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| << May14, 2005 - [ComicBooknet E-Mag] CBEM 523.10 |
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------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Has someone you know been affected by illness or disease? Network for Good is THE place to support health awareness efforts! http://us.click.yahoo.com/rkgkPB/UOnJAA/Zx0JAA/bGIolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ----------------------------------------------------------------- [6] Interviews Paul Dale Roberts Silhouet98@cs.com Interview with: Jay Jacobs, Author of Lineage from Approbation Anthology Myriad. Approbation Comics website: www.approbationcomics.com Interviewed by Paul Dale Roberts, Publisher - Jazma Universe Online! http://www.jazmaonline.com/ Question: Tell us something personal about yourself. Maybe where you were born, something about your family background, schools you attended, etc. Answer: I grew up outside of two nations' capitals, Washington, DC and Bonn, Germany. Yes, this was back when Germany was broken into East and West Germanys. Oh Gods... most of my readers won't remember that. I suddenly feel old. My parents were in government service (let us leave it at that, shall we?). I attended Langley High School, yes that is right outside of CIA head quarters in Virginia, and then went on to get a Graphic Communications degree from Clemson University. I'm married to a fellow writer and gamer who would beat me with her "+5 Holy Avenger" if I were to write something horrible and manage to get it published. She is my second most severe critic, following very closely behind myself. Question: What was the first comic book you ever read? Answer: Oh Lord... Can I remember back that far? Uhm... It was in the seventies, and I think it was either Casper or Archie. I was VERY young. I vaguely remember following "the Almighty Isis" comic book in the late seventies. I started back into comics as a regular reader in the late eighty's when I went off to college because the local news stand carried comics. We didn't have a local news stand where I grew up.. Question: What were your favorite comic books growing up? Answer: Honestly, once I moved back to the States I no longer had access to a source of comics until I went off to college. I did read the newspaper comics, which included "The Phantom" and "Tarzan" and "Garfield". I loved "For Better or for Worse". Comics such as Dilbert weren't around back then. Once I got to college, I fell into the X-Men, Alpha Flight, Doom Patrol, New Mutants, Teen Titans, and a few others. I "was there" for the "Crisis of Infinite Earths" and cried when the "golden age" Superman duked it out with the Antimonitor after all the other heroes had left, sacrificing himself to save a universe that would never even remember he existed... only to have the dimension traveling guy (forget his name now) open a portal to a pocket reality where he'd kept the golden age Lois alive and gave superman a kind of "happily ever after". I'm a sap for sacrifice and reward! Question: Please brief us about Approbation Anthology Myriad and your story Lineage. Answer: Myriad is such a diverse collection of totally unrelated stories that it is hard to label. Chaotic might be a word, but that isn't right because we did put structure to the chaos. I think the best way to describe it is what your shopping cart looks like after visiting Walmart (or US Mart in Discount Stories). You have a collection of totally unrelated items that, in the end, work together because they fulfill different needs. You have the vigilante story, the scifi/fantasy save the world story, you have the pirates and high adventure story, you have the slice of life story, and you have a cerebral horror that keeps you guessing, all in one book. Lineage is an odd duck, but one I find fascinating to write. It came about because Bart, the head of Approbation, contacted Chris Tsuda, Lineage artist, and offered him a slot in Myriad for a story we were writing at the time, "Dragon Lines". After much debate, Chris and I decided we could not break Dragon Lines into the eight page format required for the anthology. Chris was driven to do this, so he was desperate for us to collaborate on something. He emailed me four pages of a comic idea he'd had fourteen years ago and asked "Can you make anything out of this?" I took a couple days to think about it, and then sat down with him online one night last August and spun him a story about "Lineage". When I was done, he sat there, stunned, and asked "All that was in my story?" I laughed. I don't think he ever realized he was so deep. Question: Tell us about some of the main characters in Lineage and what this story is about. What other stories do you have planned in the future? Naturally, I don't want to give away any of the mystery elements of the plot, but I'll do my best