Owen King is a great writer whose books The Curator, Sleeping Beauties (co-written with a family member), and Double Feature (among others) I highly recommend. He was one of the lucky few who received an advance copy of The Strawman, and I'm happy that it's found a good home!

Jim Shooter at the Lexington Comic & Toy Convention in March, 2024.

I just released an "Extra" edition of my Substack newsletter to discuss Jim Shooter's passing. In it I go over my personal interactions with Big Jim (including one I've already chronicled on this very website) and tell some of the problems he'd been having with his health.

In the comics industry, there were few bigger than Shooter. Physically, he was 6'7". Professionally, he broke into comics when he was thirteen years old and was the Editor-in-Chief of Marvel when it had an astonishing 70% share of the market. Later came Valiant, Defiant, and Broadway Comics. His body of work is impressive in both its volume and its significance. He was both figuratively and literally a giant. There won't be another like him.

Keith Giffen in the late '80s, as seen in Comics Interview # 66.

Over on Substack I've been reprinting a lost interview with Keith Giffen that Harry Broertjes originally published in Interlac back in 1988. (If you don't know what Interlac is, it's an APA (Amateur Press Association) about The Legion of Super-Heroes.) Since there were only about as many copies in circulation as there were members (let's say, fifty-ish), that means that a lot of people hadn't read it before.

If you're one of those who wasn't in Interlac back in 1988, it might be of interest. And today is the fifth and final installment of this time capsule of an interview, featuring such topics as what Keith was reading at the time, what he had coming up next, and how he broke into comics (and then fell out of them).

Don't wait another thirty-seven years to read it! Just click the link now!

Alex is the author of the comic book flavoured novels Secret Identity and Alter Ego. He's also a comic book industry veteran, with years logged at Archie, DC, and Oni. He's currently writing The Question: All Along the Watchtower for DC, a bunch of Star Wars stuff at Marvel, and Dick Tracy for Mad Cave, along with his creator-owned projects. Thanks, Alex, for the plug!

Actually, it's been out for a while. Back Issue! # 157 features my interview with the somewhat-recently-departed Keith Giffen. This one was done a good while back, but if you're not one of the lucky ones who originally saw it in The Legion Companion, then it's new to you!

That picture looking back at you is the cover of my novel, The Strawman. Up 'til now, you could only gaze at the artwork and wonder at its contents. Well, no more! As subscribers to my Substack know, there is an advance preview of its contents online here, so now you can make an informed decision as to whether or not you can judge a book by its cover. As before, here's the back cover copy:

It was originally supposed to come out this spring, but wiser heads have prevailed and now it's scheduled for release on September 30th, 2025. This wasn't a decision that was made lightly -- it's a very crowded marketplace out there, and it takes time to plant the seeds of success. People have to be bribed   tricked   blackmailed   convinced to give a new book a try, and that takes repeated messaging. Review copies have to be sent out many months in advance with dollar bills   pleas for help   requests for coverage inside, and the big books get all the attention. Plus, these days authors are expected to do most of the heavy lifting themselves when it comes to promotion, so word-of-mouth has to start early and get louder as time goes on.

It's still a Mystery/Thriller with Horror elements, and as we get closer to its publication date, you might get tired of hearing about it. There might even be some advance copies awarded to lucky readers for their loyal patience -- stay tuned!

The cat is finally out of the bag -- Comic Book Creator #44 will feature Part 1 of my three-part interview with Joe Hill! Here's how it's described in the TwoMorrows Catalogue:

This is still a long ways off -- April, 2026 -- but that's the way publishing works. Of course, Part 2 will appear in CBC # 45, which has also been solicited:

Again, not for a long time, but I don't want you to hear about it on the street! There's enough misinformation out there already!