So I managed to miss this one before today.
Regie Rigby, he of Fool Britannia on Silver Bullet ComicBooks, or SBC for short, mentions me in his most recent column.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen – it appears I have the gift of sight. Might I refer you to something I wrote in this column on December the 21st, when I talked about Tony "Starship Troopers" Lee and said:
"…if 2006 has shown anything, it’s shown that 2007 could be Tony’s breakout year."
Well, if you’ve been reading Silver Bulletins you’ll already know that he’s been named as Group Editor of Markosia Comics. That’s a pretty hefty promotion – and one I must say is richly deserved. Even more impressively though, after the disappearance of his "It’s only a comic" column in UK trade paper Comics International he’ll be resurfacing here at SBC on Monday 5th February, ably assisted by Dan Boultwood. Couple that with all the continued popularity of Starship Troopers and all the other great sounding stuff I know he’s working on (and some stuff he’s hinted at but won’t expand on because it’s secret) I think my first prophesy for 2007 can already be judged to be correct. He’s going to be a lot more well known by this time in 2008."
Much appreciated, Regie. On the subject of the column, I will indeed be starting It's Only A Comic at SBC from next Monday - that's right, only a week to go before I join their hallowed throng. It's a solo effort for the first one, as most will be, but I'm pumping the meds into Boultwood as we speak to get him coherent enough for the next one.
And now back to work. Which today is writing an 1850's jewel hest, and then a cartoon style chase through a rotating treadmill wheel of death for a yet unnanounced project.
I love my job.
It's only January...
...And there's countless conventions beforehand, including the Bristol Comic Expo, but the Nerd Prom also known as The San Diego Comic-Con 2007 is already starting to give people sleepless nights, with the phone derby that is known as the 'February 6th scramble' already being given multiple alert status on many people's personal calenders.
At 9am in San Diego on the 6th February - all the hotels that are involved with the convention, and therefore have convention rates put their available rooms up onto the net and their phone line. You want one? You had better make damn sure you're by a phone the moment it hits 9am - because usually within a minute in the phones are enganged, and within an hour every hotel room in the surrounding area is gone at convention rate.
With companies like DC, Marvel, SONY, UNIVERSAL etc also joining the scramble and block booking stupid amounts of rooms each, it reduces the playing field considerably. Why do they all wait until this date rather than just booking the year before? Well, a room for the same weekend can cost up to $500 a night. Con rate is more likely $200. And for the weeks surrounding the 6th February, people will book more rooms than they need in multiple hotels just to ensure that their creators can get a bed, and just cancel them closer to the date. And as each one fills up, the next closest becomes the target. And then the next.
Yes, you could wait for the cancellations - but then you're in a very long list, and there aren't that many rooms. And this year the Hyatt has a convention in the hotel the same weekend, and rooms are even more sparse.
As for me? Well, for the last couple of years I've snuck in under the radar by staying at the J Street Inn, where, for 300 bucks you can get a single room for the entire week. But this year, the J is no longer doing this, as it's gone long-term residential.
So, I have to get a hotel. To start with, I thought about doing the February 6th rush and getting a room at the Hyatt, but now I'll probably more likely stay with the Digital Webbing crew in the Embassy Suites if they can get it - With an airbed and a sleeping bag, it's far, far cheaper than a room - and a free breakfast and a 'happy hour' every evening.
So for me, hopefully, San Diego is sorted. All I need to do is sort the flight out, and I'll be doing that in Feb/March.
It seems like San Diego was just last month - and already I'm planning the next one.
Such is the life of the comic creator.
On a side note, Markosia won't be having a booth at SDCC this year - so I hope some of my other projects get announced or I'll have nowhere to sit!
"How did I get involved with writing the ST comics in the first place? Luck, pure and simple. And minor nepotism."
"It's far easier in the comics press to have this persona of 'wacky funster Tony Lee! Look, he's up a tree! What WILL he do next!' than one that concentrates on my work... "
"Mike Moorcock said a great line about me. But then it was in an introduction for Midnight Kiss - what was he going to say? 'Tony Lee's a bit shit but he's a nice guy'?"
