Changes, part 1

Hi. Yeah, I know ... it's been a while. You look good. Me? Well...

...I've been through some changes.

Before I start, let me just say these changes aren't life changing changes, they're just ... changes. Since I was last here I've qualified from the Open University with a First Class Honours (yeah baby, a First; check me out!), I've begun the journey to becoming a teacher, several of my heroes have died, I've written my next book...

...And I've started writing for tabletop games.



Baron von Fancyhat

One particular studio I'm working for is Goblin King Games, creators of the beautiful Moonstone. A fantasy skirmish game, Moonstone has recently been Kickstarted, and has completely changed my opinion on 3D sculpting. Previously I felt 3D sculpting produced very bland, characterless miniatures, but now, having seen Tom Lishman, Dave Kidd and Raul Tavares' bold and charismatic work for Moonstone, I'm a convert. The rulebook— written by Tom Greenway and Richi Paskell and featuring lavish illustrations by Micah Epstein— will be published soon. Said rulebook not only promises to be a thing of beauty, but will also contain fiction by your truly. If you'd like a wee preview, here's The Ballad of Baron von Fancy Hat. You're welcome.



Shabaroom, one of Moonstone's less lucid denizens.

Oh, and that Myasthenia Gravis I'd been wrestling with since 2002? It's gone into remission. so, yeah, like I said, I've been through some changes. And on reflection? Maybe I was wrong...

...Beating Myasthenia Gravis? That's pretty life changing, not least because I know that if I can beat that, I can beat anything. So look out world ... 'cos you ain't seen nothing yet.

A Gaggle of No-Good Goblins

If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

Food for Thought: the UK's "Soft Power" and the small press

Monday 19th’s edition of Andrew Marr’s Start the Week began with the premise that, whilst the UK continues to labour under a harsh economic climate, we are now the world leader in “Soft Power”, a term coined by Harvard scholar Joseph Nye to describe a country’s global influence through politics, diplomacy, business, sport, education … and the arts.

This last measure struck a particular chord with me, having just spent the proceeding weekend at Leeds’ Thought Bubble comic art festival. Now established as one of the country’s leading festivals of sequential art, Thought Bubble encompasses indy film screenings, exhibitions and seminars delivered by some of the leading lights of the industry. And at the festival’s core lays the Thought Bubble convention, which fills two sizable halls at the Royal Armouries. And how it fills them. Everywhere you look there are—amongst artists sketching and stalls selling various toys and comic/TV related memorabilia and merchandise—tables crammed with a dizzying host of comics and graphic novels. But we’re not just talking the big franchises like the Avengers, Batman and 2000AD here, because at Thought Bubble the UK’s indy press was out in force.

For the past few years I’ve been stunned by the increasingly impressive output of the UK’s indy publishers, and this year was no different. From ongoing series and one-shots to graphic novels and anthologies, the array of titles is astonishing. Equally astonishing is the quality. Gone are the days of A5 photocopied black and white comics stapled together in someone’s bedroom. As Thought Bubble demonstrated, modern indy publications can boast full-colour covers and glossy pages, hardback covers, pull-out and pop-up sections, and DVD ROMS. And it’s not just the production values that are so impressive. The artwork, concepts and writing bless us with imaginative stories and beautiful artwork. Leading indy publishers like Accent UK, Murky Depths and Time Bomb Comics offer fabulous titles like Who on Earth Was Thaddeus Mist?, Dead Girls, and Dick Turpin and the Crimson Plague. Add the likes of Brian Talbot’s incredible Grandville series and Paul Scott’s consistently inventive Omnivistascope—any one of which boasts more innovation than most of Marvel and DC’s uninspiring cross-overs and movie tie-ins that drown the shelves at your local comic shop—and the UK’s Soft Power ascendency is very much in evidence.

But Andrew Marr’s radio program made me wonder if this invention and craft were enough in the face of these austere times. As rewarding as it is to read these beautiful examples of small-press publishing, do they offer the same fiscal rewards to their creators? And how badly had the UK’s economic downturn effected our indy scene?

“Well […] to even think about starting a business you need optimism in gargantuan proportions, and a bottomless wallet,” says Terry Martin of The House of Murky Depths, award-winning publishers of such titles as I Dream of Ants, Going to the Moon and Probably Maybe Perhaps. “You hear tales of small press publishers mortgaging their houses, and I could have saved up and been able to buy a brand new BMW with what The House of Murky Depths has cost me, but we struggle on with our dreams. Marketing is the downfall of the small press—we just don’t have the budgets—and social media isn’t all it’s cracked up to be for the majority who try to use it for promotional purposes, unless you just hit lucky. High quality limited editions still seem the best bet for small press, but then production costs are higher and margins lower. The downturn has certainly a lot to answer for but I think it’s always going to be difficult for small press publishers. We still struggle on with paper too, when online content is beating us down. Bottom line? If there hadn’t been a recession there’d be a lot more comics around but we probably wouldn’t be that much better off.”

So it could be easy to dismiss the effects of the downturn as—for the small press at least—as something of a culling process, an economic filter that shields conventions like Thought Bubble from a greater glut of indy titles. Could it even be said to aid the average publisher by the simple process of eliminating some of the competition? This would certainly seem to be the case with FutureQuake Press, an indy publisher which continues to enjoy success with titles such as Something Wicked, FutureQuake and 2000AD fanzines Dogbreath and Zarjaz.

“This year is a little down on previous,” says editor Dave Evans, “so the economic situation may well be a factor there, but before this year sales have been on a steady growth since we first started publishing back in 2005. Granted, the actual turnover is low, but until this year we experienced growth, and for all I know this year may well just show the start of the sales reaching a rough balancing point.”

Dave West, editor and co-founder of Accent UK also offers this insight: “The downturn has effected sales in stores more than anything else. Retailers seem to buy fewer of our titles these days and I think this is due to the huge number of Watchmen Prequels, 52s and AvX or whatever Marvel are coming up with at the moment. At Cons we are getting more and more customers, new and repeat, and sales are usually better than the same Con the previous year.”

