martin_powell
2007 IS THE YEAR OF THE SPIDER!THE SPIDER Chronicles arrives in bookstores and comicbook shops April 4th. The book features 19 all new adventures of the classic 1930s pulp hero by acclaimed authors John Jakes, Steve Englehart, Chuck Dixion, Ron Fortier, C.J. Henderson, Howard Hopkins, Christopher Mills, Will Murray, Robert Weinberg and more, including your truly. Mine is the lead story. Published by Moonstone and atmospherically llustrated by Tom Floyd, with an awesome cover by Doug Klauba, this has been one of my favorite projects ever. Above the law...deadlier than the Underworld...hated, feared wanted by both...THE SPIDER Returns!
Check out the THE SPIDER writers interview at the Pulse:
http://www.comicon.com/pulse/
http://www.moonstonebooks.com/spider.asp
Yup, it's available NOW!
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=THE+SPIDER
+Chronicles+John+Jakes+Moonstone&z=y&cds2Pid=9481
http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Chronicles-John-Jakes/dp/1933076186/sr=1-
1/qid=1168140716/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-2759639-8679615?ie=UTF8&s=books
For more info about the book itself, try this:
http://homepage.mac.com/cdkalb/spider/legend/moonstone.html
There will be NEW SPIDER stories by:
[i]John Jakes, Mort Castle, Bill Crider, Shannon Denton, Chuck Dixon, Steve Englehart, Ron Fortier, Joe Gentile, Rich Harvey, John Helfers, CJ Henderson, Howard Hopkins, James Anthony Kuhoric, Elizabeth Massie, Christopher Mills, Will Murray, Rafael Nieves, Ann Nocenti, Robert Weinberg...
...and yours truly, Martin Powell.Strangely enough, I just learned this past week that my SPIDER story, "City of the Melting Dead" will be the first tale in the book. I'm extremely flattered and this is a tremendous honor for me. Sure hope I'm worthy. THE SPIDER and the classic pulps have been a great part of my life for a very long time. I've loved them ever since I was first introduced to the DOC SAVAGE paperbacks in the 1970s by a neighborhood friend. I was about ten years old and I became addicted. THE SHADOW and THE AVENGER followed close behind and about a decade later I discovered THE SPIDER pulp novels. They were the wildest, craziest, scariest hero adventures I’d ever read. Obviously, I loved ‘em. Still do! I think that Richard Wentworth, the Spider's alter-ego, is the most fully realized and fascinating personality of the classic pulp crime fighters. This is especially true of the novels written by Norvell Page, the Spider's most frequent chronicler. Page’s prose is breathless and white-hot, very emotionally driven. For a penny-a-word pulpsmith, Page was a very good and literate writer. None of the other pulp characters of his day were nearly as three dimensional, angst-ridden, nor as human as the Spider. It’s his passion and conviction that I love most about the stories, and the mythically proportioned menaces that loom over him, ever threatening. The pulps of the early 1930s influenced the evolution of comic books in a very profound way. Just as Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze, clearly inspired Superman, the Man of Steel, so the Spider inspired characters like Batman. There’s an amazing amount of Batman mythology that was originally created for the Spider. Bill Finger and Bob Kane admitted that they liberally borrowed from the pulps and even casually reading a classic Spider tale today proves that case. Everything from the millionaire adventurer, masked mystery man, ever-loyal butler, monstrous villains, and the alliance with the official Police Commissioner, was all firmly established in the Spider's pages years before Batman debuted in Detective Comics. Any comic book fans of Batman, the Punisher, any of the darker, grittier heroes, will find familiar turf with THE SPIDER. Interior art is by my best pal Tom Floyd, a masterful illustrator and creator of the brilliant web comic strip CAPTAIN SPECTRE. Check out some of Tom's amazing SPIDER artwork at: http://www.captainspectre.com/spider.htmlAnd check out Tom's SPIDER interview at THE PULSE: http://www.comicon.com/pulse/Our cool SPIDER cover is rendered by award-winning painter Doug Klauba, well-known to fans of Moonstone’s THE PHANTOM comics. As writers, my brother and sister pulp-scribes couldn’t be in better artistic hands. This will be an awesome-looking book. As for my story, I’ll try to sound like Norvell Page here as I briefly describe it: New York City is imperiled by a terrifying force of Doomsday-like proportions. Unsuspecting multitudes are metamorphosed into a molten mass of murder, a congealed chain of human beings, bound in flesh and blood by an insidious weapon of unfathomable super-science. When the nightmare finally encounters millionaire criminologist Richard Wentworth, the Spider, Master of Men, strikes back with a vengeance!This is a historically important genre event—one that I wouldn’t miss even if I’d had nothing to do with it. I’m so lucky to be a part of this! Hope you'll join us! Other stuff about me...lemme