About six weeks ago, I wrote this blog about having an itch I wanted to scratch.
I went off piste a little towards the end of the post, but the general gist was that I had an urge to write a comic.
The husband and I have collaborated quite a lot recently.
We’ve always worked together. I’ve been a bit of a back-room boy, and I’ve always guarded my privacy, but when the dorts grew up and needed less of my time and attention I worked more.
So far this year, the husband and I have co-written two novels, Fiefdom for Abaddon, which is out now, and Tomb Raider: Ten Thousand Immortals due out later in the year. We have plans to do more. We like it. The writer’s lot can be a solitary one, so sharing a project is fun. We work in the same room anyway, and the added pleasure of co-writing makes for companionship and intimacy.
We count ourselves lucky.
The husband and I share a lot. So, when I got an itch to write a comic, naturally I talked to him about it. The husband was encouraging. If anyone knows just what I might be capable of, it’s probably him. He was all for it.
The subject came up several times over the next few weeks.
We were sitting in our favourite eatery, having supper last week when the subject came up again. We started talking. The talking led to me mooting an idea or two. We use each other as sounding boards all the time, on projects we work on separately and together. Before very long he was chipping in with suggestions of his own.
Supper turned into one of our regular brainstorms... mind maps... Is that what we’re supposed to call them now? Napkins and notebooks and pens were dug out, and we made notes and took long breaks between courses. The staff know us well, and are always extremely obliging. They’re used to us talking animatedly and hunching over our work, pushing plates away, the food only half-eaten and going cold. They’ve got very good at keeping the water glasses filled and the wine flowing.
By the time we were done, we had a plan. We had a comic. We were pretty excited about the whole thing.
You’ll notice that I said we. Six weeks ago, I had an itch. Six weeks ago, I talked about wanting to write a comic. If we manage to sell this idea, it looks as if I might actually get the chance to write a comic. The husband wants me to write it too, but he wants to write it with me.
He’s right.
That's me on the right. |
We both have our strengths, and we have totally different ways of doing things, and that’s why the things we do together are unlike the things we do separately. I don’t know if they’re greater than the sum of the parts (if the parts are me and the husband). I do know that the things I do are different from the things that he does, and that the things we do together are different again from either of those two things.
This comic will require both of our skill sets.
It’s also a great stepping stone for me.
So, the first thing we need to do is talk to some comic book people about this idea.
Except I’m pretty excited, and I’m waiting for some edits to come back, so I’ve jumped the gun, and I’ve put together some character names and some episode headings, and some of the framework for those episodes. I’ve also come up with the sub-title.
The husband loves my work. I’m doing something right.
I do so love it when he loves my half of the collaborative process. It’s generally a very good sign.
So... Anyone fancy an Abnett/Abnett comic book?
Double Abnett! It's like getting a free upgrade.
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