Work Update

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 28, 2009

For whatever reason, researching and writing these World War II-related essays has proven tougher than I imagined.  However, on Friday, I completed the first draft of the final essay and can now let them marinate for a little bit before polishing and delivering.

So, what’s next for a paying gig? Some book jacket copy for Marvel. And then…?

Well, that’s the interesting question. Since I began fulltime freelancing, my plate has been generally full or near full and the phone would unexpectedly ring and something new would crop up.

Since Thanksgiving, not so much.  I’ve beaten the bushes and been in touch with people, I certainly had my share of meetings at the NY Comic-Con but while there are lots of tantalizing possibilities, no concrete offers have been made.  I have materials sitting on various editorial desks and no one is saying yes, no one is saying no.  An odd paralysis seems to have settled over publishing as everyone tries to ride out the economic storm without taking a risk.

There may be some signs of life, though.  On Thursday, I was in NYC for two meetings, both of which could well lead to new assignments.  On Friday, the phone did ring with DC Comics’ Creative Services department wanting to hire me for some short term work and that’ll be money in the bank.

(Also yesterday, I saw a revised cover design for Iron Man: Femme Fatales and I am much happier.)

I have enough spec stuff to dig into to stay busy but this year’s cash flow has been significantly lessened compared with this time last year and of course that’s a concern.  Deb remains incredibly supportive as we ride this out.  I just need to remain realistic and optimistic.

Suicide Squad – A New Chapter

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 26, 2009

Today’s Hollywood trades carry the news that Warner Bros. has named a producer and writer for a movie based on the Suicide Squad.

The version being adapted is the one I helped create with writer John Ostrander back in 1986 and endures to this day. Before there was Marvel’s Thunderbolts, there was the Suicide Squad, a mix of heroes and villains out to save the world or die trying. Someone usually died, of course. I’ve written about them repeatedly, most recently for an issue of Back Issue.

We created the property and then seeded it in Legends, the 1986 miniseries John was plotting.

Back in the late 1980s, after I had stopped editing it, my successor, Dan Raspler, and I spent a fevered week developing a bible for a CBS producer who was interested. Jenette Kahn was calling us regularly from the west coast, very enthusiastic about our efforts but after The Flash failed to win a second season, the interest in other comic titles cooled.

And now, with every comic concept of interest to someone, it is the Squad’s turn in the spotlight. Justin Marks was named as the writer and he seems to do a wonderful job on the genre scripts, earning a good buzz even though few of them have actually gotten filmed.

Will this one get anywhere?  No clue, but I’m feeling like a proud parent.

How the Geeks Won, Part 1

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 25, 2009

Over dinner with friends not too long ago, we got onto the topic of exactly how the geeks won.  What were the events and who were the key players to get us to the point where being a geek had more street cred than a hip-hop star.

I’ve been toying with figuring out this very issue ever since, and have received some input from friends but as an experiment, I’m going to be publically ruminating on this topic every now ands then in the hopes of gaining additional feedback.

To me, this can be traced all the way back to the first science fiction pulps and legendary editor Hugo Gernsback.  These days people outside our cozy world know the Hugo Award is named after Gernsback, whose work in the field effectively birthed science fiction as a genre.  His Amazing Stories in 1926 was the first pulp magazine dedicated to the topic and his keen eye in selecting writers and stories made it a success.

One other thing Gernsback did was to include addresses with his letters to the editor.  Fans began writing directly to one another which led to the formation of regional science fiction fan clubs and led to the birth of science fiction fandom.

These fans loved the field so much the monthly pulps weren’t enough so several decided to produce their own amateur magazines.  The Comet, published in 1930 by Chicago’s Science Correspondence Club is currently recognized as the first such publication although the term “fanzine” didn’t arrive until Russ Chauvenet came up with the word in October 1940. Among the earliest fanzine editors were people like Jerry Siegel, Mort Weisinger, and Julius Schwartz and their love of the field was palpable with every mimeographed page.

Various New York clubs existed and many familiar names belonged, all eager young teens who found it amazing someone else liked the same thing they did. The Greater New York Science Fiction Society wound up leading to a splinter group known as the Futurians and it was they who organized a fan gathering in New York City.

