MattBrady
08-02-2006, 03:41 PM
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Boom/WoWorlds/WOTW01_FC.jpg" align="right"><i>by Shaun Manning</i>
Often the best stories in sci-fi are those firmly rooted in the human experience, the struggles of ordinary people to overcome extraordinary odds. But that doesn't mean you can't throw in the occasional badass monster-alien. Writer Michael Alan Nelson is carving a name for himself in the genre comics field, with stories in Boom! Studios' <b>Tales</b> anthologies, co-writing <b>X Isle</b> with Andrew Cosby, and taking the helm for Second Wave: War of the Worlds. We had a chance to chat with Nelson about <b>Second Wave</b>, the secret to successful anthologies, and <i>Dingo</i>, the weekly novel.
<b>Newsarama</b>: Starting with your most high-profile project, what can you say about <b>War of the Worlds: Second Wave</b>?
<b>Michael Alan Nelson</b>: It's just a hell of a lot of fun. I have a great time writing it and I hope people have a great time reading it.
The story for <b>Second Wave</b> is actually quite simple. The aliens that died off after attacked us during the War of the Worlds have found a way to protect themselves against our viruses. They begin a second assault on our already ravaged planet and continue with their plan to steal the Earth from us. But the fun is in watching how the characters cope with an unrecognizable world. Most of the characters themselves aren't extraordinary people. Just average people lucky enough - or unlucky enough, depending on your point of view - to have survived the alien attack.
Our main focus is on Miles Walker, a man who would never be thought of as a hero. He's not strong or charismatic and of average intelligence. He's they guy you stand behind in the checkout line whose presence you barely register. But he keeps putting himself in a leadership role because of his need to redeem himself for losing his wife Gina in the first attack.
Of course all of the characters are dealing with some sort of demon. Be it the guilt of surviving, the horror of watching the world die around you or even just the overwhelming pressure of trying to keep a loved one alive for one more day. They all are struggling with more than just the need to escape the aliens' wrath. There's the best friend, Duke, who isn't terribly hip to the idea of Miles helping everyone he meets. The father, James, desperately searching for the insulin that will keep his diabetic daughter, Ronni, alive. Jane, the woman who plans revenge against Miles for the death of her husband. Her daughter, Cora, who has been forced to grow up too fast. Gladys, a secretive older woman who fears nothing and no one. Her stranger and even more secretive "patient" City Parrish. And an autistic boy who always carries a wooden spoon.
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Boom/WoWorlds/wotw02_FC.jpg" align="left"><B>NRAMA</B>: As to the War of the Worlds concept itself, this is a comic book, following the release of a movie, based on a novel made famous by a radio play. Which mythology do you most drawn upon for the backstory of <b>Second Wave</b>?
<B>MAN</B>: <b>Second Wave</b> is definitely based on the mythology of the original story. Everything to date is pretty much based off of that. They have tripods and heat rays, red weed grows, they die off, we win, much merriment ensues. And I wanted to tell the story of what happens next. Even though it takes place in present day and the technology has been updated, it's all based from that original idea, that aliens come and there's nothing we can do to stop them.
<B>NRAMA</B>: The book has undergone a couple format changes since issue #1, going from color to black and white and switching the order of title and subtitle with issue #3. Can you give any insight as to what led up to these changes? What effect, if any, do you feel this has had on the series as a whole?
<B>MAN</B>: The change from color to black and white was an executive decision. Since I'm a newbie and don't have a lot of name recognition yet, I didn't have a built-in audience. So the numbers for my first solo book weren't what we had hoped. Close, but not quite. But Ross Richie really believes in the story and wanted to make sure that the book had a chance to build that audience. He felt that the best way to do that was to keep overhead low. Hence, the switch to black and white. Neither one of us wanted to do it, but we knew that it was the best way to keep the story going until word of mouth grew along with the audience, which thankfully it has. And we're fortunate that Chee's art is so good that it works in B&W.
The change did create some complications with the story though since there are elements of the story that are told through the coloring. I went back and made some dialogue tweaks to address those issues so it won't hinder the story telling process.
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Boom/WoWorlds/wotw4.jpg" align="right">The title change came about for different reasons. Both Ross and I felt that the story was heading off into it's own territory and it was becoming clear that the direction we were headed in was definitely more <b>Second Wave</b> than War of the Worlds. We just felt the title should reflect that.
<B>NRAMA</B>: You've also contributed short stories to Boom! Studios' <b>Zombie Tales</b> and Cthulhu Tales, and have one coming up in <b>Pirate Tales</b> for September. Since you have some stake in the "anthology comic" business, what do you think are the necessary ingredients to get fans to pick these up, as opposed to single-story comics?
<B>MAN</B>: Fortunately for BOOM!, I think the names on the covers of these anthologies are the key ingredients needed to get fans to pick them up. Rogers, Giffen, Waid (sadly, now exclusive with DC), Cosby, Stokes. These are amazing story tellers. Hell, you could put out a book called Sanitation Tales with those guys and you know it's going to be good. But when you marry that kind of talent with interesting concepts like Zombies, Old Ones and Pirates, you can't lose. And what's great about the anthology is that if one story doesn't work for you, you've got five others that most likely will.
