The Story Behind The Writing: From The Archive

The Overman Book I is in the new issue of Previews, and we've got a nice full-page ad that should not only knock your socks off, but also prompt you to order a copy from your local comic shop. For retailers, that order code is OCT07 1968. It's really up to retailers to decide what comics they want to carry, and even though we have the support of Image Comics behind us 100%, we still need your help to make sure we're not overlooked in December. We know that The Overman is destined to be a hit, but the only way to make sure that happens is if you help us spread the word about this 5-issue mini-series and ask your local comic shop to carry it. As much as we've plastered this all over the web, it's really just the tip of the iceberg. Weighing in at 32 pages each issue, full color, and NO ads, The Overman should stand out nicely...especially with Shane's stunning, almost iconic-looking cover art. When we displayed a poster sized version of it at WizardWorld Chicago, I noticed that the image is totally recognizable even from a distance. The image of our main character, Nathan Fisher bursting out of an egg-shaped servol-conn unit summarizes the entire story, and is perfectly fitting as the cover of the first issue.

While I'm immersed in writing the follow-up to The Overman, I've been mining the dusty archives in search of anything that I might find useful to the sequel. It's a strange experience sifting through these old scripts, sketches and notes. Most of it dates back nearly 20 years. I'm not much of a pack rat, but for some reason I've always kept these papers stored safely away. I'm glad I did that, because now it gives me something to post here on the blog, while we count down the remaining days until The Overman #1 arrives. Keep in mind that these old script excerpts are NOT what you'll see in the comic; they are early drafts from many years ago, written by a very young and inexperienced writer.

This story has changed significantly over the years, in it's various incarnations. I'm finding that it's still evolving, right up to the very end of the creative process. This week, while proofing Book III, I was compelled to modify a few pages of dialogue. Shane and I have remained pretty diligent in this project, concentrated fully on 'getting it right'. So as much as I hate re-editing or re-writing, I know that all of this work must, in the end, serve the story. I should print that as a credo and tape it above my computer monitor.