to cover the rest. Lineage starts out as a clear cut conflict between realites of science and magic, but as with all things, it proves to be far more complex. Politics, power plays, freedom fighters, the conflict between protecting the State and honoring individual rights, and the battle between truth and deception are the driving forces of Lineage. Who the good guys and the bad guys are is not always clear. In the end, regardless of the subplots and character driven issues, Lineage is about "saving the world." Actually, saving of two worlds, but that can be left for another interview. Janus, our heroic male lead, is a paranormal from a government breeding program. His true history, the nature of his powers, and the truth of how the government discovered the "metagene" are all key to his growth. His whole reality is turned on its ear by the arrival of "the forest" and its caretaker, O'ryn, with whom he has an almost immediate bond. O'ryn is exactly what he claims. He isn't simple, but he doesn't have a lying bone in his body. He wears his heart on his sleeve and cares more about "saving the world" than probably anyone else involved. He's a true hero, even if he doesn't look it, because he will sacrifice himself instantly for anyone or anything he loves. Madison, the head of the GDI, is probably one of the most powerful female characters I've ever written. I don't mean this in the sense of "super power" but in the sense of her core and determination. She has clawed her way to the top, and she plans to stay there. What is unclear is whether her concern for herself is greater than her desire to "do her job". Tyler, Madison's right hand man, is far more than a geeky lacky. He has goals of his own, and like O'ryn, is willing to sacrifice himself for what he believes in. Exactly where his loyalties lie have yet to be determined. As for our plans in the future. Once Myriad finishes, we hope to "graduate" Lineage to a full, stand alone monthly, limited series, that would eventually become a graphic novel. Myriad is our "testing ground" for the comic to see if people like it as much as we do. As for whether we'd do the full Lineage series through Approbation, another Imprint, or self-publish, is under discussion. We also hope, once Lineage is finished (as a well respected and loved comic), that we can return to Dragon Lines and get it published. The problem with being a duo is that you don't have a dozen hands to do all the writing, drawing, inking, coloring, lettering, and such. You have two to draw and two to write... so we're stuck doing one project at a time. Question: How did you get involved with Approbation Comics? Answer: Chris, the artistic half of this duo, had done lots of art and promotional work for Approbation in the past. He had shown Bart, head of Approbation, some of the pages for the eighteen page preview we had planned for our comic "Dragon Lines", and Bart wanted it in Myriad. Like I said above, we didn't think Dragon Lines would work, and so Lineage was born. Question: What past experience do you have with comic book stories? Answer: Frankly, none. I had only started writing Dragon Lines for Chris to draw about two months before the Myriad proposal. I have done online writing and fan fiction writing before that point, which Chris had been an avid fan of. He wanted to turn one of my unpublished Novella's into a Graphic Novel, but I was more interested in turning it into a full novel and having it published at TOR or other larger house. I started writing comic scripts because I wanted to collaborate with Chris. I think what helped me transition into this genre easier than anything else is that I am an avid "Role Play Gamer", and I do mean it in the classic sense. I have been playing Dungeons & Dragons since 1979, Champions since about 1983, and have played many other of the table top RPGs. Since I have created worlds and plots and villains for my players to be challenged by, creating a world to challenge my artist was old hat. Whether making a good plot for your players, or for a reader, the essential elements are the same. Frankly, I'm a damn good game master. Question: How did you come up with the concept of Lineage? Answer: Chris has been asking me that question for almost a year now, and I don't think I'll ever have an adequate answer. Some stories come to me in one "flash" of insight, usually inspired by something I've seen or heard. I laugh and complain that "someone impregnated my brain again". Chris is one of the first people to do that and hang around to help "rear the child'. Honestly, I simply looked at his original concept pages, which I believe are posted on his website www.tikiproductions.com, and then asked myself "so, why the #*$&% does this happen?" When I sat down with him a few days later, it all just "came" to me and I spun the story in a few hours. Naturally I didn't have every