I would love to have a platform like this to work with comics. Not necessarily as a replacement for floppies, but imagine the extras you can pack in to a graphic novel, comics anthology, or even a complete set (or subset) of a given publisher’s weekly comics. Here are a few ideas off the top of my head:

• Animated sequences or alternate paths/endings (think Choose Your Own Adventure)
• Swipe-through pin-up galleries (with more pin-ups)
• Bring back the letters page with more complete fan-generated content like videos
• Bonus content such as creator profiles with video and/or audio & photos
• Bonus story content like character profiles, references to previous issues, histories, games, etc.
• Behind-the-scenes content such as pencils, inks, and other “process” features
• Dynamic layout control (think different ways to lead a reader’s eye through the story)
• Zoomable panels/pages for “hidden” content, such as clues, gags, or Easter eggs
• Moveable POVs and changing perspectives within a panel (including using this as a method to lead the reader through the story)
• Word balloon and caption toggling (instant silent comic, whether for the story or to savor the artwork)
• Grabbing pages, panels, splashes, etc., as screensavers and wallpapers for the reader device or other devices owned by the reader
• Premium editions that might be ad-free, or feature separate bonus content

Whatever the final content included, the key is the publishers and creators are no longer limited to page counts and printing costs, and in many cases, margins won’t be sacrificed to distributors and to shipping costs. Instead, more of the start-up money goes where it belongs: into content creation. Under the traditional publishing model, the creators get a small slice of the pie, which is a shame given the content they create is what generates the sales in the first place.

As for distributing this new content, there are plenty of options. Guys like Robot Comics are already doing exciting things on the small-screen digital market, but a “full-size”, dedicated e-reader opens up many more possibilities. Content subscriptions could be pushed out just as magazines and newspapers are with the Kindle. Intermediaries like iVerse and comiXology can handle indirect distribution, and larger publishers can probably host items directly (not to mention make use of the iPhone App Store, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble’s online store).

Where does that leave comic shops, you ask? I hear you, I’d hate to see my favorite shops like Amazing Fantasy, Graham Crackers, Darktower, and Comix Connection take a nosedive, too.

For starters, they’ve got a while before they have to sweat because print’s probably not going anywhere any time soon. Despite the success of the Kindle and the sudden proliferation of e-readers, we’re not seeing any decrease in the appearance of print books, are we? Digital distribution may finally have put a dent in music CD sales, but we’re certainly not seeing empty CD racks at Best Buy and Borders. Retailers still sell the hell out of DVDs, and while most games are available digitally, we’re not seeing the game shops in a panic yet. There’s also no reason the shops couldn’t help distribute the digital content, just like Barnes & Nobel plans to do with the Nook at its brick & mortar stores.

Even if digital distribution did put a major dent in the print sales, there’s still going to be a niche market for print (think of all the people still seeking out 8 tracks, and the recent resurgence in vinyl interest). Purists will pay a premium for print, and this is where your signed, limited editions come in. Include color plates, hand-written material, and so on, and you’ve got a product fans will seek. An increase in margin would help offset the loss in volume, and still bring people in for the rest of the stuff.

Which brings us to the next item: merchandising. Fans are going to need a place to pick up t-shirts, action figures, and other tchotchkes the content tends to generate.

Finally, and most importantly, there’s the cultural connection. The best comic shops have a reason for people to show up there and talk comics, including signings and special events like 24 Hour Comics Day. They host gaming tournaments, or they play host to podcasters and media folks like Darktower hosts the Around Comics guys. The cooler publishers and creators will play it smart, using comic shops to host launch parties and similar celebrations, simultaneously pleasing their fans and supporting the shops.

Is it all that easy? Hell, I don’t know. I’m just thinking out loud here, but it would be a shame to have these shiny new toys and still see publishers just handing us the same static content and 22-page story fragments.

I’ve always been a Lone Wolf and Cub Fan, so I picked up some other Kazuo Koike work and started looking at it from a creator’s perspective rather than just as a fanboy. I started with Path of the Assassin, and it amazed me how quickly I could burn through such a dense (in terms of page count) book with that four-panel grid. The pace just moves along, and it seems artist Goseki Kojima can pack in much more information without having to rely on splash pages for major scenes or reveals. The grid left him plenty of elbow room to show off his ink lines and rendering. Of course, it also helps that there’s a lot of historical detail in this one, and I just eat it right up.

I picked up two volumes of Koike’s Crying Freeman, too. I enjoyed the first volume, but the second went off the rails. It just got a little too out there. Artist Ryoichi Ikegami breaks the four-panel grid frequently, yet like Path of the Assassin, I ripped through these 300+ page books in no time. Ikegami rendered some great images in brushwork, then transitioned into some straight lines and tones. It makes for a very lush book, despite the lack of color.

It stuns me how long some of these series run. I read the first Death Note book and the first few MPD-Psycho volumes, and I liked the way they slowly revealed the layers of their plots without leaving more and more questions behind. Yet if you look at some of these manga series on the shelves, they run for a dozen volumes or more. Something I’ll need to explore is whether they concentrate on one long story, similar to the way books like 100 Bullets and Preacher reach a finite end, or if they reboot/relaunch themselves like most of the American superhero books.

