NJW&C 06: It’s the Hope that Thrills You
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!
Oh, hello.
I feel like it’s been forever; I haven’t seen any of you since last year! (okay, don’t judge me; my kids would love that joke).
But here we are in a bold new 2024 with the stickers still on and very little wear or tear on its shiny edges. This year could still be anything—it might be transformative, chaotic, or simply more of the same. We’re just three days in, and personally, I’m cautiously optimistic on a smaller scale…in terms of the work I can accomplish, the changes I can make toward improving my own personal life and achieving my professional + creative ambitions. On a larger scale, however—in terms of global politics, the economy, technologically, culturally—yeah, it still feels like a smoldering trash fire, and the less said about that the better. Personally, right now I’d rather focus on optimism.
So let’s talk about Hope.
What do you hope to accomplish this year as a writer, artist or creator of books, comics or graphic novels? I imagine if you’re subscribed here, you might have some interest in making some of your own, right? So, what kind of books do you hope to create, and how do you hope to make them successful?
At the start of each year, I like to get a sense of what stories I want to create—the genres, target audiences, tones, that kind of thing. Will I write a book my kids can read—and if so, how old will my kids be by the time it comes out? Is this story a book or a screenplay—a comic or novel? How can I tell it best, and what sort of avenues and resources do I have in order to bring it to the widest audience possible…and, hopefully, the audience that will receive it best?
It does take planning. Last time, we talked about my 2024 Writing Plan, a series of projects I hope to write—and complete—over the course of the year. Every January I fashion a list like this…understanding that depending on the peaks and valleys over the next twelve months, that list will be subject to change. Will I run out of steam on a story? Will I get hired to write someone else’s story? Will I get sick, or will my time need to be allocated to other things, reducing the number of hours I can set aside to finish my stories? There are a number of elusive, unknowable factors that come into play over the run of a year, and though we start off with Hope, Ideals and Good Intentions, more often that not Hope, Ideals and Good Intentions will come into direct conflict with what I like to call A Hard Fucking Dose of Reality.
For instance, here was the Writing Plan when last we left it:
Project Baker, a prose short story
Finish Projects Vigilant and Red (Book One)
Distill the Project Madness pitch into 2-3 pages
Comics pitches for Projects Unwanted, Long Ago, and Burn
Start Project Red (Book Two)
That was two weeks ago. Since then, I decided that I wanted to again tackle a book my kids might read—something all ages, and because I hadn’t really done a story like this, I wanted it to be about animals (yes, I adapted Call of The Wild as a graphic novel years ago, but that’s Jack London’s story, not mine). But I realized…by the time I finish writing it, and the art is complete and the book on shelves…my kids will be older than they are now (15, 13, 11 and 8). If I start writing it now, by the time it’s done and one, three of them may be high school or older, and the youngest will be finishing middle school. So, a book for them wouldn’t be what it would be today—middle grade, say, leaning toward young adult. It would probably need to aim slightly older, exploring more mature themes. And after a bit of research about a relationship—and a time period—I’d always wanted to tackle, I landed on nearly a completed plot inside my head. Thus Project Dog Day was added to my writing tasks…and so, despite the Hope and Good Intentions that finalized the 2024 Writing Plan back in December…a Hard Fucking Dose of Reality forced me to reconsider what I’d really be creating this year.
Reality affecting Hope is pretty common. For instance, you want a job or a certain career, but you’re either not qualified enough or need to take courses to learn to do it. Or you hope she’ll says yes, but the truth is she hates Weird Al Yankovic and there’s no way she’ll want to see a Weird Al cover band on your second date. Or more specifically in terms of making comics, you hope to sell your epic ongoing space adventure series to a publisher who will see its merits and help you make a lot of money…but right now, space comic books aren’t selling well in the market, and what people are really after are middle grade slice of life comics that explore themes of diversity or gender, ideally from the point of view of marginalized creators. Sure, you love the story that you’re writing or pitching and hope others will, too, but the Hard Fucking Dose of Reality is that there are various factors at play that might prevent you from even getting that pitch read by someone who can make a decision whether or not to bring it to life.
