Mad genius Caleb P. tops last year's Sagan Pumpkin with this gorgeous creation.
On this Halloween, the 4th anniversary of this blog, it's a weird and beautiful night here in Ithaca, New York. Very quiet, very dark. Hope you're having fun.
Radical Publishing is proud to announce that Len Wiseman, director of Live Free or Die Hard and co-creator, director and producer of the Underworld franchise has signed on to develop and direct the motion picture adaption of Radical Publishing’s Shrapnel.
Co-created by Zombie Studios’ CEO Mark Long and science fiction novelist Nick Sagan, Shrapnel is an epic 3-part miniseries that unfolds in a dystopian future in which imperialism has laid siege to the Solar System and Venus stands as the last free colony of humanity. Caught in the middle of this interplanetary war is Vijaya “Sam” Narayan, a soldier in self-imposed exile recovering from her service in the military. When the battle once again crashes into Sam’s life, she must choose to either remain on the sidelines and watch a colony’s destruction, or risk her physical and psychological well-being to intervene. The first story arc revolves around Venus, while the second arc rages across Mars and the final climax carries over onto Earth itself.
“I’m really drawn to the reluctant-hero story.” said Wiseman, who noted that the last hero he directed, John McClaine in Live Free or Die Hard, fit that archetypal mold.
“Shrapnel is a story about making choices and rising to the occasion.” stated Radical’s President and Publisher Barry Levine. “I enjoyed it so much that I made this Radical’s biggest commitment to date. Len was my top choice for adapting this perfect balance of action and drama and I’m glad to have him on board.”
Developed as a live action film with possible 3-D approach, Shrapnel will be produced by Barry Levine, Len Wiseman and Mark Gordon with Radical’s Executive Vice-President Jesse Berger, Mark Long and Josh McLaughlin of Gordon Co. attached as executive producers. A video game version of Shrapnel, developed by Zombie Studios, is set for release in the near future.
Shrapnel: Aristeia Rising Trade Paperback, which collects the first miniseries of the Shrapnel universe, goes on sale August 19th.
Very excited about this. And so proud of the team that's worked so hard to bring us to this point.
One of the things I love about writing is how words can inspire the artwork of others. Here's Halloween on the run from a Smiley, with art by Amanda Jordan.
Run, Hal, run!
From left to right: me, Mark Long and Zack Sherman.
Don't hold me to this, but I think it's possible I let this whole blogging thing get away from me for a day or two. And by "a day or two," I might just mean seven months. Yeesh.
So how's 2009 been treating you?
Over here, it's been a blur of writing and moving and dodging wild animals that appear out of nowhere and more about all that in the days ahead, but first I'd like to invite those of you who are attending Comic-Con this year to come swing by and say hello!
Two signings are set for Team Shrapnel: Arestia Rising. Thursday from 5-6 pm is the first and then it's Sunday from 12:30-1:30 pm. I'll be the one there who isn't Mark Long, Zack Sherman or Tae Young Choi.
You can also find me, Mark and Zack taking part in the Radical Publishing Creators Panel (hosted by Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News) Friday from 12-1 pm in Room 4.
Should be a lot of fun. Hope to see you there.
December 20th is here again--it's now been a dozen years since my father passed. There are two things I'd like to share with you today:
First, is this wonderful cartoon adaptation of last year's blog entry, created by the very talented Greg Williams for the Tampa Tribune.
Blogjam frequently takes real people's stories and makes cartoons out of them--there are a number of fun ones, well worth checking out.
Second, I'm enormously proud to help spread the word about the Carl Sagan Exoplanet Fellowships. NASA has created this program in my father's name to "inspire the next generation of explorers seeking to learn more about planets, and possibly life, around other stars." Dad absolutely would have loved this--it would have meant so much to him.
Click here (or go to http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov and click on video #1) for a video of John Morse, Bill Nye, and Neil deGrasse Tyson discussing the significance of these fellowships.
Ann Druyan writes movingly about NASA's decision in her most recent blog entry at the Carl Sagan Portal. An excerpt:
NASA's science-driven mission portfolio, its cultivation of young talent to pursue cutting-edge research, and the decision to commit its genius to a question of transcendent cultural significance, would have thrilled Carl.
That this knowledge will be pursued in his name, as he joins Einstein and Hubble to form a triumvirate of the leading lights of 20th century astronomy, is a source of infinite pride to our family. It signifies that Carl’s passion to engage us all in the scientific experience, his daring curiosity and urgent concern for life on this planet, no longer eclipse his scientific achievements.
