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 (just the) "Comic Stripping" Entries Stop the Buck! (and share this comic!) October 3, 2008  Click for larger (so you can, you know, read it) as well as for creative commons info, and for a free print-quality, one-page PDF, which you are encouraged to redistribute. U.S. Voters! Register to vote (and find local deadlines for registration, which in many cases are fast approaching!), verify your registration, and learn about early voting in your area by entering your zip code at WWW.MAPS.GOOGLE.COM/VOTE.
 Mini-acceptance! Gag cartoon in File 770. October 2, 2008 I've got a fantasy/werewolf gag cartoon in the next issue of Mike Glyer's six time Hugo Award winning fanzine File 770. Illustrated by my friend Constantine Markopoulos, whose backup stories have appeared in Dave Sim's (and Gerhard's, let's not forget Gerhard's) Cerebus (I'll dig up those issue numbers for y'all when the cartoon's available).
COMICS ACCEPTANCE! - Outlaw Territory II August 22, 2008  "The Whores in Trinidad Need Witnessing to" is an eight page western comic story (illustrator TBA), and my first time writing in the western genre. Outlaw Territory is a new anthology, published by Image Comics. The first volume of Outlaw Territory (cover above by Greg Ruth, whose recent Conan work with Kurt Busiek has blown me away) is solicited in the present issue of Diamond Previews for an October 15 release. After seeing a script of mine last year, editor Michael Woods asked me for an eight page story for the second volume in the series. After a rewrite, it ended up being a good fit for the book. Now, I'm not one to speculate, but I imagine the first/current volume selling well in preorders would increase that second volume's chances of coming to fruition all the sooner. So ask your local comic shop to reserve you a copy. Also available at Amazon if you must, but won't your local comics retailer appreciate your business more?
"Groundbound" in FutureQuake #10 (out now) June 14, 2008  My five page science fiction comic story "Groundbound" with artist Shaun Gardiner appears in the current issue of the British comics-anthology series FutureQuake. Shaun and I are hoping to expand it into a four issue miniseries.  I don't think the book is available from Diamond, but I'll double-check. I'll be ordering a few copies direct on FRIDAY (June 20). If you're in the U.S. and want me to order you a copy (I'll absorb the overseas shipping, if you'll pay for cover price plus a buck or two for "local" postage), just let me know. LJ comments or contact form.  A few quick notes: The script got some heavy tweaking/edits both from editorial before going to Shaun, and afterwards from myself and Shaun after some of those changes (and some of my own idiocy) created some issues I didn't foresee. The changes much improved the piece, I'd argue, and I'll post a few of the more fun alternative solutions we came up with in the next week or so.  I gave the sociopath-protagonist the name "Holly" specifically because I didn't know any Hollys personally when I wrote the script in late 2005. I've since met at least three, including my Clarion instructor Holly Black. Oops.  Also in 2005, not knowing what would sell and what wouldn't, I very occasionally reused science fiction conceits (like maybe twice in a couple dozen pieces). Sure enough, this shares an idea with "Outgoing," which was accepted for publication in Asimov's within a few months of my placing this with FutureQuake IIRC. Two very different stories and not the most important detail in either, but still.  And, finally, I wrote this as a "Future Shock" spec script for 2000 AD, and FS stories have a certain... expectation that comes with the final panel or two. I make no apologies for staying true to that here, but if structure-wise it's hard to identify this as an "Alex" story (whatever that means this early in my career)... 
I Am Such a Mendicant December 6, 2007 
My favorite artist-scripter team ever: Aragones and Evanier.My favorite comic book of all time: Groo. My first publication in a Dark Horse comic book: Groo: Hell on Earth #1 (letters page). Shut up. It counts. Must've written a dozen letters for the old Groo-Grams back when I was a kid and Epic/Marvel published the series for so long but not long enough. Never got around to mailing a'one of those letters. Some twenty years later, it appears I've gotten slightly less lazy. And by less lazy I mean email was invented. Don't look at me like that. It counts. My journal, my rules. EDIT: And, by gumbo, lest you doubt me... let's not forget George R R Martin's first publication (Fantastic Four #20).
