Monday, January 15, 2024, is supposed to be the cut-off for anyone pre-ordering THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS getting their name included on the SPECIAL THANKS page. The deadline has now been extended to January 22, 2024, for a couple of very good reasons. Actually, three.
One: I’m awaiting a proof copy of the book to establish if the cover art placement meets with my satisfaction. That should be arriving sometime later in the week. Two: I still have to proof the digital files being sent to the printer. Most importantly, three: I still have four of art to finish.
I took a little more time than anticipated primarily because I was reworking a couple of sequences I originally thought were more straightforward than they actually were. It was only while working on the sequences that it occurred to me if I made an change here and an adjustment there that I could tie my M25YL chapters, my story THE STORM along with SHATTERED TOMORROWS in a way that really nailed their continuity in the grand scheme of things.
I originally envisioned THE STORM as one in a series of stories that took place during THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES but were not a part of main story action. If anything, the series of stories I envisioned were meant to add to the broader world perspective from the main story.
In THE STORM, we see the relationship between certain characters whose interactions would detract from the main focal point of the story, but whose actions have relevance to the bigger picture. Likewise a story planned about Lien-Da’s personal life doesn’t work as part of the main narrative, but it does reveal layers of a pivotal character to the greater narrative. These stories constitute what I consider part of the ELSEWHERE narrative.
I’ll talk more about the ELSEWHERE stories at a later date, but suffice it to say, it was only while working on a sequence that I saw how to tie that story even tighter into the main narrative that I felt it worth the extra time time to make the effort.
Beyond that, I had worked in a cushion to allow me time to do a final polish before shipping everything off to the printers. The overall schedule remains the same, with the arrival of the printed copies arriving sometime in late April or thereabouts, the pre-orders being sent out to those awaiting them once I have the copies in my possession, followed by the book’s official premiere at the San Diego Comic-Con in July.
Before I get back to my drawing board, in answer to more than a few requests I’ve been receiving lately, it’s actually a Cintiq Pro 24 that I use a stylus upon it’s calibrated touch screen. It’s comfortable and I wouldn’t think of using anything else to create THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES with. You can see it in the photo above.
As usual, anyone still having questions can always email me. Please allow time for a response. Thank you.
For my money, nothing I’ve shown so far truly conveys my approach to THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: SHATTERED TOMORROWS graphic novel I’m working on than the scene above.
First, it firmly establishes the story as science fiction that could easily take place on a planet located in the STAR TREK or STAR WARS universes. Or a number of sci-fi universes. PLANET OF THE APES, anyone?
Second, it’s a pivotal First Contact moment for Commander Mykhal Taelor as he encounters a vid-log left behind by an inhabitant of the place he’s exploring. Obviously, something major has taken place, but is he stepping into the middle of it, or it’s aftermath? Is Lara-Su asking for help? Or is it too late?
Third, Commander Taelor is as important to the story as Lara-Su is. He’s explored the vastness of space. She hasn’t. Taelor is important for another reason. He’s a guide to this new world he’s about to experience for the readers both old and new. He’s our avatar, asking the questions we would if we were in his place, trying to make sense of the differences between the cultures.
I’m looking to expand horizons with this effort. Go not just beyond my comfort zone, but way beyond. In many ways, working on this story has proved to be a learning curve for me as well, going beyond anything I’ve ever previously worked on in comics.
Unlike most comics, there are consequences. I’m not going to cheat by killing someone off and then bringing them back, or a character makes a bad decision but gets let off with a warning they should be more careful the next time. Things happen, and everyone has to deal with what happens next no matter. And the choices only get tougher.
For the record, I’m bouncing around from page to page, working on panel 4 of Page 10, then skipping onto panel 3 of page 7 to the first couple of panels on page 15. That’s how well mapped-out the story is. It actually keeps me thinking what else I can add to the narrative as I work on it.
And now, it’s time I got back to the drawing board. I have some deadlines to meet. Thanks and take.