All The Rage's Steve Saunders Interviews me at SBC.
And at points the mask comes off. For the first interview of 2007, it's not too shabby. And has never seen before art from Starship Troopers and Midnight Kiss.
So the Newsarama BLOG seems to think that I'm starting a possible controversy against the New York Comic Convention. I'm really not.
Anyone who knows me knows that I'll happily pitch in at any convention I'm at. I did four panels at Birmingham, two at SDCC and five at Bristol. And I offered my services for NYC.
If I was just wandering around, saying hi to people then sure, I'd expect to pay an entry fee. It's just taking the piss otherwise. I'm not known well enough to walk the floor and sign for adoring fans. If I'm a guest at a convention? It's not a holiday. It's my job. I'm there to do panels, read portfolios, sign comics - whatever the convention wants me to do. And sorry guys, but I won't pay out $45 for the privilage of working for you.
But come on, guys - there are people paying over $300 for a table and still having to pay out for the ticket? That's ludicrous.
So it's highly unlikely I'll be doing the NYC show now. But have no fear, American chums, I shall be around a lot more this year...
It's The End Of The Year As We Know It...
And I feel fine.
And so, the year of 2006 is rapidly approaching a close, and I thought I'd look back over the last twelve months, look at my highs and lows, and see what 2007 holds for me.2006 was another move forwards year. Not the breakout one I hoped for, but to be homest that's looking more and more like 2007 every day. But I had some pretty spectacular moments though.
In January, I hit a couple of landmarks - I finished the fifth script for Brothers - The Fall of Lucifer and all ten scripts to Shadowmancer. There's a bit of bittersweetness here, as Shadowmancer's now coming out as two trades rather than as monthlies - and Brothers was cancelled after issue #1 after Wendy Alec, the writer of the book I was adapting from couldn't get her act together. I know you're not supposed to speak bad of other creators etc - but this woman and her husband kept Markosia, myself and Sam Hart hanging about for months. Sam and Markosia lost a lot of money due to her, and for someone who preaches so strongly on 'Christian values', she could have at least returned an email or two. The book wasn't very good, either.
Midnight Kiss #4 also came out, and I started to re edit #5 and #6 into one final issue. It was finished in February - and the art was finished a month or so back, let's hope it gets put online soon.
March was a bumper month for me - work wise I was taken on by Walker Books to adapt the book Raven's Gate by Antony Horowitz, and the shops had Amazing Fantasy #18, featuring a story by me, my first Marvel work in two years - Shadowmancer and Brothers were released - but mainly Starship Troopers returned with a brand new #1, an issue that beat 10,000 copies in total. Which might not sound much compared to the average DC or Marvel book, but for a UK publisher? We beat most of Image and half of Vertigo that month. And it did mean that for March, I had two books in the the ICV2 top 300, at 232 and 182 respectively.
I also started my monthly 'It's Only a Comic' column for the comics magazine Comics International.
April was the release of my first Doctor Who work, the three part F.A.Q for Panini, and that led me into the Bristol Comic Expo on a roll. I lost an Eagle Award to Judge Dredd - The Megazine and climbed a tree. In other news Midnight Kiss was finally cancelled due to printer issues, with promise of a trade to be released at the end of 2006, and I was given the task of adapting 90 pages of comic from G.P. Taylor's new book, The Tizzle Sisters. This would end up taking far longer than I expected, and I was doing this until September.
In June I started working with Francis Lee and Beyond Starlight on a Tales Of Midnight five parter. That was done and dusted by September also - more news on that when I get it. As it was work for hire, once the script was done I was no longer in the loop, so I look forwards to it as eagerly as you do.
Also in June, I started Robin Hood - Outlaw's Pride, a graphic novel with Sam Hart for Walker Books. It's their first ever original graphic novel, and as such we're incredibly excited. Expect it sometime in late 2007 / early 2008.
