Tag: Writing

NaNoWriMo – The Uncanny Way

On By UncannyDerekIn Discussion2 Comments

NaNoWriMo is the National Novel Writing Month during November. It’s something I’ve always wanted to divulge myself into, but have always found excuses to not partake. This year, I actually wanted to get involved, but between work, helping folk move, and amongst other little things, I told myself to not get stressed over missing NaNoWriMo, and just do it again next year.

However, I really want to get this novel written and “next year” is only a month away. So my compromise to myself was to set thirty days aside between January and February and go at it for a full-month. So I’ve decided to start my own personal NanoWriMo.

“Why are you telling us this, Derek?”

During the month of November, writers from across the globe are there, supporting one-another to get their novels done. There’s a lot of peer support between other writers and for a month – writers become a tight-knit community. Even though I did not partake, I found myself supporting writers I knew involved in NaNoWriMo.

Why I’m telling you this because I feel as long as someone reads this, I know that that one person will hold me accountable for writing a story. That’s right. I want to be held accountable for achieving this goal. If I keep Facebook or UncannyDerek.com updates daily, you folk will know where I am in my novel, and in return, if I do not accomplish my goal, I will not be satisfied. I’m sort of setting myself up with a deadline so that I won’t let any of you down.

Traditionally, NaNoWriMo requires a minimum of 50,000 words – the length of a “standard” novel. I plan on easily surpassing that goal, but I refuse to give myself a word limit.

As for what the story is about, I’ll keep that a secret until I’m ready to announce it. As for the people whom have heard my other novel ideas in the past – this will be an entirely different concept, so it’s brand new for everyone.

I’ve rebooted my story four times now. FOUR times. ~20k+ words per version down the drain because I was dissatisfied with how it was going.

“What’s to stop you from doing this again?”

In NaNoWriMo, you have a word count to make in thirty days. That means there’s little-to-no time to sit back, reflect, and edit what you’ve done. That’s what has killed my other novel ideas in the past: I could sit with them and think about their direction and what I could improve or remove. With NaNoWriMo, I will not have the time for that. Yay. From the completion of the novel, I’ll then edit it and change whatever I want. I just need it written down first.

My plans are to start on Wednesday, January 4th, 2012, and be completed by Friday, February 3rd, 2012.

There will be a massive consumption of tea in those thirty days. Please provide supplies.

Most importantly, wish me luck.

I know both you and I are counting on me.

Let’s finish this.

Iron Man, Magneto

Writing, Drawing, Inking & Exploding

On By UncannyDerekIn Comic Blogging, DiscussionLeave a comment

And not in that order.

Personally, I have been unbelievably busy being creative. (Hooray for alliteration!) In fact, I’ve completely put off many other things in order to muse myself. It’s been pretty ridiculous, actually.

I’m holding off on reviews again this week – despite so many exciting comics coming out – only because I’d rather focus my energy elsewhere. My mind has been going at a mile a minute, you’d think I was on uppers. (I’m not, don’t worry.)

However, I feel an apology coming on because I’ve sort of let this site slip in the past few weeks. I know what it’s like to check back and not see an update when expecting one. I read WebComics regularly, and on some I see reasons why they’re on hiatus. Alas, I am not going on hiatus, but am just going to post whenever I can instead.

This means “Wednesday’s Reviews” may appear on Friday with only one review, then reappear on Tuesday with two more reviews. This way, I can spread my time out more effectively rather than explode over crunch time.

The funny thing is that I was not planning on writing that last paragraph at all, but it just sort of made sense to me.

One thing I will mention about this weeks comics is that Mike Carey made a killer turnaround with the Age of X story he’s working on. If you haven’t touched upon any of them yet, for the love of all that is holy, do it! It’s been quite the ride so far.

Until next time, keep on Space Truckin’!

Classic Comic Fridays w/ Wednesday Reviews?!

On By UncannyDerekIn Classic Comic Friday, Comic ReviewsLeave a comment

Tuesday marked my one-month anniversary of the blog, meaning in one month’s time, I’ve had 680 views! I think that’s pretty fantastic so far, so thank you everyone who has supported this idea! Last week’s article about Women in Comics was a huge success. Thank you for the comments and feedback received. Believe me, I’ll definitely be doing more posts like that in the near-future.

As for this week, I was late getting my comics on Wednesday hence no review. So instead of doing two separate blog posts, I’ll slam together one epic-post involving my weekly reviews, plus my Classic Comic feature. Sounds good? Okay!

