Hey folks!
Just a quick update for you midweek.
I’ve been nearly three weeks since I returned from my signing tour. I was on the road for twelve days, signed at nine stores, and attended one ComicsPro. I had an incredible time and loved meeting everyone. Once Again, I want to thank Worlds Collide Comics (Oshawa, Ontario), Heroes Your Mom Threw Out (Elmira, NY), East Side Mags (Montclair, NJ), Third Eye Comics (Annapolis, MD), Pittsburgh Comics (McMurray, PA), Most Excellent Comics & Gaming (Enfield, CT), Jetpack Comics (Rochester, NH), Heroes’ Beacon Comics (Saint John, NB), and Strange Adventures (Halifax, NS) for having me.
It was great to start the tour in Oshawa, my hometown, and the setting for The Displaced. I signed, alongside World’s Collide Variant cover artist Richard Pace, for four hours straight, which was a first for me. There was a lot of excitement locally about the book and a mix of folks showed up — ranging from comic fans to curious locals who’d heard about the book on the local news. A couple of old friends I hadn’t seen in more than 20 years popped in and though we didn’t have nearly enough time, it was great to catch up.
A few days after the signing, I woke to find this in my inbox:
This was a nice surprise. It’s been a long time since I’ve lived in Oshawa and I feel disconnected from the city most of the time (that feeling is partially what inspired The Displaced). This, coupled with the incredible signing, has made me feel connected to Oshawa in a way that I haven’t in decades.
I’ve mentioned before that The Displaced had nearly been picked up with another publisher more than a decade ago and that part of why we walked from the deal was that the publisher wanted us to move the book to an American city, rather than Oshawa. While I’ve always felt that sticking to my guns on this point was the right decision, this trip showed me that I’m not alone in that thought.
The rest of the tour went well. Spent several days with Matt, driving more than a dozen hours together. As much as we give each other a hard time online, I enjoy spending time with Matt, talking comics, movies, and music. He’s one of my oldest friends in the industry — he and I came up around the same time — and we’ve been through a lot together. In Pittsburgh for ComicsPro, I finally got to meet Tyler and Courtney’s dog, Olive (photo stolen from Matt):
At ComicsPro, I had the chance to meet and chat with creators Jesse Lonergan, Pornsack Pichetshote, Tony Fleecs, and David Wachter, and sign alongside Amy Jo Johnson (the OG Pink Power Ranger!).
I managed to take some time for myself throughout the trip, making my way to the Monroeville Mall, where they filmed the original DAWN OF THE DEAD, and to the Fiestaware Outlet/Warehouse to buy some dishes. I’m a man with many interests!
I tend to be terrible for getting photos at signings, so am just going to steal this pic from Third Eye Comics to throw in here and prove that I was actually signing books:
Get Your Very Own DISPLACED #1 Tour Exclusive Variant Cover
If you weren’t able to get out to any of the tour dates, but were still hoping to get your hands on a copy of the Displaced #1 Tour Exclusive Variant Cover, illustrated by Chip Zdarsky, you can now find them at my online shop.
There were only 500 of these printed and the run is mostly sold out at this point. They’re available for $20 each and, as always, signatures are free.
THE DISPLACED #2 in Shops Now!
The second issue of The Displaced has just dropped!
The survivors of the Oshawa, Ontario disappearance are few and far between, and those that don't stick together continue to vanish without a trace.
Down to a final 12, what will the remaining desperate group do to survive in a world where by all verifiable means... they don't exist?
Luca Casalanguida is on fire in this issue, nailing the emotional struggle that our cast of characters is going through.
You can catch an advance peek right here.
Stuff Worth Putting Your Eyes On
Blow Away, by my good friend Zac Thompson, along with artist Nicola Izzo, is a stylish and cleverly crafted crime thriller in the vein of the best of DePalma. The FOC for the book is this week, so be sure to let your comics retailer that you’d love a copy.
The official solicit from BOOM:
Unyielding wildlife photographer Brynne Brautigan, isolated in the remote cold of Baffin Island, sees something she can't unsee.
An argument, followed by an outburst of intense violence between two nearby climbers-did she just witness a murder?
In a frantic search for the truth, Brynne discovers just what she's looking for, but little does she know that more than the silent white of winter is keeping her company...
Hit writer Zac Thompson (Hunt for the Skinwalker, Cemetery Kids Don't Die) and star artist Nicola Izzo (Buffy: The Last Vampire Slayer) team up for this neo-noir crime thriller rife with murder and paranoia, in the tradition of Fargo and Rear Window!
I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of this at ComicsPro and it did not disappoint. Jesse Lonergan is one of the most exciting artists working in comics right now (if you haven’t seen his book HEDRA, you really ought to remedy that) and Pornsack Pichetshote is always a must-buy for me (THE GOOD ASIAN).
I’ve heard Pornsak describe this as Homeward Bound in space, which I can see, but it doesn’t do the book justice. It’s a gripping and heartfelt story that immediately pulls you into this world and has you invested in these animals and the adventure that lies ahead. I cannot recommend it enough.
Official solicitation:
After their ship crashes and the crew is captured, these loyal pets are their owner’s only hope. Outfitted in outrageous tech, these three best friends must traverse a hostile world to rescue their owners–leaving them the only hope for a humanity that might not be worth saving. In a harrowing adventure, the pets are faced with challenges that threaten to destroy their most valuable treasure: their friendship.
Other Stuff
I don’t think I’ve talked about it much on here, but for the last few months, I’ve been writing for a pretty large video game production company on a project that I can’t talk about. This is my first foray into video game writing and I’ve been enjoying the challenge of it — it feels that there are just as many similarities as there are differences to comics writing. I’m exercising muscles I didn’t know I had and have been stealing processes along the way to apply to my comic book writing. Overall, it’s been great.
As a result of the video game writing, my comic output for the next year is going to be less than in past years, with me shifting my focus mostly (though not exclusively) to creator-owned books. While I don’t have much that I can talk about at present, I do have two creator-owned projects that are housed with publishers and in production (one about 70% written, 60% drawn, and another that’s 40% written with art just beginning). I have a couple of other projects that are still in the development stage and two others that I’m just about to start pitching with the artists. All of this is to say that while I say I’m cutting back a bit, I don’t know that I truly am. I feel like maybe the only person I’m lying to here is myself. Oh, I have another WFH story I’m working on too, so I guess I have more going on than I thought.
Okay, I think I’ve overstayed my welcome for this update. I need to go think about some decisions I’ve made.
Before I go, gere’s an update on Lasagna:
Lasagna loves to lay on my desk when I’m working, usually across the top of my keyboard, which can make writing difficult. So, I bought a crate and put a cushion and blanket inside to make him a bed on the edge of my desk — away from my keyboard. It’s been a few days now and he seems to love it. He’s been sleeping in it every day while I work, cozy as can be. (For those worried about it hanging off the edge of my desk — the crate is screwed into place, it’s not going anywhere).
Okay, that’s it! I’m out of here.
Until next time,
Ed Brisson
Wednesday, March 20th
Halifax, Nova Scotia
My former agent had me rewrite my first novel's setting from Victoria to the Pacific Northwest because of a broader appeal to an American audience.
It really did kill something that I felt was special about the novel. Congrats on keeping your book Canadian.
Congrats on the new gig! And bummed that there will be fewer DC comics from you, though happy to hear Batman Inc is getting a one volume collection, as I think it should!