And then July. With Starship Troopers - Blaze Of Glory now in a collected trade, and Starship Troopers - Dead Man's Hand #1 now hitting the stands, I went to the San Diego Comic Con. There were a lot of high points, and I've gone over them elsewhere, but I met with several people there and in New York the following week that even now are starting to bear fruit. I didn't climb any trees. I did meet some amazing people and got to chat to both new and old friends at Avatar, Moonstone, Top Cow (where I got to meet David Wohl for the first time - David was one of the first people to ever give me advice by email on returning to comics, and I owe him a great deal, and I also met Rob Levin who's not only a great editor, but a hell of a writer), Image, Boom! Studios, my good friends at Digital Webbing, Imperium Comics, Wildstorm, DC, Marvel and Vertigo. There were also moments with people like Lee Nordling, Mike Carlin and - aw hell, loads of people.
I did however have the worst journey there known to man, was up for 48 hours straight and said the wrong thing to an editor I respect greatly - it was a small misunderstanding, but one that lasted until just before Christmas when apologies were accepted, and has shown me never to open my mouth when jetlagged! I also had a nightmare trip back to NYC where the plane had to emergency land in Kansas, but that wasn't so bad as I got to sit in a bar for four hours with Mark Buckingham of Fables fame, and a friendship was definitely forged.
And of course my week in New York was one of the highlights of the year - a variety of meetings with DC/Vertigo, Marvel and a Simon & Shuster editor all in the space of three days, with a comics signing with celebrity chums Neil Kleid and Mike 'mullet' Oeming at Midtown Comics and a beer with Andy Schmidt, Jen Grunwald and CB Cebulski on the last day - it was incredibly hectic yet at the same time mindblowingly cool - and again, I thank Kleid, Genco, Purvis, Buckingham and Bernadin for the drink in the 'Telephone Bar'.
And so we hit the post San Diego rush - countless pitches thrown out, and even more projects agreed. I plotted out a three book King Arthur graphic novel series to be started next year with AndyB of Phantom Jack and The Phantom fame. I finished off Tizzle Sisters, The Gloom, Robin Hood. I created new ideas - CrowTown, Bloodbourne, a variety of others I can't yet mention. I was given the opportunity in October to start an ongoing Starship Troopers series to run from Damaged Justice. Dan Boultwood and I started work on Dashing Tales - For Young Chaps, a graphic novel to follow on from The Gloom. The Tizzle Sisters came out to critical acclaim. I was invited to pitch for a major British icon.
Novel wise, I finished King Bill - And The Spirit Of Albion, the first in a series of books, and I started Rahbin Hood - An Altenative Tale Of Sherwood. I also started A Pocket Full Of Poltergeists and a modern day fairietale called Magpie. Childrens book wise, I've written Mitten The Magical Kitten and started on Mr Tuggles.
So that's 2006. And that's nothing compared to how 2007 is starting. For 2007 will have the trades of Midnight Kiss, The Gloom, Starship Troopers books 2 and 3, the complete Shadowmancer, Arthur - The Tale of a King: Book 1, StoneBlade, Robin Hood - Outlaw's Pride and Raven's Gate. Already I'm blocking out the sequel to that one, Evil Star for 2008.
Pitch wise, I have a one shot, a couple of mini series, at least two graphic novels and two ongoings in discussions with a variety of American publishers. I have a three book Manga project out there. And, as the months move on, I hope to announce them soon as various contracts get signed and all that. I hope to have more licensed stories out there - but I can't say who yet. And that's just the first quarter of 2007.
Who knows what the rest will bring?
Yo ho dee ho ho...
So the end of the year approaches, and my workload increaseth. I never understand how this happens, but at least I have a few extra days to play around with things this time. In the next couple of weeks I have to finish off issue #2 of the Starship Troopers ongoing, and depending on whether two things get signed, I need to start scripting some other work for hire's pretty damned quickly. In addition to that I'm about to start blocking out the sequel to Raven's Gate, the excellent Evil Star - and in a week or so I should be able to announce the excellent artist on the former - although anyone at BrumCon may already have heard the rumour.
I also have a lot of pitches on the go - way more than usual, but as a good friend says, this is common for me following a convention - I think it's something to do with talking to so many likeminded creators.
