Rob Williams

Which is the punchline to a really bad joke that has nothing whatsoever to do with DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #887, which is out in November and co-stars the God Of Thunder, soon to have his own major movie not starring Brian Blessed, which is a great non-shouty shame, for my money.

This is the second issue of Deadpool Team-Up I’ve written, and again I’m joined by Matteo Scalera here. Matteo drew the Captain Britain issue I wrote and I really enjoyed his work there. He’s got a nice line in comic sensibility and does the slapstick stuff very well indeed, which this type of comedy comic needs. Having said that, there’s nothing comical about Thor (not even the wings on that helmet). Deadpool works best when he’s bouncing off a straight man, and the more pompous that straight man, the bigger the bounce. This story: ‘Mjolnir and Far’ (ouch) was loads of fun to write, not least for the fact that I couldn’t believe I was writing Thor. Fanboy squeee, I believe the phrase is. Hopefully just how much I like this character comes across through Deadpool’s one-liners, just as it did in the Cap Britain issue. Oh, and cover’s by Humberto Ramos, and it’s great:

Also, the new LOW LIFE story, HOSTILE TAKEOVER, starts in 2000AD Prog 1700, which is out from tomorrow, I think. Me and D’isreali bringing the Yakuza to Mega City One, and ripping the Wally Squad to pieces along the way. I think it’s fair to say that this is a game changer for Aimee Nixon, Dirty Frank and co. Here’s a couple of D’isreali’s brilliant pages.

I’m not normally one for exclamation marks but with a title like that…

I’ve written an eight page SON OF SATAN story called ‘Silence’ for Marvel’s October-shipping black and white horror anthology. The cover, below, is by my old Cla$$war collaborater Travel Foreman and interiors are by an Argentinian artist called Pablo Peppino. He’s done some Hellblazer in the past, which perfectly suits this creepy little story, which was part inspired by my love of Andrew Smith’s MOONDUST (very recommended) and tells the tale of the aftermath of a NASA mission where one of the three astronauts simpy vanishes into thin air during their capsule’s comms blackout during re-entry. Damon Hellstrom is Marvel’s John Constantine, really. Or he should be. With a big pitchfork.

Also, LOW LIFE: HOSTILE TAKEOVER (PARANOIA MK. 2) starts in 2000AD Prog 1700 in a few weeks. It’s a ten parter, with a long title. I like long titles at the moment, for some reason. And it features the art of D’Isreali and it is, frankly, an absolute treat to see your scripts transformed into things this pretty.

No, not me (I hope). Rather it’s a Marvel weekly mini-series, coming in September, and I’m writing issue two, featuring Spider-Man. So, I get to write Spider-Man. Did I mention I get to write Spider-Man?

Spider-Man.

That’s one of Mike Fyles’ killer covers for the series. And Koi Turnbull (Fathom) is drawing #2.

Anyway, this has been a really interesting process for me. Four writers – Rick Remender, Stuart Moore, John Ostrander and myself – are all writing individual issues (Rick’s bookending it with #1 and #5), and, starting with a conference call off the back of Rick’s script for #1, we’ve acted as a kind of email ‘writer’s room’ throughout the plotting. Everyone’s contributed ideas and notes, everyone has been very cool, supportive and respectful of each other and it seems to have worked out really well. I’ve never been involved in something this collaborative with the writing before and it’s been really enjoyable and quite inspiring. Put us on a tour bus together for a year and we’d no doubt end up with major substance abuse issues, fatal light airplane crashes, cousin marrying, divorces and jail time, but this has really worked. And generated a story that could be something quite powerful (we hope).

ONE MONTH TO LIVE tells the tale of Dennis Sykes, an ordinary guy in New York who, in true Marvel tradition, suffers an accident that gives him superpowers. The catch is that the accident also leaves him with one month to live. So, the question is, what does he do with the time left to him?

Also solicited for September is GHOST RIDER: SHADOWLAND by myself and Clayton Crain. I’ve discussed this previously, but here’s the cover and the solicit.

SHADOWLAND TIE-IN! When the Spirit Of Vengeance is summoned to the front lines of the battle for the soul of New York, Ghost Rider finds himself a pawn in a larger game, and if he wants his freedom back he’s going have to head for Japan and take on the might of The Hand where its power is strongest – in its home base. But in the far east, he’ll find everyone’s afraid of something… even the Ghost Rider.

Also solicited in September is the brilliant Laurence Campbell’s new series DEADPOOL PULP. I’ve seen a lot of the pages for this and it looks gorgeous. Well worth picking up.

And, while I’m plugging friends’ stuff, Paul Cornell’s ACTION COMICS run starts at the end of June. That’s a dream job and perfect for Paul, I think. I’ll be buying.

