Desire Makes for Action
In this newsletter: Reprise: On Doing Something / The Unfulfillment Hole / Nori's Dilemma / Interview on Key Themes / Behind-the-Scenes Witch Designs / Music and Movie Recommendations
Reprise: On Doing Something
Since my comments on people in a rush to get small, things haven’t gotten better for the world. That’s . . . not okay—but it sure does mean it’s never been easier to be a hero. One, small, decent act can mean a lot right now. And you are capable of doing it. Everyone has the power to go and do one small thing. Start saving the world by resolving to do one small thing to make the world a better place this week.
The Unfulfillment Hole
As a writer, I think about the basics of character and drama a lot. Good stories feature characters who want or need something. The act of pursuing that thing is often the plot, the very reason for the story. Desire makes for action. Good writers put obstacles in the way of their characters getting what they want—and it is from those obstacles and how the characters react to them that we get drama. Unfulfilled characters mean more story.
Getting what you want and getting what you need are rarely the same thing. That’s a fact that can make life so difficult. We often think we need this or that and then spend a lot of time and energy striving for it only to find that having the thing doesn’t really satisfy. A lot of the time, struggling for that thing—even achieving it—leaves you more empty than you were before. Stuff, even status doesn’t fill that hole. Why is that?
To my mind, witchcraft must be a lot like that. It’s why the tagline for The Family Graves: Spell of the Space Witches (which you can back on Kickstarter here) is the following:
Witchcraft is an illusion. The first spell you cast is on yourself.
Witchcraft may give you power of some kind, and I’m sure it could give you some good times and all the cool stuff you want, but, ultimately, it doesn’t give you what you need. And so it’s self-deception. You’re left empty.
Nori’s Dilemma
A wonderful thing about writing a comic like The Family Graves is that it’s an ensemble book. And with a large cast of characters, there’s so much to explore that I’m never at a loss for ideas. Each character has their own personal story within the overall story we’re telling. And there’s so much to tell. Unfortunately, I never have enough room to say everything I want to say.
With Spell of the Space Witches, I wanted to focus on Nori. Readers know that Nori has always been a little angsty and awkward. Being a teenager is tough. But her situation is more complex because, as a siren, she wields the power to influence anyone. So despite having a loving family around her, there has always been a terrible thought in her head. Nori has never really been sure whether or not she’s really loved or even if people are honest with her. And she’s confused by her powers and doubts her humanity, often wondering if she’ll ever be more than a monster. In the last volume (see pics below), she was shown something sinister by her grandfather, Gustav. We don’t know what exactly she saw, but it wasn’t good.
We pick up on this thread of whether Nori has a dark destiny in the new mini-series as she navigates high school drama and some truly cosmic (mis)stakes. Looking to fit in and establish her own identity, Nori makes friends with the Witchy Trio, a group of mean girls who are both more and less than they seem. Nori is soon forced to choose between her family and her new friends, between the easy path of witchcraft and doing what’s right. And she’s going to find that witchcraft has a steep price: her family!
The Family Graves: Spell of the Space Witches #1 is the start of a four-issue series filled with the spooky action you’ve come to associate with The Family Graves (lots of witchy badness, complete with demon creatures and spaceships and monsters!) plus a real human family story underneath. Desire makes for action! Back it now on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/654800860/the-family-graves-spell-of-the-space-witches-1
Spell of the Space Witches brings real Strange Academy and Sabrina/Archie vibes to the series that’s a lot like The Munsters meets The Fantastic Four! Only this mixed-up family of monsters—a werewolf dad, a medusa mom, a teen siren, a fish-boy & an adorable baby zombie—have the mad science to save us from the Spell of the Space Witches!
Interview on Key Themes
While promoting the new issue of The Family Graves, I spoke with Cody at Keeping It Geekly about some of the key themes we deal with destiny, power, and identity as well as the coming-of-age struggle of becoming your own person in and apart from your family. I also talked about creating feel-good fiction for a reality that’s not so great. You can read more here.