My Interview at the Comicon Pulse September 21, 2007 A few months ago, writer Chris Beckett interviewed me for his Pulse indie-spotlight column "For Your Consideration." Went up last night. Strange and wonderful to see one's name in the top headline on the front page of the Pulse (until the next story's posted anyway, heh). Thanks, Chris!
Hope: New Orleans TODAY, Rejection Contest Update September 6, 2007 As discussed here, Hope: New Orleans is available in comic shops now. Locally, copies should be in stock at Chapel Hill Comics (Chapel Hill/Carrboro) and Acme Comics (Greensboro). For those out of the area, find the store nearest you. Thanks for the support! Also: my 300th rejection has arrived (and possibly my 301st, 302nd, etc). But who was it from? Get your guesses in by Saturday, midnight US Eastern time, and win a prize. I'll announce my failure to sell this particular piece on Sunday.
Hope: New Orleans in comic shops THURSDAY! September 4, 2007 At long last, the fundraising anthology from Ronin Studios is getting into stores on Thursday the sixth (it's a holiday week).  Four random panels from "Persistent City," the second piece in the book (click for larger):  This is my story with Mario Boon (of Texas Strangers fame), written two years-and-a-day ago. The story also appeared in the literary magazine The Florida Review in the interim between completion and this book's release. Thanks for your patience, all! Looking forward to finally reading the other 35 stories. And my understanding is that your local comic shop (find the store nearest you) can order more copies from Diamond with the original order code: MAY07 3690. Profits go to the Southeast Louisiana Chapter of the Red Cross. More info.
400th Submission today July 3, 2007 Took 8 years, 8 months, and 2 days from my first submission. It was a gag cartoon sent to F&SF (1st gag sub, 19th sub overall). Phew. Glad that's out of the way.
Indie Spinner Rack mentions IA June 27, 2007 "These things are tiny. These are awesome." Thanks to Indie Spinner Rack! They gave a mention to my Inconsequential Art minicomics/zines in episode #80 last month. (Obviously, I'm woefully behind on my podcast listening, but these guys have been in my queue since their interview with Dave Sim--probably one of the best single podcasts ever.) Thanks, guys!
I Bribe You to Subscribe to Free Newsletter May 15, 2007 This Friday, I'll be sending subscribers the next free Alex Wilson Studio News via email. In it I will offer two freebies:
To subscribe without using/creating a Yahoo! account Send an email to alexwilson-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and REPLY to the confirmation email (rather than clicking on the link, which will prompt you to login). To subscribe with a Yahoo! account, go here.
Hope: New Orleans in Diamond Previews May 10, 2007
Hope: New Orleans, the long-awaited comic book anthology from Ronin Studios, is solicited in this month's Diamond Previews catalog, page 338. It includes the reprint of "Persitent City," my Florida Review story with illustrator Mario Boon (which was originally created for this book, first blogged about in September 2005). If you ask your local comic book store to reserve a copy for you, tell 'em: Diamond Order Code: MAY07 3690. Profits go to the Southeast Louisiana Chapter of the American Red Cross. Thanks!
Inconsequential Art at Chapel Hill Comics May 4, 2007  Tomorrow! A limited number of free FCBD edition copies of Inconsequential Art #1 will be available at Chapel Hill Comics in Chapel Hill, NC, as part of Free Comic Book Day. First come, first served.
Inconsequential Art - Now Available April 27, 2007 
The first two issues of my humor minicomic Inconsequential Art are available now for a buck each. These are business-card-sized and 12 pages each, including cover. First one features a comic story illustrated by Dennis Culver, plus a one page SF story-poem. Second issue has reprints of an interactive story (think "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure") which first appeared in the humor zine Planet Relish, as well as a fantasy gag cartoon. 
