Posted in: Comics | Tagged: brian koschak, chris meeks, Comics, daniel govar, howard mackie, kickstarter, seven stones

Kicking The Writer Out Of His Cave – And Whatever Happened To Howard Mackie

Published Sat, 03 Aug 2013 16:00:13 -0500

Chris Welsh writes;

My name is Chris, and I'm a hermit. Not a full-on, FOOL ON THE HILL hermit, but… well, let me put it to you this way: I'm a writer.

I can see some nodding heads out there.

"Yeah, writers. Didn't like, the Unabomber write a book?"

I'm an introvert, mostly. I've been reading a few interesting articles about …introversion? Is that a word? Wait, I can make up words (WRITER) so, yeah, it is, now. Anyway it turns out some smart folks have let everyone know that introverts aren't necessarily shy or against being social, they just process things differently. They recharge in solitude, and let me tell you, that is very true for me, even when I'm not writing. I like what Patrick Steward said once, "I'm content being with myself" or something similar. So this introversion stuff goes hand in hand with being a writer. But you know what else does?

Collaboration.

I know, I thought it was crazy, too. Why put myself through the effort of having to compromise and discuss things when I can just sit there and do what I want one hundred percent? That's the way I did things, too, for a long time. Then I wrote a flippin' novel and had to start telling people about it, and plunged head-first into a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the cover art, printing, etc.

I learned quite a bit in my try-fail sequence (first Kickstarter failed, a reboot succeeded), including something very exciting and surprising. When other creators (writers and artists) started talking about how much fun it would be to do something in the post-apocalyptic, meteor-bedeviled, monster-flush world I'd created for CLUTCH, called the Wrecked Earth– my gut reaction was a resounding "Hell yeah! Let's do it!"

I didn't expect I would be that willing, that happy, to collaborate on a writing project.

Then it became a lot MORE than a writing project, it became an idea that was, frankly, as frightening in scope as it was exciting in concept.

Here was the idea: 7 writers would each tell their own tale in this shared world, the only stipulation that their story must feature a meteorite that impacts the character or events in some way. Then 7 artists would each interpret these stories, creating comics in their own powerful, unique styles. There would be an anthology of short stories AND a graphic novel, two separate projects, two separate books. And then, because why not, an omnibus that would bring together all the stories and all the comics and a lot of bonus material.

This project is called Seven Stones, and has reached the point where once again I have set out for Kickstarter Island.

Seven Stones has a powerful, talented team of creators. Here they are:

The Writers

Howard Mackie: credits include writer for Iron Man, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider for Marvel, currently penning a Batman story for DC Comics.
William Meikle: best-selling and prolific Scottish genre writer of novels, short stories and films.
Craig Terlson: author of Correction Line and the serial time-traveling noir series Bent Highway.
Scott Colby: author of the urban fantasy showdown SHOTGUN.
Emily Hall: writer of the Ithaca graphic novel and lead editor for the anthology.
Jeremiah Tolbert: stories have appeared in Lightspeed and Interzone, and anthologies including The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination and Way of the Wizard.
C.E.L. Welsh: author of CLUTCH and creator of the world of The Wrecked Earth.

The Artists

Daniel Govar: Co-creator of RELAUNCH and Comic Book Think Tank, Creator of Azure published by DC Comics. Clients include Marvel, Dynamite, Nike, SyFy and Namco Bandai.
Kelly Williams: comic artist (Alterna Comics, Topsoil Comics), web comic artist (Co-Op) and colorist for the CLUTCH cover.
Kennon James: Kennon has worked on a variety of media including movie animation, concept & character design, and illustration.
Nicolas Giacondino: Known for his graphic novel UTOPIA and the web comic FREE MARS.
Brian Koschak: Illustrated Narcopleptic Sunday for Oni Press and various Star Wars graphic novels for Dark Horse Comics.
Chris Meeks – Chris has kept busy freelancing for Outland Entertainment, IDW Limited, Cryptozoic, Image Comics & Breygent illustrating several different projects.
Jeremy D. Mohler: illustrator with past credits that include work for Upper Deck Entertainment, Archaia comics and Platinum Studios. Founder of Outland Entertainment and Art Director for Seven Stone

I couldn't have gotten this group together, nor managed this project, without some help. Jeremy Mohler and Emily Hall are, in addition to creators on the project, our Art Director and Editor as well. They are used to working together – in fact they are the husband and wife team behind the amazing Outland Entertainment, and have been on this journey with me from the word go.

You know what else they are? Great people. In fact all the folks in the two lists above are great people who have been a pleasure to work with (yeah, my name is on there, but if I don't think I'm great, who will?). Some I've known for a long time, others are newer relationships, and some I've just started to interact with, but to a person they've been super professional, enthusiastic, and eager to pitch in.

As fans of short stories, comics, post-apocalyptic worlds and the like, readers are going to be amazed at the variety at play here. The unique approaches each writer and artist have taken to the Wrecked Earth have resulted in some simply amazing work, and there is more to come. Through this project you are going to learn a lot about these folks, and this world, and have a great time doing it.

And I've learned a lot about being a creator, introvert or not, and working with others to create something beyond my own reach.

And you can bet I'm going to do it again.

I wanted to do something to thank Bleeding Cool readers for checking us out, so: anyone who pledges ANY level before Monday, August 5^th 9AM CST and then emails rockfallbooks@gmail.com to tell me will be entered into a drawing to win a massive prize bundle. There will be one winner, announced at the end of the Kickstarter run, who will get the anthology, the graphic novel, a signed omnibus, all SEVEN pin-up posters AND one of the LIMITED RUN, signed and numbered cover posters.

Thanks for listening.

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