see...Well, I’ve been a professional writer since 1986, so I’ve just entered my second decade in this crazy business with over 300 published credits. I now live in a creepy one hundred twelve year old haunted house in Minneapolis, with artist Lisa Bandemer, our two nearly human dogs and five diabolical cats. Lemme see...well, I'm the same Martin Powell who wrote SCARLET IN GASLIGHT (the Sherlock Holmes vs Dracula graphic novel), which was also my first Eisner Award nomination. Among several other Holmes stories, I also adapted Brian Lumley's NECROSCOPE horror novels into comics, and well, basically I've been a busy professional writer for the better part of two decades with about three hundred published credits. Holy Moley--! What an exciting, very busy, and exhausting week! In the middle of last week, within the span of just three days, I had the tremendous good fortune to land three very important new writing gigs. Learn about two of 'em here: http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=005
931How how could I ever have imagined waaaaay back in the 70s when I was feverishly turning the pages of the DOC SAVAGE and AVENGER paperbacks that one day I would myself become...Kenneth Robeson...! The only other writer I'm currently aware of that is also contributing to the AVENGER anthology is my good pal Horror and Western writer Howard Hopkins, who also wrote the definitive book on the AVENGER several years ago, entitled THE GREY NEMESIS, which is still available at his website: http://www.howardhopkins.com/No AVENGER fan or pulp hero fan should be without a copy. For the record, I'm also contributing to Moonstone's CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT book...yet another favorite character of mine. More on him and THE AVENGER to come and, you'll note, I've added them to my slideshow. The third project is one I must legally keep secret for the present, but to hopefully tantalize your interest I will say that it involves an extremely popular and well-loved character, and that the book itself will be launched at the World Fantasy Con in 2008. FRANKENSTEIN Returns!Halloween isn't over yet...at least not for me. I just learned a few days ago that my FRANKENSTEIN graphic novel has now been officially published in Spanish, and is lurking soon toward bookstores in Mexico as well as major retailers such as Barnes & Noble throughout North America! http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=97
81594972959&itm=1This is especially exciting news to me as this book has had a long history, first published as a three-issue limited series way back in 1988, and has been collected as a graphic novel twice before, most recently by Moonstone. The book was a very special, creatively satisfying project for me, one that I dreamed and even obsessed of doing ever since my high school days. Apparently some dreams really do come true, even if they slightly disguise themselves as nightmares. FRANKENSTEIN is easily among my very favorite things I've ever written, holding a very sentimental place in my life for many other personal reasons too private to go into here in this brief space. It's long amazed me that my and artist Patrick Olliffe's heart-felt tribute to Mary Shelley's classic horror story has remained in print all these many years, certainly not many other b&w independants from the 1980s can say the same thing, and now this new Spanish language edition marks the fourth time the book as been published. Obviously, I'm thrilled. Should any of you wish to pick up a copy of the book yourselves (in English, of course), it's still available at: http://www.amazon.com/Frankenstein-New-Martin-Powell/dp/0971293791Thanks for your indulgence. Now I'll go back to pinching myself again. Surely this is a dream within a dream. What else...hmmm... More recently, I contributed to the horror anthology, KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER CHRONICLES, and I have a pulp story in Moonstone's upcoming anthology for THE SPIDER. I will also have a story in THE PHANTOM collection (Lee Falk's character, also published by Moonstone). I'm also co-creator, along with artist Brent Schoonover, of THE PHANTOM SHADOW, a pulp hero-inspired online comic strip that will appear in print next year. My prose novel THE CITADEL OF FEAR, written with Ron Fortier, was recently published by WildCat Books. For a free preview, check out their site: http://www.lulu.com/content/442744I have two horror graphic novels on their way and I'm also working on some very cool pulp-related projects with Moonstone, WildCat and a couple other publishers, for which I'm currently "muzzled by army brass". I'll spill more news soon as I can. Stay tuned...
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[ Posted by BruceBrown on Apr 5th, 2007 4:51 PM ]...
Loved reading the Spider in paperback a long while ago!  1 Reply [ Latest posted on April 5th, 2007 5:39 PM ]
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 [ Posted by martin_powell on Apr 5th, 2007 5:39 PM ]...