This 10 page Judge Dredd story by myself and Dylan Teague actually surprised me by being published in the Judge Dredd Megazine #298, one issue earlier than was solicited. I was at the Bristo Expo on the weekend when Dylan told me it was out, so I grabbed a copy from the 2000AD stand, and revelled in just how gorgeous this looks. Dylan’s done a simply amazing job on this. Couple of pages to whet your appetite below.

The convention was fun, as ever. Very chilled atmosphere this year, I felt. Maybe it was the sunshine, but all concerned seemed to be in a good state of mind, and it’s a blast to spend time with such talented, funny people. I laughed more than I have in ages. Maybe the colossal sleep deprivation contributed. And the Marvel and 2000AD panels on the Sunday both seemed to go well. Fun.

Oh, THE GRIEVOUS JOURNEY OF ICHABOD AZREAL… has just two episodes left in 2000AD. I’ll be sorry to see it go. Have loved reading it every week and seeing what Dom Reardon’s done with it. Maybe we’ll do another series.

I’m writing a GHOST RIDER one off for Marvel! And yes, I’m excited about this fact. It ties into the big Daredevil event written by Andy Diggle – SHADOWLAND – and will by drawn by Clayton Crain. It’s out in August, I believe. I talk about it at Marvel.com here:

http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.12522.shadowland~colon~_back_with_a_vengeance

If you’ve seen Clayton’s previous work on Ghost Rider you’ll know you’re in for a treat. He sent through page one of our issue a week or so back and it was, hyperbole aside, quite amazing.

Here’s a fine example of how he draws Ghost Rider from his prior collaboration with Garth Ennis. Purty:

UPDATE Deadpool #1000 has just been solicited by Marvel for August. It features a six-pager by myself and Philip Bond. Yep, the same Philip Bond whose work I loved in books like Kill Your Boyfriend. Crazy, innit. Lots of other cool people in this ‘jam’ issue. Here’s the Dave Johnson cover and the full solicit:

DEADPOOL #1000
Written by DAVE LAPHAM, PETER BAGGE, ADAM GLASS, HOWARD CHAYKIN, FRED VAN LENTE, ROB WILLIAMS & MORE!
Penciled by JEROME OPENA, PACO MEDINA & PHILP BOND, DAVE LAPHAM, PETER BAGGE, HOWARD CHAYKIN & MORE!
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
Has it really been 100 issues since Deadpool #900? Who cares! Some of comics’ top creators take aim at the Merc with a Mouth in this massive 104-page special that pits the Deadpool against a cavalcade of baddies – including urban cannibals…underage hit men…mimes from outer space…and Lady Luck herself.
104 PGS./Parental Advisory …$4.99

Anyone interested in how I lay out my scripts can find my recent JUDGE DREDD, Out Law, which was drawn by Guy Davis, on the 2000AD Review website. Gavin Hanly, who runs the site, has done a very nice job of breaking the script down with some of Guy’s final panels, so people can see how my visual descriptions were translated to the page.

http://www.2000adreview.co.uk/site/index.php/Articles/Script-to-page-Judge-Dredd-Out-Law.html

Finally, I’ll be at the Bristol Comics Expo this coming weekend 22-23rd. I’m signing at the com.x table at some point – not sure of times yet. Laurence Campbell and I will also be signing (me)/sketching (him) at the main signing table from:

Saturday 5-6pm
Sunday 2-3pm

I’m also down to do the Marvel panel on Sunday (noon) and I’m sure I’ll do the 2000AD panel at 2.45. Erm, that clashes with the end of the signing. But I can’t miss Al Ewing in a plastic green mask, if such an event is due to happen again. Borag Thung!

Hopefully see you there.

Cor. Where does the time go in blogland, eh? Last entry was in February and, when THE GRIEVOUS JOURNEY OF ICHABOD AZREAL (AND THE DEAD LEFT IN HIS WAKE) was due to start in 2000AD some seven weeks back I fully intended to get on the blog and talk about it. And only now do I get around to it, by which point we’re seven episodes down, with just five to go. Duh.

One of the bizarre things about writing a long form series for 2000AD is how *long* it takes to write the thing, how *long* the artist takes to draw it, and then you see the episodes fly past weekly and, poof, it’s gone. (cue Basil Fawltey going “zzschum. What was that? That was your life, mate…”) Ichabod took ages to write. Not because of any enormous problems with the writing, more that we started the thing a long time ago. Now it’s going to over in just beyond a month. Odd.