So I am planning on doing three reviews for comics I grabbed this week, plus the Classic Comic, thus my reviews will be a bit shorter than usual as I want to cram everything in and not bore anyone. Also, please keep ***SPOILER ALERT*** in mind for when you read these reviews.

So without further adieu, let’s start with the Classic Comic!

As I’m sure you’ve heard about The Increduble Hulk coming back to television, so is a favourite of mine, Cloak and Dagger.

So as such, I shall review Cloak and Dagger Vol. 2 #1 from July of 1985. The second volume only lasted eleven issues, as it followed from a four-issue limited series. Bill Mantlo wrote both series, while Rick Leonardi penciled Volume 1, and up to issue four on Volume 2, only to have each issue after that drawn by different artists. Needless to say, this was to be Cloak and Daggers big break.

C&D1

The comic opens with the duo stopping a child sex-ring, which makes the story start pretty dark for characters who flew out of the Spider-Man comics. A battle ensues with the gang who steals the women, where Cloak and Dagger both put an end to the nonsense. They manage to hold off any death until the police arrive, and they head back to their home – The Holy Ghost Church – their sanctuary.

There, the Father believes Cloak is a bad influence on Dagger and believes he is persuading her in a life of crime. They discuss with the Father that they are runaways (it’s written in bold in the book and thus explaining their cameo in the Runaways series) and give a brief story about who they are, and explain how Cloak saved Dagger and they are a team.

While taking refuge in the church for a few days, Cloak inexplicably attacks church goers and makes them see their darkest fears. Dagger attacks back, believing Cloak must have been angry at the Father for his judgment. However, during the battle, two red eyes appear from the darkness making the reader assume Cloak has been possessed. Dagger, unknown to this, thinks Cloak is arrogant and leaves him, giving the reader the understanding that the duo is no more. So ends the comic.

Cloak and Dagger #1 is dark and gritty – exactly how the duo are upon facing crime. They are misunderstood and believe in high-morals, fighting for what’s right while still dealing with their own demons. The first issue really emphasized the image of C&D, especially with inker Terry Austin at the helm giving us the looks of a grungy city.

Story-wise, it ended weak with Dagger being almost ridiculous with her reaction to Cloak. It seemed like something out of Degrassi. However, that lull at the end does not overshadow the true nature of the comic throughout. It was unfortunate that the series only lasted eleven issues. Although the two were back for Volume 3 in the late 80’s, their run only lasted nineteen issues and left the duo to guest star in comics from there on out.

They had been most recently seen in the Uncanny X-Men storyline during the Dark Reign saga under the belief that they were mutants. However, in the Cloak and Dagger one-shot released after Siege, the two discovered they were not mutants and went back out into the wild to find their place in the world. Apparently that may be seen in television next.

Grade: 7.5/10

As for the rest of the comics, I wanted to review three this week which I found were unbelievably awesome: New Mutants #18, Chaos War #2, and Kick-Ass 2 #1.

New Mutants as of late, have been trying to get some R&R post-Second Coming, but unfortunately they’ve been pulled into limbo and are fighting government-bred mutants over the life of Illyana.

NewMutants18

Written by Zeb Wells and drawn by my favourite local artist, Leonard Kirk, New Mutants #18 was a blast. Literally. The entire issue was dedicated to fighting for Illyana’s life – the New Mutants versus the government mutants. Each page splashed with colour of explosions and drama.

But what really makes this comic exceptional is Wells’ work on individual characters, such as the government mutants, mixed in with Kirk’s take on how to explain with art. For example, Cannonball flies towards a government mutant named Toko at full speed only to be repelled back instantly. What’s Toko’s power? Who is she? We can only see what is given to us, and it’s done so beautifully. When you take in the wonderful mix of bright red and orange colours, you get incredible contrasts which usually are not found in many comics today.

This comic was a pleasant surprise despite being all-action. Story is told through the little dialogue, but pushes enough through so someone picking up the series for the first time would not be lost. Over all, a great read.

Grade: 8/10

Now I feel bad for bashing Chaos War #1 two weeks ago. Pak and Van Lente definitely kicked butt with this comic. Keeping the plot line brief: the world is doomed and no hero is left to help but gods themselves.

ChaosWar2

All superheros/people in the world have been put into a coma by the Chaos King. Planes crash, people “die,” but are not really dead because the underworld is being turned upside-down. It’s a long story.