This week, a writer said to me that newer creators—or “next generation” creators, I suppose—aren’t happy with the state of comics as it is today and want to change it. Now, this is something I’ve heard before…and frankly, I’ve been through it, too—usually it results from a frustration in one of the following:
Not getting work for hire jobs, perceiving they’re all going to ‘older’ and established creators, and not seeing opportunities to even try out for the gigs
Silence and a lack of support from the industry or publishers when trying to place or promote a creator owned comic book
A perceived lack of acclaim when promoting a new, independent creator owned book—whether self-published/crowdfunded or released from a smaller press—including mention in ‘best of’ lists or getting nominated for industry awards
Now sure, we all Hope that our books and ideas—and they are all good books and ideas, right? Every single one is an idea or a book into which we poured heart and passion, ensured it was the best story ever and readers would be fools to pass it by or not agree with our opinions—we hope these stories change the conversation, gather a rabid fanbase, rocket the creators to the top of publisher ‘must-work-with’ lists and, of course, make a ton of money or get turned into the next Walking Dead. That’s what we hope, and we know it’s going to happen.
But then it doesn’t. Nine times out of ten, anyway. Sure, some folks talk about the book on social media, or the crowdfunding campaign does well enough to really pay the creators and include a bunch of stretch goals rewards…and maybe there’s call enough for a sequel, or another indie book by those creators. But a movie deal? Nope. An ongoing Spider-Man comic at Marvel? Probably not. Fame, fortune and everything that goes with it? I mean; comics, right? Yes, we all Hope that every single book or comic we create will catapult us to the next level or offer that Big Break—and to be fair, sometimes (in very rare cases) that can happen. But usually, folks who achieve the licensed stories and movie deals and the next levels in this increasingly small industry have put in the work, taken the time to hone their craft and network up, down and across. They understand the realities of what sells and what doesn’t—what retailer are looking for, and what gets shoved into dollar boxes. They study trends, pay forward, reach down and spend the time marketing themselves—hopefully in ways others have not. Those are the creators who succeed. Sure, there’s Hope, but it’s married to Reality. And simply putting out a single crowdfunded book or series, or getting lucky enough to do five issues at a small press—or even a larger publisher, like a Dark Horse or Image—isn’t going to magically take your Hope and turn it into Overnight Success. You need to keep one eye on that Hard Fucking Dose of Reality so you can understand how to incorporate it into more than just your 2024 Writing Plan (what you write, how you write it, who you’re writing it for, what books are selling now and what books will be selling in the future). You also need a 2024 Networking Plan, a 2024 Marketing Plan, and even a 2024 Support Plan for yourselves and those in your network. Are you part of a writing group? Do you regularly chat with your retailer? Have you ever printed, self-published and distributed a book, and understand what it means to work within the Direct Market? As a writer, have you ever tried to letter or design a book and understand what pitfalls exist within both those art forms? Any ideas why DC editors are putting out yet another Batman-related series instead of green lighting that killer Blue Devil mini?
All of the above…and more…that’s part of comic book Reality. The same could be applied to any other creative endeavor, really—novels, film, television. Yes, we all come into it with Hope and Good Intentions…but there’s a Reality involved with that way these industries work—and you, the tyro or newbie, even if your ideas are killer—may not be the one to overhaul the system. ( I say “may” because for every newbie pebble in the swiftly flowing stream that is the film industry, for instance, you may come across a goddam fucking dam like George Lucas, diverting the stream in another direction. It happens. That’s how Image Comics was born, remember? But those cases are few and far between).