While British fans tried to organize a gathering first, historians point to October 22, 1936 as a date in which the first fan gathering occurred. A group of New York fans headed south and spent a day with Philadelphia fans. Several months later, January 3, 1937, a more organized gathering of about 20 British fans met at the Theosophical Hall in Leeds. The British fans consider that the first true convention.

Nycon, in 1939, became the first recognized science fiction convention and the template for all fan cons ever since.  Dubbed the World Science Fiction convention to echo that year’s NY-based World’s Fair, the show attracted dozens of fans and professionals, easily besting the British attendance. Upon hearing of the con, West Coast fan Forrest J. Ackerman took the bus east and arrived at the show, the first to attend in costume.

To show how little has changed, David A. Kyle reminisced back in 1997, “Ironically, the person who had originated the worldcon idea and who was initially its organizer and leader, Don Wollheim, was out in the cold. With his power lost by mistakes, inattention and abrasiveness, he had surrendered the struggle and had become an unofficial, non-welcomed participant. Ignored and now a mere observer, he led the dispirited Futurians.”

Not only did fans attend, but so did many of the published authors along with fans turned professionals including Weisinger and Schwartz.

These baby steps showed that there was something about science fiction, unlike any other genre published by the pulps that spoke to readers and spurred them to show their affection in innovative ways.  Gernsback gave them a magazine all their own and it acted like a star, shining brightly and attracting followers to its orbit.  With mass came gravity and it became a focal point.

But, how did this small number of events and the few hundred people actively participating get us from there to here?

Welcome to the Brand New Site

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 23, 2009

Webmaster and long time pal, Glenn Hauman, has been working on migrating this page to WordPress for some time now and finally, overnight, we moved.

Welcome to the newly refurbished website.  Look above and you will see new permanent pages that provide one and all with information about me, a complete bibliography and an appearances list. On the right I finally added in links to my pals and recommend you visit.

The blog content will be the same as I chat about work, home, politics, pop culture and other stuff.

Overall, I think this looks clean and spiffy. There are some things to tweak and I’d appreciate your feedback and comments.

Projects Done, Time for a Cold

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 20, 2009

From all the comments received on Facebook, it appears that a cold was an unexpected door prize for attending Farpoint this past weekend. It began its descent on Wednesday and by yesterday afternoon even the simplest tasks were requiring total focus.

Fortunately, I completed some projects this week before the fog arrived, and have time before the next deadline. As a result, I’m catching up on some video reviewing for ComicMix and Famous Monsters of Filmland and pacing myself.

The Marvel-requested changes on Iron Man: Femme Fatales didn’t require a lot of effort. In fact, the book is a mere 250 words shorter but still in excess of the 85,000 words contracted. I even found one more thing to change that Marvel Licensing missed and tossed that in to make certain the book hewed as close to the comics as possible.

I also completed my work on a proposal for a project that would be something different for me. It’s in collaboration with two others so once the editor has all three pieces, we’ll see if the company likes it enough to go to contract.

My pieces for Star Trek Magazine was also completed and delivered and Paul Simpson seems pleased with the efforts.

And now it’s back to my essays, one down, four to go and a deadline in March.

Another Farpoint is Done

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 16, 2009

The hotel’s internet connection was down all Sunday so I’ve been playing catch up in a rush and wanted to post this before hitting the road for home.

We got through Saturday fairly well but of course, Sunday had people continue to walk up and hugs us, offering additional comments.

The con itself adapted wonderfully to its new space. Everything was compact, allowing for people to get from point A to point B in quick time. The main ballroom was smaller than we were used to but everyone fit in snuggly.

The comics track panels I participated in were sparsely attended, okay one woman showed up as the only attendee for two of them (stragglers followed eventually). Still, she came so we spoke.

My other obligations went off smoothly. Our masquerade was a nice event with just 20 entrees but some very fine ones from newcomers made us vets appreciate them all the more. The Boogie Knights had a great performance, as usual, debuting two new songs.

As usual, my real complaint had to do with the deejay for Ten Forward, the Saturday night dance. She regularly chased people off the dance floor with a poor mix of tunes and then didn’t adjust to get them back. It also seemed to get louder with every passing hour.

