Barry Lyga's Blog: The BLog, page 40

I Hunt Killers for Just $2.99!

If you’re looking for a deal on I Hunt Killers, look no further than Kobo! All this week, the book will be on sale for a mere $2.99 in the U.S. and Canada!

If you don’t own a Kobo device, no worries — they offer free apps for iOS, Android, and Windows & Mac!

Here’s the link to the book: linkety-link-link.

 

The True Meaning of Lobo’s Nod

Lobo’s Nod.

For readers of the I Hunt Killers series, it has a very specific meaning: the town where Jazz, Connie, and Howie grew up, the town that spawned Billy Dent.

Early on, people used to ask me all the time, “What’s up with the name of the town? That’s a weird name.” And I knew it was, and I knew why the town was called that. There are actually two reasons. One is an in-story reason, the other is the meta-reason, if you will.

A lot of people assumed that it had something to do with wolves, since “lobo” is Spanish for wolf, and it ties in nicely to the predator/prey themes in the book.

But, no.

For the in-story reason, you can read Lucky Day, the I Hunt Killers prequel novella which includes the tale of Étienne LeBeau, founder of the Nod.

As to the other reason, well… Here we go:

As I traveled around the country to talk about the book, I would challenge people to figure out the meaning behind “Lobo’s Nod.” My intention was that eventually, when the third book came out, I would run a contest on the BLog to have people take a stab at it.

When challenged, one guy in Texas did a little quick anagramming and realized that “Lobo’s Nod” can be mixed up to spell “Blood Son.” Which, I swear, is a nice bit of linguistic serendipity, but nothing more.

I kept challenging people and no one got it and I figured I would be running a contest when Blood of My Blood came out, but in April 2014, just five months away, a kid in Chicago piped up and nailed it.

What’s the answer? Why did I choose the name Lobo’s Nod? The answer is a little story:

People often use some combination of Dexter and The Following when they discuss I Hunt Killers, and I’m going to admit here and now that this pisses me off. I get it — it’s a nice, easy shorthand, but every time I read such a comparison, I feel like the person in question is accusing me of ripping off one of those series. And the truth is, I didn’t watch Dexter when it was on and I don’t watch The Following, and I was done with my first draft of Game before The Following even got on the air. So there’s that.

Anyway…

Even early on, my editor (who does watch Dexter) was saying the book was “Dexter for teens.” This before I’d even finished the first book. But a part of me, naturally, rebelled against it. It wasn’t just a book about a serial killer, after all — it was about a kid solving crimes.

A kid. Solving crimes.

“It’s not Dexter for teens,” I said one day. “It’s Encyclopedia Brown on crystal meth.”1

I loved the Encyclopedia Brown books as a kid. I was obsessed with them. And so, in that  snarky, anti-Dexter moment, I decided to honor my childhood mystery obsession.

The Encyclopedia Brown books were written by a man named Donald J. Sobol.

Don Sobol.

Spell it backwards.

And thus is the mystery of Lobo’s Nod…revealed!

If you don’t know who Encyclopedia Brown is, I urge you to avail yourself of the powers of Google.

Super-Hero TV 2014: The Flash

Let’s not beat around the bush: I have mixed feelings about The Flash, which debuted last night on The CW.

When I was a child, the Flash was my favorite super-hero. Maybe because he had that most ethereal and dreamlike and mercurial of all powers: He was just really, really fast. Maybe because of the hard emphasis on science in his stories, which appealed to geeky young Barry. Or maybe — just maybe — because his name was Barry.

So it was with excitement and a little trepidation (because, after all, it’s DC and it’s the CW) that I tuned in to watch the show. And there was some great stuff and there were some things that made me sigh and say, “Really? Really?”