For some time now I’ve been telling everyone who asks that THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES is not for all ages, that parents should look over the material to decide whether it’s appropriate for their children or not. I say this because I’m not bound by restrictions dictated by the editors at Archie Comics, the Comics Code of Authority and/or SEGA, and I refuse to be.
As a parent myself, I’ve seen what my kids growing up were exposed to and their reactions to many things where there’s no filters or shielding from in the real world.
Take a look at the news these days. Kids are aware adults are doing nothing to shield them from being gunned down in the schools, that owning a gun has a higher priority in our society than saving kids lives. There are wars going on in Ukraine and Israel where people are getting killed every day that kids are exposed to on the TV and internet. Even going out to a store, a theatre or any other place where people gather, and it’s pretty common for kids to hear someone pretty clearly in any number of ways use the word “fuck”. Especially if one person is annoyed with another, or has no sense of common courtesy.
So as I was working on a specific panel on a certain page, while figuring out the layout of the story point being depicted, it occurred to me I was depicting a beautiful moment during a crucial story point and I was about to censor the presentation because it might get someone upset because moments like this were never depicted in an Archie or IDW comic or even a SEGA game.
As I worked on the rendering, I thought about the women I encountered in my travels who had their infants with them on a subway or bus or park and suddenly needed to accommodate a hungry baby. I also thought about the time my son Steve was being born and what I saw when I was in the delivery room.
When I finished the drawing, I knew there was no way I was altering or deleting this from the story. I also knew when similar moments occur in the story to come, there would be no dumbing down. No censorship.
When I wrote my KNUCKLES stories, I can’t tell you how many kids I met at conventions who told me they loved the Knuckles series because the main character was just like them, a product of a broken home. These kids knew their parents weren’t getting back together and were appreciative when I was just as honest stating there was no happy ending for Knuckles with his parents either.
My grandchildren are growing up in a world far different from the world I did, and in many ways, the story I’m telling with my characters is a reflection of that change and the world they now now live in.
For the record, if a person watches STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS or FOR ALL MANKIND, that’s the kind of storytelling these days I’m shooting for with THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES. There will be no apologies and no going back to previous expectations. It’s a brave new world with plenty of surprises.
As my New Year’s gift to everyone, I thought I’d display a bit of the flashback sequence from THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: SHATTERED TOMORROWS. This is from page 8, depicting a moment of great joy between Lara-Su and her father K’Nox. The sequence will include moments that were never shown, then it begins to tie everything together. It’s my reassurance to readers who’ve waited a long time to see what happens next and how it all fits with what came before.
In the meantime, I’d like to thank everyone who pre-ordered THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS so far. I’m about to cross the 100 supporters mark, so there’s still time – 14 days plus the remainder of today – to order so you can get your name included on the SPECIAL THANKS page featured in the book as well as receive a Limited Edition signed Lara-Su print. The print will only go to those who pre-ordered and will not be made available via any other means. It’s another way of my saying thanks to those who kept the faith.
Also, I still have a number of Lara-Su SURVIVE! T-shirts available for order as well as the Lara-Su Limited Edition Prints. I was surprised when I received orders for both as my focus as been solely on launching the book.
For the record, the show of support for these items as well as the Unit Patches goes a long way towards enabling me to move forward with THE KNUCKLES OMNIBUS Vol. 1 as well the complete LARA-SU CHRONICLES: SHATTERED TOMORROWS graphic novel.
Once THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS is completed and sent off to the printers, one of my first orders of business after the Lara-Su app is completed will be to hire a colorist so I can focus solely on the art and illustration, enabling me to get that volume out sooner rather than later. By that point, there should be more than enough samples for people to get an idea of what I’m looking for.
I just received some sound and music digital files to review for inclusion into the app, but I’ve set that aside for the moment to get the book out.
