Remember those glorious 10 days or so during which I was actually caught up? Well, SLAYERS 3: THE GHOST OF SAIRAAG happened, and so much for the good times.

Recently Turned In:

SENSUAL PHRASE VOL. 7's end column on T.M. Revolution
SENSUAL PHRASE VOL. 8, part 1 script adaptation
KARE FIRST LOVE VOL. 4, part 2 script adaptation

Currently Working On:

SLAYERS 3: THE GHOST OF SAIRAAG (My last SLAYERS book, thank god. I love my editor and I enjoy the book, but I cannot handle the workload. It is the elephant that not only broke the camel's back but reduced him to a smudge of goo, alas.)
UNANNOUNCED VIZ PROJECT

Due Very Soon:

GIRL GOT GAME VOL. 9

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New Reviews:

DESCENDANTS OF DARKNESS VOL. 1 on Animeondvd.com
KARE FIRST LOVE VOL. 1 on Animeondvd.com

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There is, of course, an original project I'm dying to work on, but no time right now. Alas.

Previews Review has tapped BLUE SPRING as their Pick of the Month. (Hurrah! Matsumoto is one of my favorite creators of any nationality and BLUE SPRING, easily the best book I've ever had the opportunity to work on.)

BLUE SPRING GN VOL 1
By Taiyo Matsumoto
$9.99, 218 pages, VIZ LLC, PAGE 356
OCT04 3067

Despite the continued absence of NO. 5 VOLUME 3 (and despite the fact that the third volume is scheduled to be published in French ANY DAY NOW), Viz have seen fit to release a brand new stand-alone graphic novel from NO.5 and BLACK & WHITE creator Taiyo Matsumoto! BLUE SPRING, a violent, kinetic story of a boys' school in Japan was adapted into a film (much like another of Matsumoto's comics that's doing gangbusters in France and Japan and remains unreleased here, PING PONG) thanks to its unflinching look at the realities of being a teenager in Japan. After a crushing loss at the school, the leader of the school's upper-echelon gives up on life, tearing down the last illusions of stability for a group of aimless teens. Dark and introspective, the film was very good and, I can only imagine, Matsumoto's outstanding storytelling will be a welcome addition to the story. At $10 and created by one of the best storytellers in Japan today, this is an absolutely essential purchase whether you're a "manga fan" or not. This is just plain great comics. Do Not Miss This One. Preorder It Today.

With 30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales, everyone knows what Steve and Ben can do - they’re doing it separately on that book, with Steve writing one tale and Ben illustrating another, but Kody Chamberlain’s art and Matt Fraction’s writing is really going to go over big, I think. And there’s a good chance there will be some other Matt Fraction/IDW news coming soon, too. I’m really excited about the guys we’re working with. Well, not in that way, but Matt does have a great smile, even over e-mail.

Incidentally, Matt’s wife, Kelly [Sue] DeConnick, turned in a fantastic short prose story that’s gonna show up in the first issue of BST, too. Lots of good writin’ going on in that Fraction household. I know some people don’t think prose has any place in comics — I’ve seen grumbling about it here, in fact—but we like to give a little extra in our books. If you don’t want to read them, you still get a complete story in every issue, but if you do want a bit more than just house ads, well, we’re there for you with some interesting prose stories. The short-story market is basically in the dumper right now, so if we can help some new writers get some work out in the world, we’re gonna do just that. Hang on, let me step off Stan’s my [sic] soapbox before continuing.

My story actually runs in issue #2, but yay, Chris. And the emphasis in the first paragraph is mine...

Read the rest of the interview here.