Good afternoon! As we enter into summer, I continue to be busy, and Dreamcatcher is primary in my mind.
Right now I’m doing the rewrites on ‘A Bullet For The Bride,’ a new Dreamcatcher locked room mystery for Strange And Cozy. This story gives you a lot about Maybelle Tremens’ backstory, as we meet a number of friends from her past! The tale also features her paramour, Colin ‘Black Talon’ Palmersdale, in his first appearance outside a Shadow Legion book.
The other major Dreamcatcher project I’m working on is ‘Jolly With A Pistol,’ a Christmas tale for the Pulpworks Christmas Annual 2014. This is another murder mystery take, as Maybelle is asked to investigate the killing of a toy maker wrapped in tinsel and dubbed ‘Naughty.’ It wasn’t until I was deep into writing it that I realized it was something of a tribute to one of my comic book writing heroes, Steve Gerber. You’ll have to wait until Christmas to find out how!
Now I have been asked to do one more Dreamcatcher story. I’m not sure what it’s going to be about, but it’ll probably the last solo story for Maybelle Tremens for a bit, as I’ll start working sometime afterwards on the second novel, Machina Ex Deus. However, she’s not the only Shadow Legionnaire about to venture out solo; I’ve been talking to an artist friend of mine about doing a Nightbreaker comic book story. More on that as it develops.
As for Shadow Legion: The Shape of Fears To Come, an artist for the twelve illustrations has been found. This morning I sent off costume and character notes for the four main character and Playmate (who serves as a kind of ‘guest star’ in the Dreamcatcher story). This means that shortly after Mystery Men and Women 4, which contains ‘A Waltz In Scarlet,’ the Ferryman story that will serve as a preview of the book, you’ll be able to experience a fistful of solo Shadow Legion action!
(And wait until you see what the next Case Files book will contain. I’ve been talking to some people, and it’s going to be insane!)
There are two non-Legion projects in the hopper. One is still super-secret, but the other is ‘The Domino Lady Goes Mad,’ a 15000 words tale for an upcoming Airship 27 anthology. I had so much fun doing that Domino Lady comic strip with Michelle Scuito for All Star Pulp Comics that I wanted another crack at Ellen Patrick, and this is my chance. In it, the daredevil doll faces off against a peculiar scientist--and herself, as she falls prey to his handiwork.
So don’t worry, pals and gals. There will be plenty of new stuff coming from me in future months. Keep watching this space.