While I hope to be more engaging on a regular level with this blog, until the book is completed, it’ll be whenever I have time during the next two weeks or so to squeeze it in. I apologize in advance and ask for your patience. I’m hoping 2024 allows me to move forward on a number of front with both this website and other endeavors.
In the meantime, people can always email me. I always do my best to respond. In the meantime, thanks and take care.
If nothing else, the image above should resolve the issue of how much of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES is connected to my previous stories seen the SONIC THE HEDGEHOG and KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA series published by Archie Comics. And the answer is…
Very much so.
However, new readers don’t need to panic because all the info they need to know is contained in THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS hardcover collection found elsewhere on this very site.
The image pictured above is directly taken from the SHATTERED TOMORROWS storyline which depicts Lara-Su in her form (albeit seen only in silhouette) recalling events previously seen in the MOBIUS: 25 YEARS LATER chapters (along with some events that were slated to be seen but were never able to for a variety of reasons).
Obviously, there are differences between SHATTERED TOMORROWS and M:25YL, so how is it possible to have a flashback with the character recalling her previous design? Trust me. It’s all part of the story. And no, it’s not a dream, a hoax or an imaginary story. I gave the details an incredible amount of thought.
None of this fully came together until I started laying the pages out I needed to complete in order to get the book ready for the printer. Once I saw where the flashback sequence fell, it became a matter of depicting how one era merged with the other. Once I had the visual cues, everything fell into place.
As an added bonus, working on this sequence also provided guidance for including Easter Eggs referencing previous events and characters into the story along the way. This is my way of saying thank you to readers who’ve been there since the beginning. At the same time, new readers don’t need to feel they have to search out hard-to-find back issues in order to enjoy the story. After all, I’m moving forward. If I tie up a previous loose ends along the way, that’s a bonus.
The question I now get asked the most these days is how can one buy a copy of my book that I’m preparing to send to the printers. That’s followed by asking if it will be available on Amazon or available for purchase through one’s comic book retail outlet.
It was only because I had been approached by representatives from printing companies that prompted me to do my due diligence on the viability of the project, figuring out the costs, how many copies needed to be printed, what the price of the book would be as well as the return on investment. I crunched the numbers based on what discounts I would have to give to distributors such as Diamond or selling through outlets like Amazon.
I’m still wrestling with those questions because the print run is not that big. My concern at the moment is if I do list the book with Amazon or make it available through Diamond to the comic book shops, there’s a strong possibility I won’t have enough copies to fill all the orders going those routes.
The real possibility of a print run sell-out leads to my next conundrum. Do I go to a second printing or not? My feeling right now is to hold off on doing a second print run. For one thing, I’m not sure if I’ll continue to print it as a hardcover or softcover book once the initial run sells out. Another reason I may not reprint depends on what projects I move forward with next.
So the game plan for now is this:
I send the files to the printer. Approximately three months or so later, the copies are shipped to me. If they arrive in time, I may do a soft launch of the book at the Los Angeles Book Fair in April. Whether I do the book fair or not, the first people to receive their copies are those who pre-order. They are the priority.
Beyond that, unless there’s a comic book convention happening in California between May and the San Diego Comic-Con, I plan on conducting the official launch of the book from my location at Table II-24 in Artists Alley during the aforementioned San Diego Comic-Con. Attendees can pre-arrange for me to have a copy set aside by pre-paying both before and during the convention as I will be bringing a set number of copies with me.
During the convention, I do plan on meeting with representatives at Diamond, Scholastic, Amazon and other possible distribution outlets. Until that happens, all plans are subject to change on a moments notice.
So, for now, the best advice I can give anyone is to pre-order their copy. If they live in another country, click on the CHANGE ADDRESS link to see the list of countries I currently ship to. If their country is not on the list, please email me so I can add it to the list. (Note: you’ll need to add a copy to the cart before you can access this page.)
Please keep in mind that the deadline to be included on the SPECIAL THANKS page is January 15, 2024. All those who pre-order by that date are guaranteed to be listed.