It was great to actually spend time with pals like the Davids, Mike Friedman, Howard Weinstein, Allyn Gibson and Alan Chafin – guys I don’t see often enough. Dave Galanter, a fellow novelist, relocated to the area and was a guest but I barely saw him to chat which was a shame.

Of course, time with Kate was an extra treat and once the con wound down yesterday afternoon, we had some time to hang with other friends and then dinner together before collapsing in the room.

Overall, it was a fine, smooth weekend. Emotionally, better than we expected, and it was great to be back at a con with friends.

Six Months

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 14, 2009

Farpoint is a smaller version of Shore Leave and through the years, as Robbie grew, he seemed to loom large over the con. He was the teen ringleader in the corridors, a constant presence during the masquerade, and a lively spirit.
His absence looms large this year, especially, today, as we mark the sixth month anniversary of his passing.
In the run up to the con, we were feeling somewhat anxious about being there, about being there as part of both Valentine’s Day and the anniversary. Being here, though, we’ve been showered with hugs and affectionate comments about him and his presence in their lives.
The con did a lovely job honoring him, starting with Ariel David’s loving tribute in the program book. Last night during their banquet, the committee spoke lovingly about him and announced that the Most Original masquerade prize was being named after him. We were given a replica of this year’s trophy as a memento.
Throughout today, his presence was keenly felt. At 4 there was a memorial for him in one of the larger programming rooms. About three dozen people attended and for an hour we told Robbie stories. Some we heard, some we were new to us which was lovely. There was laughter and tears but it was clear all over again just how many lives he touched in positive ways. It was a wonderful tribute to his spirit.
Truth to tell, there remain days where his death still feels unreal. I still think he’s at school or still at 7-West but then I see some tangible sign of his absence and a fresh wave of grief washes over me.

Pitchers and Catchers

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 13, 2009

Today is the kick off for Farpoint, which I am very much looking forward to.
But, more significantly, today marks a true sign that winter is not for long.
Pitchers and catchers report today.
Down at Port St. Lucie, my beloved New York Mets already have several hurlers tossing off the mound. With GM Omar Minaya remaking the bullpen over the winter, I am pleased the 2009 team will be far stronger than the 2008 edition.
From an offensive standpoint, I worry that they lack young pop other than David Wright and Daniel Murphy. After all, Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran are entering the twilight of their careers and can’t be expected to maintain their prodigious output. An upgrade at second or catcher would have been nice but overall, I think they’re balanced and poised for a superior season.
But, looking at all 30 teams, I smile and delight in knowing that spring training games are just two weeks away.

Work this Week

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 12, 2009

So, what’s been happening in the world of work? Yes, I’ve been chasing the next big project but I have plenty of little things to fill out the month as I wait and see if my con efforts bear fruit.
First, just out is the current issue of Star Trek Magazine which contains an article by yours truly about Voyager. Now out eight times a year, the magazine has been lots of fun to write for. The following issue will contain a Majel Barrett tribute I wrote and I’m at work on some small pieces for the three issues that follow.
Editor Paul Simpson notes, “This…has an introduction to the new Voyager novels by Kirsten Beyer, with an extract from Full Circle. Kirsten’s article addresses some of the frequently-asked questions about what’s been happening with, and what’s going to happen to Voyager books. We’ve also got a number of TrekLit contributors: Bob Greenberger, David Mack, Robert Jeschonek, Christopher L. Bennett, Michael A. Martin and David McIntee have all penned analytical pieces; Dayton Ward and Trek Life’s David Reddick have teamed up on a very special Captain Proton feature; Terri Osborne interviews Bob Picardo, with a contribution from Ted Kopulos; Jill Sherwin interviews Bryan Fuller in an eye-opening feature about Voyager’s production; Mike Friedman writes about contributing to screen Voyager; and there’s also an intriguing interview with Jeri Ryan which gives her take on Seven’s relationships. Add in a new interview with Bruce Greenwood about playing Christopher Pike and reviews of A Singular Destiny, Shards & Shadows and Errand of Fury and it’s an interesting package.”
I also completed one of my contributions to Marvel Spotlight‘s 70th Anniversary of Marvel issue. It’s an oversized square-bound book due out in May and I got to write about the birth of the Marvel Age. It meant talking to Fabulous Flo Steinberg, Rascally Roy Thomas and Stan the Man himself. While I had Stan on the phone, I poked his memory to chat about the earlier years for a second piece I’ll be doing for the magazine.
In addition to Star Trek and Marvel Spotlight, I’m also doing research for a friend, helping him on a book project. This week I’ve also written a sample for a new book project and written up a proposal for something that could be both long-term and cool.
My original notions continue to wait their turn but at least I’m making some cash and keeping my hand in a variety of places.