<B>NRAMA</B>: What can we expect from your pirate story? Will this be someone well-documented in history or a new creation?
<B>MAN</B>: All the characters in my pirate tale are of my own creation. And I'll be honest, I'm a bit disappointed that I most likely won't be able to visit them again. I had so much fun writing them that I want to tell more of their stories.
But this story is a bit of a departure for me from what I've written in the past. It's a romance. Now, that being said I have to also say that there is more violence and mayhem than you can shake a stick at. There are massive sea battles, swashbuckling swordplay, foul-mouthed pirates and the bittersweet tang of revenge. Oh, and a love letter. It is still a romance, after all.
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Boom/WoWorlds/Dingo.jpg" align="left"><B>NRAMA</B>: Outside of comics, you've also dabbled quite a bit in online publishing. Over on blogspot, you published a weekly-serialized novel titled <i>Dingo</i> ( http://dingonovel.blogspot.com/), which wrapped up in February. Any plans for upcoming novels or short text stories? Are you looking to try something similar with comics?
<B>MAN</B>: <i>Dingo</i> is one of those things that I look at in disbelief. First, because I can't believe that I actually finished a novel. Second because it's pretty damn good. Right now, I'm in the process of sending it off to publishers and, with luck, I hope to have it on bookshelves in the next few years. There's also been interest to turn it into a comic book, though it's all been informal speculation so far. We'll have to wait and see.
I'm also working on a sequel to <i>Dingo</i> right now. It's still in the initial stages and I only have the first chapter and a rough idea of where the story is going, but it's certainly one of my priorities.
I've toyed with the idea of doing a serialized comic, publishing just one page a week. I've always liked the idea of telling a story in small snippets, each one making you impatient for the next installment. Whether it will come to fruition or not is another story, but it's something I'm definitely interested in.
<B>NRAMA</B>: Finally, do you have any projects on the horizon you'd like to get fans revved for?
<B>MAN</B>: Obviously, <b>Second Wave</b>. We've only begun to scratch the surface of what's to come. As for other projects, I've got two that I'm doing with uber genius Andy Cosby: <b>X Isle</b> and <b>Enigma Cipher</b>. These two are titles readers will definitely want to pick up. Uncharted islands, deadly and bizarre creatures, mysterious assassinations, government secrets...how can you go wrong?
<i>Click here (http://www.newsarama.com/Boom/WoWorlds/WoWSecondWavePre.htm) for a preview of <b>Second Wave #1</b></i>
Often the best stories in sci-fi are those firmly rooted in the human experience, the struggles of ordinary people to overcome extraordinary odds. But that doesn't mean you can't throw in the occasional badass monster-alien. Writer Michael Alan Nelson is carving a name for himself in the genre comics field, with stories in Boom! Studios' <b>Tales</b> anthologies, co-writing <b>X Isle</b> with Andrew Cosby, and taking the helm for Second Wave: War of the Worlds. We had a chance to chat with Nelson about <b>Second Wave</b>, the secret to successful anthologies, and <i>Dingo</i>, the weekly novel.
<b>Newsarama</b>: Starting with your most high-profile project, what can you say about <b>War of the Worlds: Second Wave</b>?
<b>Michael Alan Nelson</b>: It's just a hell of a lot of fun. I have a great time writing it and I hope people have a great time reading it.
The story for <b>Second Wave</b> is actually quite simple. The aliens that died off after attacked us during the War of the Worlds have found a way to protect themselves against our viruses. They begin a second assault on our already ravaged planet and continue with their plan to steal the Earth from us. But the fun is in watching how the characters cope with an unrecognizable world. Most of the characters themselves aren't extraordinary people. Just average people lucky enough - or unlucky enough, depending on your point of view - to have survived the alien attack.
Our main focus is on Miles Walker, a man who would never be thought of as a hero. He's not strong or charismatic and of average intelligence. He's they guy you stand behind in the checkout line whose presence you barely register. But he keeps putting himself in a leadership role because of his need to redeem himself for losing his wife Gina in the first attack.
Of course all of the characters are dealing with some sort of demon. Be it the guilt of surviving, the horror of watching the world die around you or even just the overwhelming pressure of trying to keep a loved one alive for one more day. They all are struggling with more than just the need to escape the aliens' wrath. There's the best friend, Duke, who isn't terribly hip to the idea of Miles helping everyone he meets. The father, James, desperately searching for the insulin that will keep his diabetic daughter, Ronni, alive. Jane, the woman who plans revenge against Miles for the death of her husband. Her daughter, Cora, who has been forced to grow up too fast. Gladys, a secretive older woman who fears nothing and no one. Her stranger and even more secretive "patient" City Parrish. And an autistic boy who always carries a wooden spoon.
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Boom/WoWorlds/wotw02_FC.jpg" align="left"><B>NRAMA</B>: As to the War of the Worlds concept itself, this is a comic book, following the release of a movie, based on a novel made famous by a radio play. Which mythology do you most drawn upon for the backstory of <b>Second Wave</b>?