One last note: If I do end up going to additional printings, the sure-fire way to tell which printing one has obtained is by checking to see which outfit Lien-Da is wearing on her DATA FILE page. Above is the version that will be seen in the original print run. The only way to see all the outfits she’s depicted in will be in her Data File page on the Lara-Su app.
As usual, if there are any questions I have not addressed, please email me. I will respond. Thank you.
Christmas will soon be here, and if you’re wondering what to give a friend or family member or even yourself, at the risk of sounding too much like a commercial (which is exactly what this is), might I suggest pre-ordering a copy of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS hardcover collection?
If you’re new to the saga, here’s a good place start. And if you’ve read the MOBIUS: 25 YEARS LATER stories when they were first published, you’re about to embark on a journey to see how the rest of the adventure unfolds, experiencing new characters, new worlds as well as new levels of world building.
Also, if you’re one of the first 200 readers to pre-order a copy, not only will you receive a Limited Edition Full Color Print of Lara-Su signed personally by me, but you’ll also see your name listed in both the book and the Lara-Su App on the SPECIAL THANKS page.
But you’ll have to act quick. This offer applies only to those who pre-order their copy on or before January 15, 2024. After that, the book will be locked and sent off to the printers.
Once the copies arrive from the printers approximately 3 months later, everyone who pre-ordered their copies will receive their book before the book’s official launch at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, where you’ll be able to find me at Table II-24 in Artists Alley.
Ken and Chris figuring out the shot (C), with Josh Van Meter (L) and Josh Glass (R) standing by to assist
I’ve been out of sorts this week as I lost a very dear friend who lived with our family for the past 10+ years or so. He was originally supposed to stay a few weeks but somehow it morphed into something much more long term.
I first met Chris back in September 2008 when I got the wild idea of actually making a presentation reel based on my comic book THE LOST ONES. I was interviewing applicants for the position of Director of Cinematography and was getting discouraged at the prospect of young guys out of film school telling me how I was going to shoot my film when Chris showed up to meet me.
He already had more than 40 years of experience, was extremely French (having been actually born and lived in Paris), and gave me hope when he said the magic words, “You tell me what you want on film, and I will shoot your vision.” At this point, age didn’t matter at all. I had found my Director of Cinematography. More than that, though I didn’t know it at the time, I had found a mentor.
As we worked on shooting scenes for THE LOST ONES presentation reel, what we shot both impressed and inspired another friend of mine, who wanted me to film a script he had written. It was because of the experience I gained shooting the reel that I felt comfortable making the quick leap to a much bigger project.
All during this time, Chris was both encouraging and infuriating. Infuriating because he could see my shortcomings and inexperience show and never hesitated to point them out. Yet, in the next breath, he would patiently guide me to a solution while preserving the vision I saw in my head instead of compromising that vision.
We worked under difficult circumstances and an extremely limited budget, yet somehow we pulled off (with help of a number of family, friends and industry professionals) what we set out to do. The result was a 60-minute pilot episode titled THE REPUBLIC.
I couldn’t have pulled off the project without Chris, yet he was the one most effusive of praise for me for the finished film. “This was your film school” he would tell me, “and you have what most don’t, a finished film.”
To Chris, the work was the only thing that mattered. So much so that because of his willingness to travel anywhere for the job, he lived in a storage unit that had a room for a bed along with a bathroom with a shower. It was only once the landlord decided to destroy all the bathrooms in every unit of the complex instead of working with the city to get the units permitted, that Chris found himself having to look for a new home on a fixed income.
When learning of Chris’s situation, Bernie and I offered him the use of our spare bedroom while he looked around for a place to live.
Circumstances would result in that spare bedroom being his solution and so he continued to live with us. He was easy to live with and was a constant presence in the home for our two cats whenever Bernie & I had to be elsewhere. He proved to be a great companion for Bernie’s mom when she moved in with us because of her health issues, sitting next to her watching TV for hours on end up until the day when she passed away.