In any case, they make for entertaining study. There’s a reason the Big Bad Wolves preview book is in a four-panel grid, and I can tell you, the artist, Mike S Henderson, loved me for it. Sure, his art boards were the same size, but he was able to lay out and draw the pages a lot faster. I could probably explain why if I were an artist and had the words, so I’ll just assume it’s because he didn’t have to draw as much detail in tinier spaces. At this point, whatever helps an artist move along more quickly is a good thing.

It will be fun to see how much reading the manga style and pacing will affect my scripting the next few weeks.

The Big Bad Wolves portfolio

The interior art and cover image for Big Bad Wolves is by Mike S Henderson. We’re shooting for a blended supernatural horror and crime/noir feel for the series, and his use of blacks and shadow really conveyed the tone we wanted. Cover art for Winter Kill and Chimaera is by Dirk Shearer, and he will also be providing scratchboard illustrations for the interior of Winter Kill. Both of these guys have turned in some killer work, and I think you’ll be seeing a lot more out of them in the future.

Book 2 will be a graphic novel titled Chimaera, and it will be released next year. Exact schedules and plans are being finalized, so stay tuned for more information on that front. Beyond that I’m contracted to write at least one book and one graphic novel per year for Evileye, so this should keep be busy for the foreseeable future.

Winter Kill, Chimaera, and the future releases will be stand-alone stories, but the events in each book will be related. The whole series continues with the same characters I established in the miniseries Werewolves: Call of the Wild from Moonstone Books. It’s not essential that you’ve read CotW to read Winter Kill, but if you enjoyed that miniseries I’m sure you will love where I’m taking the characters.

Damn it feels good to get this news off my chest. I’ve been sitting on it a long time, and I’ve had to keep quiet through many questions of “What’s next for you, Mike?” Thanks to everyone for their patience and support so far, and thanks as well to all of you who have already responded to the news with such excitement. This is going to be a wild ride, and I’m thrilled to have you all along!

Starting this Halloween, I will be bringing you both prose and comics from Evileye Books.

I’m about to jump into a convention so this is just a quick drive-by post, but more information will be coming soon!

It’s tough to put my finger on why, as I’ve been working with this same project through most of the summer. I just find myself more motivated to put the time in, and the upside of that is it shows on the page. I’m not going to sit here and claim I’m pumping out Hemingway, but it feels a lot better than how it’s been going before.

Whatever the reason, it’s about freakin’ time. Announcements are pending and deadlines are looming. I don’t like breaking contracts or personal promises. If it’s deadline stress that’s motivating me, then next time around I’ll have to set shorter deadlines or buy my editors a cattle prod.

A huge thanks to those of you who’ve been waiting for the next big Oliveri project.

Tomorrow, things get interesting.

So what’s the project, you ask?

All shall be revealed soon. Just keep an eye on Evileye Books. Whether you’re a fan of my prose, my comics, or both, you’re going to be very happy.

Today’s writing soundtrack:

Let’s get it on.

Sheriff Pat York is middle-aged and getting soft in the middle. He’s almost ripe for the eating…

Saturday’s going to be a big day. I’ve been sitting on a lot of news for a long time, and it all goes public in five days.

If you’ll be in the Chicago area Saturday, be sure to drop by Windy City Comicon for a first-hand look! Windy City is the biggest little comic convention in Chicago and should be a blast, even if you’re not interested in what I’ve got to peddle.

I wrote a chunk of words last night, and it felt great. Then I received a draft of a schedule for the next year and a half from my new publisher, and I can assure you, it’s going to be an exciting year. He wants to make us rich, and he’s definitely not slouching. My fingers are going to have to fly across the keyboard just to keep up.

This isn’t a bad thing. I need a kick in the pants every now and then, and this new publisher is good at providing them. While technically still small press, his actions are very much those of a large, professional publishing house. An honest-to-God marketing plan? Who’d have thunk it?!

I can’t wait to tell you more! Soon, my friends. Soon.

Little Bird and Owly
Originally uploaded by MikeOliveri.

It’s never too young to get them started. This weekend I brought home a copy of Owly: Flying Lessons by Andy Runton for Little Bird.

She loves it.

I see no reason she shouldn’t enjoy comics as much as her big brothers. When they pull out their Marvel Super Hero Squad figures, she immediately latches on to Elektra and She-Hulk. When they put on their Justice League DVDs, she points at Wonder Woman.

Yep. A comics fangirl in the making.

Wizard World Chicago starts tomorrow night, and I will of course be there. Unfortunately I once again don’t have a table or a convenient way for folks to find me, but I have every confidence this year will be the last time I have that problem so I’m going to take advantage by wandering artists alley and prowling the dealers tables for good deals. I also hope to catch up with a few people and of course grab a meal and a margarita at the Mexican joint down the street.

Do try to track me down, though, as I’ll have something cool to show off.

I’ll be riding in with Cullen Bunn on Friday morning, and we’ll be shooting out of there early Sunday. I’ll be armed with my brand new man purse (ooh ahh) which I plan to stuff with art samples and quarter comics for the Midget and the Squirt.

Hmm. I best brave the crowd at Giordano’s for pizza, too. Chicago-style stuffed pizza is another impossibility out here, so I’ll need to get my fix and hope it holds me until Windy City in September or C2E2 in April.