Ignited: DISPATCHED announced, joining the Ignition Crew at Planet Comicon.
The "Elevator Pitch," and Kansas City's home show returns...
Last week Ignition Press announced my next book, which will debut in June, roughly halfway through the first twelve issue run of BLOODLAND (also an Ignition book, of course).
DISPATCHED, illustrated by Daniel Gete, with color by Lee Loughridge, tells the story of a delivery man trapped in the parking garage of a building under siege by domestic terrorists. Using his background in black ops, the delivery man uses his skills, and a truck full of random packages, to battle the terrorists. More information can be found at AIPT:
An Elevator Pitch
The basic idea for the book, like so many ideas, came from my personal life. I had spent some time driving part time for Amazon, which was an eye-opening experience, and something that helped get me through COVID while my family lingered in the house. I was also writing MILES TO GO for Aftershock at the time, so picking up extra income, and having a few days a week to myself in a van, listening to music and podcasts, probably kept me sane. I’d recently overcome some stifling writers block, and the basic idea for the book popped into my head whole cloth. It was the kind of concept that I think works best when putting pitches together. An easy “elevator pitch” concept.
For those who don’t know, that term applies to an idea you can pitch someone in the time it takes to share an elevator ride. It’s a terrific litmus test for concepts you develop. When pitching a book, you have to sell a publisher on your idea, and you’ll no doubt build out a more complete pitch, but the basic concept, easily communicated, should be enough to engage a publisher and do most of the heavy lifting before they dig into the larger pitch. In fact, without that engaging logline/high concept, it’s doubtful most publishers will even read past the introduction. No one has enough time to read an entire pitch hoping to figure out what the story is about, and if you don’t communicate at the outset that you have a firm grasp on the concept, why would they bother?
In any event, I hope everyone pesters their retailers to order DISPATCHED. The work Daniel Gete is doing on the book is terrific, and I think a good time will be had by all.
Ignition travels to Planet Comicon, and I’m joining them!
This newsletter drops a day before Planet Comicon starts, in downtown Kansas City. I’ve been doing the show almost since day one, and being a part of its incredible growth has been fun and gratifying. The coming weekend features major cons in Chicago and on the West Coast, but Planet remains a locally owned and operated venture (shoutout Chris Jackson!), and with so many Midwestern creators on their roster (along with yours truly, Dennis Hopeless, Jeremy Haun, Jason Hurley, Cullen Bunn and Ande Parks are all KC/Missouri guys, and Phil Hester might as well be), it was great to learn that Ignition Press was coming to the show. I’ll be among the creators tabling with them (table 3748).
I’m also participating in a panel at 12:30 on Sunday, called From Panel to Screen With Ignition Press. We’ll all be discussing watching our comics head to television or movie screens. I’ve had several things optioned over the years, and Netflix is currently prepping a film based on THE LEADING MAN, which Jeremy Haun and I created some time ago, and might possibly revisit sooner than later.
Oh, hey, BLOODLAND issue three hits soon!
Just a reminder that the third issue of BLOODLAND is out at the beginning of April. Main cover by series co-collaborator Mack Chater, with a variant by Tula Lotay.
Meet the Kinder in this issue, as Presidential aide Abe Lovejoy makes their acquaintance under less comfortable circumstances
Last Note: Last Flight?
A lot of people have asked about the status of LAST FLIGHT OUT OF WICHITA, which was put on hold by DSTRLY as they dealt with distribution issues and launching their digital platform, Neon Ichiban. Co-created with my BLOODLAND collaborator Mack Chater, it’s a 70s era crime story set in Las Vegas and the Midwest, and one we’re still pretty excited to see on stands.
DSTRLY just announced that they’re heading back to the shops this year. We’re not sure when LAST FLIGHT will appear, but rest assured I’ll pass the information along when we do know!
Love -
BCM
Bummed to be missing this. I’m heading to c2e2