Chris himself suffered from cancer for most of the 10 years he lived us, so there were plenty of doctors visits and treatments during that time. Even so, he never complained or exhibited any self-pity over his situation, eternally grateful that we were the kind of people we are.
During the last couple of years of his life, maybe longer (I never kept track), I would usually take Chris for his treatments every three weeks until this past October when he startled me with his request, “I want to go into hospice care.”
Chris had had enough and saw no point in prolonging his existence, especially since it was long past time when he could step onto a movie set doing work that gave him purpose.
I tried talking him out of taking what I saw was a drastic step toward the inevitable, but he was determined, and I had to respect that.
We continued to take care of him until two days before Thanksgiving, when his nephew and great-niece flew in from Paris to see their favorite Uncle one last time.
After that, we had him transferred to a facility that could provide better care 24/7 than we ever could for his final days. I managed to to visit him shortly after that when he looked me in the eyes and said matter-of-factly in his customary French manner, “Dying is boring.”
I received a phone call from his caregiver Monica roughly about 7:00am or thereabouts on Monday, December 11. Chris had passed away earlier at 6:09am while she held his hand and played gospel music at his request softly in the background.
I made it up to the facility about a couple of hours later to take care of Chris’s remains. I’d see to it that his last wishes were honored.
Chris leaves behind family in France, including an older sister and her family, as well as a legion of friends and colleagues scattered throughout the world. Chris traveled everywhere, including war zones. He would be debriefed by the US State Department after several of these travels.
He met, dined with on occasion and photographed numerous celebrities such as Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Robert Forster and many others, including Bond girl Daniela Bianchi who starred in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. Chris shared an interest in cooking with actor Vincent Schiavelli, who played Dr Kaufmann in the Bond film TOMORROW NEVER DIES. He did photo shoots in the offices of Senator Ted Kennedy shortly after his brother was assassinated as well red carpet shots from the Academy Awards.
The one assignment he was most proud of was a documentary he filmed about a Monk who spent most of his years living in Communist China and was living out his days in a monastery here in southern California. Chris was in the audience when the man gave what proved to be his final sermon during mass, proceeded to sit down and then died before the congregation. He had just turned 100 years old. Chris admiringly stated after “He died with his boots on” and expressed a preference for dying in a similar manner.
Chris never bragged of his accomplishments or the people he met. One would only discover his past experiences through offhand moments that left one wondering whether he was being serious or pulling one’s leg. Eventually, the photographic evidence would show Chris underselling his experiences and connections.
Chris would say there are only 2 kinds of problems. The first were those he had an answer for, therefore it was not a problem. The other were problems beyond his control, so they didn’t count as problems either. Somehow, he made it through 84 years which began with Nazis marching through the streets of Paris when he was a young boy. He lived a life and then some.
I’d been meaning to write about the passing of one of the most significant Directors in the history of television since it was reported this past November 12, but as usual, life got in the way and it’s only now I’m able to write more than a few words of the man.
More than a few obits have stated his work on the BATMAN TV series would result in him working on the STAR TREK pilot when in fact it was the other way around. Mr Butler was hired to direct the 1st STAR TREK pilot titled The Cage”, with his work responsible for the most impressive science fiction film meant for television at the time. That the NBC network didn’t initially buy the series was through no fault of the director’s efforts. Rather, his work was so good, that NBC was willing to take the unprecedented step (at that time) and ordered a second pilot. Despite the differences between the 1st pilot with all subsequent episodes, creator-producer Gene Roddenberry was able to use the footage from “The Cage” as a flashback story that resulted in the only 2-part episode during the run of the original series.
The next year brought his next historic assignment, namely the BATMAN pilot that ABC-TV was very interested in. The pilot was filmed very much true to the comic book origins of the character, including mentioning how Bruce’s parents had been murdered when he was a young boy. The big hook with the pilot is that it was presented in 2 parts with the first part ending on a cliffhanger to get viewers to tune in for the conclusion the next night. This would establish the formula for the show’s first 2 seasons and resulted in a massive ratings success for the network.