So, whilst it appears that conventions like Thought Bubble are vital to indy sales, Terry Martin maintains it isn’t quite that clear cut. “It’s very difficult for those of us who have tables at conventions to fully appreciate their success or otherwise,” he states, “particularly if you’re the only bod manning the tables. We tend to gauge success purely by our sales, and one dealer can do well while the next dealer has a bummer.”

As real as the effects on the recession on the indy scene are, therefore, they do not appear to be insurmountable. Yes, economic reality dictates that retailers like Travelling Man and Forbidden Planet must dedicate the majority of the shelf space to big selling titles featuring the likes of Batman and the Avengers, but this does not spell the end for the indy scene. Conventions like Thought Bubble, Hi-Ex and Kapow! give the small press a priceless shop window to display their wares and attract new readers … and the small press seizes this opportunity with both hands. As I saw at Thought Bubble, indy publishers are stepping up their game and transforming the small press beyond all recognition, and that can only be good for not only the consumer, but the creators also. Anybody who harbours any ambition of breaking into the comics industry at the grass roots level now knows the bar is set very high indeed, with a level of professionalism undreamt of by the likes of Eastman and Laird. And that can only be a good thing for publishers and punters alike. And whilst the small press, by definition, may make only the tiniest contribution to the UK’s Soft Power, it is a microcosm of the greater imagination and passion that has propelled our country to the top of the pile. And as a writer and contributor to the indy scene, that makes me feel very proud.

If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

Their Law: A review of the "Judge Minty" fan film ... and why it's better than "Dredd"

My name is Paul L Mathews, and I’m a Judge Dredd fan … and a fan film has finally done justice to the character I love.

I’ve been reading 2000AD for the best part of three decades now, and, naturally, Judge Dredd is amongst my favourite characters in the comic. Imagine, therefore, my excitement when I saw this trailer for something called the Judge Minty Fan Film:-

I mean, c’mon, that things got it all right? Judges, Lawmasters and the coolest rendition of Mega-city One you’re ever going to see on screen, fact. Hell, there’s even a reference to Rowdy Yates Block, for Grud’s sake. Surely, I thought, this is in with a shot of being the best rendition of the Dredd universe committed to screen. And now, some four months on, having finally seen Judge Minty, I have my answer. My suspicions are confirmed, and judgement is served…

… But first a short interlude. Between seeing the trailer for Judge Minty and the film proper, I saw its big-screen cousin Dredd … and I hated it.

(Fair warning: if you like Dredd, or don't want to read any SPOILERS, you might want to look away now ‘cos it’s about to get ugly).

I had initial misgivings when I first saw the poster, publicity shots and trailer, and the film only confirmed my initial fear: Dredd is not a Judge Dredd film. Yes, it features a man called Dredd, who acts like Dredd, and who dispenses justice like Dredd … but, well, it just isn’t the Judge Dredd I grew up with.

For a start, that sure as hell doesn’t look like him. From the bulky body-armour to the supersized helmet, the Judges’ uniforms in Dredd are just as generic as the movie’s vision of Mega-City One. Looking for the soaring towers, sked-ways and flying traffic captured by the likes of Ezquera, Bolland and McMahon. Tough. Dredd’s vision of Mega-City One looks like nothing more than Johannesburg with a few CGI blocks imposed on it. Have a fondness for the the ‘Drokks’ and ‘Stomms’ used by the characters in the source material? Unlucky, ‘cos they’ve been dropped for liberal doses of ‘hard-hitting’ expletives like ‘fuck’ and ‘shit’. And as for the violence… Well, I know a lot of people—and people whose opinion I genuinely respect—say Dredd perfectly encapsulates the mood and feel of the titular hero and his unique city, but I disagree. Dredd was nothing more than an average dystopian sci-fi with Joe and Cassandra crammed into it, and which tried to distract its audience from its lack of authenticity—and, indeed, excitement—with oodles of bloodshed and needless gore more suited to the pages of Action comic than 2000AD. How can this possible be mistaken for the genuine article? Where is John Wagner’s wry humour or sly commentary on contemporary culture? Or McMahon and Ezquerra’s visual creativity and flare? Maybe they left it on the cutting room floor, ‘cos I couldn’t see it. It was also completely devoid of any tension. Not once did I get the impression Joe or Cassandra were in any kind of trouble, and that had a lot to do with a piss-poor choice of villain. I mean, c’mon, Ma-ma? With all the classic villains Joe’s faced, they seriously couldn’t do better than a drug dealer with a few bent coppers on her payroll? It’s barely credible. Hell, even the derided Stallone effort made a good fist of the Angel Gang, for Jovis’ sake!

Suffice to say, I left the cinema with a bitter taste in my mouth, and that taste—not to mention some trepidation—was still there when I sat down this week to watch Judge Minty. Could this, a short film with a tiny budget, really capture the unique essence of the comic? Could it do justice not only to Joe and his city, but also to the anticipation created by its trailer?

Yes, it could. And then some.

Let me be blunt about this; Judge Minty rocks, and it doesn’t just rock as a Judge Dredd film; it's a prime example of short, punchy and economical film-making. In a week I also saw the overlong and cumbersome Skyfall—which took a full 143 minutes to leave me feeling bored and unsatisfied—Judge Minty took only 25 to intrigue, amaze and exhilarate me. Yes, the plot is simplistic and, yes, it covers ground—and themes—already familiar to any Judge Dredd reader, but it’s no worse for it. And what it gives away in this department it more than makes up for in all others, from direction and camera to props and wardrobe. How a film with this budget has achieved such results is astonishing, and speaks volumes for the obvious devotion to the subject matter felt by all those involved. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the costume and prop designs of Daniel Carey-George, with the Lawmasters and Judges’ outfits deserving particular praise. Not only is the design of Judges’ uniform true to the source material, but it allows the actors to move about with speed and fluidity. Better still, they just look right.

