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John Byrne
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Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 10:34am | IP Logged | 1  

As sometimes happens when a story idea percolates for a long time -- too long? -- my plans for NEXT MEN: AFTERMATH have hit a speedbump. Namely, the recent DOCTOR WHO "finale" played most, if not all, the cards I was planning for my series.

This presents a major problem for me, as a writer. I could simply go ahead with what I'd planned, and assume most people would remember this was stuff that had been floating around in my head since Matt Smith was, like, 10 years old . . .   But, of course, on the internet the single biggest mistake you can make is assuming anyone you deal with is going to be intelligent and reasonable.

So what's my option? I want to tell the story, but it seems I cannot tell it in quite the same way I originally planned. So, after much rumination, I have decided to do what I did with the last issues of JBNM. There I scooped out the sidebars that became AFTERMATH (and if I hadn't, I'd have done all the stuff I wanted to do by now, dagnabbit!) and presented a lean and mean version of my originally more meandering tale. Same thing now with AFTERMATH. What I thought would run for 10 or 12 issues, I have decided to pare down to 5, cutting some elements, downplaying others, and pushing what was once a subplot more into the fore. There will still be unavoidable comparisons to DOCTOR WHO, but I would ask all of you, when you see them, to remind those making them that I was there first!

That's the bad news. What's the good?

Well, with AFTERMATH being truncated like this, it means I will be getting to the hinted-at superhero book a whole lot sooner. So you'll probably be seeing it in 2012, rather than 2013.

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Victor Manuel Fernandez Patiño
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 10:36am | IP Logged | 2  

Damn / Yay! 
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Stephen Robinson
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 10:39am | IP Logged | 3  

This presents a major problem for me, as a writer. I could simply go ahead with what I'd planned, and assume most people would remember this was stuff that had been floating around in my head since Matt Smith was, like, 10 years old . . .

**********

The fact that this statement is not hyperbole pains me greatly.

Tennant was (and probably will be) the last Doctor who was older than I am.
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William Roberge
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 10:40am | IP Logged | 4  

The title said it all. I am sad to hear your news about AFTERMATH (Hey, we still get parts of it!) But, I am truly VERY excited about your hinted-at superhero book!

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Shawn Kane
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 10:45am | IP Logged | 5  

Can I be as excited about the superhero title as I am bummed about AFTERMATH? Bittersweet.

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Mark McKay
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 10:48am | IP Logged | 6  

I never have, and probably never will, watch Dr. Who, so would never
know. I understand your decision, though.
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Roger A Ott II
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 11:14am | IP Logged | 7  

When I was in high school in the late 80s, I wrote a full length horror novel.  It was never published, but I always figured I would revisit it someday when I was an older and better writer and see if I could punch it up. 

A couple years back I started watching the TV show "Supernatural" and alarm bells starting going off when I realized that a lot of the major beats of the show were concepts I'd written into my novel back in 1987.  I was ahead of my time!

I was really looking forward to a nice long run on AFTERMATH, though, so this is kinda sad news.  But, if we get John Byrne superhero stories as a consolation prize, I guess I'll be okay.


Edited by Roger A Ott II on 05 October 2011 at 11:18am
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Ryan Maxwell
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 11:22am | IP Logged | 8  

I'm good with the superhero book!
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Vinny Valenti
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 11:23am | IP Logged | 9  

Damn / Yay!

--

Yamn?
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Paul Greer
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 11:37am | IP Logged | 10  

I'm so satified with the conclusion of Next Men that it doesn't matter if Aftermath is 1 or 100 issues. Either way is just a bonus to the already perfect Next Men saga. It does stink that you have to change things around, but the trimming of the fat worked out well for the second round of Next Men. I expect the same results with Aftermath.

I was putting the new super-hero stuff out of my mind until Aftermath was over. Now I'm really excited knowing that it will come much sooner.

 

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Michael Hogan
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 11:39am | IP Logged | 11  

JB,

While I understand and respect your reasoning, those of us who are
not Who-fans will be missing out. Darn.
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Eric Ladd
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Posted: 05 October 2011 at 11:48am | IP Logged | 12  

As always, I trust you to do what is best. Nobody has a better understanding of the stories, art and finished product that will serve best. I will be happy to see the "super hero" book a step closer. My sneak peak was not enough.
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