Mr Butler would go on to direct a number of other pilots, made for television films such as DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY along with episodes of various series such as KUNG FU, THE INVADERS, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and many others.
After watching others reap the rewards of his work because they were able to claim Creator credit, Mr Butler decided he would try his hand creating a series. It was he who first came up with the concept of a female private detective hiding behind the cover of a fictitious boss as well as the name REMINGTON STEELE. He’d written an outline and even produced an audio cassette featuring the female detective’s first adventure.
I learned about the history of the creation of REMINGTON STEELE when I decided to write a book about the making of the series, figuring there would be be an audience for the book even though the show had been off the air for a number of years by that point due to the announcement of Pierce Brosnan being cast as James Bond for the film GOLDENEYE.
I was able to track down Mr Butler’s phone number and called to see if he would submit an interview once I explained the purpose for my call. He was more than generous with his time and allowed for me to conduct any follow-up questions.
The most interesting part of his concept was that the character Remington Steele was never supposed to be played by just one actor. There would be a series of Remington Steeles as Butler saw the main character as more a female James Bond, whose sexuality was a reflection of the more liberated times.
Butler would submit his proposal to NBC CEO Grant Tinker after having filmed the pilot for HILL STREET BLUES for NBC, figuring one good turn would result in another. Since Butler had never written a complete script up to that time, it was felt that Butler should work with an established write, and thus Michael Gleason was brought on to flesh out Butler’s concepts. It was Gleason who would jettison the Butler’s concept of the multiple Remington Steeles, reasoning network television audiences weren’t ready for a female character bedding multiple men during the run of the show. (Women may have been liberated, but that was a bridge too far for the network at the time.)
Butler recalled the pilot for the series was actually the second episode aired and it wouldn’t be until they were about to shoot the 5th episode that they actually decided to show how the main characters met, thus shooting what is now regarded as the show’s pilot after the fact.
Butler received his Co-creator credit and the rewards that came with it, and would go to launch other shows such as MOONLIGHTING and THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN years later.
I always meant to get back to that book about REMINGTON STEELE, but a comic book series called SONIC THE HEDGEHOG would take up much of my time soon after as well as a number of other projects. Mr Butler’s passing results in a regret I never followed up with him.
I extend my condolences to his family and friends and share in their loss.
I won’t find out where my exact location will be at the FAN EXPO San Francisco experience taking place during Thanksgiving Weekend from Friday, November 24, thru Sunday, November 26 until sometime during the next few days. I’ll post that info once I receive word from the convention organizers.
To make finding me easier, look for the banner I have posted above. A much larger version will be displayed behind me at the table I’ll be located at. I’ll have a selection of the above-listed items available for sale, but if there’s something in particular you’re looking for and will be attending, please email me and I’ll check to see if I can accommodate your request.
In the meantime, if you’re not able to attend, you can still pre-order THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS hardcover collection and be listed as one of its supporters on the SPECIAL THANKS page both in the book and on the Lara-Su App. If you read the original MOBIUS: 25 YEARS LATER stories published way back when in the pages of the SONIC THE HEDGEHOG series, the new material picks up where the story left off. If you’re a newcomer to the characters and stories, the collection will quickly put you on the same page with the original readers.
Also, I’m bringing some items that have been in storage for more than a decade, such as the first SONIC THE HEDGEHOG T-shirt design I created.
I only have 2 size Medium shirts available. These were created as part of a promotion I worked out with the late SEGA Licensing Manager Robert Leffler for the SONIC SatAM DVD BOXSET and are the last shirts with this design available. I’m selling each for $25 plus $10 shipping and handling for those who can’t make the show. It’s a first come, first served situation. These won’t be listed on my store page until after the convention, so you’ll have to contact me via email prior to that.
Keep checking back for further announcements as we keep getting closer to showtime.