Furthermore, Judge Minty’s excellence revolves around one thing, without which all this eye-candy could easily have been crusty make-up on a Sump-ugly tart; and that one thing is actor Edmund Dehn.

Dehn—cast in the titular role of the aging Judge Minty—perfectly captures a man struggling against the physicality of his advancing years, and hitherto liberal notions of appeasement and understanding. Contrast this with Dredd, where Karl Urban conveys little more than a man struggling against a flimsy script and an overly large helmet. And whilst Dredd lacks any hint of tension or emotional gravitas (yes, Joe gets shot blah blah blah, but, as with all heroes in a franchise, we know he’s going to survive, right? And Anderson—no matter how hard both the script and actress may try—can’t take up the slack either. Who really didn’t anticipate she’d survive and earn her full shield?) I spent the entirety of Judge Minty, however, expecting the hero to die, and the resulting tension as he fights his age, his environment and his delightfully visualised adversaries is augmented by a blended performance from Dehn which mixes determination, fear and a suprising melancholia which I felt gave Minty a subtle vulnerability. I truly haven’t felt that level of anxiety for a central character in any of this year’s blockbusters, and that includes the vaunted The Dark Knight Rises.

In conclusion, Judge Minty is the quintessential Judge Dredd film. It perfectly encapsulates the mood and feel of Wagner and Ezquerra’s unique creation, and the equally unique Mega-City One and its surrounding Cursed Earth. It is also a wonderful, bite-sized piece of sci-fi drama which will exhilarate, engross and surprise, and I feel both grateful for the cast and crew for creating it, but also thankful I’m one of the few who—to date—has seen it. I only hope more 2000AD fans are allowed the opportunity to see it, and they too enjoy it as much as I did.

If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

I Remember Now

Um. Hi.

I'm sorry if this all sounds a little vague, but I don't quite remember what this entry is supposed to be about. I know it had something to do with release of issue #18 of the award winning Murky Depths magazine. I'm also pretty sure I wanted to mention the fact you can get this latest issue and any other of your choice for only £10.00 (that's right. £10.00. Bargain!)

But there must have been another reason. I mean, let's face it, every other entry on this blog exists so I can blow my own trumpet. Why would this post be any different? Maybe issue #18's contents list contains some clues. Let's see...

Oh! What's this? It contains a 4 page steampunk comic entitled I Don't Remember, as written by myself and drawn by artist Dylan Williams? Ahhh! Now I remember. That's what I wanted to say:-

Issue #18 of Murky Depths. I'm in it. Buy one. And another issue of your choice for only £10.00. It's a bargain. And don't you forget it.


If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

The Magical Mystery Tour

Hello and welcome aboard this whistle-stop tour of what's new(ish) in the Paul L Mathews' House of (Recycled) Ideas.

Looking to our right we can see that, since my last entry, the latest edition of the magnificent Murky Depths magazine includes my comic strip Desire, as drawn by the jazzy James McLean. Previous visitors will know that Murky Depths won last year's British Fantasy Society's award for Best Magazine/Periodical, and issue #17 shows exactly why. Edited by Terry Martin, Murky Depths is a mixture of comics and illustrated prose featuring zombies, demons, bullfighting and black flatworms amongst a whole load of other weird shit. All that and the stunning Dead Girls comic strip by Richard Calder and Leonardo M Giron. Well worth £6.99, don't you think?

To our left, we can see Polish sci-fi mag Nowa Fantastyka have released a Polish translation of my Victorian fantasy Weak. The tale of a fatally ill sorcerer and his wife as they attempt to evade a relentless killer, Weak has yet to be published in English. So, unless you speak Polska, you'll have to take my word that it's really really good...and read the English version in my forthcoming anthology Ten Cobbler's Tales.

Looking ahead, that purveyor and publisher of fine anthologies, Accent UK, is due to release both their Predators and Zombies 2 collections in short order. One of these tomes includes my WWII comic Clean, as drawn by the prodigious Pedro Lopez, and the other my one-pager iZombie, as drawn by the devilish David Golding.

A little further down the road... Can you see there, just toward the end of 2011? The beautiful Mirror Dance e-zine is scheduled to publish my historical fantasy Little Sister (Romans, alchemists and and golems! Oh my!) and issue #18 of Murky Depths will include my steampunk comic I Don't Remember. If that isn't enough for your inner maschocist, you may also wish to check out the forthcoming Mythos Dossiers RPG supplement. Released by Cubicle 7, it's a weird and wonderful collection of source material and background information for their excellent The Laundry Role Playing Game (itself based on the works of Charles Stross and HP Lovecraft). It also includes a bucket load of material by me! That's right folks, I've been let loose in a Lovecraftian sandbox. Oh, the tentacled lack of humanity!

And that concludes tonight's tour. I hope you've enjoyed your short stay with us, and we look forward to you travelling with the Paul L Mathews House of (Recycled) Ideas again in the near future. I know you had a lot of other blogs to choose from this evening, and I thank you for choosing mine.



If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

A Taste of Things to Come

Recently my partner-in-crime David Miles Golding and I collaborated on a one-off publication for San Diego Comic Con. Entitled Tales of Dynamic Adventure, it showcases not only Dave's incredible artwork with a fabulous collection of sketches, but also two short comics drawn by Dave and written by yours truly.

By chance Ain't It Cool News got hold of a copy. Their subsequent review, as seen on their world-famous website, went a lot like this:-

"Those of you lucky enough to pick up this little ditty at SDCC this year know what I mean when I say that the artist & writer featured in this book are definitely going places. This is more of a sketchbook with two short stories
than anything, but it is a perfect sample of the awesome talent of the gentlemen who put this book together.

