get your hands on any edition you can.
Nearly every “best graphic novel ever” list probably has Alex Robinson’s Box Office Poison on it, but personally I liked Tricked, his follow-up, even more. Tying together the intertwined lives of a has-been rock star, a waitress, a con man, an obsessive, an abandoned daughter and a backstabbing lover, Robinson illustrates a meaty narrative that will have you burning through the pages as the chapters count down to the very end. I read this thing once a year, and if you’ve missed it, I implore you to give it a chance from Top Shelf Productions.
Not a comic, but I loved Secret Identity by friend of the newsletter Alex Segura. Set in 1975, it’s a fun, hard-boiled, twisty original prose novel about the comic book industry and sexism, and I give it the highest of fives. It’s out from Flatiron Books, and I believe Alex is currently finishing up the sequel as we speak.
As for me, sure I could point you towards Brownsville if you haven’t read it yet—my exploration with Jake Allen of the Jewish mafia from NBM Publishing, the hit men of Murder, Inc. in the 1930s—but really? Nice Jewish Boys #3 is out January 9th from me, John, Ellie Wright, Sarah Litt and the folks at Comixology Originals. Preorder your copy now, then read it on the 9th in the Kindle app on your device. Issues 4 and 5 come out in February and March respectively.
And that’s about it. Some pretty great books and comics, if I do say so myself (and I always do!) Please give them a shot if you’re looking for a good read and you haven’t had the chance.
That’s a wrap on a Nice Jewish Year. We’ll see you back here in January for the next installment. Try not to insult Santa or anything while we’re gone. And on a more serious note, here’s wishing you all a healthy, successful, peaceful and wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year. Now please enjoy some art and photos below, in no particular order.
—Neil
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