I’ve been really happy with it though. Lots of things I love about this series. The overall lyrical tone, the way Dom Reardon brings atmosphere – and the black and white, spot colour mix works really well, even if I do say so myself. Someone on the 2000AD message board nailed it. It’s like the Wizard Of Oz in reverse, which was exactly what I was hoping for. Also, Ichabod is really all my alt-country music faves in comic strip form, featuring images and scenes that I wanted to write for years and finally crowbarred into one strip. At one point it was going to be called ‘Via Chicago’ (after a Wilco song) and was going to be about a WW2 US Marine. But I think a western really suits it. And if you want a spectral world, Dom Reardon’s your man. And the experiment of making the protagonist a ruthless mass murderer has been an interesting one from my point of view. Hope people like the ending. Maybe we’ll do some more.

DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #893 comes out this week, by myself and ‘no doubt a big future star’ Matteo Scalera (who’s from Parma in North Italy). Nice colour job too by Matt Wilson. I’ve talked about this previously but needless to say I’m very excited to have a Captain Britain comic written by me on the shelves. Really enjoyed writing Deadpool too. Very Dirty Frank in the comedy insanity stakes.

There’s a five page preview here, which made me laugh out loud and I wrote it. Very sad, I’m fully aware:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/prev_img.php?pid=5128&pg=3

I’ve done a few other Marvel jobs of late. One of which is being announced later this week. I’ll talk about it when I’m able. But I’m really enjoying writing the Marvel characters I’ve loved since childhood. It’s a treat for me. And I get paid to do it too.

ROBOCOP is continuing from Dynamite. Issue five is a standalone that’s probably my favourite of the series so far, with what I hope is a fairly shocking twist for longtime Robocop fans. I’m expecting a few pissed off emails heading Dynamite’s way. Here’s the cover:

http://www.dynamiteentertainment.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C725130144478

‘Meat’, the JUDGE DREDD story by myself and the brilliant Dylan Teague (an all-Welsh production) will be in June (?)’s Judge Dredd Megazine #299. Check out the amazing Cliff Robinson cover:

http://www.comixology.com/sku/APR101054/Judge-Dredd-Megazine-299

Boo Cook, all-round top man and artist on Asylum and my first ever Dredd, The Biographer (which I have a big soft spot for), is also currently drawing a one-off Dredd that I’ve written. It’s called ‘The Slow Walk’ and came from an idea of Boo’s. Not sure when thats out.

Also incoming for 2000AD is the next LOW LIFE series, which I’m currently writing. I should be writing it instead of updating this bloody blog. It’s called ‘Hostile Takeover (Paranoia Mk. 2)’ and the wonderful D’Isreali is back on art, doing brilliant design work and angelic, graceful things with Mega City 1 architecture. Take a look at a sneak preview:

Just a quick update to say that Marvel have announced their January solicits and they include PUNISHER MAX: GET CASTLE by myself and Laurence Campbell. Oh, and a cover by the amazing Tim Bradstreet too (see below).

First and foremost, it was a complete joy to work with Laurence again. We’ve done a few stories together now – BREATHING SPACE for 2000AD and WOLVERINE: BETTER TO GIVE for Marvel a couple of years back. Not only is he a very good friend but he also happens to be one of my favourite artists and, in terms of storytelling sensibility, we’re usually on exactly the same page. I’d love to show you some of his work from this issue but I’d better not yet. But some of it – two pages from the final act in particular – are, for my money, the best work he’s done. Just extraordinarily good.

And yes, this is the Punisher comes to Wales. Why British writers feel the need to bring US characters to their stomping ground is a persistant mystery. From my point of view there’s something very funny about Frank Castle catching the 4.15 from Hereford. And I think he fits right in with some of the meaner parts of my South Wales home. There’s certain rough pubs where Frank walking in would make perfect sense.

It’s been a weird couple of weeks. I knew that Eddie Deighton and Com.X had been actively pushing Cla$$war in Hollywood for several years. Every now and again Ed would ring to update me with little titbits of information, and while it was all good fun for me to imagine a Cla$$war movie, it was never concrete enough to publically talk about. A few months ago he told me that Mandeville Films (Surrogates, The Proposal) were interested but, again, it wasn’t enough to get truly excited about. Then, around a week before the Long Beach Comic Con, I got word that Mandeville and producer Rick Alexander were willing to make an announcement regarding their involvement. Hmmm, I thought. That does sound concrete. We’ll see. Next thing I know, the story’s all over the internet. And in print. In VARIETY, for God’s sake. Now, that suddenly feels VERY, VERY concrete.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118009534.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

And Rick Alexander, one of the producers on Cla$$war (it has producers now), speaks a little about how the Mandeville deal came about, and little things like a potential release date, here:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23229

Quoting the CBR piece, Alexander says: “In terms of giving credit where credit is due, I’d just like to cite a colleague who couldn’t be here today. His name is David Manpearl, and he’s the VP of Development over at Mandeville. He and I were talking a few months back about what we might do together, and I exposed the digital version of the collected edition [of 'Cla$$war'] to him. He read ‘Cla$$war,’ he read it quickly and read it insightfully, and he said, ‘Listen. You’ve got to come in and speak to David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, my bosses, about this, because I think it’s terrific.’ And I said ‘I agree with you, there is a huge movie here.’ So I went over to Disney and sat down with the guys. They had read the book by the time I got there. They were very excited about the material and its potential for film, and asked me to bring Ben Shahrabani (from Com.X), who’s local, back with me. So a couple weeks later, we had another meeting. And I guess five grown men fell in love.”