Artist David Golding, who I’ve seen mature into an amazing artist in Dare Comics’ THE HUNTER and STARMAKER LEVIATHAN books shows here with his “Pardus: The Last of the Leopard Men” strip that he can do pulp just as well as he can do the cosmic. Pardus is an amazing jungle man character and this short story is overflowing with teeth-gnashing action and art that pops off the page and slaps you in the face. “Legendary Gods” written by Paul Mathews and drawn by Golding is a Kirby-ian tale of a cosmic conqueror in search of a world to overthrow. This book is old school comic booking and those who love those old NEW GODS and other Kirby greats will love all of the winks and nods to this type of story. There’s even a very cool TWILIGHT ZONE-like twist at the end which caused me to chuckle.

The rest of the book serves as a sampler of sorts with many character designs and pin-ups by Golding. Some we see the evolution of both the character and the artist’s style through the years. I fully believe that in the coming years, we’re going to be seeing a lot of David Golding’s stuff. The pages in this book look simply outstanding. "

If you'd like your very own copy of the limited edition Tales of Dynamic Adventure then please don't hesitate to e-mail me for details. Each and every one will include a unique sketch of any character of your choosing by Dave. You won't be disappointed. Just ask Ain't It Cool News...



If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

Flesh for Fantasy: A mini interview with Jonathan Green

A freelance writer, Jonathan Green has written for the likes of Games Workshop, Abaddon Books, and the Fighting Fantasy series of adventure gamebooks. His other credits include not only non-fiction books but stories and gamebooks featuring popular characters such as Doctor Who and Sonic the Hedgehog.

PLM: Having written novels and short stories for the likes of Games Workshop and Abaddon as well as Fighting Fantasy books for Wizard Books, how does the challenge of writing an adventure gamebook differ from writing a conventional piece of prose?

JG: In some ways, writing an adventure gamebook is easier than writing long form fiction. Characterization is more straightforward, because other than the protagonist (who is the reader anyway) characters appear only very briefly. Also, psychologically you’re only ever writing a few hundred words at a time, per section, rather than several thousand words for one chapter.
The other thing I like about gamebooks (because I’m quite an indecisive individual) is that you can include every option of what could happen and what you would like to appear within a book.
However, plotting gamebooks is another challenge altogether. Then there’s balancing the game play and the whole muddling up the sections to accommodate clues, puzzle answers and illustrations evenly spaced throughout the finished book.

PLM: One assumes from the number of titles you’ve written for Abaddon and Wizard that you that you have a strong relationship with them. How important is it for writers to develop such a relationship their clients?

JG: I would like to think I have good relationships with all the various publishers I’ve worked for. If you want to make writing your living, then I think it’s very important to develop strong relationships with those who are likely to employ you. Partly because if people know you’re easy to work with and can take criticism well, and meet deadlines (although that last one isn’t always my strongest area), quite simply they’re going to be more likely to come back to you again in the future.
An example of this is that having written my Doctor Who Decide Your Destiny gamebook The Horror of Howling Hill, the editor I had worked with on that title approached me to write a Clone Wars DYD which became Crisis on Coruscant.

PLM: I understand you were a full-time teacher when you first started writing. How long did you wait before leaving your previous profession and becoming a full-time writer? Was it a difficult decision?

JG: Technically, when I started writing I was a full-time student. My first book was published when I was still at university. When I left uni I had a go at being a freelance writer for two years, doing supply teaching to pay the rent. However, I did end up teaching full-time for twelve years. I’ve been a full-time for two years now.
There was a fair bit of soul-searching involved in the decision to give up because I now have a young family. However, as a friend of mine said ‘You’ll never lie on your death-bed wishing you hadn’t given it a go’ and although things haven’t always been easy, I’ve never regretted the decision.

PLM: How challenging was it to balance the rigours of such a demanding job with the time required to get your writing career off the ground?

JG: Very hard. I would be in work for just after seven, leave about eleven hours later, then put the children to bed, have something to eat, do what school work I had to do for the next day and only then could I sit down to write – when I was feeling completely knackered.
And then the weekend came along and that was family time and everything else that’s involved in keeping house and home together.
While I was teaching I was writing one or two books a year. Now it’s about five plus various other projects.

PLM: And, finally, what advise can you offer nascent writers in a similar situation?

JG: If you want to be a writer you need to write – everyday. There’s no point talking about wanting to be a writer unless you’re prepared to put the work in. And you should read everything you can, and not just the sort of thing you want to write either. And develop a very thick skin, ready for all the times people reject your stuff. Oh, and good luck!


If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

War of Words: A mini interview with Dan Abnett

As a writer I've always wanted to be able to tell stories in different genres and in a variety of media. So, looking for a few tips and an insight into the mentality required, I approached one of the UK's most successful genre writers, Dan Abnett.

An industry veteran with more than twenty years experience in books, comics and audio plays, Dan Abnett has written for high-profile publishers like Marvel, DC, 2000AD and Games Workshop. His most successful creations to date include 2000AD's Sinister Dexter and Games Workshop's Eisenhorn trilogy.

PLM: How long had you been writing before you made your professional debut with Marvel UK.

DA: I’d always done it as a kid and a teenager. It was my ‘hobby’ - writing stories and drawing pictures (or doing both at the same times a hand drawn comics).

PLM: Whilst you’ve enjoyed very obvious success since then, were there darker days when it wasn’t apparent where the next cheque was coming from? How did you deal with these fallow periods?

DA: When you’re a freelancer, there are always tight times, especially in the early days. You work through them. You use the time to develop possible material of your own, and you pound shoe leather (metaphorically, usually, but on the phone and email) to develop contacts and find new lines of commission.

PLM: You now work for a variety of publishers including Marvel, DC, Rebellion and Games Workshop. Is it challenging switching genres and disciplines to meet the needs of these diverse employers?