Behind-the-Scenes Look at Witch Designs
It’s probably no surprise that a book called Spell of the Space Witches features a lot of, well, witches. One of the things we wanted to show was a society of witches that was full of all the different kinds of witches you read about in stories. We created a diverse and eclectic cast. There are primitive and techno witches; European, Asian, and African witches; men and women; familiar deformed crones with warts and a group of modern high-fashion witches that seem anything but.
With this variety in mind, we created a backstory about different covens with individual hierarchies and how the different groups work together (or don’t!), and then artist Brian Atkins went to work creating all kinds of designs: some are leaders, some are workers--but they all represent a different culture and attitude.
Below is one of Brian’s design sketches. No spoilers, of course, but you’ll see quite a few of these characters in the comic. Some are very prominent, others are more like Waldo (hiding in the background, waiting to be found)--but all are part of a rich tapestry that Brian wove together to bring the world of The Family Graves to life. But let me tell you a little secret. These witches here--they aren’t even the worst ones...
When our adventurous monster family launches into space to test Phil's bleeding-edge quantum communications satellite, they are going to come up against some of these powerful beings--and Nori will have to choose between her family and the allure of witchcraft. Don't miss it! Back it now: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/654800860/the-family-graves-spell-of-the-space-witches-1
Recommendations
Some Like It Hot
I experienced a bit of time dilation the other day when an article marking the 40th anniversary of and recapping the chaos behind The Power Station’s self-titled debut album came across my feed. Aside from the obvious math error (There’s no way that album is 40 years old!), it was a great reminder of the origin story of one of my favorite albums, one I keep in regular rotation.
A rhythmic and aggressive combo of rock and funk, The Power Station band and album was an almost-accidental formulation. Robert Palmer (vocals), Andy Taylor (guitar), John Taylor (bass), and Tony Thompson (drums) collided at just the right moment to create a true masterwork of 1980s excess shaken and stirred in a dirty bar glass: concussive drums, thick bass guitar, and blazing horns laying down hooks and grooves guided by blistering guitar licks in support of Robert Palmer’s authoritative and soulful voice.
Sadly, the group was short-lived, limping on a little after Robert Palmer left. But the various line-up changes never captured the same energy or chemistry as the original. And that’s a real shame, because, for me, this record is one of the best all-around albums. Eight tracks—all of them bangers. Seek it out.
Excerpt from the Spin article that touched of this nostalgic post:
Released in March 1985, The Power Station stands today as one of the definitive albums of the ’80s. A commercial success that peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart, the album spawned two epic singles, including “Some Like It Hot,” which Taylor calls “an extraordinary piece of musical architecture” with its gated-drums reverb sounding like the collapse of a thousand shimmering stars. The decadent “Get It On (Bang A Gong),” an out-of-control cover of the 1971 T. Rex smash, followed.
Movies
I’ve watched a lot of good movies lately. Here are a few I recommend:
Life of Chuck—Tom Hiddleston and a group of great actors. There was a lot of hype around this movie, most people calling it a magical masterpiece, etc., etc. . . . and they are correct. This movie is one of the best all-around movies, beginning to end, I’ve seen in years. Don’t read what it’s about. Just go watch it. Mark Hamill and Benjamin Pajak are amazing in it.
Before I Go to Sleep—Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong. Strong psychological thriller that unfolds with great suspense as Kidman is a woman with no memory of the last several years who slowly begins to reconstruct her life thanks to odd clues, except she forgets everything she learns while she sleeps. After a therapist gets her to begin taping her memories and she begins listening and relistening each morning, she begins to unravel a taught mystery of where she’s been, who she is, and what’s really going on.
The Rip—Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and others. Tense and action-packed crime thriller that’s a heist movie but not. Cops already reeling from a corruption scandal in their unit raid a drug house and discover a mega-stash of cash, and they have to confiscate it before the bad guys or other cops find out what they have. The paranoia, suspicion, and suspense increase scene by scene in powerful ways, and just make it a treat to watch.
One More Plug
Please go read the preview pages and consider backing Spell of the Space Witches on Kickstarter now: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/654800860/the-family-graves-spell-of-the-space-witches-1