Extended Family Salute - April 2007 Edition April 2, 2007 I got an email from Andrew at Chapel Hill Comics. The new Image Comic Texas Strangers is available now, with cover and interior art by Mario Boon (illustrator of my story "Persistent City" in both The Florida Review and the upcoming Hope: New Orleans anthology). Congrats to Mario on his big U.S. debut! (Speaking of Hope, the powers that be at Ronin are now aiming for a "Summer 2007" release for the book, according to the new fun page. I'll be sure to drop a note when it solicits.) I have a microscopic part in director Jim McQuaid's near-future newscast/film After the Peak. It premieres this Thursday, April 5 (7PM), in the Carrboro Century Center. I won't be able to attend, but I had a fun morning back in the Fall working with Jim and actress Jackie Marriott in a scene shot at Weaver Street Market. In other acting news, one of my scenes from "Balloon Animals" (by director Justin Meckes) got some airtime on the Independent Film Channel's Media Lab Uploaded show. Congrats to Justin. Futurequake, the indie British comic which will produce my script "Groundbound" has just been nominated for an Eagle Award. Good luck! And in the completely-no-relation department, local popscicle vendor LocoPops recently opened their Chapel Hill store. Don't know whether it's a good or bad thing that I pass by it on my walk to the above-mentioned Chapel Hill Comics...
The Florida Review - Fall 2006 December 19, 2006
Find My Work and ComicSpace December 13, 2006 So this is the page you should hit if you want to find out where to find my stuff, online or off. Includes ordering info for "Persistent City" (contributor copies arrived today) and a bunch links. Probably the best-organized page of this site, which tells you where my time needs to go. And I've signed up at ComicSpace (as Alex), kind of a MySpace for Comic Creators. It's in its early days, but I have confidence that it'll turn into something useful. Back when I did Undersweet, ComicSpace's older sister OnlineComics.net was one of the best resources out there for webcomics.
The First Noel (Webcomic) December 6, 2006 
Kinda-New standalone webcomic story for the holidays: The First Noel by myself and Jack Lucido. Details here.And as long as I'm plugging webcomics here: check out the fun stuff that local boys Ted and Kit are up to.
Oscar Winner Speaks Out November 23, 2006 See the front page of The Carrboro Film Festival website (first few paragaphs) for what Oscar winner--and Carrboro Film Fest winner--Barbara Trent thought of my All's Fair in Love and Police Actions. My own take: "All's Fair" works much better on a smaller screen than a big one.
The Florida Review - Ordering Info November 19, 2006 The Fall 2006 issue of The Florida Review should be getting back from the presses any minute now. It includes my 5-page New Orleans comic story, "Persistent City," illustrated by the amazing Mario Boon. This was finished over a year ago for a Ronin Studios anthology (still forthcoming) and I'm ecstatic that it's finally seeing print. Ordering Info. 
Submission 300 October 29, 2006 Second Letter of Inquiry to Marvel Comics (basically a request to pitch them stories).
Rejection 193 (Implied) October 29, 2006 Marvel Comics at some point updated their sub guidelines to include two bits inferring that I should give up on my six-month old query letter: (a) they cannot respond to all queries. (b) they now want a signed Idea Submission form with all correspondence, including letters of inquiry (which do not include ideas). So by considering this letter dead, you know what I've got to put in the mail tonight, don't you?
Clarion Week 1: Chip and Me June 29, 2006 Had my private meeting with Samuel R Delany yesterday afternoon. It was probably one of the most inspiring conversations I've ever had. I'm still on an emotional high about it. By minute five or so, I was able to at least manage the star-struckedness I get around him. And we didn't talk about my application stories or about my story we critiqued early in the day. Instead we talked about comics. We talked about the career aspects of writing both inside and outside 
of the genre, and the difficulties of practically starting the career over once you move from one to the other (or doing both simultaneously). There was a lot of validation and laughing. You know the theory I posited yesterday about how to best deal with rejection? He thinks that's the best way, so I guess I'm now capable of dispensing exactly one piece of writing advice knowing that Chip's there to back me up. But overall it was just plain fun.I kept wishing there were two of me: One of them engaging Chip in conversation as he talked about working with Howard Chaykin or dealing with first-book-caliber advances as you publish your first book outside of genre. The other me trying to take careful notes but forgetting about it and instead just jumping up and down yelling "I'm talking comics with Samuel Delany!" So yeah, even if there were two of me I still would have completely forgotten to take notes. Speaking of comics, when I got back to my room I received Warren Ellis's "Bad Signal" mailing list message about his arriving in Charlotte. He's in North Carolina right now for Heroescon, and I've been a little bummed that I'm missing my chance to to meet one of my favorite comics writers. But I think I got enough comics/science fiction geekboy satisfaction today to last me the next six weeks. I don't think Warren's name even came up, sorry. Got some great critiques (positive and negative, but almost all very helpful, and I think I know what I need to do to make the piece work) yesterday morning from my classmates on my first story (the flash piece). It's a great group both inside and outside the critique circle, and even an introvert like me would rather be with one or a handful of any them rather than alone, more often than I expected. Photo above taken at Chip's reading at a local library. He read from his non-genre novel Dark Reflections, which he recently sold (and I don't think is available yet). This is about the highest resolution that looks okay with my camera phone and even then only after some color correction in Photoshop. Laptop sustained some damage in transit, but so far nothing that inhibits my ability to write. I'll be doing more frequent backups though, though that became a little harder with this problem. If I can get this computer to last me through September, I'll be very happy. A bit overwhelmed with critiquing. Back to work.