DA: Yes, it can be, and it might not suit everybody. I find it keeps me fresh, and allows me not to get ‘stuck’ into one thing for so long it goes stale. Variety, as they say, is the spice of life...

PLM: With reference to your forthcoming titles from Angry Robot, how does working on our own original fiction differ from working on titles in a pre-defined universe like Games Workshop’s?

DA: It’s not all that different, actually, you simply have to set the rules yourself rather than follow someone else’s. It’s still a set of rules to work by, and it’s still a world that’s got to function and operate properly.

PLM: Finally, you’re a very prolific writer. Can you tell us an insight into how much time you spend at your desk each day to make your deadlines? And what do you do if you find your flow interrupted by, say, writer’s block or illness?

DA: I get to my desk between six and seven, work through until a lunch around twelve-thirty, and then again through until about six. Sometimes I do a morning or afternoon during a weekend too. I used to pull evenings and all-nighters, but I gave that up because I never used to see any of my family. It was also not a good idea getting over-tired when my epilepsy kicked in (I developed late-onset epilepsy last year). Writer’s block you simply have to write through. It may be something else you write to get the cogs moving, but that’s the only way.

PLM: Thank you very much indeed, Dan.

Dan Abnett's first work of original fiction, Triumff: Her Majesty's Hero was released in 2009 by HarperCollins' Angry Robot imprint. You can keep up to date with all Dan's future releases at both his website, and his blog.


If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

The Future: A mini interview with Dave Evans

Rejections are not only part and parcel of being a writer, but also of being an editor. I was curious to get an insight into what makes an editor choose one story over another, so I asked Dave Evans...

Dave is the editor of small press publisher FutureQuake, which publishes leading ttitles like Something Wicked, FutureQuake and MangaQuake. He is also the editor of 2000AD [Britain's leading sci-fi and fantasy comic] fanzines Zarjaz and Dogbreath




PLM: Why and when did you first begin work on FutureQuake, and has your role become more challenging since FQP took over the likes of Zarjaz and Dog Breath?

DE: FutureQuake began when Arthur Wyatt [FQ's founder] was trying to get work on 2000AD. He kept all his rejected ideas and decided to put them out himself. I first became involved in 2004 when I was asked to provide the artwork for a story that ran in FQ03. That story was written by a chap named James Mackay, with whom I had produced some Judge Dredd Fan fiction for the 2000AD Online website (now known as Barney). After FQ03 Arthur decided to stop as he was preparing to flee the country as a tax exile for the money he made in SPress.

James Mackay contacted me in October-or-November 2004 to ask if I would join him in picking up the reins from Arthur and carrying on. Along with also new editor Richmond Clements we started work and FQ04 launched at Bristol 2005.

As for the changing challenge since taking over Dogbreath and Zarjaz: It is difficult to say. There is a massive difference between the two sets of titles, with FQ being much more difficult due to the desire to produce the best comic we can. Zarjaz and Dogbreath are immense fun; we all get to play with these incredible toys that Tharg has given us, and as long as we don't go too far we are free to do as we please. My biggest problem with Zarjaz and Dogbreath is sharing: I want to keep it all to myself!

PLM: What are the highs and lows of your position at FQP? For instance, I'm sure that for every gem you discover you have to sort through a lot of dross...

DE: Highs: The first time I saw FQ04 in the box at the printer. I doubt anything can top that first issue for emotional impact for me.

Seeing the cover to FQ06 in the pages of the Megazine. An immense sense of pride seeing that, especially as I designed the character and had the initial plot ideas that were developed into the strip.

Getting TWO strips in as part of the Small Press section in Judge Dredd Megazine [2000AD's sister publicatiob]. As far as I'm aware we were the only team to get away with that.

There are loads of other things I could say. Having big name creators stop by and talk to us about contributing, meeting childhood heroes and finding them a pleasure to drink with, really it is a most rewarding pastime.

Lows: Personally I wish we sold more: not just for financial reasons, but because there is some simply amazing work in each an every issue and it is a crime that these guys and girls aren't getting paid.


PLM: What is you look for in a story? What makes a successful submission to FQ?

DE: That is difficult to say, as each of us on the editorial team will often see something different in every script. Ideally for me I want to read a script that keeps me guessing till the end. If I work it out on page 1 then I lose interest unless the writing is very good.

PLM: Matt Smith of 2000AD has stated in the past that Britain only produces one good writer per year. Is this a theory you subscribe to?

DE: Matt knows what he's talking about: after all he is Tharg's mouthpiece on this planet. Many writers that have appeared in the pages of 2000AD have their roots in SPress: Al Ewing, Arthur Wyatt, Alec Worley, Michael Carroll, and probably more that I can't think of right now, have all worked on SPress titles. The chance to have scripts in print and get feedback from peers is a great way to learn and progress ready to try out for Tharg.

PLM: And finally, what does the future hold for both you and FutureQuake? Do you, for instance, keep a covetous eye on Matt Smith's job should he ever move on?

DE: The Future? Heh, more comics. FQ is hopefully going to be three times a year for the next year or so, to capitalise on the Hi-Ex convention in Inverness that is co-run by my good compadre Richmond Clements (http://www.hi-ex.co.uk/) as well as new issues for MangaQuake and Something Wicked alongside Dogbreath & Zarjaz.

As for Tharg's avatar: he has my email. Let's just leave it at that.

PLM: Thanks, Dave.


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Still in Love

Valentines Day 2010 marks the third birthday of The Valentine Chronicles...and no birthday is complete without gifts, right? And no, I don't mean chocolates or flowers. I'm talking a really, really cool gift...

As with last year's Valentine's Day celebration, I'm very proud to present the Chronicles's brand new gallery, which features sketches and artwork by some of the UK's best talent, including:-

Alan Davis (ClanDestine, Excalibur, Marvelman)
Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy, Judge Dredd, New Statesmen)
Sean Phillips (Marvel Zombies, Hellblazer, Third World War)
Jon Hodgson (Dragon Warriors, Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering)
Staz Johnson (Civil War: War Crimes, Catwoman, Detective Comics)
David Hitchcock (Gothic, Springheeled Jack, Spirit of the Highwayman)
Dylan Teague (Judge Dredd Megazine)
James McLean (Quarry Grove, Beowulf, M.A.S.K.)

