Jason Franks's Blog, page 36

In the Next Year

It's been a big year for me. Now it's November at it's time to take stock around here, so, this is an attempt to show you what my schedule looks like next year. It looks a bit like this:

BLOODY WATERS: At long, long last my first novel, Bloody Waters, is coming out. I don't have a date from the publisher yet, but it will be early in the year, I hope. 

The first issue of TERRA MAGAZINE will be in newsagents around Australia from April.

I have sold two short pieces which will be published in 2012: "Into the Adlight", a cyberpunk prose story (I posted the opening paragraphs a while back) and "NYE 2001", an 10 page autobio comic illustrated by Jose Pimienta. More about each of those when I can.

More McBLACK, obviously. Work continues on McBLACK vol.02. I'm still not sure on the details of how it will be published, other than that it'll be under the Black House Comics banner. The time frame is mainly contingent on how fast I can pencil, but I'm aiming for the end of the year.

I am now firming up plans for another McBlack one shot (McBLACK TWO SHOT). I have the story worked out but the script is unfinished. Once more we will be featuring some guest artists: I have two lined up (there will be at leas three)  and, while they have a tough act to follow, I can assure you that these guys are gonna knock your god-damned socks off. 

I've been editing a new anthology project called CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR, which should be dropping in the next few months. We have a really stellar lineup of Australian and North American talent in it. This is nominally a crime book, but you know I like to keep things diverse, and I think the breadth of stories will surprise you.

My mysterious UNGENRED projected is mostly complete and should be out next year.   

So, that's a few things coming out. I'm still working on a bunch of other projects:

Jose Pimienta is really killing on BUCKET OF GLASS. We are till working out where we will try to publish it, and in what format. 

I will soon begin actively seeking representation for my novel FAERIE APOCALYPSE. 

My novel XDA ZAI is now a complete first draft and I will begin cleanup/editing/polishing phase. I hope to have it finished by the end of next year--no more decade-plus novel projects for me!

Horror/Fantasy/police procedural comics project with Paul Abstruse (working title ZYCORAX) should be ready for pitching soon.

I'm developing another comics project called LAST RECON with Paul Mason, which is a military book with a superhero angle. (Yeah, I said it).

I am now deciding whether or not to pursue a second volume of THE SIXSMITHS. I want to do it, despite the poor sales of vol.01, but it depends on a number of factors, including whether or not I can find an artist who can fill JMarc's shoes. 

Does that sound like a lot of stuff? That sounds like a lot of stuff. I don't talk about my private life online, but I suppose that I mention that I am also getting married...

Let's see how many people read all the way to the bottom of the post, eh?

-- JF
-- 

Banned

My proudest moment yet in my writing career: a book I contributed to was banned on eBay. [image error]

YUCK #1, published by Milk Shadow Books and containing my story "Bogey Man" (inked by Mike Nason). I was not the worst offender, I don't think--that was probably my buddy Matt Emery, whose story "Rapist Rapist", I believe, deserved an Eisner nomination.

Of course the book is still available from the Millk Shadow website, or in underground bookstores throughout Melbourne. 

McBlack In The House

And here's the news from Supanova: McBlack will now by published by Black House Comics.

SUPANOVA GOES POP

Folks,

I will be at Supanova in Brisbane this weekend, once again at the Black House Comics booth (as opposed to my usual Blackglass Press, or SLG in the US). I'll be selling my usual fare--KAGEMONO, THE SIXSMITHS, McBLACK, and AFTER THE WORLD. Hopefully the new edition of McBlack vol.01 will be available, but if not I should certainly have the one shot.  I have a very small number of Sixsmiths books left and because my publisher is overseas I don't know when new stock will arrive, so if you want one, get in early. I won't make the Friday preview but I will be there all day Saturday and Sunday.

Also! Saturday at 12:30pm we are having a Black House Comics panel in which the whole BHC crew will discuss their books and the lineup for next year. Black House is going into 2011 with guns blazing and this is a good opportunity to hear about what's in store before anybody else. Or, you know, to laugh at my stupid haircut.

I will be making a special announcement as part of the presentation.

Full details can be found in the program guide here:

http://www.supanova.com.au/news/brisbane-event-guide/

(Cue obnoxious rap-metal also-rans:)

ARMAGEDDON MELBOURNE

Well folks, it's that time of year again--Armageddon will be destroying my city of Melbourne for the fifth time since I've moved back here.

Last year I skipped the show, not having a new book to sell, but this year I will be present with three new titles, never before exhibtied in Melbourne: KAGEMONO: FLOWERS AND SKULLS, THE SIXSMITHS, and McBLACK ONE SHOT. I will also have copies of AFTER THE WORLD: PACK RULES to sell, for those of you who also read stories without pictures.


I will also, of course have the full Kagemono range available as well as McBLACK Vol.01.


I will be seated with Black House Comics  in a long block, alongside Bruce Mutard,Trevor Wood, Bobby N., Paul Mason, James Andre, Matt Emery and Phillip Bentley.  (I should also have the Blackglass Press banner out.)

 

Saturday Oct 22nd – 9am to 6pm
Sunday Oct 23rd – 9am to 6pm
at the Melbourne Exhibition Center.

Stop by, say hi, and buy some books!

-- JF

McBlack One Shot webcomic

McBlack is back. (Try saying that six times fast).

The new one shot is now available in print, and the digital edition should be along sooner or later from Cloud 9 comics.  As before, the whole story will run for free as a webcomic on the McBlack website--updated Mondays and Fridays (sorry folks, it's a smaller book, so I'm only doing twice-weekly updates).

Check us out; we're in colour this time.

http://www.mcblack.com/?p=182

-- JF

Syndicated Interview

The interview I did a little while back with Dino Caruso for Crystal Fractal Comics has been syndicated to comicbookinterviews.com. Jolly good, I reckon--Dino was easily one of the best interviewers I've ever worked with and I'm glad to see it getting a bit of wider exposure.

You can check it out here, at its fancy new digs: http://comicbookinterviews.com/2011/10/interview-jason-franks/

 

Smiling–

I'm on TV. Sort of.

Youi Car Insurance has a new ad campaign going, and a couple of the ads are set in a comic store. Black House Comics were asked to kit the store out, and you can see most of their gear all around the store--with Paul Mason's SOLDIER LEGACY being a featured part of the ad. Towards the end of the ad a rack of comics is visible, and there, front and center, is a copy of KAGEMONO: TOOTH AND CLAW.

Bleeding Cool coverage is here:

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/10/09/australian-insurance-tv-ad-turns-to-comic-stores/

And here's the actual ad spot, which is presently airing on channel 7:

 

McBLACK ONE SHOT Now Available!

Here we go again. Everybody's favourite gonzo SF noir actiuon comic that happens to be written by Jason Franks is blowing shit up again--this time, in full colour.

The McBlack One Shot is now available in the Blackglass Press web store.

McBlack is dispatched on a multi-stage seek-and-destroy mission--but who is he supposed to kill, and who is he really working for?

28 pages, full colour. Written by Jason Franks, with interior art by Mike Athey, Tom Bonin, Trevor Wood and Jason Franks. Colours by Luke Pickett. Wraparound cover by Rhys McDonald.

The webcomic will begin running again next Friday.

Hang on to your heads!

-- JF

Acceptance

A story I wrote for the inestimable Jose Pimienta has been accepted intoa  US anthology. I'm well pleased. 

More details when I am able to give them.