Of course, if this really is the case, then I should have loads of ideas after this weekend, as tonight I drink with Liam Sharp and his Mam Tor crowd. It's my only 'Christmas Party' of the year, and they're always good ones in Derby. As everyone knows, Liam is not only the artist on the excellent Vertigo title Testament, but he's also the brains behind Mam Tor Publishing, and I'm hoping that tonight will also give me a chance to see Matt Coyle's excellent Worry Doll.
Now, anyone who hasn't seen this - it's beautiful. And it's already on my pull list. The story is fantastical, in beautiful black and white art - and, from Matt himself -
"The characters in the book are all based on actual dolls that I have collected and I really just wanted to bring them to life. Originally the project started out as a children’s book but this didn't quite work out for me. However, the stage had been set, so to speak when I decided to turn it into a road movie type nightmare.
The original premise of the dolls being propelled into their adventure remained and allowed me to explore the idea of parodying a children's book. From then on the making of the story happened only 3 or 4 plates at a time. In lots of ways the story told itself, or the dolls told me the story. Please note that this is definitely not a children's book!"
For more information on this book, and in fact to read the fifteen page preview as a PDF, click HERE.
Me? I'll be lining up in February when it comes out.
That is - if my Christmas workload doesn't kill me first...
Convention Countdown...
So, this weekend is the Birmingham Comic Convention, which I've repeatedly gone on about at you over the last few weeks. But it's a good group of people running it, and I want to ensure they get a good turnout. And it's my current 'home turf', so I'd like to at least feel loved for a change.
So Friday, my The Gloom, Tizzle Sisters and now Dashing Tales - For Young Chaps co-collaborator Dan Boultwood arrives and we'll most likely be in the Radisson SAS Hotel (the convention hotel apparently) in the evening. Over the weekend we shall be signing copies of The Tizzle Sisters at the Markosia Stand at the convention. I'll also be signing copies of Starship Troopers, Midnight Kiss and Shadowmancer. There will be drinking, but not as much as Bristol - there's no convenient hotel room to collapse in here.
And so the madness that covers such a convention has already begun - I've had the Birmingham Mail call me this morning to do a telephone interview for Saturday's paper and both local television and radio have contacted me in relation to pieces being done during the weekend. That's not including the web and trade magazines who have suddenly piqued an interest in yours truly...
So. Comic convention. This weekend. Come along.
PRESS RELEASE - ON THE BOUNCE, TROOPER! STARSHIP TROOPERS CONTINUES AT MARKOSIA!
For decades now, Starship Troopers has been the benchmark for military Sci Fi, with Heinlein's award winning book birthing movies, television shows, toys, computer games, boardgames and miniature wargaming scenarios – and of course comic mini series, with stories by Dark Horse (including one by Warren Ellis) and the Japanese Anime Uchu no Senshi.
In recent years however, the comic torch has been passed to Mongoose and Markosia Publishing for the critically acclaimed trilogy 'Blaze Of Glory' – three, four-issue stories, 'Alamo Bay', 'Dead Man's Hand' and 'Damaged Justice' that chronicle the war through the eyes of Tamari's Tigers, a platoon in the Mobile Infantry, fighting the Bugs wherever needed.
"It's become a cult hit." Richard Emms, EIC of Markosia explains. "And as we were starting the third book, we were already having fans ask us what was next. We decided to give them what they wanted."
With more Starship Troopers required, Tony Lee (Doctor Who, X-Men), the award-nominated writer of the original trilogy was called back into service.
"When they told me they wanted to return to the Tigers, I wasn't sure if I could." Tony Lee admitted. "The original trilogy was totally self-contained. But they showed me the sales figures and the letters, proved to me that the fans wanted more – so we did a brand new comic, an episode #0, with a fresh, eight page story drawn by Andie Tong (Spectacular Spider Man) inside."