We see the underworld get turned into a crap-storm as characters such as Ares, Zeus, Banshee, The Abomination, and more, are summoned as dead heroes by Pluto (Lord of the Dead) stating he will set them free if they fight for him against the Chaos King. Immediately we see Zeus slain by the Chaos King, showing that in death, one can still die.

Hercules feeling his fathers death, realizes he needs to set up a team to defeat the Chaos King. Of all things, ETERNITY, is summoned from Hercules. If you don’t know who Eternity is, take the strongest thing in the universe and put it into this guy. Regardless, Hercules wants help, and Eternity says he cannot give it as the Chaos King is an Anti-God, Eternity’s opposite, and cannot fight him as it would be like fighting himself.

So lost, Herc calls upon some strong friends: Amadeus Cho, Venus, and Thor are already there, so he calls upon Sersi of the Eternals, followed by Galactus and the Silver Surfer, making them the God Squad.

It’s really a page-by-page, jaw-dropping comic. Beautiful art again by Pham shows us the immensity of the other worlds. Fire and brimstone trickle the battle fields and Hela’s appearance at Hades with her army really shows the immensity of this battle about to explode. Although the first comic failed to impress, sticking around really showed me wrong.

Grade: 9/10

And alas, the inevitable Kick-Ass 2, #1. Still written by Mark Millar and drawn by John Romita Jr., I can see where Romita Jr. put all his attention when he was drawing the Avengers comics. We get to see his great art again!

Taking off from the hit-comic-series-turned-movie, Kick-Ass is back, and kick-assier than ever! The comic kicks-off pretty much how the first comic ended, and we see Hit-Girl training Kick-Ass to be a better fighter. Although it doesn’t explain it, it seems like awhile has passed since the first comic.

KickAss21

I say that because shortly after training, we see our hero Kick-Ass, or Dave Lizewski, meeting up with another hero, Doctor Gravity. They walk the street and are approached by a gang – which in turn, they fight, split up, and meet up again at a underground lair where other superheroes have joined together, calling themselves Justice Forever. Superheroes are becoming a norm it seems.

Mindy is also battling her new dad, Marcus, about being a superhero. She is hiding it from him, but being a detective, he knows she’s lying. So she’s banned herself from being Hit-Girl as she promises Marcus she will not do it anymore.

Also, much like in the first comic, we get a small flash-forward to what is to come – Red Mist’s super villain army versus Kick-Ass’s superhero army in the middle of the streets. So we know what’s to come.

Over all, there’s no real threat aside from what was teased to us earlier in the issue. It is also hinted that Red Mist is gathering villains, but it is not really explained how it is known. We also see that someone Kick-Ass knows is brain-damaged, while his house is also blown up. I’m not a big fan of spoilers, but it seems as if we are given a bit too much information too early on. I already feel like I know the ending before the story began.

However! Kick-Ass 2 is, so far, a lot better than the first series. I enjoyed the first series greatly, but I suppose with already established characters, I feel connected to these people a lot more. It also seemed a bit darker – which Millar was going for – but I only got that feeling when he gave us a hint of what will happen, rather than what is happening. Mix the forward-moving story with great art finally coming out of JRJR, I have to say, Kick-Ass 2 did not disappoint!

Grade: 7.5/10

I also think this is an interesting read: Click here to read it. It’s the blog from the person who won the bid for lunch with Joe Quesada. The proceeds went to charity, The Hero Initiative, and he got a great day out of it! What really stands out is that he has the same views I have with breaking into the comics industry: the feeling of getting closer to the dream with each step you take.

And on a heavier, unrelated note, I had the KFC Double-Down the yesterday. Do not believe the hype. Although it may be two patties of chicken which replaces bread, the sandwich itself is no bigger than the palm of my hand. I had it down in four bites and it does not fill you what-so-ever. Is it worth the bragging rights? I don’t even know anymore. But I felt fine after eating it!

Until then, keep on Space Truckin’!

Do You Have What it Takes?

On By UncannyDerekIn Comic Blogging, Discussion1 Comment

What makes YOU think you’re a good story writer? Did your friend tell you that? Did a College or University degree say so? Was it your boss giving you a pat on the back for a job well done?
If the answer is “Yes,” continue reading.
If the answer is “No,” still continue reading.

I believe it is safe to say that there are good and bad writers out there. WrItung lyke diS, I would not consider to be good writing. Yet my sentence still made sense. . .