The whole point of Barry Allen has always been, “He’s a saint. He’s a good guy who does good stuff for no other reason than the fact that he’s a good guy.” Of course, in the modern era, this is considered “boring” and “unrelatable,” so recent creative personnel have grafted tragedy, guilt, and pathos onto the character. As a kid, he saw his mother murdered and his father framed for it. Well, OK. Because, sure, no one ever embarks on a path to Do Good without some kind of heinous crime in their past. We’re all Batman, apparently.

Still, that addition is something the comics did years ago, so that boat has sailed. What annoyed me most about last night’s show were little things, tiny bits that sullied the character and his legend and — worst of all — were completely unnecessary to the story.

For example:

So…do DC heroes just not bother even TRYING to save people any more? #theflash

— Buried Lyga (@barrylyga) October 8, 2014

I tweeted that in the middle of the show, right after Barry dramatically and super-speedily dives away from a crashing car…and we learn that the driver died in the crash.

Really, show? Barry had just proven that he was fast enough to catch up to a speeding car, open the door, and hop in, but when a car is barreling towards him, all he can think to do is dive aside?

The point of the character is selfless heroism. CW’s ad campaign for The Flash beats us over the head with words like “courage” and “hero.” So, show your main character doing something heroic!

But, no. Not in the new world of DC’s dark, guilty characters. Barry later wrings a whole line of dialogue out of his guilt over not saving the driver. That’s right: someone dies in front of him and he talks about it for a whole sentence! What tragedy! What an impact that’s had on him! I bet the season finale will involve Barry weeping at the man’s grave.

No. No, this will never be brought up again. It’s faux depth, faux pathos.

Look, this is insane. They bumped that guy off and made their hero look like a putz for a single line of dialogue that ultimately meant nothing. Barry pretty quickly shrugs off that guilt and goes a-heroing.

Would the show have been harmed in some way if he’d saved the guy in the car? Would that storyline have been impacted? He could still question his destiny, could still wonder if this was the right path for him, since those are questions the show runners clearly wanted him to wrestle with for roughly 90 seconds.1

Let’s backtrack for a moment, to the scene where Barry — newly powered — sees a waitress drop her tray in slo-mo. I nearly leapt off the sofa, so excited was I — this scene was right out of the comics, right out of Showcase #4 from 1956, where Barry uses his powers for the first time, catching the falling items and replacing them on the tray so quickly that the waitress is left thinking, “Gee, that was close — I almost dropped that.”

I was psyched to see that classic moment given its due.

But, of course, on TV, Barry just watches the food fall. He does nothing.

Come on.

Look, no matter your opinion of the show, that’s just spitting on the original. Again, what would it have hurt to have him catch it? Why do an obvious, overt reference to the source material, only to step on it? What’s the point?

In the original, Barry is focused. He acts on instinct. He moves immediately, without doubt, and he comes away thinking, “Whoa! What’s going on with me?”

On the show, Barry hesitates. He gets distracted. He does literally nothing. And he comes away thinking, “Whoa! What’s going on with me?”

How is the latter better than the former? Especially in a show about super-speed, shouldn’t the main character always be acting, rather than standing around?

I realize these seem like small, niggling details.2 Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying the show is bad because of choices such as these. I’m just saying they don’t add anything at best…and they detract at worst.

I am glad that Barry came up with the idea of reversing the tornado on his own — I was worried that his connection to the gang back at S.T.A.R. would mean he would basically be getting advice from them all the time. But he thought of it on his own, so good for him. The Flash’s intelligence and scientific know-how are central to his character and his stories, so good on the show for making him smart enough to think of these things on his own.

Less glad-making was the decision to have him winded and pretty much giving up until Wells gets on the radio to inspire him to get up and try again… Again, how does it hurt the show to have Barry exhausted and defeated…but then dig down deep on his own and try again? It’s such a small thing, but it communicates volumes about his character.

But clearly, based on the tag at the end, they’re setting Wells up as either a sort of demiurgic power…or perhaps, in a twist, a good guy from the future trying to make sure Barry lives up to his destiny.

OK, we’ll see.