Also I'm thrilled to announce rising Filpino star Dexter Wee (Swerve, The Reserves, Anna Chronistic) has graced the gallery with a fantastic sketch of the Witch of Bleakwinter!

As ever, all this good stuff is FREE, and on a site devoid of ads and pop-ups. Now that's what you call a Valentines present!



If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

Mister Writer: A mini interview with Paul Cornell

Best known for his work on Doctor Who and Bernice Summerfield, British writer Paul Cornell is now making his mark at Marvel Comics. His work can currently be seen in new titles Black Widow: Deadly Origin, Dark X-Men, and The Indomitable Iron Man.


PLM: Can I start by asking you at what age you decided you'd like to be a writer, and what inspired that decision?

PC: I was eighteen, and I'd just flunked my first term of astrophysics at UCL and left the course. I had no other way to earn money, so I had to turn my hobby into my profession. I think being flung in the deep end like that is a very good way for a young writer to learn quickly, but I wouldn't encourage it.

PLM: So how did you cope with the pressures of turning that hobby into a hard cash? How long did it take to start earning something like a healthy crust?

PC: It was about six years before I started selling anything meaningful.I lived in poverty, basically, helped by the Enterprise Allowance scheme.

PLM: During the time you were struggling, did you have a mentor figure to guide you through the vagaries of writing, or have you relied purely upon talent and your own natural evolution as a writer?

PC: I think my earliest mentor was Hilary Salmon at the BBC, who tried very hard to get me writing something else that could be made after my early competition win. Then Steven Moffat came along, and introduced me to his producer then, Sandy Hastie. Through her I met Russell Davies, and everything went from there, really. Moffat's responsible for a lot!

PLM: And what were the best bits of advice they gave you?

PC: I couldn't pin particular advice to particular people, but I think the best thing I was ever told was to listen and change when someone gave you reasons they'd rejected a particular piece. Someone who goes 'no,you see, what I was trying to do...' is delayed the point where they can start being a writer.

PLM: So, almost two decades and God knows how many words later, having worked on the likes of Doctor Who, Captain Britain & MI-13, and Black Widow: Deadly Origins, you're now in the position where you've been labelled as the man who might 'lead...the next British invasion of writers in Amercian comics'. Do you have any parting words for those just beginning their career, or struggling to progress, which might help or inspire them to reach the same levels of success?

PC: Well, I sum it up in one line: 'listen when an editor tells you why they've turned down your story, do not make excuses, change as a result of what you hear.' And it's also true to say that, while it's very difficult to succeed, it is possible, and showing up for every opportunity and keeping on trying is the only way it happens.

PLM: Thank you very much indeed, Paul.

Please join me in a toast to Paul. I've had the pleasure of meeting Paul (albeit briefly!) a few times now, and he really is a fabulous chap. You can follow his success on his website.




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Hero: a tribute to the late Edward Woodward

This post probably doesn't belong here. It is an entry concerned with neither the technical aspects of writing, or the grind, or advice from illustrious peers. It is a tribute to a hero who passed away today.

From Moorcock and Williams Blake's bat-shit unity of vision, to the lyrical narratives of Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Tom Waites, and Barry Adamson, many men have influenced the type of writing I do, but very few have influenced the type of characters I use. Edward Woodward was one such man.

Pretty much every project I've conceived has had one archetype in there somewhere. He may or may not be a major character, but somewhere amongst all the lunatics, thieves, deviants, murderers and rapists there'll always be The Decent Man. Sure, his name is always different, but he's easy to spot once you know who you're looking for. He'll have a shot of Harry Morant's barely contained outrage, a dash of David Callan's social disposition, and a healthy dose of Robert McCall's wearied inability to escape his 'trade'. He'll always be over the hill, have few friends, and maybe even have something of the pathetic about him, but he'll always pursue what's right...or fight tooth and claw against the powers that make him do otherwise. Compared to most of the other self-serving freaks and schemers that litter my work, that makes him a rarity.

And why does this Decent Man occupy my work? Well, words like 'Towering' and 'Masterful' are often misused when applied to actors, but not in Edward Woodward's case. When I first saw him in Breaker Morant, he blew me away. I was so used to laconic, laid-back American actors like Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford, that this British man--with his gravitas and authority--was unlike anything I'd seen with the possible exception of Bond or Obi Wan. Woodward was so much more intense. Morant was intense. Callan was intense. McCall was...well, The Equalizer was the first TV series I became truly hooked on, and all because of the boiling rage of Robert McCall. This wasn't some cool-hand rogue or vigilante who kissed the girls and killed the baddies with a yanky drawl and a sense of boredom. This was a man who railed at the world and kicked against it with a British accent and a scathing fury. This was my type of hero.

The Morant/Callan/McCall hybrid will always be there in my work, but sadly Edward Woodward is no longer with us. All I can do is thank him, because he shaped a unique aspect of my output, and occupies a unique place amongst the pantheon of men who will always be an influence to me. I only hope I can do that influence some justice.

Edward Woodward, I salute you, and, more then that, I thank you.

If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

Running in the Family: A mini interview with Leah Moore and John Reppion

As a new/struggling writer, I'm always intrigued to learn how the big names go about their trade. So, I contacted one of the comic-book industries best known duos--Leah Moore and John Reppion--to ask them.

PLM: I think I'm right in saying you only had a Tesla Strong short in Terrific Tales to your names when you both decided to pack in your day jobs and start writing your first Wild Girl mini-series for Wldstorm. What made you go for it in such a big way? That must have required serious cahoonas!