The Con Report

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 10, 2009

Sorry I haven’t been better at posting but the last week has been a whirlwind of con prep, work, the con, con aftermath and more work.
The convention was a huge success for Reed Exhibitions, but even better, for me. I had eight meetings plus four panels to manage and everything went off just fine. It was a three day marathon of seeing old friends, old colleagues, old acquaintances and meeting new folk. Some I saw too briefly to be satisfying, others were just right.
My meetings were all in the hopes of generating work for myself or for ACE, the outfit I am part of with Jordan Gorfinkel. While none ended with a direct offer of work, I did all the necessary follow-up e-mails yesterday so we’ll see what happens next. I found myself being introduced to people I didn’t anticipate meeting which may also lead to stuff and I had a conversation with one person which is definitely leading to work once we have lunch next week to further the planning.
The panels were all a treat. First up we celebrated the 75th anniversary of four comic strip icons. Rick Norwood and Ron Goulart are two historians of the form and are senior members of our community so watching them disagree was sort of fun. It also gave me an excuse to reunite with Dean Mullaney, formerly of Eclipse Comics, and now with IDW’s lovely comic strip reprint library. He looks utterly unchanged.
The second panel was about prose works featuring comic book figures. Paul Kupperberg, who writes about this very topic at Bookgasm, moderated the panel which went fairly well.
On Sunday, I moderated a discussion about Star Trek in books and comics which gave me an excuse to spend time with David Mack and Peter David, always a good thing. Half an hour later, though, I was stunned.
While walking to the panel, I saw a very long line and asked what they were waiting for. “The Green Lantern at 50 panel,” I was informed. Yikes! Yes, we had more people on line than could fit in the room and the con tried to find us a different place. No space was available so they kindly packed everyone in, keeping a very tiny exit row just in case. Fortunately, everyone played nice and allowed themselves to be packed like sardines. Yes, Green Lantern is more popular today than ever before, but we were all stunned. Still, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Joe Staton, Geoff Johns and I held a pretty fun discussion about what we loved about Hal Jordan and why the Silver Age version of the character has thrived.
In a first, my Uncle Eric was at the show on Saturday as was my brother-in-law Jim, his wife Jennifer and Jim’s son Nicholas, who’s a major fan. I got to spend just a wee bit of time with them all but it was certainly different having family around.
There were some truly bizarre moments. While waiting for an appointment to arrive, two guys were walking by and one mentioned my name. I spoke up and they were shocked to see me in the flesh. Turns out one is an Associate Editor at Connecticut Magazine and was wondering if he’d see me. Another was a guy walking up to me and saying his wife went to college with me and wanted him to say hi. The problem, when I checked for her in the college yearbook, she wasn’t there so now I’m stumped. Then was Tony Merino, a friend I’ve made through my other friends Judy and Matt. Turns out Tony used to work with my former DC boss, Terri Cunningham’s mother, so they delighted in meeting at the show. Small world, ain’t it?
My oldest friend, Jeff Stell, and his delightful wife Debbie, showed up all three days and it was great walking the aisles with them, noting just how much things have changed since we first started attending cons in 1970.
I picked up some books, admired many more and wound up getting a “Mark Waid is Evil” t-shirt which I shall wear proudly.
While there was a lot of programming I would have liked to have seen, there just wasn’t time. Overall, though, it appeared that all 77,000 people who attended had a great time. I heard mixed things from retailers about sales but no one was complaining too loudly and given these economic times, that may be enough.