Been working hëll bent for leather the past couple of weeks.
1) Finished the first draft of the novelization of the “Fantastic Four” film. Naturally I’m bound by confidentiality so I can’t discuss what the script is…but I can say what it isn’t, and that’s the rumored slapstick sitcom-ish treatment that had fans so up in arms. If I had to guess, I’m thinking Chiklis’ Ben Grimm is going to be the character everyone’s talking about.
2) Scripted “Soulsearchers #70.” Claypool is doing what they refer to as “Jump-On” month. It’s hard to expand reader base when readers think they have absolutely no idea of what’s gone before. So from the end of January through February, Claypool books such as “Soulsearchers” will be specifically geared toward filling in readers on what’s gone before (although the ongoing plots will still be moving forward.)
3) Finished the first draft of the screenplay for “Gene Roddenberry’s Starpoint Academy.” Granted there’s always a huuuuuge journey between the writing of a screenplay and the film actually winding up in a theater near you (or being made at all), but hey, the journey of a thousand miles is always shorter if you fly, or something like that.
4) Finished the script for “Fallen Angel #20” which is, at the moment, the last one slated. After that, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe better.
PAD
• 
So true, Peter. One would think that films written by a number of different screenwriters would be terrible. But then look at CASABLANCA.
There are no rules that are consistent.
Not that it matters to a lot of fans. They’re so set in their ways, that even when an actor does a superlative job in a superhero role, they won’t acknowledge it and still call them unfit for their roles. I’m sure no matter what kind of job Chiklis, Alba, etc. do, they’re going to call them imcompetent…
Jeff Lawson,
“It sounds like I’ve really been missing out on the NEW FRONTIER series.”
Yes, you have. It’s great, can’t-put-down stuff.
“I didn’t get on board when the series started up”
I started slightly late, too. But I’ve learned to at least try anything that had PAD as the author,especiallt Trek books and I am SO glad I did.
“My interest in the Trek universe has been fairly low since DS9 ended.”
Same here. I looooooved DS9. But near I stopped watching “Voyager” fairly early. I even gave then a shot with the last five episodes or so to have a real cool ending, and they didn’t even do that right.
But if you look at the “Homecoming” two-part novel, by Christie Golden, the characters are actually fleshed out and interesting.
As always, it’s not the characters, ‘it’s the writing stupid!’ (I really wish could say that to Rick Berman:)
“I’ll have to check these books out”
You’ll be glad you did. And for those not in print, you can always check your local library:)
Craig Ries,
“Just heard that ENTERPRISE got canceled.”
‘About time.’
Heavens, Craig. We agree on this. One. Hundred. Percent.
Peter,
The message below is something I posted on another message board (Millarworld) while participating in a discussion about attracting more women and girls to comics. I wanted to share it with you, too — I think you’ll understand why.:
You know, I witnessed something interesting this week along these lines.
My wife, Leticia, who never reads comics, has no interest whatsoever, etc., comes out of the bathroom the other day (a.k.a. Tom’s reading room) and informs me that she really likes the comic I have in there — “The one with that red angel girl,” she says.
She was talking about Peter David’s “Fallen Angel” TPB. Now, look, to hear my wife say she was reading a comic, let alone that she LIKED it, nearly floored me, but to find out it was this one that she liked was a real eye opener.
David’s “Fallen Angel” is great, and if they cancel it, it’s a crime. But I also had Oni’s “Love as a Foreign Language Vol 1” sitting in the bathroom, too. “Love…” is a fantastic little comic, and it’s the kind of romantic story I thought might pursuade my non-comic reading wife (a girl) to take a chance on the medium. I was wrong.
“The one about the guy in Korea is okay,” she told me. “But the one with the angel is really good. I really like that girl in the story. The one with the red robes. She’s tough.”
What did I learn? I learned that my wife doesn’t want the “Let’s get even with our ex-boyfriend” type story that was mentioned in an earlier post, nor was she smitten with J. Torres/E. Kim’s manga-style book from Oni (which, personally, I highly recommmend) — no, my wife wanted to read a story about a strong woman/avenging angel with a haunted past who, for most of the story, was covered with flowing garbs, not skintight spandex.
Perhaps my wife is the kind of person this industry needs to take a closer look at — a woman/girl who can be convinced to read comics if given the kind of story SHE likes, NOT what a bunch of dudes in suits THINKS she will like.
I know I’m paying attention.
Tom Waltz
Writer: CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE
http://www.shootingstarcomics.com
I’m definately interested in buying the FF novelization. I’m happy PAD wrote it, since I’ve read two of his previous novelizations and enjoyed them. I also can’t wait to see the movie!