Friday update: 16th June 2023 - Signing the Other Side of Never, Witchy podcasts and the horror of Dracula!
My latest news, interviews, a signing tomorrow and more!
Hello there! Every other Friday, I post an update that gives you a round-up of my work, things you might have missed and a few recommendations as well! Let’s dive in!
Work round-up
It’s been a comic-heavy couple of weeks, with a script for a secret project written last week and issue two of Star Wars: The High Republic written, edited and submitted over the last few days.
I’ve been finding a little time for novel work too (crossing the 15,000-word mark) as well as planning for San Diego Comic Con next month.
I’ll be revealing my full SDCC schedule soon, but in the meantime, don’t forget that you can come to the Other Side of Never signing at Forbidden Planet London tomorrow where I’ll be signing alongside fellow short-story writers Paul Finch, Jen Williams, Lavie Tidhar, AK Benedict, Guy Adams, Robert Shearman, Anna Smith Spark and Lauro Mauro, plus editors Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane!
We’ll even be popping for a drink at the nearby Angel pub straight after the signing if you’d like to join us. And how about this for some comic trivia: The Angel was the inspiration for John Constantine’s favourite boozer in the original Hellblazer run, don’t you know! Come and see comic book history!
Video Hangout!
Our next Cav Stars Video Hangout will take place at 8.30pm GMT on Thursday, 29th June.
This is the chance for members of our paid tier to get together on Zoom to ask me questions and also talk about the movies, books, comics and TV shows we’ve been enjoying this month.
Cav Stars, be on the lookout for the Zoom link next week!
Also,, don’t forget that paid subscribers are added to a prize draw every month. This month, the prize is a McFarlane Toys Superman action figure with a signed Black Adam / Justice League comic written by yours truly!
To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is have an active paid sub when the draw is pulled at 5.30pm GMT on Friday, 30th June! Good luck!
Stuff you might have missed
- I chatted with Star Wars Sessions when attending Portsmouth Comic Con a few weekends ago. You can check out the interview here!
- I wrote about why I don’t want to be more machine than man!
- I highlighted some of the doodles I’ve included in paid subscriber purchases from my webstore.
- 2000AD shared the rough, inks and colours of Luke Horsman’s tentacle-tastic cover for 2000AD Prog 2335, which saw the finale of Enemy Earth Book 2!
Things I enjoyed and think you might too…
I binged Radio 4’s Witch podcast in a week, all 13 episodes! So many highlights, from the historical explorations, the impact of magic in the modern world, glimpses into rituals, and, most importantly, the real-life experiences of witches today. My eldest daughter, who shares my interest in all things witchy, is now addicted to it as well.
I also thoroughly recommend ’s detailed and harrowing account of what he went through writing NBC’s 2013 Dracula. I’m not sure ‘enjoyed’ is the right way to describe how I felt reading the lengthy piece. Horrified, maybe?
But there are also a lot of lessons to take from it, as Cole draws out in the second part of the article. The one that really chimed with me (other than ‘follow the money’) was this:
“Because of their feedback, I realized how alone many screenwriters feel in this business, even in writers rooms or when otherwise surrounded by peers. Their negative experiences are consequently internalized, even in success — probably because too often we’re told that discussing them publicly could earn us a negative reputation.”
There has been a lot said about the toxic nature of the writing industry over the last few days, especially in relation to the #comicsbrokeme hashtag, but the truth is we need to be open about what we go through as writers and support each other. The underlying fear is that if we speak out, we will be marked down as trouble-makers and penalized. There need to be more safe spaces where we can talk openly so we realise that we’re not alone and others go through exactly the same thing.
I really hope this newsletter and its surround community can be one such sanctuary!
Fan Art Friday
Loving this action shot of Jedi Padawan Matty Cathley training by Groovy Grayvy, posted in celebration of Pride Month.
And while we’re on the subject of Matty, Mackenzie Roberston customised their copy of Path of Vengeance in the most spectacular way!
They even painted the edges! Outstanding!
That’s all, folks
But before I go, I need to share another subscriber's pet. Meet ’s Rhino, who looks how I’ve felt all week thanks to the heat wave!
If you want your furry, feathered, or even scaly friend featured at the end of one of my updates, post their pic on this thread or reply to this email!
As always, please share this newsletter with anyone you think would enjoy it! I love having you all here!
Stay safe!
PS: Next Tuesday’s free newsletter will be all about Imposter Syndrome, discussing how my struggles with the dratted thing gave birth to one of my most popular characters and top tips on how to combat it! Make sure you’re subscribed to have it slip into your inbox!