That eight page story led to Markosia and Mongoose agreeing on a new, ongoing Starship Troopers series, starting in April 2007 that continues the story of the Tigers and explores the world of the Mobile Infantry in more detail. And this time, Tony was immediately on board, with Chris Dibari (The Hunger, Robin) taking over the monthly art duties.
"This is the first time ever that Heinlein's book has been created for an ongoing, monthly comic audience." Lee stated. "The problem with the trilogy was it was written two years ago. We weren't allowed to use things that hadn't been agreed at that point with SONY, or used by Mongoose, and so we couldn't use exosuits, Skinnies, a whole load of things from the novel. But now, two years later – the game has progressed and so have the characters. We're now able to look past the Tigers, expand the universe, show the M.I Grizzly and Cougar Exosuits in design, follow the Pathfinder squads, the Canine NeoDog brigades, delve more into the minds of the Sensers – the stage is far greater than before. And when they explained that to me, I had to return."
But with fears of an expanded universe taking the story away from the Tigers, Richard Emms quickly answered concerns.
"People bought the trilogy for Will Tanner and the Tigers." He said. "And as such, the Tigers will always be an integral part of the story. But we also used characters like Zim, Rico, Carmen and Zander, we showed the flight decks of the battle cruisers and we involved family back on Terra. So it will never be solely a 'Tigers' comic. That said, Tony has been reading a lot of War comics and watching Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Band Of Brothers – so who knows what'll happen next!"
Starship Troopers #1 is released in April 2007 with the four part story 'Marooned'. The third book in the original trilogy, 'Damaged Justice' is on sale in December from all good comic shops.
Vampires vs Zombies - Who'd win..?
So the cat's out of the bag, thanks to our good friends at Lying In the Gutters, including the ever vigilant Rich Johnston. Which is fine, because we've been dying to tell people anyway. It's one of those creator owned things.
(for point scorers, that's twice I've been in Internet columns this week. I almost feel like I'm in showbiz.)
Rich was curious to the rumours he had heard, and so I explained a little today by email. I thought he may have shown a pic or two, and Szymon's work deserved a view - but I never expected the emails I've had since, all demanding to know what's going on, what's the story. We've even had our first fan art from someone who's read a draft of the first nine pages!
So... Basically, this concept has only been mentioned to a trusted few friends while we were getting it right - and it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride from start to finish, one of those project ideas that comes out fast from the gate and has been a whirlwind - I mentioned while I was in the planning stages to Szymon Kudranski (not Kudransi, Rich) who I'd been looking to do something with for a while - Szymon's incredible at horror stuff, as anyone who's seen his art on Markosia's Scatterbrain or IDW's 30 Days Of Night will attest, but I could never think of something that really hit the mark. Until last week, when after reading a rambly idea, a pitch and a concept, he agreed to work with me on BITE OF THE LIVING DEAD. (Working title - BLOODBOURNE)
What's this? I hear you ask - Well, in movie pitch talk we're talking Dawn Of The Dead meets Underworld. We're always seeing people posting on how they're sick to the teeth of Zombie movies that just rip off zombie movies that were better. Only once in a while does a classic come through that's different, changes it slightly. But you know? Zombie movies still come out. And most of the time, they're good. And occasionally, theres difference. Shaun of the Dead and 28 Days Later both take the genre into different directions.
And then you have the Vampire. Since Dracula, we've had different versions - from Blade to Underworld to Buffy and Angel to - well you get the idea. But the big thing here?
The plots are always the same. Vampires or Zombies - against humanity.
Why isn't there a Vampires and Zombies - against each other? Think about it. It's the pirates verses ninjas question for a gothic audience. Can Vamps feed off Zombies? Can Zombies eat Vampires?
(And yes, I know there's a movie called Vampires Verses Zombies - I watched it recently. And they don't even fight til near the end and it's a bit - anticlimatic... I think it has one of the lowest scores on IMDB ever...)
