Convention Un-Bound...

By Tony Lee

So as I write this, many writers, artists, colourists, letterers, editors and publishers, not to mention fans and readers are making their way to Leeds to the second ever Thoughtbubble Comic Convention. I think it's the second, anyway. I might be wrong. And if you were to look at the website, you'd see that I too was scheduled to attend, signing copies of 2000 A.D. and Doctor Who, most likely. And hanging out with all my celebrity comic chums in swanky and exclusive after parties.

Well, as you can guess from the tone of this week's column and the title, I won't be there. I explained to Tasmin (one of the organisers) this week past that there was no way I would be able to make it after all, even for a simple afternoon. The reason for this letting down of a variety of people? I simply have too much work to do.

Oh boo hoo, I hear some of you say. Your golden slippers are too small and your wallet is too small for all of your fifties. And yeah, I know it's one of those damning phrases, oh no, I can't make a convention because I'm working too hard and making too much money, but it's a valid one nevertheless.

You see, as a freelance writer, even a pretty established one – and I'm not classing myself as one of those, I'm still learning the craft, I'm just trying to give you a frame of reference here – a freelance writer is motivated by one thing and one thing alone. And no, it's not the smiles on your pretty little faces when you read our work, anyone who says that this is their primary motivation is either a liar, not in touch with the real world or financially secure in some other way. No, a freelancer's primary motivation is money.
It's how the hell am I going to pay my rent this month.

It's damn, the car needs a new gearbox, that's going to cost.

It's oh noes, all I have to eat this month are noodles and breadsticks and it's crap, that hooker and drugs extravaganza can't be claimed as a business expense. I'm screwed.

Us freelancers? We love to eat. We love even more to drink. And we love having a roof over our heads. And to ensure that these things keep happening? We take on any paying work we can get. And if we're professional, we'll do that work within deadline without any drop in quality and quantity.

Currently, I'm writing the first proper book of "Necrophim" for 2000 A.D.. I did the ‘prologue' a while back and this is an eleven week continuation. I'm currently on issue #5. I'm writing a script for a yet unannounced Doctor Who 22 pager for Paul Grist to draw. I'm writing the script to Pendragon: The Legend Of King Arthur. I'm adapting the final quarter of the second DoppleGanger Chronicles book for Markosia. I'm lettering St. Spookys. I'm blocking out book 2 of The Prince Of Baghdad. I've just written a 10 page Marvel story that I can't mention yet. I'm scripting a 22 page Lady Action story. And these are just the ‘paying' gigs. In addition to this, I'm writing Journal still, I'm scripting Harker and have a further couple of titles in the ‘concept' stages including Bad Debt and FaerieTale. And that's not including the novels I'm
working on. All of this is done on a week by week basis – I'm not even going into the pitches I have out there.

(Oh, on a side note, if you haven't heard about FaerieTale, a Graphic Novel I'm planning with Hope Falls, Prince of Baghdad, The Gloom and DoppleGanger co-pilot Dan Boultwood? Well here's a sample, a teaser just for you.

For a bigger picture, click here.

We're hoping to speak to a particular publisher about this in December. It's looking to be about eighty, ninety pages. Set around 1914. Lots of sepia. And I'll speak more about this in a few weeks... And next week I might have some good news for you Hope Falls fans...)

Anyway, I digress. It sounds like a lot? Yeah. It is. Can I handle it? Of course I can. I work around ten to twelve hours a day usually, I start at 9 a.m. and I'm usually still writing by midnight, with a couple of hours off here and there. Sometimes I work less. Sometimes more. I have Tracy coming up here this weekend (obviously to you reading now it's last weekend) and I know that after she leaves, around 7pm on Sunday? I'll be writing then too. I'm not seeing her this weekend coming (again, I mean the weekend coming for you reading this on the Monday, not me writing this on the Friday) – in fact I have nothing planned. Will I sit and relax, watch some TV? Maybe a little. But there's a part of me going great! I can use that weekend to catch up on some writing! So probably not.

I do a lot of talks in schools currently, and it's very odd as I spend half the talk explaining how writing is the coolest job in the world and all that – and then the second half is spent explaining that it's a damned sight harder than a nine to five job kiddies - and if you hate work, don't be a writer.

Case in point. As I wrote this, a friend just texted me to tell me a Tuesday evening thing I was attending has been cancelled. Already I've worked out what writing I can do instead. I am a social leper.

So anyway, the fact of the matter is that I'm bogged down with work. And I love it. I'm never happier than when I have a solid work plate, and people who know me know that when I finish jobs I become a nightmare, always looking for the next thing. As much as you can be when you're a writer, I'm a workaholic. Hell, I'm writing this column when I should be going out. That's how much I love this business.

Next week will involve writing about fifty pages of comics and about ten thousand words of prose. Will I do it? Of course I will. Even if I end up working until midnight every night. Because it kills me to miss a deadline, and for the last couple of years this has been my life. Tracy understands it, and the joy (and believe me, it's not that much of a joy because it does mean I don't see her much) of only seeing her on weekends due to distance is that I can spend a lot more time writing. That target above? I might throw a few pitches out as well. Hell, I might do a couple of interviews.

