August 2022 - holy hell it's hot

I find "the weather" to be the first, last and only refuge of poor conversationalists. (The prior sentence is one of my hundreds if not thousands of pithy little lines I use to infuse meaning and depth to my conversations as a substitute for meaning and depth.) However - my goodness it's hot out these days. Hope you're staying cool and healthy.

It's hard to believe it's been a month since my last update went out. Doesn't feel like it. Feels like July vanished into a puff of hot, dusty smoke and somehow here we are in August. I did a LOT of things in that month, though, so I know it happened. I spent a lot of it traveling, in fact. I was on the road for 20 days out of July's 31. That's starting to become less unusual - I'll be out and about for 17 days of August's 31 as well. It's all great stuff, though - I love being home, but then again... ADVENTURE!

Anyway, I guess that's where July went. Let's talk about the month that was, and everything on the horizon! (P.S. for you folks looking for interesting things to pick up - I put a bunch of new things up on the store which I'll talk about below, but if you just want to skip all that and head over to get stuff before it's gone, click here.)

THE NEXT BOOK

I kind of want to do a search through the archives of these updates for the first time I used the term "Novel 4," but I have a feeling it would be a little dispiriting. I've been working on this one for a LONG time. Then again, a global pandemic has a way of kicking one's productivity in the teeth.

I think we're good, though. I mentioned in my last update that I had what I privately call the "good draft" finished and sent in to my editor. (That follows "idea," "random notes," "sketchy outline/pitch/first few chapters," "more detailed outline," "Scrivener setup," "Scrivener first draft," "first draft," "second draft for internal readers feedback," and "third draft for agent/editor feedback"). What follows the "good draft" is the "great draft" (at least in my opinion) and then, depending on time and last bits of inspiration, hopefully, the "excellent draft." All of my novels so far have gone through at least five full drafts.

To make a long story short (actually, that's a big part of my editor's feedback on this draft - trim!) my editor had exactly the response you want an editor to have upon reading something you've spent years on, as did my wonderful agent. They had notes - you gotta have some notes - and I'm implementing them, but we all think this could be something special. I cannot wait for you to see it - looks like Summer 2023.

8 BILLION FLAVORS OF GRATITUDE

EIGHT BILLION GENIES - holy hell it's, uh, hot. Ryan Browne and I can't believe what's happened with this book. Image Comics - the best publisher in the biz - sent issues 1, 2 and 3 back to press for an additional printing, which is unheard of in this age of paper shortages and shipping issues. It's allowed the book to find a large audience in its initial run, which is a big deal for us. Ryan and I made a comic because we love comics, love telling stories this way - and yes, the Amazon deal is magnificent and helps us in eight billion other ways, but ultimately, our version of the story is the comic. We're immensely gratified that folks are finding it, reading it, and telling us what they think.

 
 

If you haven't had a chance to check out the story yet, we've set up a virtual storefront where you can get your own signed copy of 8BG, plus every variant you could ever want: here!

We've also been doing some fun little bits of business - you can also get versions of #1 with Ryan's pretty good sketches and my FANTASTIC dialogue balloons. Here's a few choice examples - and if you want one of your very own, you can get it at the link above!

QUITE RECENTLY, IN A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY

I think it's time I just accept the fact that every one of these updates will have a Star Wars segment. I should come up with some sort of pithy, groovy name that everyone will love. I'll think about it. SOULE WARS? Nah. That sounds like Thanksgiving growing up. THE SOULEDOM MENACE? SOULE ONE? ATTACK OF THE SOULES? Those are all truly excellent, but I don't think they quite get there yet. I'll keep thinking about it, and feel free to suggest ideas - replies are turned on.

So, let's get started with this month's installment of SOULEO!

Star Wars #25 came out last month from Marvel, and it was pretty special. The issue marked my 100th comic script for Marvel Comics in the Star Wars universe, and we brought back many of the creative teams I've worked with over the years - greats like Will Sliney, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Steven McNiven, Phil Noto and more. The issue had a bunch of beautiful covers, and came in as the 15th best-selling comic of July (not bad in a month that saw a new creative team launch on Batman, a Daredevil #1, a Mandalorian #1 and a bunch of other great comics.)