Look; I get it. You aren’t happy with the state of comics—as a fan, as a creator, a retailer or publisher. Then how do you plan to change it? What can you do to make your situation better? Sure, sometimes you’ll have folks that innovate—look at Comixology, for instance, which came along at a time where calls for a digital comics distribution system were abundant and necessary. But mostly, ideas to change things avoid the Hard Fucking Dose of Reality that forgets most comic series start losing money at issue #2, and that retailers will only stock comics they can sell. If your calls for change are simply “I think I can write better than that guy”, “I think this comic sucks”, or “comics are too woke right now”, then I’m sorry, but that’s just you being subjective (and in the last case, kind of shitty) and any calls for some sort of “quality control” in terms of the content shouldn’t be about the stories you think are good and those you don’t, but rather in making sure the comics are legible, accessible, manufactured correctly and come out when you say they will.
It’s tough being new in this industry. For the most part, the larger publishers don’t have a vetting process for younger, newer indie creators trying to get considered for an eight-page Batman story (hell, they don’t have that for us older, jaded creators, either). There needs to be more of an effort to identify and foster up and coming talent—via anthologies, portfolio reviews, try-outs—beyond just “hey, this book just won an Eisner or got optioned for a movie, so let’s call the creators". But I’ll also play devil’s advocate and say that its the talent's job to ensure they're identifiable, consistently visible, and get themselves out there to network—while also realizing there are a limited number of slots available when it comes to licensed opportunities, and plenty of folks vying for that work, most of whom are proven, dependable, established talent that will sell books for both publishers and retailers, which is really what it’s all about. And sure, it’s a bit of a competition on the level of getting hired for those jobs…but there's a lot of paying forward and reaching down going on. The limited slots are a reality and the way to get those slots is to do good work, get other creators—the proven, dependable, established talent— to talk you up and help spread the word, network up AND down. Not 'take over comics’ from the folks you think may not be putting out comics as amazing as your own.
New talent needs to be fostered. But new talents also has to be realistic as to what the industry is at this time and that change isn’t something that will happen via grassroots protests by yet-to-be-proven creators. I mean, I’d love it if I were wrong, but therein lies a certain naïveté. The big question for new talent is: how can I get my work into the hands of the readers (and retailers, too)? To effect change, worry about marketing yourself and your books as much—if not more—than you worry about making the books. The two go hand in hand. Once you do, you’ll finally take your Hope and Good Intentions and find balance within the Hard Fucking Dose of Reality, and it is truly then that you’ll begin to effect change for your book…and for yourself as a creator.
WHAT NEIL’S WORKING ON
Speaking of worrying about marketing yourself—we’re less than a week from the release of Nice Jewish Boys #3 from me, John Broglia, Ellie Wright and Sarah Litt via Comixology Originals!
The third issue of our intimate little crime comic, set in suburban Teaneck, New Jersey, sees our man Jake Levin getting deeper into the moral and religious quandaries in balancing an ethical life in service of G-d with the very real needs to pay his bills, and do so by participating in his friend Chaim’s criminal enterprise. I’ll admit that this is the issue where I may start, uh, dividing some of my readership...especially as we begin to reference some timely issues affecting today’s Jews; more timely than they were when I began writing the series, to be honest—but I will say that authentic tales of Jewish representation sometime need to be divisive in order to generate conversations and effect change. I’m hoping you, dear good-looking readers, can understand that and continue reading Jake’s story until the very end.
Anyway, Nice Jewish Boys #3—out Tuesday, January 9th from Comixology. Here’s how you can support the book:
Download the Amazon Kindle app on your mobile device
Read the issue—or the previous issues— in the Kindle app
Tell your friends, journalists, other readers about the series…and if you liked it, maybe leave us a review on Amazon? Every good review helps, you know.
This week, I also uploaded the print files for Nice Jewish Boys…which officially wraps up every task from the book's creative team (other than promoting the crap out of it, of course) and so, the book is finally, amazingly finished. Thanks to you all for supporting the creative team and sending us nice messages about the comic, and how much you’re loving it so far. We really appreciate that, and will let you know right here when the print edition is finally solicited.