page, conversation, or event written. All I had was the background, primary plot, a few subplots, and the characters. I knew where it started, where the plot had to go and touch upon, and where it ended. The rest comes as we create the issues. Question: Do you have a website and if you do, what is the URL address? Not for my comic writing, no. Question: How can somebody contact you? I'm happy to receive email at my email address lord_shayde@yahoo.com. I'm used to both criticism and compliments on what I do, and try my best to respond to everyone. Question: If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring with you and why? I will assume since you are saying "three things" that people and animals don't count. Okay, here we go... Gerber MultiPliers Tool (almost any of the 600+ series). Why? DUH. MacGuiver couldn't do better with a spool of thread, chewing gum and tin foil! And he can do ANYTHING with that combination of items. Complete Beginner's Aromatherapy Kit from Nature's Gift. Why? I've studied aromatherapy for years and am a holistic health practitioner. With the basic supplies in this kit I could treat nearly any health issue that might come up alone on a desert island from poisoning and insect bites, to infections and upset stomach. The RuggedNote Laptop by Dolch with a Roc Solar-Pak power supply. Why? I'd go insane if I couldn't write, and I've been typing since I was ten. With a solar powered, waterproof notebook, I'd be able to write during the boring times, play solitaire, and plot my eventual take over of the world. Question: Your thoughts on the comic industry? Answer: I think the comics industry is a curious mix between bare bones, individual entrepreneurialism and a dogmatic, static industry of "way it was" thinkers. I am not going to say that the "big boys" are all stick-in-the-muds, but like any industrial leaders, their primary goal is to make money and play it safe. They put out only a few "daring" titles. I think the comics industry is one of the few industries left where an upstart, one man operation can stand up to the plate and hit a home run. Not just the rare guy, but on a semi-regular basis. It isn't a pipe dream in this industry, if you have something good, and the drive to get it out there, to think you can "make it". Few of us will have the next "Teen Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles" comic, or "The Tick", but that doesn't mean we can't succeed. We have a better chance here than in most other industries. I would like to see more "alternative life" comics and characters that aren't all about "alternative life styles" (read, sex). If one out of every ten people is gay... why isn't "one out of every ten heroes?" As a note, I just saw in New X-Men Academy that NorthStar died, one of the first "out" heroes. I find it heartening that they make hints that a couple of his students had him as a councilor specifically because he could "understand them". It gives me hope that if the topic has been presented with cautious dignity in main stream comics, then maybe culture will not be far behind. (I also noted that Karma is an "out" lesbian and so is the manager of the students' favorite coffee shop near the school. I applaud Marvel for their guts.) Question: Your 3 favorite fictional heroes and why? Answer: I hope they don't all have to be comic book heroes. Let me see... Polgara the Enchantress, from David Edding's Belgariad series is one of my favorites. She is all woman, but don't think that makes her weak. She is everything a woman should be, and about a hundred more. The 2nd generation of "Hawk & Dove" from DC Comics. Though I hated that they turned Hawk into an insane villain, so I ignore the ending of the series, I have always believed in the potency of the interplay between order and chaos. The Yin and Yang are two of the most powerful symbols in my life and those two heroes embodied them perfectly (for within chaos is the seed of order, and within order is the seed of chaos). The fact they were imperfect, yet struggled in a world even they didn't understand, was something I could root for. Doc Savage. I loved the movies and I admit I wanted to grow up just like him. Built, handsome, intelligent, and a "man's man". He proved you didn't have to be a geek to be brilliant, and that just because you're built like a tank didn't make you an idiot. And unlike Jame's Bond... he didn't have his flavor of the month bedmate. Question: Your 3 real life heroes and why? Answer: My Mother. The woman is in all ways remarkable. She isn't perfect, no one is, but she was the person who embodied "you can do anything" to me. In many ways, I grew up intimidated because my mother could do "anything." When I was young, I never said "My Dad can beat up your Dad..." I said "My Mom can beat up your Dad." The fact was, she could, and would, and do so with expert precision. She could play