<B>MAN</B>: <b>Second Wave</b> is definitely based on the mythology of the original story. Everything to date is pretty much based off of that. They have tripods and heat rays, red weed grows, they die off, we win, much merriment ensues. And I wanted to tell the story of what happens next. Even though it takes place in present day and the technology has been updated, it's all based from that original idea, that aliens come and there's nothing we can do to stop them.
<B>NRAMA</B>: The book has undergone a couple format changes since issue #1, going from color to black and white and switching the order of title and subtitle with issue #3. Can you give any insight as to what led up to these changes? What effect, if any, do you feel this has had on the series as a whole?
<B>MAN</B>: The change from color to black and white was an executive decision. Since I'm a newbie and don't have a lot of name recognition yet, I didn't have a built-in audience. So the numbers for my first solo book weren't what we had hoped. Close, but not quite. But Ross Richie really believes in the story and wanted to make sure that the book had a chance to build that audience. He felt that the best way to do that was to keep overhead low. Hence, the switch to black and white. Neither one of us wanted to do it, but we knew that it was the best way to keep the story going until word of mouth grew along with the audience, which thankfully it has. And we're fortunate that Chee's art is so good that it works in B&W.
The change did create some complications with the story though since there are elements of the story that are told through the coloring. I went back and made some dialogue tweaks to address those issues so it won't hinder the story telling process.
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Boom/WoWorlds/wotw4.jpg" align="right">The title change came about for different reasons. Both Ross and I felt that the story was heading off into it's own territory and it was becoming clear that the direction we were headed in was definitely more <b>Second Wave</b> than War of the Worlds. We just felt the title should reflect that.
<B>NRAMA</B>: You've also contributed short stories to Boom! Studios' <b>Zombie Tales</b> and Cthulhu Tales, and have one coming up in <b>Pirate Tales</b> for September. Since you have some stake in the "anthology comic" business, what do you think are the necessary ingredients to get fans to pick these up, as opposed to single-story comics?
<B>MAN</B>: Fortunately for BOOM!, I think the names on the covers of these anthologies are the key ingredients needed to get fans to pick them up. Rogers, Giffen, Waid (sadly, now exclusive with DC), Cosby, Stokes. These are amazing story tellers. Hell, you could put out a book called Sanitation Tales with those guys and you know it's going to be good. But when you marry that kind of talent with interesting concepts like Zombies, Old Ones and Pirates, you can't lose. And what's great about the anthology is that if one story doesn't work for you, you've got five others that most likely will.
<B>NRAMA</B>: What can we expect from your pirate story? Will this be someone well-documented in history or a new creation?
<B>MAN</B>: All the characters in my pirate tale are of my own creation. And I'll be honest, I'm a bit disappointed that I most likely won't be able to visit them again. I had so much fun writing them that I want to tell more of their stories.
But this story is a bit of a departure for me from what I've written in the past. It's a romance. Now, that being said I have to also say that there is more violence and mayhem than you can shake a stick at. There are massive sea battles, swashbuckling swordplay, foul-mouthed pirates and the bittersweet tang of revenge. Oh, and a love letter. It is still a romance, after all.
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Boom/WoWorlds/Dingo.jpg" align="left"><B>NRAMA</B>: Outside of comics, you've also dabbled quite a bit in online publishing. Over on blogspot, you published a weekly-serialized novel titled <i>Dingo</i> ( http://dingonovel.blogspot.com/), which wrapped up in February. Any plans for upcoming novels or short text stories? Are you looking to try something similar with comics?
<B>MAN</B>: <i>Dingo</i> is one of those things that I look at in disbelief. First, because I can't believe that I actually finished a novel. Second because it's pretty damn good. Right now, I'm in the process of sending it off to publishers and, with luck, I hope to have it on bookshelves in the next few years. There's also been interest to turn it into a comic book, though it's all been informal speculation so far. We'll have to wait and see.
I'm also working on a sequel to <i>Dingo</i> right now. It's still in the initial stages and I only have the first chapter and a rough idea of where the story is going, but it's certainly one of my priorities.
I've toyed with the idea of doing a serialized comic, publishing just one page a week. I've always liked the idea of telling a story in small snippets, each one making you impatient for the next installment. Whether it will come to fruition or not is another story, but it's something I'm definitely interested in.
<B>NRAMA</B>: Finally, do you have any projects on the horizon you'd like to get fans revved for?
<B>MAN</B>: Obviously, <b>Second Wave</b>. We've only begun to scratch the surface of what's to come. As for other projects, I've got two that I'm doing with uber genius Andy Cosby: <b>X Isle</b> and <b>Enigma Cipher</b>. These two are titles readers will definitely want to pick up. Uncharted islands, deadly and bizarre creatures, mysterious assassinations, government secrets...how can you go wrong?
<i>Click here (http://www.newsarama.com/Boom/WoWorlds/WoWSecondWavePre.htm) for a preview of <b>Second Wave #1</b></i>