Other than that, I’ve already gotten well underway with the 2024 Writing Plan.
I’m nearing the first 10,000 words of Project Vigilant…including a name change; “Vigilant” is a codename, but the book’s original title was actually “For Those Who Remain Vigilant.” This week, I changed the actual title, but I’m keeping the codename. The novel has been truly fun to write so far, and I’ve been hitting my expected target of 1000 words a night. So that’s good. At this rate, hopefully, I can have a first draft completed by March or April.
Over the holidays I managed to distill Project Madness down into a 5 page pitch, and I’ve done the same for another, older project that a publisher wants to see. I’ll be sending those out tomorrow, so wish a Jew luck.
In addition, I sent out some other pitches—springboards for a prose anthology, and three comics pitches to a publisher. Those all may fall hard on their faces due to Hard Fucking Doses of Reality, but for now…I still have Hope.
Finally, I’m cracking my knuckles on the new addition to the Writing Plan, Project Dog Day. There’s a fair bit of research involved with that one, to be honest, and I’ll get reading while making some headway on Vigilant, aiming to start writing the pitch for Dog Day after the Super Bowl (How About Them Lions?!)
Other than that, I’m just waiting on various folks to come back from the holiday break to restart conversations and follow up on various pitches under consideration. Cross your fingers; hopefully my ’24 Writing Plan will get even weirder and hairier over the next few months, right? Because that will mean that I’m doing something right.
WHAT NEIL’S WATCHING AND READING
Finally began watching The Crown last month, what with all my regular shows and seres on hiatus (and not wanting to re-watch Game of Thrones or Silicon Valley for the umpteenth time) and I must say that I’m quite enjoying the first season. For some reason, I’d been under the impression that the show started during the Victorian Era and then worked itself up to the Twentieth Century and beyond…I had no clue it started after WW2 with the death of King George. It’s got elements of both political intrigue and family dynamics I’ve enjoyed in both Thrones and Successon—but, of course, these are real people and period fiction has always been my sweet spot when it comes to good television. Admittedly, I don’t know a whole lot about the Royals or British monarchy, and so all of this is new to me in a way it might not be to those more versed in the history. Matt Smith and Claire Foy are both wonderful, but I’m really digging the performances from Lithgow, Jared Harris (who is one of my favorites from Mad Men), and Alex Jennings. I know that it will eventually devolve into the Diana, Camilla, Kate and Meghan of it all…but for know, it’s graceful and intimate, full of quiet bluster and tactical politicking. I’m planning to savor it for a while.
I also started re-watching The Good Place with my two older boys, and despite all the references to pornography and cocaine, it’s actually a worthwhile education for rooting my sons into what it means to be a good person…and what we owe to one another. I’m hoping they’re able to understand the ethics of it all behind all the Jacksonville Jaguar jokes and Maximum Dereks, but even if they’re not the one reason I’m happy to be watching again is the tour de force performances from both D’arcy Carden as Janet and William Jackson Harper as Chidi. It’s a huge shame that the episode “Janets”, in which all four humans manifest as different versions of Janet when she smuggles them into Heaven’s accounts room inside her boundless white void. Carden plays most of the episode, adjusting her tone, demeanor and inflection to match that of the characters normally embodied by Harper, Kristen Bell, Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto. She does a stellar job of it, and by the episode’s end—once the humans are back in their own bodies—you’re kind of missing the four unique Janets and the way Carden plays each for drama or laughs.
Harper, meanwhile, is one of the anchors of the series—playing Chidi Anagonye, a moral philosophy professor riddled with anxieties and doubts, led to his death by a lifetime of commitment issues due to his inability to make decisions. Aside from Harper’s wonderful comedic timing and swings between his commitment to acting with sincerity versus leaning into absurdity, I’ve always been drawn to his character because, well…he’s me. Not that I’m an ethical person, by any means, but more than I’m a sometime intellectual who loves book and can’t make a decision to save his life. Plagued by anxiety, I’m hoping it doesn’t take thousands of repeating lifetimes—or seeing the time knife!—for me to find the confidence and peace that Chidi does by series end. And if not, I’ll always have the books. Also, I have to say that if they're still casting for Marvel's Fantastic Four movie, I'd love to see Harper cast as Reed Richards. I think he'd be equal parts brilliant, aloof, charming and heroic all at the same time.
