When your parents are no longer together, and neither lives within a thousand miles of where you grew up, when your friends and family are scattered across the country, and when you haven’t spent more than a year or two in one place without moving during your adult life, what is the place you go home to? What place serves as the nucleus of your life, where, no matter how things change, you can always count on to keep you grounded? For me, that place has been Leon’s Bookstore. And as of next month, Leon’s – my home away from home – is shutting its doors forever. Read more…

A few years back, I did the adaptation and image selection for Tokyopop’s The Empire Strikes Back “Cinemanga” (aka film comic). For licensing reasons, could only be sold by Tokyopop in the UK. It was a fun exercise in abridgment, trying to cram the best of the Star Wars films into 90 pages of screen grabs and word balloons, and given the parameters of the project, I thought it turned out pretty fun– a nice gift for your 7-year-old Star Wars fan who just can’t get enough of Han and Leia’s screwball banter (was I the only only one who learned the ways of love from watching those two in the dirty passages of the Millennium Falcon?). Anyway, not something I would ever by myself, but one of the most enjoyable freelance assignments I ever worked on, in a “popcorn” sort of way.

Now it appears that Dark Horse, who has the exclusive license for Star Wars comics in the US, republished it last week under their branding for North America: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Photo Comic. Sadly, they don’t credit me or the original graphic designer for our work! As we were work-for-hire, we are not guaranteed such rights, but still, I kinda wish I’d got my name listed in the credits, if only so that I could say I’ve been published by Dark Horse.

At least I still get credit for my stellar adaptations of Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams and That’s so Raven Vol. 2. Hey, a guy has to pay the bills.

As a writer, I’ve always had a problem with finishing things. I’ve started many projects with the best of intentions, but rarely if ever do I see them through to a conclusion. Labyrinth is 2 volumes in with a third near completion, and the fourth fully outlined. I’ve hit several “project complete” milestones, and have books to show for it, but it is still at least a year before I can look at the finished pages for the entire series and know that it is finished. Too early to think about that now — plenty more to do!

Tonight, however, I did complete another major writing project — a Choose Your Own Adventure style project for publication this fall. In turning in the finished manuscript, I not only see one story through to the end, but 30! All in one tidy hyperlinked package. At 25k words, it’s not War and Peace, or technically even (grown up) novel length, but it was fun, it’s done (for now) and I learned a lot in the process. As soon as the project is actually announced, I’ll link to it here. For now, you’ll just have to put up with my anonymous gloating.

So lately I’ve been spending far too much time in the Buffyverse, catching up with Slaying goodness that I should have watched many years ago. In the spirit of Joss Whedon and Brian K. Vaughn, here’s a script for a little “what if…?” guest starring everyone’s favorite sexy scoundrel. File under fan fic (Jareth and Oberon are definitely in different universes) but hopefully it will keep you amused while you’re waiting for the next volume of Return to Labyrinth.

Part One of the script after the jump!

Read more…

While browsing this week’s new DVD releases, I was quite surprised to see a 20th Anniversary release of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Terry Guilliam’s take on the classic chronicle of tall tales. It doesn’t surprise me that the film is getting a much deserved rerelease (and Blue Ray Edition!), but that “20th Anniversary” bit made me do a double take. Yet another reminder that I’m getting old.

I distinctly remember when the movie came out as that weekend I was hanging out with my Uncle Wes and he offered to take us to the movies and I got to pick the film. The only two movies that were appropriate for 10 year old me on that April weekend were Munchausen and the Jim Belushi/dog love story K-9. As half my family is involved with breeding/training/supplying dogs, it seemed best to honor that tradition through moviegoing, so I ended up going to the later. And that was the film that changed my life and turned me towards a life of law enforcement and… Oh, wait, it’s the 80’s fantasy stuff that forever shaped my sensibilities. Maybe I should have gone with law inforcement…? I bet it pays better.

Anyway, I didn’t get a chance to see Munchausen in the theater, as it completely tanked and disappeared after 1 week, but I did not forget it. When the film finally came out on VHS (how quaint!) I absolutely loved it. In fact, this was the first time I remember actually wishing I’d seen a movie in the theater first. After one viewing, Munchausen became part of my video store standby movies — one of the short list of films that I’d rent a third, fourth or twentieth time, when the new releases didn’t excite me. It earned its place right next to Labyrinth, Excalibur (mom didn’t know about the sex), Great Muppet Caper, Star Wars, and a handful of others that I never tired of watching.

Munchausen is far from a perfect film — it drags at times, and a lot of jokes fall flat — but it has some absolutely inspired moments (like the execution scene), and some gorgeous fantasy images that will haunt me all my life. Things like the Baron’s ship sailing over the sands of the moon or the terrifying angel of death (it ranks somewhere between the depictions of death in Watership Down and Seventh Seal for causing childhood trauama). It’s been a few years since I’ve watched Munchausen, so maybe when I finally break down and get a PS3 with BlueRay, I’ll get this disc to break it in.

In the meantime, if you’ve never seen it, or need a refresher, here’s the trailer:

While scanning the latest LEGO models on my favorite building sites, I came upon a video which should be required viewing for anyone working for a company with ties to fandom. This talk from Jake McKee, a former LEGO employee who helped the company dig itself out of a financial and creative hole by truly embracing fandom, has relevance well beyond the niche of plastic building blocks. It’s long, and nerdy to the extreme, but if you if you read stuff like WIRED or work with in an industry with a vocal and affluent minority of fans, it’s definitely worth the time investment.

Elsewhere in the industry/fandom world, here’s how NOT to think of your fans.

Look for a related essay on doujinshi/fan fiction very soon. With real Labyrinth tidbits, too, I promise!

Thanks to Brickley’s Words for sharing.

Just got home from work to find this in my inbox. I honestly don’t know what to say…

Los Angeles, CA – April 1, 2008

Lucasfilm Ltd. and the Jim Henson Company announced today that they will be reteaming for a return to the Labyrinth. The seminal film, a collaboration between visionaries Jim Henson, George Lucas and David Bowie, will be receiving a “Special Edition” updating in 2009.

“When Jim first told me about the Labyrinth, he described a world filled with strange creatures and fabulous settings. At the time, the best we could do to bring the Labyrinth to life was use puppets and prosthetics,” Producer George Lucas explained. “Now, thanks to breakthroughs in computer technology, we can remove the crude puppet goblins and replace them with lifelike digital creations. Finally we can bring audiences Jim’s vision as he always meant for it to be experienced.”

In addition to new and improved creature effects, viewers of Labyrinth: Special Edition can also look forward to an “enhanced” star. “When we first cast Jenny for the role,” Lucas said, in reference to star Jennifer Connelly, “no one had any idea how hot she would grow up to be.” Connelly, just 14 at the time of filming, has gone one to inspire countless “fan fics” with explicit content that many would find unethical. Using footage from 1991’s The Rocketeer, the digital artists at ILM will ensure that the new Sarah is squarely within the age of consent. “We’ve used CGI to digitally age characters before, but never anything as subtle as turning a 14 year old into an 18-year-old,” Lucas added. “This is groundbreaking stuff.”

Lucas is quick to reassure fans who are worried about a “softening” of the film’s more taboo appeal. “Let’s just say that there’s a ‘Darth Vader’ revelation about Jareth and Sarah that will change the way you view these characters,” Lucas said. “And I’m not talking about Midichlorians.”

Not even Jareth, the “Goblin King” played by pop superstar David Bowie, will remain untouched. Michael Moschen’s contact juggling techniques, which Lucas describes as “cheesy at best,” will be replaced with digital conjuring effects. Said Lucas, “It’s what Jim would have wanted.”