Notes from the Field: Last Call

This will probably be the last post from me on this site as there's nothing more to say but "thanks." Especially to those who supported the series and took an interest in =THE OVERMAN=.

As of this past week I've one less skeleton in my closet thanks to everyone at Image, especially Eric Stephenson for trusting the work we were to embark on over these past two years. I really don't know if he knew what he was getting into but with persistant pestering I think I heard him say that, "I think =THE OVERMAN= is really good." At least that's what the 24 track in my head recorded.

For those who missed the series, talk to your LCS I'm sure if they're worth their salt they'll get you copies ASAP!

As for a trade all I can say is keep watching from Image, until the edict is passed down by the good graces of those in power, your guess is as good as mine. Truthfully I think the book would read so much better as a trade. If I had it my way, I'd love to see it as an over-sized hardcover like Casanova...but most likely I will not have my way.

Finally I'd like to thank Scott for relinquishing as much control as he did for me to put imaginary flesh and bones to the story that has been haunting his soul for years. At the very least we're still on speaking terms if only for brief moments as the law will allow.

=s=

The Story Behind The Writing: BOOK V IN COMIC SHOPS APRIL 2.

Today marks the end of a 20-year mission. For those who have followed this blog since its beginning, you'll know that The Overman is a story that has been with Shane and I for a very long time. We've molded this project over the years, into a concept that has been at times frustratingly just out of reach, or completely unattainable due to a variety of factors. But we never gave up on it entirely. In fact, we kept coming back to The Overman, with strange determination and a need to see the story completed. Book V, the final issue, is in comic shops today.

Although this story has ended, there are new things on the horizon, and I'll be writing about them here at http://www.theovermancomic.com/ in the days ahead. I don't want to give too much away just now, but since I've already alluded to a sequel in a couple of interviews and on a forum or two, I might as well mention it again today. Yes, there is a planned sequel to The Overman. I can't say for sure who will draw it, or when it will see print, but I'm currently writing a novelization, and I'm a little over 5,000 words into it. I plan to publish at least some of that novel here. That novel will eventually be turned into a comic script. Beyond that, the only thing I know with certainty is that it won't take 20 years to complete this time around.

Despite these plans, there is a sense of closure happening for me today. I want to thank all of the hardy souls who faithfully followed all 5 issues of The Overman. We received many supportive emails and comments over the last several months, and your enthusiasm is really what kept me going. A special thank you to the folks at Image Comics, who believed in what we were attempting, and gave us this opportunity to reach a larger readership. Lastly, thanks to Shane White, who I'm pretty much indebted to for the rest of my life now. Crap. Seriously, the severity in which Shane threw himself into this project cannot be understated. Even though I wrote this story, Shane White is The Overman, in the same way that Roger Daltrey was Tommy. Simply put, he took my script and owned it. Rock on!

So even though The Overman is, well, over, I'll still be doing what I can to promote this work, among my other projects. I'll be a guest at the Tampa Comic Book & Toy Convention on April 13th. Hope to see you there!

Notes from the Field: The End of the Future is HERE!

This time next week an odyssey of twenty years will finally come to rest and I'm pretty damn glad. I think you will be too, because for those who stuck it out and bought each and every issue...you'll want to go back and reread the whole thing from front to back cover from BOOK I to BOOK V.

WHY? Who said that?

I'll tell you why because perception is a funny thing and repetition is a kind mistress who puts out. In this case particularly you'll be rewarded more than you know. I'm stating this simply out of fact. At first glance the story was off-putting, the characters bizarre arch-types and the world was oddly familiar.

How are they all connected?

They're all connected in the simplest way...but nothing is ever what it seems at first. You see like a magician, we don't want to show you how the trick is done before you've seen it. Likewise the buildup to a good story should lay out and feed the audience bits of intrigue, questions, while keeping all the interesting elements moving forward toward a final resolution. But you know all this...it's just that many other forms of entertainment made you soft, didn't require you to think and become involved.

By the time you finish =THE OVERMAN= BOOK V I truly believe you'll share a unique feeling that only both Scott and myself have experienced reading that last page. We've been alone in this until now and we're quite excited to share the experience with you.

Then again, everyone's interpretation is different. But I guarantee if you reread the entire series, you'll actually see how simple of a story it truly is. No rabbits in the hat, no cards up our sleeves, what you think you witnessed may be just another version of a perceived reality. Hopefully you've found something rewarding in what we've crafted for you.

Let us know right here what you thought.

