Tuesday, May 31, 2022

STRANGER THINGS

My friend, the brilliant Jon J Muth, was going through old files and unearthed this:  an early 90s proposal I wrote for a Phantom Stranger graphic novel. The PS pitch clearly didn’t sell, but the idea evolved into the Mercy graphic novel that was part of the 1993 launch of editor Karen Berger’s Vertigo line. 



Actually, the book didn’t start at Vertigo:  Art Young, Karen’s former assistant, was working for Disney Publishing, tasked with putting together a line of mature readers comics—dubbed Touchmark—and Mercy was originally part of that.  When the Disney line collapsed, Art returned to DC, and brought Mercy—along with several other Touchmark projects—with him.  (Mercy is currently available in a "director's cut" version from Dover Books.)



I have all the early Mercy materials in my files, but no trace of the Stranger pitch.  In fact, I have no memory of writing it and Jon has no memory of it, either.  It’s like it manifested itself from the ethers—which sounds like something the Phantom Stranger would do! 

Monday, May 30, 2022

ALL THINGS COME TO HE WHO WAITS

This Kraven's Last Hunt promo poster went out to comics shops when the story first appeared in 1987. A few years ago, a kind, generous fan gave me his copy—and I've finally framed it. Thirty-five years in the making!


Saturday, May 21, 2022

WHOOPS!

Just a short one to let you know that I'm having a problem replying to comments, so if you leave a comment and don't get a reply, that's why.  Here's hoping I sort this out ASAP. 

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

FAN OF HEROES

I had a wonderful chat with sixteen-year-old Brazilian comic book fan Caio Santucci for his Fan of Heroes podcast—and I was very touched by the fact that this young person, living in another country, was so familiar with my work.  A sweet, smart kid and it was a pleasure talking to him.


PENULTIMATE REILLY

Ben Reilly: Spider-Man #4 is on sale today.  Last month, our villain was revealed as the forgotten clone, Spidercide, and now Ben and his "brother" face off—in strange and unexpected ways. 

One more issue to go! 


  
 

Monday, May 2, 2022

PROSE AND CONS

A short, but happy, post to formally announce that my new novella, a supernatural thriller called The Excavator, is coming soon from the fine folks at Neotext.  The novella will have ten beautiful, haunting illustrations by my friend, and frequent collaborator, Vassilis Gogtzilas.  More details to come!


illustration ©copyright 2022 Vassilis Gogtzilas