So we have our high concept. The last humans in the city (in a world full of such cities, surrounded by Zombies and losing more every day) make a deal with the devil - literally. A union with Vampires - in particular Lord Malachi of the Forsaken Court of Vampires. A Court that use the names of Angels to rename their sired. For these Vampires, although not caring what the humans do against these creatures - are rapidly realising that their foordsource, the humans, or 'Meat Feasts' as they like to call them - are running out. And therefore the enemy of their enemy is not their ally, as they're literally stealing the food from their mouths. And when the humans are gone? Well, the Vamps may need someone to watch their back during the day - as Zombies don't sleep...
And these Zombies? They're not slow, lumbering ones. We're talking more 28 Days later here, fast, feral and primal, driven by unliving instinct to eat, to dismember. They have muscle memory. They can speak two syllable words. They're not stupid.
But now in the way are the Vampires. Paid in donated blood to save their food source. Will the alliance, shaky at best, last? What happens when a Vampire is bitten, or drinks infected blood? Will the humans double cross them? Will the Vampires do it first? Will, can the Zombie plague be stopped - or will the Vampires end up fighting them for cattle, when the Human Race are gone...
We're looking at a miniseries, or ongoing here. We seriously reckon it could be a big thing for 2007. And with 30 Days Of Night being made into a movie, and 28 Months Later in post production - the time has never been better to put these two babies together.
And just so you know - two concept sketches shown - the guy with the peroxide hair? That's a concept of Lord Malachi. The bald guy? That's Beliar. They're Angels, all right - but not the right kind. View Image to see them the right size...
Friends, Romans, Minions...
So, I've been talking to celebrity chum and award winning writer extraordinare Neil Kleid - and the discussion came on to minions.
No, not onions - MINIONS.
You see, Warren Ellis has his filthy assistants. Mark 'wee scottish man' Millar has his Millarworlders. Whedon has the Browncoats.
I need some minions.
No, seriously. In three weeks, Birmingham has it's biggest ever International Comic Festival, and I'm a special guest. That's right, not speshul, but special. I'm like invited and a name or something. I'm doing panels and everything. And, to be honest I'm one of the few (and possibly the only one) there who can claim the 'Home Team Advantage'. Although, I have to admit that 80% of them are more famous than me. But I don't care - and neither does my ego. Suck it up, fanboys.
So I should be treated like comic royalty, right? It's a big convention and on current home turf - I should be welcomed as the prodigal son returned home, right? I should have loads of screaming fans there who'll cheer me, raise the roof for me, buy me drinks and stop the real stalkers from getting near me, right? I should have an entourage of minions that fills rooms, and more importantly, bars.
And while on this subject, it shouldn't be just me who gets this, it should be my plucky cohort Dan 'The Chap' Boultwood, my The Gloom and Tizzle Sisters artist who also gets this by the fact that he shall be basking in my Glorious Golden God glow - for this will be the first proper 'Two Drunk Guys In A Bar' convention crawl since Bristol in May. Last month in London didn't count because there was a curfew. But we should have minions who will follow both of us, ensure we have drinks when on panels, that sort of thing. And we're talking drinking Friday night, panels all of Saturday, drinking Saturday night and panels on Sunday, so there's quite a lot of minioning to go on.
And there's a very high level of minion for me, you know. Remember Bristol? The guys who made up the football chant?
Well, this December at Birmingham? I expect you to do better, much better. I want T-Shirts, banners. Placards. Chants. Spontaneous applause in my panels. Whatever the hell you think you can get away with. I want you to be the big story of the convention, the thing that all the websites talk about.
Well, actually I want me to be it, but hell, you'll do for the moment.
So. What are we going to do about this? Well, first off, let's have a show of hands on who's actually going to the convention. Then those people can tell us how many friends they can bring along who can be bribed and beaten convinced to Minion for me.
You'll even get an exclusive Xmas minion badge! (assuming I remember to email someone before the end of the week) And anyone who got one of the yellow ones will tell you how they go like golddust! This one is me in a santa hat! Excitement!
Kleid thinks I should call you my 'Merry men', my 'Midnight Cowboys' or my 'Gathering Glooms'. But his idea for his own lackeys, the 'Ninety Soldiers' (based on his Xeric award winning book Ninety Candles - I hope you're noting these plugs, Kleid) is far cooler. But then he is trying to convince me to joing in a Zionist plot against Comic Book America, so he kinda has to have the cool ones.