Bonkers.

So, not only do pages and pages of google links suddenly appear online about this, but I spend part of the week experiencing oddities like two Hollywood agents ringing within an hour or so of one another.

My life is now going to be like Entourage, one voice in my head whispers. Fortunately, the other, louder voice in my head, then points out that I’m 38, bald and have two children, so maybe this won’t be the case. Maybe I could be Turtle and go and fetch things for a Vince figure? That’s something to aspire to.

And, as exciting as all this is, we still have a long way to go. I’m told that they’re in discussions with a screenwriter, but nothing’s signed yet. And, of course, a director would have to be attached at some point if it’s going to progress. But it feels like we’re getting some excellent momentum. It was interesting for me to interview Andy Diggle and Jock last week for a feature I’m writing for The Word magazine. The Losers (their excellent Vertigo action comic-turned major Hollywood movie) took around four years of ‘it’s happening’, ‘it’s not happening’ ups and downs before it actually made it to first day’s filming. Both Andy and Jock talked about not allowing yourself to get too excited in case nothing happens – a defence mechanism. That’s kind of the state I’m enforcing upon myself.

It would be amazing though…

What else is going on? I’ve just finished issue one of a six issue series for a major American publisher. Can’t say any more about that yet. The third issue of Robocop is done and I’m seeing some cool looking art for issue one, so that’s on its way from Dynamite. I’ve written a Low Life special for the 2000AD Christmas Prog – which is a thrill as it feels like I’m in the same 2000AD Christmas annuals I loved as a kid. The Grievous Journey of Ichabod Azreal… is into its final act.

And I’m going to be starring in Entourage. Entourage‘s bald, middle-aged spin-off.

Oh, and I should add that the Cla$$war collected edition (great reviews, now has producers etc) is soon to be released in its softcover incarnation. December, it’s due. The ideal purchase for those too cheap to buy the handsome hardcover. Here’s the Diamond order code:

OCT090824 – CLA$$WAR SERIES 1 COLLECTED ED TP

I’ve neglected the website of late. Apologies for that. In fairness, my last entry was March 24th, I’ve just seen, and my daughter, Edie, was born on the 27th. And I’m recently back from a trip to New York where I was working on a feature about the NFL Draft for GQ Magazine. So things have been more than a little hectic lately.

Since my last entry, however, LOW LIFE: CREATION finished very satisfyingly in 2000AD. A beautiful job by D’isreali and a script that I’m really happy with. And I’ve been working on and finishing a book for Marvel which, even though I’ve worked for them before on WOLVERINE a few years back, remains a dream come true. Extremely dark and nasty, this one. More on that once it’s solicited.

My feature on the 1974 BRITISH LIONS TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA is currently available in GQ SPORT (it’s the issue of GQ with Simon Pegg on the cover). It’s the best thing I’ve written in my journalism career and, for a rugby union fan such as myself, speaking to the likes of Gareth Edwards, Willie John McBride and JPR WIlliams was a thrill.

Other news comes from the widespread great reviews that the CLA$$WAR hardcover edition has been enjoying. SFX have it four and a half out of five, if I remember correctly, which was lovely. But the review that Ain’t It Cool News gave us this week was truly amazing. In the words of Trev Hairsine, when I sent him the link, “that’s a foaming review”. They absolutely loved it. My brain doesn’t cope well with this much praise:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/40993

So, take their lead and run out and buy a copy.

And finally, short notice this, but I’ll be at the Bristol Comics Expo this weekend, so come and say hello. I’m signing at 11am both days, I think. I’m sure I’ll be at the com.x and 2000AD tables too throughout the weekend and I’m on a panel on the Sunday afternoon. See you in the Ramada Inn.

Forgive the sweary, but this made me laugh:

Dear Lord, I hope so. Sarah Palin in the White House really doesn’t bear thinking about. Used to have a vague amount of respect for McCain but his pulling Mrs. Palin in is about as Faustian a pact as you can possibly imagine.

Anyway, the coloured version of the new Cla$$war cover for your enjoyment, thanks to Len O’Grady: