MattBrady
07-07-2003, 06:50 AM
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/sangiacomo/Epic2.jpg" width="200" height="304" border="0" hspace="2" align="right"><I>by Mike San Giacomo </I>
<I>This is a weekly look at the process of writing a comic for Marvel’s new Epic line, <b>Phantom Jack</b>, which was to be called <b>Nowhere Man</b> until THE MAN made me change the name.
My story and script about Jack Baxter, a newspaper reporter who can turn invisible, was greenlighted by the powers that be at Marvel. Last week, I reported conflicting instructions from various folks at Marvel about when the reader should learn of Jack’s powers. Armed with that, and some suggestions that Jack needs a little deeper motivation, I was getting ready for another rewrite.</I>
But before that happened...
Even though I had been working on writing and rewriting scripts for <b>Nowhere Man</b>, to be renamed <b>Phantom Jack</b> there was still an air of unreality about it. This became clear when a friend at work said, “Well, are you sure Marvel is going to publish it?”
No, not really.
I mean, we had talked about it very briefly. But I had not found an artist, inker or colorist and Marvel seemed to be in no hurry for me to get to that point. This got me thinking that this could all fall apart at any second.
Then, as if on cue, I got an e-mail from Marvel’s publicity guy Mike Doran asking if I would be available for a press conference on April 15. For a moment I thought it was one of the semi-regular telephone press conferences that Marvel holds. Then I realized what he was saying, the press conference was about Epic and John Jackson Miller and I were to be on the receiving end of the questions.
That was weird.
I agreed and that was the moment that I was sure that Marvel was serious about printing the comic. Cool.
The press conference was as much a learning experience for me as everyone else. When Marvel President Bill Jemas introduced the subject he said that Marvel invited critics from many comic newsites or fansites to try their hand at writing a book. There were more than 150 pitches turned in by critics and other invitees. Almost all were rejected. Miller’s <b>Crimson Dynamo</b> and my <b>Nowhere Man/Phantom</b> Jack were the first two greenlighted. I think more will eventually follow from the original batch of submissions, but at that time it’s just us chickens.
I’m especially amused when some critics, who pitched projects that didn’t make it, now come out swinging the “conflict of interest” bat. I should note here that I still have not seen a dime from Marvel. I look at <b>Phantom Jack</b> as a chance to see how the other half lives, not a vocation. I believe I can walk the fence being a critic and a creator for a few months, much as Peter David, Tony Isabella, Maggie Thompson, Stuart Moore and others have done.
The press conference was pleasant. Miller, whose project was moving ahead like greased lightning, fielded most of the questions. One came from Heidi McDonald who asked Miller if he would consider keeping a blog of his experience writing the book. He quickly said “No.” I could almost hear Newsarama’s Matt Brady’s brain clicking.
Shortly after the press conference, he e-mailed me if I wanted to do what Heidi suggested. Since I was already spending much of my “free” time writing something or other, I declined. Matt persisted, noting that it would be a good way to show potential Epic creators and everyone else who’s interested in what the process may be like, as well as get the word out about the comic. Well, on second thought, maybe I do owe something to the people who will follow me. Ahem. And that is how we all ended up here today.
The best thing to come out of the press conference were e-mails from artists, inkers, colorists and letterers, all wondering if I had a crew lined up. I decided that I would worry about finding an artist first since all the writers I talked to said this was nearly impossible.
Hah, it was a piece of cake.
No, that’s not right, it was a half-dozen pieces of really tasty cakes and I was only allowed to choose one. Mitch Breitweiser was the first person to e-mail me after the press conference had been featured on various websites. He told me about his experience in the field and sent along some samples of his work.
As I have written earlier, Mitch, Jim Muniz and Jun Kim were the three artists in competition for the book. All three contacted me within hours of the press conference. I sent them out a few pages of the script for the first issue and told them to go nuts. I would have been thrilled to have any of them draw the book, and would strongly recommend them to anyone else who needs an artist, but what clinched the deal for Mitch was two things.
He designed this very cool <b>Nowhere Man</b> logo that you see elsewhere on this page and he sent a single sheet drawing of his idea of what Jack Baxter would look like. Keep in mind we had not talked about the look of the character. All he had to go on was the rather sketchy description in the pages I sent him.
He nailed him so perfectly it was almost scary. The original is now at a shop being professionally framed. So here it was, April 18, and I had a press conference and an artist. It’s time to rock and roll. As soon as I finish this last rewrite.
<center><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/sangiacomo/noweherman-logo2.jpg" width="500" height="156" border="0" hspace="2"></center>
NEXT WEEK: Hey, this gets easier….
<I>Mike Sangiacomo, a freelance writer for Newsarama and other sources, was invited to share his experiences with pitching to Epic by Newsarama's editor, Matt Brady, in the interest of keeping readers well informed. Brady advises Newsarama readers that he is aware of the inherent conflict of interest presented by journalists working for a publisher they cover. Sangiacomo's regular column Journey Into Comics has and will continue to be found in the Opinion/Editorial section of Newsarama. Brady has not, nor does he plan to pitch to Epic himself. </I>
<I>This is a weekly look at the process of writing a comic for Marvel’s new Epic line, <b>Phantom Jack</b>, which was to be called <b>Nowhere Man</b> until THE MAN made me change the name.