Cool! Me too. Hope you'll give these new SPIDER stories a try. |
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[ Posted by MalibuDave on Feb 27th, 2007 1:09 PM ]...
I'm so proud and pleased to have been even a small part of your career. Stay in touch. And keep on writin' dude! |
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[ Posted by takisoma on Feb 22nd, 2007 11:14 PM ]...
Yes, I will be there at Micro-con. I just turned in my RSVP -- incidentally, it's on my birthday this year. :( one more year older... |
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[ Posted by NYCPulpAdventures on Jan 18th, 2007 8:54 PM ]...
Thanks for accepting my request! Moonstone is one of the companies I'm desperately striving to work for! 3 Replies [ Latest posted on January 18th, 2007 9:43 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 18th, 2007 9:07 PM ]...
No problem, Luis.
Have you pitched anything to them? The RED PHANTOM looks awesome! |
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[ Posted by NYCPulpAdventures on Jan 18th, 2007 9:23 PM ]...
call me Gabriel. Oh im going to but first I want to get some stuff printed up! online and paper |
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 18th, 2007 9:43 PM ]...
Sound plan, Gabriel.
Best of luck and keep in touch! |
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[ Posted by Horrorwood on Jan 9th, 2007 7:43 PM ]...
Martin-
I absolutely LOVED G-8! I forgot to mention that. I devoured the book over the holidays, and am trying to get my hands on more down the line. He's a total bad ass!
B 1 Reply [ Latest posted on January 9th, 2007 8:03 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 9th, 2007 8:03 PM ]...
Cool, Brandon, good to know, especially as I recommended it to you and I know the book wasn't cheap!
Did I ever tell you of Philip Jose Farmer's theory, presented in TARZAN ALIVE, I think, where he suggests that the G-8 stories were
actually the WWI adventures of Richard Wentworth, aka the SPIDER?
According to Farmer the weird, unearthly nature of the G-8 tales is
because they are based upon the young Wentworth's recollections
after suffering a nervous breakdown and mental collapse during the real terrors of the Great War.
After learning that, I haven't been able to read a G-8 without
seeing all kinds of imaginary clues that he may be, indeed, Richard
Wentworth!
Last time I was at Dreamhaven they had a slew of G-8 reprints, and much more affordable, too! |
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[ Posted by bat_blog on Jan 8th, 2007 9:25 PM ]...
THANX FOR THE ADD! If you're a BATMAN FAN then I want to invite you to check out the BAT-BLOG webpage!
There's a ton of Batman-Related articles featuring Vintage Bat-Toys, Batman Wallpapers, Batman Videos, etc..
CLICK HERE To Visit The #1 BATMAN FAN SITE! 1 Reply [ Latest posted on January 8th, 2007 9:32 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 8th, 2007 9:32 PM ]...
Have actually already checked you out! One of your wallpapers already adorns my monitor, thank you very much! Awesome site, by the way. |
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[ Posted by Horrorwood on Jan 8th, 2007 3:26 PM ]...
Hey Martin! Thanks for the kind words about Horrorwood! Glad you liked it. Can't tell you how excited I am for the Spider book. I keep looking every day to see when I can get my hands on it.
Thanks again. Talk soon,
Brandon 1 Reply [ Latest posted on January 8th, 2007 8:07 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 8th, 2007 8:07 PM ]...
Hey Brandon!
Thank YOU for your never-ending pursuit of THE SPIDER!
By the way, how did you like G-8 & HIS BATTLE ACES?? |
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[ Posted by monsterink on Jan 5th, 2007 7:06 PM ]...
Hell-O, Fangs 4 Bein' My ComicSpace Fiend! ~ Chops! 1 Reply [ Latest posted on January 5th, 2007 8:01 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 5th, 2007 8:01 PM ]...
Harpy Horrorday & Beast Witches! |
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[ Posted by d741582 on Jan 4th, 2007 5:37 PM ]...
I just checked those guys out, they do have good artwork. So what are ya creating right now lol. 1 Reply [ Latest posted on January 4th, 2007 5:41 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 4th, 2007 5:41 PM ]...
Visit here often...I update things fairly frequently. Lots of cool things in the works. I appreciate your interest. I promise to spill the beans soon! |
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[ Posted by d741582 on Jan 4th, 2007 3:15 PM ]...
Hey there, I like all the pulp stuff as well. From artists like George Rozen and Rafael de Soto to people like Frank Frazetta. But anyway, just dropping by to say hey. Later! 1 Reply [ Latest posted on January 4th, 2007 5:36 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 4th, 2007 5:36 PM ]...
