The Creation of FRANKENSTEIN

Happy Birthday to FRANKENSTEIN, the novel!

According to history, and Mary Shelley's own words (and recently pin-pointed by astronomers!) eighteen year old Mary experienced a horrific nightmare on the stormy night of June 16, 1816, at 2 a.m., which ultimately inspired her first and most famous novel.

I'd be nothing, professionally speaking, without this brilliant woman, her bad dream, and her great book.

"We are unfashioned creatures, but half made up." -- Mary Shelley, from Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus.

http://frankensteinia.blogspot.ca/2011/09/marys-dream-tell-tale-moon-and-creation.html

More Fairy Tale Anthologies for Kids

 My children's anthologies appear to be on a roll. I just received news that two of my most successful Fairy Tale Books, RED RIDING HOOD and RUMPELSTILTSKIN, will be included in this volume from Stone Arch Books.

My take on these timeless legends gives them a peculiar new twist where the handsome, heroic princes aren't particularly necessary, and the brave girls solve their perilous problems with their own courage and ingenuity. I originally tried this as an experiment a few years back and it caught fire, and almost thirty more of my "Girl Power" books have successfully followed.

Other stories appearing in this volume include wonderful adaptations of Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel, by other authors.

Available soon.

TALL Great American Folk Tales -- On Sale Now

I learned a while back that Stone Arch Books was collecting a new anthology of Great American Folk Tales which would include two of my books -- THE LEGEND OF JOHNNY APPLESEED and my favorite, THE TALL TALE OF PAUL BUNYAN, which won the 2010 Moonbeam Golden Award for Best Children's Graphic Novel. Tall Tales of Peco Bill and John Henry are also included, written by other authors.

The published book itself is now in my hands and it is utterly beautiful. I wrote these books in an attempt to bring back the magic and whimsical charm of our own American folklore to a new youthfully enthusiastic audience, and they have been very successful. I'll bet your kids and students will love them, too.

Many thanks to artist Aaron Blecha, editor Donald Lemke, designer Bob Lentz, and editorial director Michael Dahl.

http://www.amazon.com/Tall-Great-American-Folktales-Graphic/dp/1434240681/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339181834&sr=1-2

R.I.P. Ray Bradbury

I can't even begin to say how much Ray Bradbury, the writer and the man, has meant to my life and career without sounding like a gushing idiot.

Ray was there when I was first discovering serious science fiction and fantasy, as I luckily stumbled across a paperback copy of his masterpiece, Something Wicked This Way Comes, in the clutter of my brother's closet. As I turned the pungent pulpy pages, at the ripe old age of ten, I fell in love forever.

Years later, when I became determined to be a professional writer myself, I frequently wrote to Ray, who was extraordinarily accessible, and he always responded with a typed letter here, a handwritten card there. His advice and encouragement were absolutely invaluable as I feverishly pounded at my portable manual typewriter, sending out a new short story each week, collecting more than enough rejection slips to fill an anthology. And, I continued with this insanity, with Ray's enthusiastic encouragement, for five years before I made my first sale and was finally published.

Think about that for a moment.

Five full years.

Week upon week, month after month, mopping store floors at night while attending a few Science, English, and Art classes, and typing my fingers raw with never so much as a nibble of interest from some invisible editor I'd never hear from again. My family and friends had begun to think that there was something very wrong with me.

But , that never mattered because Ray Bradbury believed in me. He never doubted that I would make it someday, so somehow I didn't doubt it either.

As a friend, mentor, and spiritual father, I owe him more than I can ever say or repay.

Now, with the terrible news of his passing this morning at age 91, it's next to impossible for me to imagine my world without Ray Bradbury. He still lives, and will always live, in his books and in my heart. I would not be who I am without the direct influence, kindly patience, and inspiration of this wonderful man, whom I've always considered the greatest American author of this age.

So, rest easy, sir. And thank you from the bottom of my breaking heart. You made this world, and so many others, wondrous places to read about.

Adieu, Ray Bradbury -- August 22, 1920 — June 5, 2012

FRANKENSTEIN Returns

A peek at the new title page for my graphic novel of FRANKENSTEIN, as atmospherically illustrated by Patrick Olliffe. First published in 1989 by Eternity Comics, this book has remained in print ever since and has even spawned a Spanish language version. Based on the classic horror story by Mary Shelley, this remains my favorite comics work I've ever written.

As as they've done with my SCARLET IN GASLIGHT, Pulp 2.0 Press will be releasing a classy brand new, digitally remastered fourth printing later this year with new cover art and special features never seen before.

Hope you'll join us.

To the Book Cave

My podcast interview from The Book Cave with Ric Croxton and Arthur Sippo is now available. We mainly talked about my HALLOWEEN LEGION, but also touched on THE SPIDER, SHERLOCK HOLMES, and TARZAN, and went off on several tangents.

So, if you can put up with my nervously excited stammering, you'll hopefully have some fun and a chuckle or three while listening.

Thanks again to Ric and Art for their support and for making me feel so welcome.

http://thebookcave.libsyn.com/webpage/the-book-cave-episode-181-martin-powell

Pablo and I at Spring Con 2012 and Beyond

The legendary Pablo Marcos and I at our table, toward the end of Spring Con 2012, right before we sadly said good-bye. Pablo's brilliant art on Marvel's classic TALES OF THE ZOMBIE utterly took hold of my imagination when I was fourteen years old, and changed my whole conception of what a comic book story could be. There were suddenly so many more possibilities than capes and masks and superpowers. And I never looked back.

 

Pablo's depiction of Simon Garth, the undead monster-hero of the series, possessed more depth and poignancy than any other comics character I'd ever witnessed. Beautifully and sensitively pantomimed by Pablo upon the page, this zombie never needed to utter a single word for me to understand and sympathize with his tragic plight. That b&w horror magazine certainly changed me and the creative direction I had been going in even at that early age, and Pablo's art sparked something in me that continues to burn.





It was one of the great highlights of my life when Silver Age Wonder Woman artist, and mutual friend, Jose Delbo introduced me to Pablo seventeen years ago. Impeccably dressed in an immaculate tailored suit, Pablo proved to be a rather shy and soft-spoken gentleman, despite the fact that he had long been a phenomenally accomplished, nationally known artist three decades before in South America, and he gave me the charming impression that he wasn't at all aware that he was, indeed, the celebrated Pablo Marcos.

Pablo and I happily hooked up again two years ago, and it was a tremendous thrill for me having him illustrate a couple of my adventures for THE SPIDER. A dream come true, to be sure. We are continuing to plan new projects, and talked over a couple concepts that I will be excitedly announcing in the near future.




My dream continues...

http://www.pablomarcosart.com/