If you want your own signed copy, I currently have 3 of the INCREDIBLE variants of Star Wars #25 from Steve McNiven, Will Sliney, and Alex Maleev available on my store. Quantities are VERY VERY limited, though - I had a hard time getting these. You can get your copy here!

In other news, I turned in the first script for THE BLADE, my upcoming series for Phase II of Star Wars: The High Republic. It's an origin story for Jedi lightsabergunslinger Porter Engle - it's been a blast to write a story that really explores the lightsaber and what it can do. I'm very excited about it, and excited to be working with Marco Castiello on it - he drew issues 19-20 of my run on STAR WARS (in which Luke Skywalker met High Republic mainstay Elzar Mann). Look forward to this one. It's even cooler than you're expecting.

Also in July, I turned in my second draft for a currently secret High Republic thing. More on that at a later date, but of all the stuff I have coming up, this one really makes me feel good. It's a nice thing. You'll see.

Speaking of nice things you can see, did you guys catch the trailer for Andor? Super jazzed for this one. I haven't seen any of it, but this looks great. Just great.

 
 

Next! This is a special one. Thus far, the five original members of Project Luminous (Justina Ireland, Claudia Gray, Daniel José Older, Cavan Scott and myself) have collaborated on a joint project (other than the entire High Republic, of course) exactly once. We all worked on a comic together, the High Republic Adventures Annual - it has five stories in it; we all wrote one, and if you didn't make it to Star Wars Celebration last May and would like a THR artifact signed by all five of us... well, here you go. Click here to get one.

Some months back, I did bundles of story arcs for my Marvel STAR WARS comic, plus WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS. On each of the five-six issues in the arcs, in addition to signing, I wrote a sentence of a six-sentence micro-story. They went pretty quickly, and so I decided to keep it going. I just put bundles up on the shop of STAR WARS issues 19-24 AND Crimson Reign 1-5. Every issue will be signed by me AND I'm even going to include a 5 or 6 sentence short story, one sentence on each issue. Each short story will be unique to your set and, while very fun, not actually canon. (I'm talking to you, Wookieepedia!)

Click here to get the STAR WARS bundle. And click here to get the Crimson Reign bundle!

WHERE I'M HEADED

As I mentioned up top, I'm traveling a bunch this month, which includes a number of public appearances where you, if you are so inclined and in proximity, can say hello.

Most imminently, I'll be at C2E2 this Saturday (August 6) signing at Ryan Browne's table, G-3! Come stop by and get a Genie signed by both of us, plus some banter. We are the KINGS of banter.

The following weekend, I'll be at Fan Expo Boston next week from 8/12-8/14. Come find me and get a Genie signed by just me, plus banter that is exactly half as good.

Just after that, I'll be zipping out to LA very briefly for the premiere of the incredible SHE-HULK: ATTORNEY AT LAW TV show. This is a big one for me, and I can't wait. It's close enough to the premiere that I feel comfortable saying that the show (what I know of it, and that's a pretty fair amount) kicks ass. Come find me and get a Genie signed by She-Hulk! (Actually that's unlikely. I'll probably just enjoy this one on my own.)

Beyond that, I have a number of shows planned for Autumn:

  • New York Comic Con (October 6-9)

  • MCM Expo in London (October 28-30)

  • Heroes Dutch Comic Con in The Netherlands (November 19-20)

How did that happen? I went from doing ZERO shows to doing significantly more than zero shows. It'll be great, though.

HAPPY TRAILS

That's it for this month. When next we meet, I'll give you my impressions on that She-Hulk premiere, I'll have turned in the great draft of Novel 4, I'll have written about a billion scripts and, Bendu willing, I'll have gotten some sleep here or there.

Stay well, stay awesome, and see you in September!

--Charles

Thomas Stella