You've great taste, indeed!
I might also suggest you check out the work of my pals Tom Floyd:
http://www.comicspace.com/captain_spectr
e/
And Gary Chaloner:
http://www.comicspace.com/garychaloner/
Both artists are brilliant and I'm proud they are my friends. |
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[ Posted by d741582 on Jan 4th, 2007 5:34 PM ]...
Hey good to hear from ya. All the marvel spiderman books are really good, so I wouldnt expect anything less from you lol. So hows your day been?> |
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[ Posted by d741582 on Jan 4th, 2007 5:33 PM ]...
Well, most of the books that have come out have been really good. So I wouldnt expect anything less. So whats up? |
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[ Posted by captain_spectre on Jan 3rd, 2007 7:31 PM ]...
Hey Martin!!!! Good to get the ad, and see you around here. 2 Replies [ Latest posted on January 4th, 2007 11:28 AM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 4th, 2007 9:47 AM ]...
Yup, Tom...
Yet another place on the web where I can bug you.
Heh... |
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[ Posted by captain_spectre on Jan 4th, 2007 11:28 AM ]...
Hey buddy, you can bug me all you like. |
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[ Posted by garychaloner on Jan 3rd, 2007 11:13 PM ]...
G'day Martin! Glad to hook up here! 6 Replies [ Latest posted on January 4th, 2007 9:45 AM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 3rd, 2007 11:19 PM ]...
Hi Gary!
Good to see you, too. We've informally socialized on the Doc Savage Flea Run Forum, but never were offically introduced.
Big fan of your stuff, by the way. |
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[ Posted by garychaloner on Jan 3rd, 2007 11:26 PM ]...
Ditto. I loved your Frankenstein adaption (one of my favourite novels).
We'll have to work together one day... we have too much in common! |
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 4th, 2007 8:14 AM ]...
Working with you would be fantastic! Seriously.
Just name the moment you wanna start! |
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 4th, 2007 8:17 AM ]...
Oh, and thanks for the compliment for FRANKENSTEIN.
It was a passionate project for me, one that I'd actually planned way back when I was still in high school. Among about three hundred published stories, it's still my favorite comics work I've ever done.
It's one of my all-time favorite novels too, sadly over-looked today.
Dare I hope that you're a classic monsters fan, too...? |
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[ Posted by garychaloner on Jan 4th, 2007 8:42 AM ]...
Just rewatching the Universal classics now.
I was a FAMOUS MONSTERS and AURORA MODELS kid. |
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 4th, 2007 9:45 AM ]...
Me too!
I even have my original "Big Frankie" model still! |
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[ Posted by SWAT on Jan 3rd, 2007 8:23 PM ]...
Hey Martin, thanks for the add. 1 Reply [ Latest posted on January 3rd, 2007 10:02 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 3rd, 2007 10:02 PM ]...
You bet! |
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[ Posted by georgebroderick on Jan 3rd, 2007 10:09 AM ]...
Martin! It's been awhile! Thanks for the add... still have my copies of "Scarlet" from back in the day. 1 Reply [ Latest posted on January 3rd, 2007 11:30 AM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 3rd, 2007 11:30 AM ]...
George!
It's great to find you again! Your new stuff looks awesome!
Ah yes, SCARLET IN GASLIGHT...this year is actually its 20th Anniversary. Might be a special edition published, or something. I've been really lucky as its never been out of print, something rare for a b&w book printed during that late 80s glut. My other Holmes stories have remained in print, too, along with my FRANKENSTEIN.
I still have bitter-sweet memories of the time you and I almost got to do POPEYE. Sighhhhhhhhh...
Check out my MySpace for more updates.
http://www.myspace.com/martinpowellphant
omshadow
So glad that your doing well. Let's keep in touch! |
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[ Posted by stevenpjones on Jan 2nd, 2007 12:58 PM ]...
Hey, Martin! Thanks for the add! :-) 8 Replies [ Latest posted on January 2nd, 2007 6:12 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 2nd, 2007 1:05 PM ]...
You bet, Steven.
I'm a big fan of your work. |
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[ Posted by stevenpjones on Jan 2nd, 2007 2:30 PM ]...
Wow! That's great to hear! I'm a fan of your work, too, though I suspect I've missed some of your more recent stuff. |
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 2nd, 2007 2:50 PM ]...