Leah: I had done a Solomon story for Terrific Tales #5, and a Paul Saveen story for Tom Strong #19 so I only had 16 pages of comic under my belt at that point… Yes, looking back it does seem slightly premature to pack in the day job and go for comics all the way. Our rationale was that with both of us working different hours at our part time day jobs, there wouldn’t end up being much time where we were both together, and we wouldn’t get much work done that way. We were really new to the whole process and we were still really cautious at all the different stages of writing the issues, so they took ages to write. If we hadn’t given up our jobs I doubt we’d have got all 6 issues of Wild Girl even written!
The other factor is that the dollar to pound exchange rate was pretty good back then, and Wildstorm page rates are pretty good anyway, so the money from doing an issue of Wild Girl seemed like plenty to live on at that point, compared to our part time wages anyway. Then the pound went into freefall and we had to learn to write faster, which can only be a good thing, and now we are faster, and the rate is pretty much what it was in Wild Girl days, so all worked out okay in the end. Scary looking back on it though!

PLM: I'm intrigued by the dynamic of co-writing with your partner. I know a lot of couples who can't agree on what to have for tea, never mind what to put into something like Albion or The Whispering Gallery. Do you have many "artistic differences", and, if so, how do you get around them? Do you ever have those uncomfortable "going to bed in silence" moments?

John: We do disagree about work sometimes but really it’s just like the other things you mentioned – eating or going shopping or whatever. We spend about 99% of our lives together and, naturally, we don’t always agree on everything but, for the most part, it’s never anything so huge that we actually end up not speaking to each other. We completely fell into co-writing – it was just a natural thing – so we don’t have any rules or special methods or protocols. We just do it. I don’t think we’ve ever disagreed in terms of a story because we’re both on a very similar wavelength. Most of our disagreements come from a frustration that we’re not able to communicate telepathically.

PLM: It's great to see a pair or writers like yourselves--who are crafting an increasingly respectable resume--taking the time to write for small press anthologies like Accent UK's Monsters and Predators, and to attend not just the big conventions like BIC and Thought Bubble, but small ones like Manchester. What is it that makes you keep in touch with the grass-roots of the industry?

Leah: Well the first thing is always the opportunity to meet and work with new people, and to get involved in interesting projects. I think a lot of people use these criteria but only apply them to paying gigs, but we have always enjoyed putting together small stories for people or going to small events just because it's fun. The people you talk to at a small event are no less likely to figure in your later career than the people you meet at larger events, and to be honest you are more likely to meet people who are relatively unknown in the wider industry and grab a chance to work with them on a little unpaid project before they get scooped up by a big publisher to go and be famous! The short stories we do always let us have a break from the big series we are working on the rest of the time, so they let us relax and stretch different muscles than normal, and it's no bad thing to have a portfolio of different stories in different genres to be able to point people at. We have done some really quirky stories for Accent UK that we would never have had the chance to write otherwise, and now they exist, and people can see what we do when we aren’t under a contract, or being paid to fulfil a brief.

PLM: I imagine working on your own characters is a lot easier than working with established characters like Dracula, the Doctor, Archie and the like. Do you feel any pressure from things like fan expectation and these characters' inherent baggage?

John: There’s definitely pressure and a weight of responsibility when writing a character like Doctor Who but at the same time there’s this vast pre-defined universe that you’re able to draw upon which sort of make things easier. If you’re writing an original character you have to establish everything and you have to try to hook the reader in – keep them interested and wanting to learn more – at the same time as telling your story. I think the most fun we have is when we’re allowed to expand an existing universe like we have with Holmes because you get the best of both: you can nod and wink at all these past cases and characters but, at the same time, you can re-define certain aspects. To be honest though, we always have fun whatever we’re writing – the most important thing is always to find the aspect of the project which interests you the most and concentrate on that. Certainly you want to please fans of Dracula or The Darkness or whatever but you’ve got to be enjoying it yourself as well. People can really tell if you’re not.

PLM: Thank you to you both. I look forward to seeing you at Thought Bubble!

For more information on Leah and John, please visit their website...and marvel at John's marvellous moustache!





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Follow You, Follow Me

I think my life is drawing to a close...

I was driving home the other night, and it suddenly occured to me that I've hit that awkward age where navy blue doesn't seem that bad a colour, Genesis don't seem to be that bad a band after all, and the speed limit is (almost) quite fast enough, thank you. Oh dear. It'll only be another few years and I'll be tootling along country lanes at 15mph followed by a crocodile of angry young men in Suburu Penises and BMW Wankers. They'll be venting their frustration by tooting their horns whilst I remain oblivious in my bobble hat as I hunch over the wheel and piss into a plastic bag. I can't wait.

I'll also be one of those old men who seems to struggle with the most rudimentary of technology. Mind you, I'm not a million miles way from that now. For a man who runs a website, I barely know how to string two bits of HTML together, never mind how an FTP works.

With this in mind, it is with some surprise that I can announce The Valentine
Chronicles (AKA the best British sci-fi the British have never heard of!) now has not only its own Facebook group, but a Twitter thingy as well! Gosh!

Admittedly, I have very little to so with these developments, and all kudos must go to Mister Matthew Birdsall AKA Mr B, or Hellbelly, depending on who you ask. I've known Mr B since I was 9, and he's stuck with me through even the darkest moments in my personal development (Dragonlance, Phill Collins, poncey shirts) to become one of my staunchest supporters. I can honestly say that without the encouragement of mates like Mr B, there wouldn't even be a Valentine Chronicles. He's also a flippin' good photographer. Matt, mate, I salute you.

So, please, show Mr B your appreciation and head over to the Facebook group, and follow The Valentine Chronicles on Twitter. As for me, I'll see you in a few year's time. In my rear-view mirror...


If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

I Love You

It's Valentines Day again, and that means The Valentine Chronicles is celebrating its second birthday. So it's time I gave you a gift or two, right?