My story and script about Jack Baxter, a newspaper reporter who can turn invisible, was greenlighted by the powers that be at Marvel. Last week, I reported conflicting instructions from various folks at Marvel about when the reader should learn of Jack’s powers. Armed with that, and some suggestions that Jack needs a little deeper motivation, I was getting ready for another rewrite.</I>
But before that happened...
Even though I had been working on writing and rewriting scripts for <b>Nowhere Man</b>, to be renamed <b>Phantom Jack</b> there was still an air of unreality about it. This became clear when a friend at work said, “Well, are you sure Marvel is going to publish it?”
No, not really.
I mean, we had talked about it very briefly. But I had not found an artist, inker or colorist and Marvel seemed to be in no hurry for me to get to that point. This got me thinking that this could all fall apart at any second.
Then, as if on cue, I got an e-mail from Marvel’s publicity guy Mike Doran asking if I would be available for a press conference on April 15. For a moment I thought it was one of the semi-regular telephone press conferences that Marvel holds. Then I realized what he was saying, the press conference was about Epic and John Jackson Miller and I were to be on the receiving end of the questions.
That was weird.
I agreed and that was the moment that I was sure that Marvel was serious about printing the comic. Cool.
The press conference was as much a learning experience for me as everyone else. When Marvel President Bill Jemas introduced the subject he said that Marvel invited critics from many comic newsites or fansites to try their hand at writing a book. There were more than 150 pitches turned in by critics and other invitees. Almost all were rejected. Miller’s <b>Crimson Dynamo</b> and my <b>Nowhere Man/Phantom</b> Jack were the first two greenlighted. I think more will eventually follow from the original batch of submissions, but at that time it’s just us chickens.
I’m especially amused when some critics, who pitched projects that didn’t make it, now come out swinging the “conflict of interest” bat. I should note here that I still have not seen a dime from Marvel. I look at <b>Phantom Jack</b> as a chance to see how the other half lives, not a vocation. I believe I can walk the fence being a critic and a creator for a few months, much as Peter David, Tony Isabella, Maggie Thompson, Stuart Moore and others have done.
The press conference was pleasant. Miller, whose project was moving ahead like greased lightning, fielded most of the questions. One came from Heidi McDonald who asked Miller if he would consider keeping a blog of his experience writing the book. He quickly said “No.” I could almost hear Newsarama’s Matt Brady’s brain clicking.
Shortly after the press conference, he e-mailed me if I wanted to do what Heidi suggested. Since I was already spending much of my “free” time writing something or other, I declined. Matt persisted, noting that it would be a good way to show potential Epic creators and everyone else who’s interested in what the process may be like, as well as get the word out about the comic. Well, on second thought, maybe I do owe something to the people who will follow me. Ahem. And that is how we all ended up here today.
The best thing to come out of the press conference were e-mails from artists, inkers, colorists and letterers, all wondering if I had a crew lined up. I decided that I would worry about finding an artist first since all the writers I talked to said this was nearly impossible.
Hah, it was a piece of cake.
No, that’s not right, it was a half-dozen pieces of really tasty cakes and I was only allowed to choose one. Mitch Breitweiser was the first person to e-mail me after the press conference had been featured on various websites. He told me about his experience in the field and sent along some samples of his work.
As I have written earlier, Mitch, Jim Muniz and Jun Kim were the three artists in competition for the book. All three contacted me within hours of the press conference. I sent them out a few pages of the script for the first issue and told them to go nuts. I would have been thrilled to have any of them draw the book, and would strongly recommend them to anyone else who needs an artist, but what clinched the deal for Mitch was two things.
He designed this very cool <b>Nowhere Man</b> logo that you see elsewhere on this page and he sent a single sheet drawing of his idea of what Jack Baxter would look like. Keep in mind we had not talked about the look of the character. All he had to go on was the rather sketchy description in the pages I sent him.
He nailed him so perfectly it was almost scary. The original is now at a shop being professionally framed. So here it was, April 18, and I had a press conference and an artist. It’s time to rock and roll. As soon as I finish this last rewrite.
<center><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/sangiacomo/noweherman-logo2.jpg" width="500" height="156" border="0" hspace="2"></center>
NEXT WEEK: Hey, this gets easier….
<I>Mike Sangiacomo, a freelance writer for Newsarama and other sources, was invited to share his experiences with pitching to Epic by Newsarama's editor, Matt Brady, in the interest of keeping readers well informed. Brady advises Newsarama readers that he is aware of the inherent conflict of interest presented by journalists working for a publisher they cover. Sangiacomo's regular column Journey Into Comics has and will continue to be found in the Opinion/Editorial section of Newsarama. Brady has not, nor does he plan to pitch to Epic himself. </I>