Submission 269 May 15, 2006 Letter of Inquiry to Marvel Comics (basically a request to pitch them stories).
Acceptance 62 - THE FLORIDA REVIEW! May 3, 2006 Via email yesterday: For their Fall 2006 issue, The Florida Review has accepted "Persistent City" (Sub 262) a five-page comic story illustrated by artist Mario Boon and written by some guy whose name appears at or near the top of this page. Astute readers will remember how last September this story was scheduled to appear in Hope: New Orleans, a Katrina-relief fundraising anthology originally due out February 2006 from Ronin Studios (current release date TBA).
2005Q4 Quarter in Review January 2, 2006 So what happened this past quarter...
Continue reading "2005Q4 Quarter in Review" Filed Under: Acting, Comic Stripping, Journal, Prose and Poetry, Vanity Smurf Guidevines for Writers December 21, 2005 Meet Guidevines for Writers, a user-editable writer's resource, powered by the same software that runs Wikipedia. 
Today I quietly release the public beta version of Guidevines with 250 modest articles up, and a few of the included resources already getting fleshed out. I don't plan on promoting Guidevines (beyond a casual link or two) or even officially "launching" until January 31, so we'll see what it becomes between now and then based on word of mouth and contributions of visitors.
A Better Comics Submissions Guidelines List November 3, 2005 "One way you won't break in is if you sit around playing video games all day thinking about how cool it'd be if you did break in."As I was preparing the latest update of my Comics Submission Guidelines for Writers, I noticed that Caleb Monroe's Comic Creator Services page has totally eclipsed mine as far as info and links. Aside from a few choice quotes from creators and from the guidelines themselves (the condiments rather than the mystery meat of the page), there's now nothing my list has to offer that you won't find at Caleb's site. This is a good thing. As I told Caleb when he first contacted me: if only I'd known about his site back in August (he launched his page just before I added mine to this site), I never would have had to dig up all that info in the first place. And now his thoroughness means there's no point in me continuing my version of the guidelines list. From now on, I'm heading to his site when I want updated information. Thanks to those who emailed me with updates and new markets. And thanks especially to Caleb for making my life easier. If you thought my page was a valuable resource, take a gander at all the links he's dug up (and not just for writers). "...if I could do it, anyone can. No two people ever break in the exact same way, though, so it's going to take a little imagination and a lot of persistence."
Persistent City - First Look at the Art October 14, 2005 Oh yes. Belgian artist Mario Boon emailed me today with his illustrations of the first part of "Persistent City," our story for the fundraising comics-anthology Hope: New Orleans from Ronin Studios. This will be my first real comic story to see print, so I'm ecstatic over every panel, starting with the first: Also today, artist and TokyoPop inker Jeremy Freeman (of Ten Ton Studios) agreed to put together a proposal with me, a high-fantasy, two-issue miniseries I scripted over the last two weeks. And a third comics collaboration might be in the works, too...
2005Q3 Quarter in Review September 30, 2005 Wonderful quarter. Still 12 hours left, but so far so good. Here's how the writing's coming. Prose - The Writers of the Future Strategy! Got a Writers of the Future semifinalist placement with my eighth story submission there, the highest I've placed in the contest yet after four non-placing entries and three quarterfinalist stories since 1998. This was also my 150th rejection. Haven't received my critique yet (which all semifinalists are promised), but I'm hoping I didn't repeat any mistakes in my next entry if Kathy Wentworth was kind enough to point them out. My ninth submission to WotF (just mailed out last night) is my longest--and I think best--fiction work to date. It's also a milestone in that this makes 2005 (the WotF year begins the quarter ending December 31 of the previous year) the first year I submitted entries every quarter. Yay discipline! Sent my first submission to Analog in over five years. I've been slow recently to submit to professional SF markets other than Writers of the Future--I'm still such a slow prose writer that I only finish one prose SF story at most per quarter anyway, and that one goes to WotF.