And, yes, I’ll see, too. As annoyed as I was by the little things, the show did just enough right that I’ll keep tuning in. I’m hoping that the bizarre tendency to undermine its hero is merely a symptom of this being a pilot, and that the actual series will resist the urge to do so regularly.

Oh, but one more thing: In the comics — written in the 1950s — Iris West is an accomplished, independent photojournalist. On the show, she’s a grad student who serves coffee and lives with a domineering father who insists on hiding the truth from her “for her own protection.”

Pretty sad that a woman created in the 1950s was more empowered then than now.

Right up until Green Arrow — I’m sorry, Arrow — shrugs and says, “Dude, be a hero!”Hey, it could be worse — at least I’m not whining that he’s not blond!

NYCC Sale: I Hunt Killers Only $2.99!

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to buy the ebook of I Hunt Killers, your day is here! As part of a special New York Comic-Con sale, the ebook is on sale for a mere $2.99 from all etailers.

Yes, all etailers. B&N/Nook, Kobo, iBooks…and, yes, Amazon. Whatever your preferred ereader, you can get the book super-cheap.

So what are you waiting for?

The sale lasts through October 20, so download now!

Guest Blog: My Book, The Movie

Over at “My Book, the Movie,” authors talk about casting the movie adaptations of their novels. I was asked about casting I Hunt Killers, and here’s a little bit of what I had to say…

I’ve been asked repeatedly: Who do you see playing Jazz? And Connie? And Howie? And G. William? And the guy at the coffee shop eating a cruller?

The sad, sad answer is this: Beats me.

I guess I missed the day in Author School when they taught us how to answer these questions because I don’t have the slightest idea who should play anyone in my series. Honestly.

Well, not honestly. There’s one exception.

For more, click through to the whole post!

How to Win on The Voice

I’m not much of a fan of reality TV, but my wife likes The Voice, so I usually end up watching it. Last night, I tweeted the following:

I know nothing about music, but let me say this: If you have the option to pick @Pharrell and DON’T, you’re an idiot. #TheVoice

— Barry Lyga (@barrylyga) September 30, 2014

Here’s what I meant by that: ostensibly, the point of The Voice is to seduce one of the coaches into picking you and then grooming and guiding you through the show and to eventual victory. If only one coach chooses you, you’re stuck with him or her, but if multiple judges pick you, you get to choose which one will mentor you.

If Pharrell Williams is one of your options, you’re an idiot to pick anyone else.

The hat is so big because it has to hold his GENIUS.

Look, I’m sure Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, and Gwen Stefani are all very nice people. And I’m sure they all have interesting things to teach singers. But at the end of the day, no previous winner of The Voice has skyrocketed to success. The show’s been on for six seasons, and I’ll bet you can’t name two winners.

So, winning The Voice isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s probably like getting drunk on the best champagne in the world — you feel amazing while it’s happening, but the hangover is really gonna suck, no matter what the quality of the booze.

But Pharrell Williams isn’t just another coach or singer. He’s one of the industry’s top producers. If Blake or Gwen or Adam love your voice and you win the show, well… We’ve already seen what happens: Not much. You’re not going to be the next superstar on the strength of winning The Voice. And if you don’t win, well, it doesn’t matter how much they love you. Maybe you’ll get to open for them on tour, but… Eh. Not exactly superstardom.

But, damn — if Pharrell Williams loves you, it almost doesn’t matter if you win or lose the competition. If Phrarrell truly falls in love with you, the guy is a top-notch producer and he can pick up where the show leaves off and give you your best, most legitimate shot at stardom. Having Pharrell as your coach is like getting two bites at the apple. Hey, maybe you win the show and buck tradition by blowing up huge. If not, though, maybe Pharrell throws an arm around you and says, “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s go make a platinum album.”

And his track record speaks for itself.

So, yeah: If you’re on The Voice and one of your judge options is Pharrell, it’s a no-brainer.

Then again, what do I know? I don’t like reality TV.

