Wayward #1 Script Online

Writer Jim Zub (Skullkickers, Samurai Jack) and artist Steven Cummings launched their hot Image series, Wayward a year ago and to celebrate its success, Zub has released the entire script for the first issue on his blog. It’s a great read, and a great blog, for those curious about the creative process of comics and those wanting to get a peek in to the industry. He’s very honest about the workings of the comci sbiz and his blog includes insights such as pitches and even sales figures. Great stuff.

I tried to grab the first volume of Wayward from my local comic shop, but they regularly sell out, which is a good sign. I’ll be reading it when it arrives though, and if you haven’t read it yet either, the TPB of the first 5 issues is available now.

Here’s the official description to whet your appetite.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER FOR A NEW GENERATION! Rori Lane is trying to start a new life when she reunites with her mother in Japan, but ancient creatures lurking in the shadows of Tokyo sense something hidden deep within her, threatening everything she holds dear. Can Rori unlock the secrets of her power before it’s too late? JIM ZUB (SKULLKICKERS, Samurai Jack), STEVE CUMMINGS (Legends of the Dark Knight, Deadshot), and JOHN RAUCH (INVINCIBLE) team up to create an all-new Image supernatural spectacle that combines the camaraderie and emotion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the action and mystery of Hellboy. Don’t miss it!

Wayward

Sequential Summary

For the last few weeks I’ve been contributing weekly round-ups of the comic book news over at SciFiPulse.

Check out my previous posts of Sequential Summary right here.

Comic Writing Tutorial

Writer Jim Zubkavich (Image’s entertaining Skullkickers) has created a handy tutorial to writing comics. So far there’s two parts, and you can read both at Jim’s blog and for your cat viewing pleasure, here’s the Comic-Con variant cover for Skullkickers #15.

National Novel Writing Month

Behind the cool acronym (NaNoWriMo) is a cool idea. National Novel Writing Month is a challenging, but inspiring initiative for wannabe writers like me – a 50,000 word novel in November. Phew. Find out more on their website where you can sign up for free and get inspired by lots of cool posts, such as this one focusing on why people write.

Chris B., Executive Director: I write because I love making people laugh, and the written word is an unbeatable joke-delivery device. I write because conjuring sentences and stories still seems like magic to me, and I don’t get many other opportunities to feel like a magician. Mostly I write because I want to find out what happens next.

Max, Intern: I write because once something is written down, I can move on. Writing and printing a story is giving a memory a place in the world.

Plot Boiler

I happily stumbled upon this site which is both an amusing distraction and a cure for writer’s block. A very simple site that generates random plots from elements submitted by users. Keep hitting “Boil Another Plot” until inspiration hits or submit your own ideas. Here’s a nice example.

BOILED PLOT #44,126

A former submarine commander who has a jet-pack and a foul mouth, a cross-dresser who has a cape and a voice like chimes,
and a ventriloquist who has a wagon wheel suffer from a chronic disease and try to hold their family together in this gangster movie set in a Ferris wheel.

If you need even more, also check out the similar, but simplified site, They Fight Crime! Example:

He’s an obese coffee-fuelled jungle king who believes he can never love again. She’s a warm-hearted kleptomaniac research scientist who hides her beauty behind a pair of thick-framed spectacles. They fight crime!