Continue reading "2005Q3 Quarter in Review" Filed Under: Comic Stripping, Journal, Prose and Poetry, Writers of the Future The Art of War, Persistent City, Etc. September 8, 2005 This week at Telltale Weekly: my unabridged reading of Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Another milestone! "Persistent City," a comic script I wrote for the Hope: New Orleans fundraising anthology was accepted yesterday and will be illustrated by Mario Boon and produced for the Ronin Studios book. The plan is for a Previews solicitation in December, for a January or February publication. This will be my first comic book publication. Looking Glass Falls photography from Sunday, appearing today in the journal. And this weekend I received my 150th rejection: a semifinalist notification from Writers of the Future. This is the highest I've placed in the contest so far, after three quarterfinalist placements (and, earlier, four non-placing entries). Getting closer... 
The Second Foundation of Chapel Hill Comics March 5, 2005  About once a week, I walk a half hour down Franklin Street from my home in Carrboro (near Weaver Street) to the above-pictured Chapel Hill Comics in (wait for it) downtown Chapel Hill. For over 25 years it's been on Rosemary, in the back of the Bank of America building next to where Rum Runners used to be. I don't read monthlies and I buy most of my comics mail order and/or used. But the walk gets this writer some exercise, and I can occasionally be militant about supporting local businesses, especially ones I'd like to stick around. 
But my walk will be halved starting on March 16, when they relocate down Franklin Street, next to the Mediterranean Deli. I volunteered for a few hours last week, helping to paint the new walls yellow, getting to know the current owners of the shop, Andrew and Vanessa Neal, and even participating in a discussion about what color to paint the door and whether it was a good idea to remove the old doorknob before they had a replacement. Militant though I may be, there aren't many other local for-profits for which I'd volunteer. But for some reason I wanted to be a part of this.
Continue reading "The Second Foundation of Chapel Hill Comics" Filed Under: Carrboro Area, Comic Stripping, Journal, Peers & Peerless, Vanity Smurf Undersweet Closes November 22, 2004 (Selected republication of old entries from the pre-Movable Type journal...) Sadly, Undersweet comes to a close. Archive remains. I'll do a postmortem when I get a chance.
Four Questions with Warren Ellis January 6, 2004 (Selected republication of old entries from the pre-Movable Type journal...) At the end of 2003, legendary British comic book writer Warren Ellis wrote on his "Bad Signal" email list that he is often "bugged" for interviews by people with websites, writing: It's the end of the year and I feel like tying off its bloody stump today... I'll answer a four-question interview for any website so long as it reaches me within 12 hours of my sending this email.I wasn't among those bugging him, but it's rare that I'm on email at the right time for any good opportunity--and even rarer that I read newsletters and email discussions in time to get involved.
Continue reading "Four Questions with Warren Ellis" Filed Under: Comic Stripping, Journal, Peers & Peerless |
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Alex Wilson writes fiction and comics in Carrboro, NC. His work has appeared/will appear in Asimov's Science Fiction, The Rambler, Weird Tales, The Florida Review, Futurismic, Shimmer, ChiZine, FutureQuake, Pif, and Dragon. Locus Magazine has called him a "promising new writer," and Publishers Weekly also has nice things to say. Alex runs the audiobook project/podcast Telltale Weekly and the writer wiki Guidevines. He publishes the minicomic/zine Inconsequential Art. He is a 2006 Clarion graduate. Blog Archives 2008 - Clever Label TBA 2007 - BadYearNoCookie 2006 - Clarion! 1st Pro Sale! 2005 - Peers and Peerless 2004 - Telltale Launch 2003 - Dog bites, acting out 2002 - In my mind, I'm going... 2001 - Marriage, Macs, 1st Cons 2000 - Setback, Milestones 1999 - Engaged, Graduated 1998 - Creative Independence    Powered by MT 3.35 MySpace Profile Technorati Profile |
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