=s=

The Story Behind The Writing: The Overman at MySpace

The Overman #1 FULL ISSUE online at MySpace! We've held off on promoting The Overman MySpace site here, until the home stretch. We're now less than 30 days away from the conclusion of our critically acclaimed, 20-years in the making journey that landed with Image Comics in December 2007. It's been an incredible 4 months, and even if you are ready for The End Of The Future, that doesn't mean you shouldn't stop by the MySpace and say hello, or better yet, add us to your friends list and help spread the warning! If you're new to The Overman, or just kicking yourself for not pre-ordering the first issue, now's your chance to read it for free! Just go to http://www.myspace.com/overmancomic and click on 'Pics'. From there, you can read the first issue in its entirety!

The Story Behind The Writing: Book IV Out on Wednesday.

Instead of sending out the usual press release, I thought I would just write an informal blog post bulletin, and encourage you to pick up The Overman Book IV, arriving in comic shops this Wednesday. Book IV is the engine breaking down, the center falling apart, the collision of unseen forces against unstoppable determination and cold futility. We all get to see it unfolding in Pittsburgh, in the year 2135. It's yet another jam-packed issue of oddities and explosive events, leading you to 'The End of The Future'.

From PREVIEWS:
The Atomic Clock reveals a mind-altering, horrific truth to the renegade Nathan Fisher. He and Dr.Annita Gray battle Omakon agents in a high speed, explosive chase, while The last living Demolator is lured into a trap that will seal the fate of all Mankind.

There's a new review of Book III at RedCanComics. The goal has always been to give people what they didn't know they wanted, and then keep pulling them back for more. We're thrilled to see this 20-years in the making project finally fully realized, with our original vision of the story uncompromised and published pretty much exactly as we intended. Thank you Image Comics. That in itself is something worth noting here, since there's always that risk of losing sight of the most important elements in a story once things are set in motion, and you start worrying about target audiences and appealing to the masses, and hoping that enough people 'get it'. I see a lot of stuff out there that is contrived and built around a marketing premise, rather than just being an honest work of art, for better or worse. I'm encouraged to see so many positive reactions to this work, from the comics press and comics community, to the brave readers who took a chance on The Overman and keep coming back for more of it.

To coincide with the March 5 release date of Book IV, we have a brand new flash trailer and a 10-page preview at http://www.theovermancomic.com/.

WARN OTHERS.

SR

Notes from the Field: Field of Dreams

It's been quiet around here and over a month and half has gone by since I finished work on THE OVERMAN. But in that time life reared its ugly head and tapped me on the shoulder with the force of a 9 lb. hammer. Glad it all waited for me to get my head out of fantasy land.


As I get each box of my contributor copies I realize that there was a time when all I could think about was finishing the book in my hands. Each page sparks a memory of struggle with time management and my waking life. Yet each page unfolds like a filmic dream drawing together a mass of great ideas and beautiful landscapes. It was amazing how important it was for me to complete at the time. Nothing could hold a candle to it.


I think now, that I have a little better perspective, I can see how unimportant and insignificant ideas can be if there is no audience for them. I'm glad THE OVERMAN has found its audience.


It reminds me of a heavy metal band that I was really into in the 80s-90s. Manowar, were the godfathers of what they called, "true metal", think Nordic mythology, Carmina Barana, and the Conan the Barberian soundtrack put to heavy metal riffs and lyrics. At first glance yeah, you'd think they were off their nut. But their belief in the work they did and committment in delivering it was solid.


Once hailed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Loudest band on earth. I was in the crowd of one of there shows with no more than 150 people on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. They rocked like they were in a stadium. The wall of familiar sound threatened to tear down the building from its base. It was the best concert I'd ever seen. They were beyond committment, they lived a warriors code...as much as you can while touring I guess. Their sincerity rose them above ridiculousness to a point of reverie.


Why does this relate? For starters anyone with a solid original idea and the committment to make that idea happen will find an audience. No matter if it's one, or 100,000 the gratitude to have that audience doesn't change either. It's because of our belief in THE OVERMAN that nothing is insignificant about what we did nor the few loyal fans we have. And some of those cats are crazed let me tell you.


But like many of the people who sit on the sidelines and shake their head as to why there is such devotion, it's because they choose a more commonly tread path. A mushy path of sameness and familiarity that leads only to inaneness and boredom.


Our culture is so hellbent on being individually different that we all shop at the different stores, and buy the different music only to end up really the same. That to me is boredom. I'd rather be "original" than waste cycles being different for different sake.


THE OVERMAN is original, not different as much as oddly familiar.