Figuring this stuff out can give you a headache.

Psyderek
But I’m hoping that I can get you through this with the best of my ability.

Although everyone may argue what great story writing is – from Bill Shakespeare to Michael A. Stackpole – the point is that they’re writing. Where one may have spent countless hours deciphering the perfect words for his Iambic Pentameter, Stackpole probably spent only two seconds coming up with the name Ooryl Qrygg.

Yet both are best-selling authors! Sure, one may divulge a bit more into different genres than the other – and you also may have only heard of one of these authors. Regardless of it all, what makes good story writing? What draws an audience to their stories? Well, I’m not going to do book-by-book comparisons between the two, but I’ll definitely send you in a good direction.

1. Characters: Without characters, you pretty much do not have a story. Even if you spend three-hundred pages just describing scenery – your voice, your way of description is the character. Realistically, YOU are the character. That may be a bit to take in, but think about the truth in it.

Your voice through writing is what makes the story speak. You give it character, whether it be drab or hilarious. You, the writer, have control, and you the writer must recognize yourself as a the real protagonist or antagonist. If you want a heroic scene, give it. If you want sadness, produce it. Building characters in the world you create are just expansions off of what your character is. With that knowledge, you can strengthen your writing ten-fold, plus make it personalized to make you stand out as a unique writer. I’m sure of it.

Conclusion: Listen to your judgment!

2. Experience: I do not mean writing experiences either. How can one be a professional writer nowadays when prerequisites for being one is to already have been one? Should I re-post the picture again?

Although this may come as philosophical, it is true that you write what you know. What I mean by that is if I want to write about two people falling in love, I only know love as from my experiences. That means movies, books, cartoons, and yes, in real-life, everything I know about love in some way, shape, or form, comes through. So if one were to write about love, they would write from their experiences. The same can go with any situation – a scene in a restaurant, shopping, going to a concert, being a superhero, playing sports, etc.

Conclusion: Experience life to its fullest!

3. Advice: Definitely have someone look over your work. If they critique it, do not take it personally. After-all, input goes well with my second point – it’s experience! If someone says, “You should have X to Y,” you don’t have to, but damn-well think about how it could happen. What would be the results?

Another thing about critiquing is that people may not understand you. Hey! That’s great! A rose is a rose is a rose, right? People may say your work is incomprehensible, unflattering, or even targeting the wrong audience. Well, maybe they don’t get it? Maybe they never will? Should that stop you? No. Someone will get it. There’s so many outlets now, such as Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and WordPress (see me now?) where you can find a market which understands you. Take hold of that! Carpe diem! Consider what people are saying!

But despite creativity, poor grammar or blatant poor writing is no excuse for “creativity.” There is a difference between laziness and art. People can see that.

Conclusion: Although it is your story, do not shoo away criticisms or become lazy. It is experience, remember?

4. What do You Have to Lose?: My final point seems a bit ignorant, as everything is really situational. It’s also not really my story to tell. However, the story has influenced me greatly in my drive for writing. It’s a story by Stan Lee.

StanLeeTriumph
In a nutshell, in the early sixties, he was about to leave Atlas Comics (soon-to-be Marvel Comics) due to having no drive left. He’d done comics since the 1940’s, and he was thinking about actually starting a career in what he called a “real” writing job.

The publisher of Atlas, Martin Goodman wanted Stan to create a new superhero team to counter DC’s Justice League of America comics. Stan was exhausted at this point. He spoke with his wife Joanie that night about quitting, but she suggested for him to try doing what he wanted to do – make a story he’d enjoy. She reinforced him with saying he had nothing to lose if he did it. If it took off, that’s great! If it didn’t, then continue writing for another company.

Needless to say, the Fantastic Four was written and the world changed along with it – and Marvel Comics was born.

Although that is quite a tremendous story – and I cannot say for everyone that would work – especially since not all of us would have wives named “Joanie,” they are some grand words to stand by. If you’re worried about rejection for a story pitch? So what? What do you have to lose? Get denied, try again, or move on. It sounds simple in writing, but it is something to take with you.

Conclusion: Never give up because you’ll always get another opportunity.

Final Thoughts
From all this, I cannot expect everyone to just become great writers. The list above is something I personally follow as I feel it is right for me. But if you use your character, use experience, take advice, and go head-on into the game – mix it with your imagination and there will be no stopping you!

If you want, sound off below!

Keep on Space Truckin’!