I'm a shamed to say that I haven't been up to date with your newer stuff either, but I'll be correcting that. You've got some great-looking books lined up there!
I'm been mostly writing prose these last few years, but I do have a couple new graphic novels coming up in 2007...so I haven't completely left comics behind.
Oddly enough, I'm about to break into the kid's market, too. Any advice to give a fellow Malibu veteran? |
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[ Posted by stevenpjones on Jan 2nd, 2007 4:21 PM ]...
Don't be ashamed. It's hard to keep up with new stuff these days, there's so much coming out that the comics shops can't stock it all.
Since I'm still trying to break into the kid lit market, I'm afraid I don't have much more advice than to network, but I'm sure you already know that. Gary Reed helped me get my foot in the door with Actionopolis. As for TALISMEN, I hooked up with an artist I've known for years and we co-created the property with the intention of tryign to sell it as cocurrent graphic novels and illustrated novels. It sort of just became a webcomic while we're still trying to sell it to a graphic novel publisher. Mundania Press had already accepted my novel KING OF HARLEM, so I pitched TALISMEN to them and they accepted the illustrated novel. Or I think they did, since it's supposed to come out this month and I haven't received the galley yet. |
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 2nd, 2007 4:32 PM ]...
Gotcha.
I already have a couple publishers of young reader's fiction lined-up. Both want to do stuff with me, they're just not sure what yet. Currently I have about a dozen proposals that I hope they're pondering.
I'll let you know what happens.
Oh...say "hi" to Gary for me. Haven't had contact with him since he published a couple of my Sherlock Holmes books ages ago. |
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[ Posted by stevenpjones on Jan 2nd, 2007 5:16 PM ]...
Please do let me know. And if those publishers are looking for any other authors ... :-)
I'll be sure to pass along the hi to Gary. He's on here, too, though. You ought to ask to become a friend and drop him a message. I'm sure he'd be happy to hear from you. |
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 2nd, 2007 5:46 PM ]...
Sure thing.
Let me get my bearings at these places first, see how they treat me, etc., and I'll be glad to recommend you. |
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[ Posted by stevenpjones on Jan 2nd, 2007 6:12 PM ]...
Thanks. I appreciate that. |
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[ Posted by Curtis_Square on Jan 2nd, 2007 10:48 AM ]...
I'm excited for THE SPIDER comics! 2 Replies [ Latest posted on January 2nd, 2007 11:10 AM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Jan 2nd, 2007 10:57 AM ]...
I'm excited, too!
But bare in mind that this upcoming collection isn't a comic book. These are prose short stories. There is, however, more than a good chance that THE SPIDER will return to comics soon.
Thanks!
Martin |
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[ Posted by Curtis_Square on Jan 2nd, 2007 11:10 AM ]...
oh, well that'll be just as awesome! |
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[ Posted by cinemacomics on Dec 29th, 2006 12:08 PM ]...
Thanks for the add, Martin!
--Jay 3 Replies [ Latest posted on December 31st, 2006 8:55 PM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Dec 29th, 2006 10:16 PM ]...
Your welcome, Jay.
Say, your stuff looks very cool. Let me know if you're needing writers!
Martin |
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[ Posted by cinemacomics on Dec 30th, 2006 12:27 AM ]...
Hey Martin! Thanks for the kind words:) Not sure if I'll ever need a writer, but if I do I'll keep you in mind. Best wishes for you in the new year!
--Jay |
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Dec 31st, 2006 8:55 PM ]...
Best New year Wishes for you, too! |
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[ Posted by JimSalicrup on Dec 29th, 2006 5:45 PM ]...
As a ComicSpace friend, may I ask you to help support the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (www.moccany.org)? Become a member today! Thanks.
BTW, I'm looking forward to the Spider! 3 Replies [ Latest posted on December 31st, 2006 9:23 AM ]
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Dec 29th, 2006 10:13 PM ]...
Hi Jim,
I've been a supporter of the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art for years. Wonderful place. They even had a special exhibit featuring my comic book scripting on display while the museum was in Boca Raton.
Thanks for your interest in THE SPIDER. I'm quite a fan of yours, by the way.
Best,
Martin |
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[ Posted by JimSalicrup on Dec 31st, 2006 1:37 AM ]...
Are you sure you don't have us confused with Mort Walker's wonderful museum, which unlike MoCCA, was in Boca Raton? |
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[ Posted by martin_powell on Dec 31st, 2006 9:23 AM ]...
Yup, so sorry Jim. I did confuse the two museums.
Thanks for setting me straight! |
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