any sport, do nearly any hobby, and wasn't arrogant about it. It simply "was the way it was". It was from her I learned that "if you want to, you can do it." My Grandpa Jacobs. The man died at 91, but until he was 89 he jogged 2 miles a day, took care of himself, his home, his finances, and still enjoyed his life. THAT is what I want to be. My Grandfather survived having his face half blown off in WWI, went through years of reconstructive surgery in the late teens, early twenties, and I honestly didn't figure out something had happened to his face until the middle 80s, because he would take out a full mouth plate to brush his teeth. He was a self made, self taught man who was born before the electric light and died after seeing man reach the moon and the creation of the personal computer. He showed me what dignity really was. Francis A Davila. No one would know who she was, but she was a remarkable woman. She was the wife of an ambassador, an artist, a college professor, a mother, and a philanthropist. She was also my neighbor growing up. She was one of the wisest people I've ever known. Perceptive, honest, and well educated, Mrs. Davila taught me what art was, both written and visual, and set me on my path in life. I'm forever in her debt. Question: What cons are you going to? OASIS, Memorial Day Weekend in Orlando Florida DragonCon, in the Art Show, LaborDay weekend in Atlanta Georgia Necronomicon, dealer's room, Halloween Weekend, Tampa Florida Esotericon, dealer's room, November 4-6, Atlanta Georgia Tampa Comics and Toys Convention, November 20, Tampa FL I'm still trying to schedule my convention appearances, and may show up at a couple others, like Crescent City Con, New Orleans, August5-7... that one isn't confirmed yet. As you can tell, I appear more at SciFi & Fantasy Conventions than strictly Comic Cons. I'm trying to branch out, but old habits die hard. Question: What movies, cartoons and TV shows are your favorites? Answer: I love the latest incarnation of JLA on Cartoon Network. I also have always loved Teen Titans, so I've loved that cartoon as well. I admit I was a Thundercats addict in my teens. Today I'm more into Anime. As for Movies... I thought both the first and second Xmen movies were perfect adaptations. They didn't try to mimic the comic... which with all it's various permutations over the years would be impossible. I have never forgiven Lucas for turning Liam Neeson into a flat piece of wood in Episode 1. There was so much potential, and Lucas let his ego and technical effects overshadow characters and plot. I watch very little TV these days, but my favorite shows in the last 20 years have been ST:TNG, Babylon5, Charmed, and Highlander. Question: What books do you read? Answer: I read in cycles. Some years I've read dozens of books, other years I've been lucky to read three. I range from books like "Anatomy of the Spirit" by Myss, to "The Dresden Files" series by Jim Butcher, to anything by Jane Austin, to "Harry Potter." Question: What are your hobbies and recreational activities? Answer: Writing, wood working, weight lifting, yoga, and City of Heroes MMORPG. I have many more, but those are the primary ones at present. I like to present myself as something other than a couch bound geek... though that is my natural state... so I get enough physical activity to actually look good in superhero costumes... though I'm usually in more torso revealing costumes at conventions. Question: What comic books do you read now? Answer: At present, I'm only following the New X-Men Academy because it is the continuation of the rebirth of the "New Mutants." Question: That ends the interview, any last words of wisdom? Answer: Don't expect life to be fair in human terms. Make your own reality, and own your life. _________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------- [7] My Life With Comic Books Paul Howley pmca@together.net http://www.thatse.com A brief introduction: My name is Paul Howley, owner of the Eisner Award winning pop culture collector's store known as "That's Entertainment" in Worcester, Massachusetts. Some people have called me the "luckiest man in the comic book business." My store has been around for over twenty-four years and it's been a long and interesting combination of events and people that has brought my store to its current place. It is not my intent to boast or brag about my store or my life. I just want to tell you my story. In many instances, my wife remembers things a little differently, but this is the truth as I remember it. The current cast of characters: Paul Howley: age 42 Mal Howley: my wife Adam Howley: my son, age 17 Cassy Howley: my daughter, age 12 Ken Carson: a key employee MY LIFE WITH COMIC BOOKS: THE HISTORY OF A COMIC SHOP-Part 115 After our narrow "defeat" for the prestigious "Will Eisner Spirit of Comic Book Retailing Award" in 1996, we were all