So. What can you do... for me?
Tony @ The London Expo...
So this weekend I spent my Saturday at the London Expo.
For a more detailed report, http://users.livejournal.com/_tonylee_/100170.html has the full gory details and photos....
So... #200...
So today I got in the post my complimentary copy of Comics International #200, of which I contribute a monthly column called 'It's Only a Comic'.Usually the comic is good, better than most, if not all of its rivals, but this time? They surpassed themselves. It's well worth the £2.95 it costs to buy it. And thats not because of my column (which I have to say is more self promotion than self derivation), nor the cameo I make in a comic strip, nor even for seeing my name as 'Special Guest' on a full page comics convention advert, yes kids, fame and immense fortune* hasn't swelled the head of uncle Tony here. I still get a kick out of seeing my name in the sparkly lights. The roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd, that kind of thing.
So this has actually humbled me. I mean, here are legends like Arthur Ransom and Peter David, back for that 'One Night Only' column - and my column is up their with them.
Someone asked me the other day 'When did you know you'd made it as a comic writer? Was it the Marvel comic? The award nomination?' I smiled and told them I hadn't made it yet.
But you know? I was in the enviable position where the guys who had made it, let me hang around with them.
And you can't do better than that.
* I might be lying about the fame and money part.
The Robin Hood you WANT to see...
You know, it's terrible to hear that even with the wonderful (and showbiz chum) Paul 'Fathers Day' Cornell's episode three script, the BBC1 Saturday evening show Robin Hood still isn't pleasing people. Of course, this is because it isn't being written by me, and the Robin isn't the dashing rogue as designed by artist extraordinaire Sam Hart.But we know you like Robin Hood - we know you want and need Robin Hood - and we live to please you, our beloved fans.
So, as a special treat for you - from the upcoming graphic novel Robin Hood - Outlaw's Pride, expected late 2007 from Walker Books, here's Robin and Marion. Click on the picture for a larger image.
Now tell me that this isn't beautiful. Now imagine it with the colours of Artur Fujita. Oh yes.
This will be the Robin Hood project of the 2000's.
Fame, You Fickle Mistress...
There's something disconcerting that clutches my stomach when someone I don't know turns out to read my stuff. I know, thousands of people do every month, but to me? It's still my family and a close group of friends who read it, nobody else. People I don't know? Who haven't personally been given a copy by me? Come on. Be serious.So today someone I know in passing discovers my Wikipedia page. Yes kids, someone made one for me a while back. That's scary enough as it is, but this girl didn't know I was a comic book writer - to her I was Joe Shmoe, no comics here, thank you. After being told about it, she goes off and tells a friend who likes comics and graphic novels that she knows this guy called Tony Lee, he writes comics. She gets a mail back - yes he knows my work and, more than anything else, she should read Midnight Kiss.
This total stranger is telling someone to read my book.
I laugh off fame, because I am not famous. I laugh off fans because I'm not good or big enough to have them.
Someone who's known me for a few years asked me a couple of months back 'Tony - Are you famous?' At the time I laughed, and shrugged it off. I still want to. I'm not famous. Not by a long shot. That is for guys like Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, Alan Moore -
- But sometimes it feels good to be loved.
On a side note, I heard from Harry at Markosia today - the first batch of Tizzle Sisters books came in today, so in a week and a bit I'll be signing the little buggers in London with Dan 'The Man' Boultwood at the London Comic Expo.
Also I've been writing some of the exciting ongoing that can not be mentioned yet tonight - and I'm finding that watching The Thin Red Line the night before really helps...
Tony @ The London EXPO...
We'll both be there signing copies of the already critically-acclaimed The Tizzle Sisters & Erik, which will only have arrived at the Markosia offices that week! Be the first to get one by coming to the stand!
I'll also be signing copies of the limited edition convention special Starship Troopers #0, with artist and celebrity chum Andie Tong, fresh from his Spider Man duties!
You know you want to be there.