So many folks have recommended the comic book series Do a Powerbomb! to me over the last few months, and I’d been foolishly avoiding it because I’m not much of a wrestling fan. Here’s the thing, though: now that I’ve read it, Daniel Warren Johnson’s intricately and uniquely illustrated story of family, loss, love and redemption is simply that within the wrapper of inter-dimensional professional wrestling. Compelling characters, beautiful art, enjoyable lettering and a story that will capture your heart and stick it in a DDT, Powerbomb! is really one of those can’t-miss comic book I imagine will win a ton of awards later in the year. Do yourselves a favor: don’t sleep on it as I did (insert “sleeper hold” joke right here) and grab a copy of the collected first volume today.
I finally read Batman / Catwoman by Tom King and Clay Mann, and boy was that a beautiful testament to the DC Universe’s third most complex relationship (#2: Harley Quinn and Everyone Else; #3: Lobo and those dolphins). I’ve never really thought about the Joker as being the third part of that love triangle before, and I really liked the way King and Mann shifted between timelines, allowing us to see what’s become of Batman’s Rogues Gallery by the time his and Selina’s daughter inherits the mantle. Hard to tell if this is canon or firmly in the Elseworlds domain, I was captivated by the echoes and reflections across time periods, and the decisions and moral quagmire endured by its recognizable characters. My favorite bit was the Superman cameo, I must say, and anytime we got a glimpse of the Riddler. If you like King’s writing—and congrats to him for being part of James Gunn’s writer brain-trust for the next iteration of DC films—definitely give this a chance after you’ve finished Mister Miracle, The Human Target, Strange Adventures and The Vision.
Also managed to see the new Wonka prequel, and it was pretty delightful. I’m allergic to chocolate, and it had me craving a bar or three. I see this film as the “Phantom Menace” to Gene Wilder’s “Star Wars.” Total aside, I have a comics pitch based on this story, and hoping it helps me prove that Willy Wonka is the confectionary world’s greatest monster.
This weekend we also saw the second Aquaman. That sure was a movie with a shiny seahorse and a whole lot of CGI. Some odd plotting decisions. Clearly wanted to take a lot of cues from Thor: Ragnarok (there was even a Loki reference!) and elements of Tolkien...but it felt messy. I will say that I enjoyed Patrick Wilson in this one a lot more than I did in the first. Anyway, RIP DCEU. Bring on Superman: Legacy.
Finally, I caught up to the world and watched Everything, Everywhere All At Once for the first time and while the actors are just…fantastic...I wasn’t sure what to feel about the story. Definitely wild and original, but a little difficult to follow at first, though it landed in a great place. I may have to watch it again.
Books I’m about to read: Killadelphia by Rodney Barnes and Jason Alexander; All the Marvels by Douglas Wolk; Public Enemies by Bryan Burroughs; The Super Hero’s Journey by Patrick McDonnell.
That’s it for the first installment of 2024. May be a slight delay on the next one—I’ll be traveling mid-January, and may have to skip to the end of the month. Appreciate you understanding, dear readers, but I promise to come back with something new…and maybe start serializing an old comic here when I do.
Additionally, if you’re enjoying this newsletter, please don’t hesitate to let me know—and if there are topics you’d like me to cover, specifically about comics, writing, my books, Judaism (?) or popular culture, feel free to send them along.
Until then, here’s to starting the year off right—and here’s to marrying Hope with Reality and turning it into Success. And don't forget to preorder and read Nice Jewish Boys #3!
Back to the Writing Mines,
—Neil
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