Well, how about I give you the conclusion to our current serial, Frozen? And what about a brand NEW gallery, one that features sketches and artwork by some of the UK's best talent, including:-

Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy, Judge Dredd, New Statesmen)
Sean Phillips (Marvel Zombies, Hellblazer, Third World War)
Frazer Irving (Gutsville, The Simping Detective, A Love Like Blood)
Peter Doherty (Batman & Superman: World's Finest, Judge Dredd, Armitage)
Jock (Green Arrow, The Losers, Lenny Zero)
D'Israeli (Stickleback, XTNCT, Lazarus Churchyard)
Dylan Teague (Judge Dredd Megazine)
Wynn Ryder (Cannibal Island, Flight of Moths)
James McLean (Quarry Grove, Beowulf, M.A.S.K.)

Would you like that? And would you like to get all this good stuff, for FREE, on a site devoid of ads and pop-ups? You would? Okay. Take them. They're yours.

Because I love you.



If you have enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation to my preferred charity, the Myasthenia Gravis Association. Thank you.

Do You Love Me?

As ever, Screaming Dreams (the publisher of the fine Estronomicon eZine) is holding its annual Dead of Night Awards, and yours truly is humbled to be included in the list of nominees for "Best Author".

So, if you fancy voting for me, then please e-mail steve[at]screamingdreams[dot]com and let him know. I'll love you for ever if you do. If not, then you can kiss my arse, you snivelling ingrate. ;0)

Exposure

This week sees the release of the latest Twisted Tongue magazine. This latest edition brings you a great article on the evolution of the Valentine Chronicles, detailing the site's initial conception through to the creative juggernaut you see today. Have a gander and you'll see not only the mammoth team effort behind the Chronicles, but also how devilishly handsome the creators are!

If that weren't enough, you also get a corking variety of fiction and poetry from more then FIFTY authors, as well as articles, interviews, and another fine cover from the uber-cool Steve Upham.

As ever, you can download Twisted Tongue for FREE from Lulu, or pay a scant £4.50 for a printed copy.

This is Halloween

As an affect of the peculiar time lag that haunts my blog, I am now able--albeit a week after the event--to announce the Halloween issue of the excellent Estronomicon e-zine features my story Ein Normales Leben.

I urge you to download this fine e-zine and indulge yourself. It is, after all, both completely free AND a damn good read.

Time

I know, I know. I'm late again, aren't I? You came here expecting to hear all about my new course, and how it's changed my writing and transformed me into a god astride the your puny world, right?

Wrong? Probably just as well, because instead you're getting this: a blog about time.

Now, for the word 'blog', you can substitute any of the following: whinge, rant, diatribe, moan, beef, lament, grumble and all the other words my handy Thesaurus can recommend. Because that's essentially what I'm going to do today: complain.

Recently I've stumbled upon a happy place in my work. I'm getting bits and pieces in print (with more on the way!), the Valentine Chronicles continues to gain more and more hits per month, and I'm happy with the way my writing's developing. I've noticed a hardening in that little kernel all writers must nurture; that belief that maybe--after all the rejections and hard work and self-doubt--just maybe, I can make it. It's a belief I hope other writers I admire like Lee Moan and Allyson Bird have discovered: the belief that they can take the next step and make this writing lark a career. Because that's what I'm starting to believe. I could do it, I really could. If only I had the time...

And that's the thing, isn't it? If I didn't have to work do a Normal Job to pay all the bills and loans and mortgages that make a Normal Life, I could just and concentrate on my work. I could produce tale after glittering tale of wonder and daring do. I could write that "third time lucky" novel, or that comic series, or finish the Valentine Chronicles etc. But, dammit, Real Life just keeps getting in the way, doesn't it?

I'm sure this is a barrier all successful writers must overcome... have overcome... and I'm sure that, if I am to succeed, I have to as well. Maybe this is the biggest test? Maybe the next barrier isn't the material I'm producing, but finding the time to produce it?

Only time will tell.

Lead a Normal Life

There are highs and lows to any given pursuit. Be it a leaning toward sporting excellence, a high standard of artistic accomplishment, the satisfaction of a job well done, or the thrill of a well cooked meal, each carries presents us with those days when we throw our hands in the air and decry a cruel and petty world that thwarts our every move.

God knows I'm no stranger to that feeling. From the time I was a young illustrator chasing that Big Break, to my present endeavours as a writer, there have been times I've almost wept with frustration. I've torn up rejection letters in fits of pique, I've hurled abuse at my unsuspecting computer monitor, I've stamped around the house like a petulant child, all the while pulling at what little hair I have left (hey, don't feel sorry for me; it's ginger. the sooner I lose the damn stuff the better). It's at times like those that little voice pipes up in the back of my mind, the one that always ask me if it's all worth it, if I wouldn't be happier leading a Normal Life.

You've heard of the mystical Normal Life, haven't you? One where your moods and outlook aren't so dependant on the opinions, whims, and needs of various editors. One where you can just enjoy a few hours relaxation without feeling guilty because you're not writing. One where those little flashes of inspiration and insight are left safely tucked away in your head and aren't exposed to the indifference and ridicule of others. You know: a kinda... well, boring life.

There are highs and lows to every pursuit, and the highs always make the lows worth while. This past week, for instance, I've been blessed with two bits of great news: two bastions of the UK's proud indie circuit, Twisted Tongue and Estronomicon, want to publish pieces of my work (brand new stories On the Air and Ein Normales Leben, respectively). This, my friend, is what it's all about. The feeling that somebody, somewhere, likes that little idea that you've nurtured, that little flash of inspiration, enough to publish it, to share it with their readers who trust them to entertain and challenge them. That's what it's all about.

Yes, the lows are frustrating, but aren't the highs worth it? Yes, I could lead a Normal Life, but wouldn't that be boring?

Here's to many more lows, and the highs that make them worth it.