The NASA/JPL site records 333 new worlds discovered as of this moment... and counting. We are poised on the brink of cosmic citizenship, on coming to know something of the other planets in our galactic community.
There's so much of outer space we've yet to explore, and I carry with me my dad's excitement about the prospect of a new generation of scientists dedicating themselves to the discovery of unknown worlds.
New Scientist magazine recently asked authors to weigh in on the future of science fiction. Margaret Atwood, Stephen Baxter, William Gibson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Kim Stanley Robinson and I all got the call.
It's an honor and a thrill, and also a profoundly humbling experience, to have been invited to take part in this, with my opinions included among those of five hugely influential SF luminaries.
Award-winning writer Marcus Chown kicks off the discussion with the provocative and provocatively-titled article, Is Science Fiction Dying? Highly recommended--you can read it here.
Our thoughts on the subject:
Margaret Atwood
Stephen Baxter
William Gibson
Ursula K. Le Guin
Kim Stanley Robinson
Nick Sagan
In a moving op-ed piece back in January, Caroline Kennedy wrote:
I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.
I hear you, Caroline. Barack Obama reminds me of my dad, too.
The similarity goes beyond the phenomenal ability these men have to express their ideas in a meaningful way, to reach people, inspire them, motivate them: when I hear Barack Obama speak, I recognize the same deeply passionate intellectual curiosity, the same profound respect for science (it's hard to imagine Obama trying to score political points by disparaging planetariums or fruit fly research), and the same fundamental belief in the deliberate, self-critical humility that drives scientific methodology, what Seed Magazine eloquently describes as "evidence-based decision-making."
My dad wrote:
In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know, that's a really good argument, my position is mistaken," and then they actually change their minds, and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics."
I don't know if anyone has the power to transform American politics to the point that the ideology and egos of those who govern us (on both sides of the aisle) will be checked in favor of getting the best practical results for the most people, but if anyone can do this, it's Barack Obama. He's the kind of leader who listens carefully to all points of view, and despite the smears the opposition has leveled against him, his basic decency shines through, which makes him the best shot we've had at this in a very long time.
I've spent the past few days with friends and family making GOTV calls for the Obama campaign--I've spoken with people in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and Missouri--and urged them to vote on Tuesday. Most of those I've spoken with are passionate Obama supporters, male and female, young and old, black, white, Latino, Asian. They've told me how disheartened they've become with the direction of the country over these past eight years, they've told me their personal stories, they've thanked me for volunteering to help get out the vote. This country wants a change for the better. Needs it. I think we have it in Barack Obama.
Whatever your political beliefs are, please brave those long lines and vote tomorrow. It's your government. Make your voice heard.
Best. Pumpkin. Ever.
Sent in by super talented digital lighting and effects artist Caleb P.
Sadly, I won't be attending Comic-Con this year, but my friend Mark Long of Zombie Studios will. He'll be unveiling Shrapnel, a brand new graphic novel, the first in a "solar war" trilogy set on Venus, the Jovian moons, Mars and finally Earth itself. Shrapnel was scripted by another friend of mine, the talented comic writer M. Zachary Sherman, with the story a collaboration between Mark, Zack and myself. Radical Comics is publishing it, and you'll be able to find it in stores later this year.
Here's the plot:
Shrapnel focuses on a future where humanity has reached out and colonized the Solar System and a Solar Alliance governs the planets similarly to the way ancient Rome dominated over their territories. Venus, the last free colony in the system, must do what it can to battle the domineering Marine forces of the Alliance in order to remain sovereign. Unbeknownst to the Marines, or even the Colonists themselves, one of the Alliance’s greatest heroes has exiled herself on the lost planet, hoping to escape the life she once knew as a soldier. Now, pulled back into the fold, she must teach the Colonists how to fight for their freedom, and come to terms with her own past.
Shrapnel is a fun project--I've been having a great time working with Mark and Zack. And the art's looking very cool, featuring legendary visual futurist Syd Mead's amazing mecha designs.
Does a lead foot count as a bionic implant? I've run into two speeding tickets this past month, which is atypical for me. In my entire life, I've only received one other speeding ticket and that was years ago. I'm not sure why I've recently decided to embody a Sammy Hagar song, but I've got to take it easy, as three speeding tickets in an eighteen month period is a big no-no and can zap your driver's license.
So now I'm driving in a slow, stressed, overly paranoid fashion. Which is maybe how we're ideally supposed to drive. In the past, I've just tried to be alert to my surroundings and to stay with the flow of traffic, but now if someone's five or ten miles over the limit I won't keep pace with them.
Star Trek style transporters are sounding pretty good these days. In the meantime, it looks like traffic school for me.
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