I am apparently one of the most prolific writers out there at the moment it seems, but as ever – I have to be. Otherwise I'm nothing. And if you're nothing in this business? Well, then you're nothing in this business.

So I will be missing the Thoughtbubble convention this weekend. But I'll get a lot more work done that I expected to. And I'll see all my celebrity chum friends at the next convention. Well, UK one anyway. My next convention now looks to be New York in February. And I have two weeks in the US on that one.

And I'll be working, writing, every day I'm over there...

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On the subject of U.S. conventions, I've hit a dilemma. You see, I love my new iPhone and I blame Warwick Davies totally for convincing me to give it a try. Well him, Chris Kirby last San Diego and Lee ‘Budgie' Barnett, the three technological pushers of doom. I've become such a fan of it my life is now revolving around it, but this is where I'm going to have a problem in February... You see, I have an o2 8gb 3G iphone. And it's nice. But when I'm in America, I'll have my AT&T cell phone sim as it's far cheaper to speak to people in America that way – otherwise a phone call to say Ben McCool, future Mister Heidi MacDonald and now NYC resident, insulting him in a fake voice would go US – UK – US and I'd end up paying for TWO transatlantic calls. And that's unacceptable.

So I have an AT&T sim – but guess what! The o2 phones are unlockable, so I'll have to use another phone while I'm over, and use my iphone as effectively a PDA. I'll only be able to surf at WiFi points and I'll be crying a lot.

Suffice to say I'll be keeping an eye on unlock options over the next few months, or something that allows me to put my AT & T sim in while convincing my iphone it's an o2 one... While playing my Labyrinth ball tilt game...

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So this Wednesday in the US you can get your grubby little hands on the third issue of my wonderful and critically acclaimed Doctor Who six part story Doctor Who: The Forgotten, with art by the wonderful stand in artist Stefano Martino. As I mentioned before, personal problems including the illness and passing away of a very dear friend stopped Pia Guerra from being able to finish this story, and she only managed issues #1, #2 and #5 of the three (as well as the last two pages of #4) due to this, but IDW found two very capable replacements in Stefano and issues #4 and #6 artist Kelly Yates, and I think that even the staunchest critic will found this issue delightful.

As ever we have a underlying Tenth Doctor story, but we also have the Fourth Doctor and Romana (Romana 2 that is, the blonde Lalla Ward one) in the Paris catacombs meeting confused Napoleonic troops, a mime artist and a beret-wearing Minotaur, and a Fifth Doctor, Tegan and Turlough tale where they find that the House on Allen Road (and yes, Whogeeks – I mean that house) has just had an unexpected visit by the Judoon...

Yes. That's right. I have the Fifth Doctor talking to Judoon...

Anyway, it's well worth buying, as ever and put a note in your diaries, kiddies because issue #4 will be out TWO WEEKS LATER, on the 3rd of December, bringing us a little more back into schedule.

And that one, with art by Kelly Yates is a doozy...

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A favour now for one of my favourite comics people Emily Man of Orbital Manga. Emily was the lovely lady who organised my signing with Gary Russell in September, and so I'm happy to announce some things for her...

Alex Maleev Signing

All the way from Soifia, Bulgaria. The Kryptonian Chain of Outstanding Orbital Funnybooks is proud to present: Awesome Alex Maleev!

The world renowned practitioner of sequential graphic fiction will be here in a rare visit to the U.K. signing YOUR copies of his fine works such as Daredevil, New Avengers: the Road To Civil War, Halo, Batman: No Man's Land and suchlike.

The Date: Tuesday The 18th of November
The Time: 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
The Place: Orbital Comics, 148 Charing Cross Road, London
The Memories: Priceless!

Self Made Hero - Shakespeare Manga Signing

The artists Chie Kutsuwada, Ryuta Osada, Mustashrik Mahbub from Julius Caesar, As you like it and Othello will be signing & sketching for people who come along.

We'll also have a small competition prize to win some artwork, and we'll be holding a portfolio review for any budding artists that come down and would like some feedback on their work.

Manga Shakespeare is a series of graphic novel adaptations of William Shakespeare using manga visuals from UK-based artists

Date: 22nd Nov 08
Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: Orbital Manga
Address: 4c Orion House, Upper St Martins Lane, London WC2H 9NY

David Lloyd Signing

Orbital Comics is proud to present to you David Lloyd!! Most famous for his illustrations in V for Vendetta he's coming to Orbital Comics on 6th Dec, 3pm - 5pm to first and foremost promote and sign his crime noir thriller "Kickback", sign his other works and sketch for all of ya!!

Make sure the dates in your diaries!!

Date: 6th Dec 08
Time: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Orbital Comics
Address: 148 Charing Cross, London WC2H 0LB

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So there you have it. I'm back off to write some of my novel, so have a good one kiddies, and I'll see you in seven...

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Discuss this column at the Only A Forum forum.
© 2008, Tony Lee

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