=s=

The Story Behind The Writing: Book III Review at ComicsBulletin!

The Overman Book III landed on comic shop shelves yesterday, and has been reviewed today by Matthew McLean at ComicsBulletin.com. Go here to read it. And then go directly to your local comic shop and demand this book!


This is, in some ways, my favorite issue, because it leads us into some pretty intense action, while making a slow reveal toward the truth behind Omakon's stolen data tube, Nathan's reckless descent into the unknown, and the bizarre destiny of the last living Demolator, Dmitri Leonov. If your comic shop didn't pre-order The Overman, or it's sold out, just ask them to order a copy for you. We only have 2 more issues to go until the world is witness to 'The End Of The Future'. And if you've already suffered psychological or physiological damages as a result of reading this series, please refer back to the disclaimer on the inside front cover of Book I.

Don't say we didn't warn you.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: THE OVERMAN BOOK III

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THE OVERMAN BOOK III IN STORES FEBRUARY 6.

We're half-way to the End Of The Future, as the third issue in this 5-part science-fiction mini-series from Image Comics hits comic shops on Wednesday, February 6! You'll never be ready for this, but you can at least get a glimpse of what is probably the most shocking installment yet, at http://www.theovermancomic.com/. We've posted a 10-page preview of Book III, along with a brand new flash trailer that might just send us all over the edge of sanity!

From PREVIEWS:
BETRAYAL MEANS DEATH! His fellow Omakon agents hunt hired killer Nathan Fisher, while he unravels a reality-exploding secret that could destroy the human race. Dr. Annita Grey returns to a city in panic, as Pittsburgh braces itself for an attack from a living weapon of mass destruction.

If you've missed out on The Overman, check out the latest review:

"This book is a hidden gem, one of the best new series I've read in ages. I can't recommend it highly enough. It's got enough ideas to give Grant Morrison a run for his money, and enough action to satisfy even the most jaded punch-junkie. Really a great read."
- Gail Simone, Writer DC Comics Wonder Woman

You can find more reviews, interviews and a regularly updated production blog at http://www.theovermancomic.com/

The Overman is published by Image Comics, written by Scott Reed and illustrated by Shane White.

http://www.imagecomics.com/

The Story Behind The Writing: After Effects

With the fifth and final issue of The Overman now squared away with the printer, and knowing that this last issue will be on shelves in April, I'm having a weird depressed moment, a kind of creative decompression, a sense of closure, and certainly some semblance of validation for working so long on this project, and seeing it finally realized exactly as Shane and I intended.

The marketing engine continues, of course. I'm working on a new flash trailer for Book III for the first week of February, to coincide with the publication of the 3rd issue. We'll be updating the preview section of the site to include a few pages from that chapter, so you'll at least be able to brace yourself for what lies ahead in this story. But there's a strange quiet, an emptiness that I can't quite define, a shadow of a reminder that I can't shake loose. I feel drained. Perhaps I should read my own disclaimer on the inside front cover of the first issue. What if that disclaimer is true, after all? If reading this book may cause psychological or physiological 'alterations', then surely it has had some effect on its writer.

In the meantime, I've been doing 'busy work', in a sense. I'm revamping http://www.websbestcomics.com/ from the ground up, and working my way through a number of private commissions. I'm doing a little bit of writing on the side. But there's still that translucent void, a reflection of a shadow. I feel a little like Nathan Fisher, as he glimpses The Atomic Clock out of the corner of his eye, and is shown a symbol; a broken circle, with an arrow pointing down. If you've been reading The Overman, you've seen it too. We're all in this journey together, really. I know how The Overman will end, but I don't really have the answers to the mystery of it, or what its true purpose might be. It will always remain on the horizon, I think, a mirage, forever out of reach.

The Overman Book III arrives in comic shops February 6.

The Story Behind The Writing: I Am Not The Overman

Despite their choice of title for the new interview with me at ComicsBulletin.com, I am not The Overman. Regardless, go check it out, as there are a few additional bits of info about upcoming issues that I haven't talked about elsewhere. No actual spoilers, sorry. Incidentally, The Overman #2 is in stores this month of January, not #3 as they reported in the interview. Book III hits shelves February 6th.

Notes from the Field: RE:READABILITY

I woke up this morning with a revelatory thought, something that may not have occured to anyone buying our book. We certainly know comics are expensive these days. And discerning buyers really have to make tough choices of which books to pick up or drop.

But let us talk about REPLAYABILITY!

