NEW COMICS ON THE WAY!

I’m taking a break from the usual: KC history, crime, fedoras, etc., to offer some updates about what I’ve been up to, both short and long term.

First, the short term. Last week my publisher, Ignition Press, asked me to attend ComicsPRO in Glendale, CA (Los Angeles area). ComicsPro is a conference for comic book retailers. I had never attended before, and it was a really cool experience. Retailers from around the country are there to attend seminars, network and give feedback to the folks that produce the product that keep their shops going.

My itinerary included a signing event at the legendary Golden Apple Comics store, appearing at the Ignition Press exhibitor booth, networking (in the form of a couple or amazing parties) and announcing my new series, BAD THOUGHTS. Ignition also had ashcans on hand that featured a glimpse at TYLER RAKE: AN EXTRACTION STORY, by myself and artist Ronan Cliquet.

In other words, it’s going to be a busy spring for me at comic stores. April sees not just the first issue of TYLER RAKE, but also a reissue of the graphic novel that kicked off the entire EXTRACTION universe. That book, now simply titled EXTRACTION, sees print for the first time in years, and for the first time… in glorious color (by Ronda Pattison)! We also have a fabulous new cover by the great Dan Panosian.

Then, in May, the first issue of BAD THOUGHTS hits store shelves. This is a project I’ve been kicking around, in various formats, for at least a decade. It’s an EXTRACTION-style action thriller with a Stephen King twist. Our hero, Jack Coates, is an empath who - unfortunately - only picks up on the most terrible, violent thoughts and actions of those around him. What’s more, those actions linger in time and space for Jack. Thus, a simple trip to the grocery store could become a painful ordeal for as Jack encounters the painful residue of a man insulting his wife in the produce department the previous day. A trip to a place like Auschwitz would completely destroy Jack’s brain.

On the bright side, Jack’s gift/curse makes him uniquely qualified as a crime scene investigator. He works for a defense contractor, picking up clues from crime scenes. Every job is a painful ordeal, but Jack is doing valuable work, helping to track down white supremacist militia cells.

When everything Jack has - his job, his home, even his wife - is taken away, he has to figure out how and why… and get some payback. This is a deeply personal story for me. I’m no empath, but as a writer I do have a lot of dark stuff that rolls around in my head (stuff my sainted wife struggles to relate to), and this series let me look at the toll we all pay for simply getting along in a world that often seems cruel and merciless.

I’m really proud to be joined on BAD THOUGHTS by an artist I’ve admired for years, Dave Wachter. Dave’s art is jaw-dropping, but the storytelling is what has really blown me away. Each issue brings things to life in ways I never imagined, and it always surpasses what I saw as I wrote. We are joined by Brad Simpson, whose colors are spot on, both for Dave’s work and for the story itself.

I don’t have colors to share, but here’s a sneak peek at Dave’s line art from the COLD OPEN issue that (fingers crossed) we will have available at Planet Comicon at the end of March.

So… like I said… a busy spring, especially for a guy who hasn’t had a book he’s authored in stores for years. Please tell your retailer you want all of this stuff, and please come see me at Planet Comicon in KC!

Until then, love, as always, from Kansas.

-Ande