If you can name two winners, smartass, go ahead and sing a couple of their original songs. Ha!

Guest Blog: The Page 69 Test

At the request of the Campaign for the American Reader, I’ve subjected Blood of My Blood to the Page 69 Test, wherein authors check out page 69 of their books and discuss how that page mirrors/contributes to the book as a whole.

For Blood of My Blood? Well…

page 69 is in no way representative of the book as a whole, unless you count “creepy sense of ickiness” as representative.

Spoilers follow. Check it out.

Super-hero TV So Far: 2014 Edition

On the off-chance you’re interested in my opinion of this year in Super-Hero TV, I figured I would blog about it a little bit.

I have only minimal interest in Green Arrow as a character, so I don’t watch Arrow. If you’re looking for an opinion on that show, sorry.

Constantine and Flash have yet to debut, but I watched the season opener for Agents of SHIELD and the series premiere of Gotham and here’s what I thought:

Agents of SHIELD: The award for “Most Improved” goes to Marvel and the show that, last year, I pretty much hate-watched for most of the season. Once Captain America: The Winter Soldier hit theaters and the HYDRA reveal was out of the bag, the first season picked up considerably, but I thought it was too little, too late. But holy crap! The season opener this year was great. Whereas last season, each episode felt stretched and hollow, this year’s premiere was jam-packed with action, excellent character beats, and a very nice twist I should have seen coming…but didn’t. I don’t want to pre-judge the whole season based on one episode, so I’ll just say this: If the show runners can keep delivering like this, Season One will be forgiven. (It is blazingly obvious that the first season should have debuted in January as a mid-season replacement, providing for a tighter string of episodes leading into The Winter Soldier. Stretching it out to a full season was a bad move.)

Last season, Agents of SHIELD was trying too hard. This season — based, admittedly, on a single episode — is effortless.

Gotham: The Batman show without Batman gets the award for “Most Likely to Return from the Dead.” Since the abysmal Green Lantern movie, there haven’t been more than five or ten minutes of consecutive film footage set in the DC Universe that I’ve enjoyed. I didn’t have much hope for Gotham for a number of reasons, among them: Its position in the darkest, deepest trenches of what is already a too-dark filmic universe, as well as my general burn-out on all things Batman. So it was a nice surprise that Gotham, while treading perhaps a tad too much on the dark side, was interesting, well-done, and fun. I do wish DC/WB would realize that Frank Miller’s Year One was almost thirty years ago and start thinking of new ways to stage the death of the Waynes, but that’s a minor quibble. David Mazouz, the kid playing Bruce Wayne, was much more intense than I’d expected, and Ben McKenzie is very believable as the guy who will someday run the GCPD as Commissioner Gordon. Conflating Barbara Keane and Kate Kane seems like a move fraught with the potential for disaster, but we’ll see. It’s also a nicely diverse cast, with two white dudes as the leads, sure, but prominent backups in Montoya and Allen, as well as gangster Fish Mooney (played with subtlety and restraint by Jada Pinkett-Smith). All in all, it could have been much, much worse, especially given DC’s track record of late. I’m in.

Flash races toward us on October 7, with Constantine lighting up on October 24. I’ll let you know what I think of them, too.

Interview (& Giveaway!): Blood Rose Books

It’s a busy day here at Lyga Central! The reveal of the After the Red Rain cover, a guest-blog over at Scholastic, and now this interview at Blood Rose Books, in which I say, among other things:

The first step to eliminating darkness is turning on a light; understanding is a light.

Go check out the interview and enter to win a signed copy of Blood of My Blood!

Guest Post: On Our Minds

The folks at Scholastic asked me to blog a little bit in honor of National Comic Book Day (which is today).

Comics have always been misunderstood, going back to their inception in the 1930s. In fact, comics as a whole — an entire art form! — were dragged in front of Congress in the 1950s and deemed unfit for children, based on spurious testimony and misguided public panic.

Click here to read the whole thing.