My day job is working as a Cinematic Director at Sony Online Entertainment. Regardless we make games that people will want to play...over and over again. It's called replayability and a lot of game sites actually have that as part of their overall scoring mechanism. You probably already know this, since many comic readers tend to be gameheads too. I think the disconnect is we don't consider comics as a RE-READABLE resource. Which inherently can be if the work is deep and rich enough.

Our first logo way back in 2005.

Scott and I are big fans of a lot of the same kinds of entertainment. From films to comics we generally agree on the highwater marks and why they deserve to be as such. I believe this is our starting point when we jump into any creative endeavor, and =THE OVERMAN= is the first of it's kind. Meaning, we knew what wanted to do, and in our minds eye I think we were striving for something that could be re-visited time and time again.

We wanted =THE OVERMAN= to entertain us long after we finished the series.

Most modern comics are done on a monthly basis. The creative teams do not have the luxury of time to produce that kind of work time and time again. They may have a creator-owned series that they've really been able to develop. But I challenge you to find a comic today that has that REPLAY quality to it?

My initial attempts at modeling Dmitri in Maya.

By no means am I comparing our work to WATCHMEN. Watchmen is it's own comic culture icon. It was the perfect storm at the right time. However all things being equal we all know it's a dense story. I've reread it a couple of times and always pick up new things in it. Scott I believe has gone through three collected trades of the thing because he reads it so much. There's a lot to learn in that book.

You may say to yourself I'll wait for the trade when it comes to =THE OVERMAN= and I really do hope there is one. But because this series is so short I think you'll find that REREADABILITY factor creeping in and rewarding you sooner rather than later. We pack a lot in each issue and when you get the next issue, it may require reading the ones previous to it again, and then you'll start to see a much bigger picture emerging. By the time you get to the end...well I'll just say it's bigger than you think.

=s=

Notes from the Field: Can I Get A Witness?

So =THE OVERMAN= BOOK II hit your local LCS today! I saw it and was really impressed at the way it turned out. I didn't want to spoil the experience when I get my comp copies, but at the very least I let myself flip through it to make sure it was all there.

During the course of getting the word out you never really know if you're being loud enough. Now two books into the experience and I'm still not sure if loud was the right note. Through my experience as a consumer, I'm a big fan of the underdog, the creator whose got promise and when I see something fresh, unique and well-done I want to be the first to 'discover' just how cool they are and let my friends know too. That's the marketing nobody can predict or plan.

So how does it happen? Are all consumers the same? Who knows for sure, and no we're as different as the number of products out there. That's the tough part of this game.

Take a book like Northlanders by Brian Wood. I don't remember the artist's but he's really good. The reason why I remember the writer, is because he's done a lot of stuff. He's been writing for years. So why didn't I buy DMZ? or LOCAL? I did buy The Tourist, and it was fine, I bought it more for the art of Toby Cypress. But what was the tipping point to get me to buy Northlanders? Oddly enough Vikings are hot this season...with two Beowulf based films on the tale end that Pathfinder movie...and now this comic. It was the first issue, so I made it a point to give it a try. His other stuff, the themes or what I know about them didn't intrigue me enough.

So it comes down to a matter of personal taste and the discretionary dollar really. Advertising I think is more like those carnival games you see at amusement parks. The fat chance that you're money and skill to beat the game for that big stuffed chemically-made animal has wide margins. The rarity is the same that your marketing assault will hit its intended audience.

Before Scott calls me out for being a bit of downer, let me just add this one thought. Wouldn't it be better to get in on the ground floor of a startup with very little risk, to see something grow and become profitable? What fosters creativity for us is that people are enjoying what we're doing...more to the point A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING WHAT WE'RE DOING! And the more that do the more we'll create. It's not like we're looking to run to Marvel or DC...(well I can't speak for Scott but considering the cool projects he's got cooking he wouldn't have the time) we're committed to doing the kind of unique quality books that just aren't out there.

We are floored that sooo many people have been on the forums and contacting us by email to say how much they love the books. My local comic shops ordered just as many copies of =The Overman= as they did Northlanders, hard to believe, right? But it's true, and they sold out of them as of today, when I went to find Book II.

Believe me we're not looking for hand-outs, everyone knows comics make little to no money. We're looking for an audience who isn't afraid of change. Who thinks that comics don't have to repeat themselves and 'fool' you again to believe that the story is going to be different when it's not. We really want to create an outreach program for wayward comic fans who at the very least love a great tale and don't mind coming back for seconds.

Much like theater, when the performance is done the play is only a memory of a moment in time.

=s=