excited to be nominated again for 1997. Ken Carson, our employee with a talent for dealing with details, worked to refine our application for the judges to review. Not much had changed from the previous year but we placed a bit more emphasis on our successful retailing of "back issue" comic books in the information we sent to the judges. Many comic book stores around the country had noticed declining sales of back issues and some had even made the decision to stop stocking them as part of their inventory mix. Our sales had actually increased because of efforts to keep as much inventory in stock as possible. We wanted to have at least two copies of every back issue comic book in each store at all times. Obviously, that isn't always possible, but it was our goal. While many other comic book stores declined to buy most back issues, we'd pay a slight premium to buy any issues on which we were running low and we'd buy every comic book that was offered to us in a collection. We established a good reputation because of our "buying" policies. We didn't just try to buy the very best of the comics; we wanted everything! As a result, we bought lots of comic books every week and became known for our great selection of back issues and that, in turn, increased our sales of back issues. We had the luxury of our huge retail space rent-free because we owned the building, so we weren't too concerned about using the space to stock the slower selling titles. Our successful marketing of vintage and modern comic books apparently impressed some of the panel of judges enough that they invited me to teach a seminar at the San Diego Comic Book Convention the week of the presentation of the "Will Eisner Award." It was an honor to be invited and I wanted to share my ideas with other comic book retailers. I asked the judges if their invitation was a "hint" that I would be winning "The Eisner" but they refused to confirm it. I explained my reluctance to spend $1000 for airfare, hotel and food, and spend a week away from my family, and then be disappointed by losing the "Eisner" for the second year in a row. The judges wouldn't give me a clue, so I declined the invitation. As it turned out, I ended up winning the "Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award" that year and I wasn't present to accept the award. I missed out on one of the highlights of my business career. A few weeks later, after I received the beautiful statue and the award certification, I contacted the local newspaper in Worcester expecting they would like to run a story about this award but they just didn't seem interested. I was surprised. The story could have been an interesting local-success-story. We had been a positive and dedicated local business that had now been recognized internationally for its achievements. This award was our industry's equivalent to "The Academy Award" but the city editor just wasn't convinced that this was "newsworthy." Next chapter: We go back to Nashville, Tennessee to visit our old friends, Gary and Peggy Walker, owners of "The Great Escape." _________________________________________________________________ Thanks for subscribing to the Comic Book Network Electronic Magazine (CBEM) --------------------------->Disclaimer<--------------------------- This is an ANNOUNCE only mailing list, only the Editor can send messages to the list. No one else has access to the subscriber list. Replies to these messages will be received by the Editor ONLY, so you must CC: individual contributors if you want them to get your E-Mail. The E-mail to the E-mag MAY be used in future issues at the Editor's discretion UNLESS you specifically request that they not be. It is our policy to withhold names and/or Addresses, by request only, from letters of comment. All contributors are required to use their real name and have a valid Email address for their columns to be published. Send Email comments to: ComicBkNet@aol.com Material for inclusion in the Emag - press releases, solicitations, column submissions, Letters to the Editor, guesses for the trivia contest should be sent to ComicBkNet@aol.com The EDITOR, not the submitter, has final approval and edit rights on ALL material. Printed comic books and advanced copies for review in the Emag should be sent via US Mail or UPS to David L. LeBlanc 84 Heather Circle Jefferson, MA 01522-1419 TO Subscribe send a message FROM the intended address to: ComicBookNetworkEmag-subscribe@yahoogroups.com TO Unsubscribe send a message FROM the address to be dropped to: ComicBookNetworkEmag-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com You may also unsubscribe from the Egroups Web page at the short cut below. Shortcut URL to the Egroup page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ComicBookNetworkEmag All contents COPYRIGHT 2005 The Comic Book Network. 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