When we released The Blackness Between in November of last year, our stated plan was to get the next book out by June of this year. It didn’t happen. The next book is twice as big as the previous books and it is full of old artwork that Howard hates to look at. This book project has lurked like a vulture. It just sits and waits blackly. Where ever you go you’re always peripherally aware that the thing is there. Waiting. Then when you do really look at it, the first thought is always “That thing is huge!” The size of the project has been paralyzing for Howard. That’s why we missed the June release date. Now we’re aiming for October. But this time it is a little different. I’m going to take care of the vulture.
Last week Howard asked me to pull out the files of his old artwork so we could see what to put in the empty spaces between strips. Yesterday I dug it out and sorted through it. I loved looking at all the old artwork. Yes it is artistically awful, but it brought back so many happy memories that I loved it all. I kept looking at things and thinking “Oh this HAS to go in.” I took the pile and the excitement to Howard and he hated it all. If he had his way none of that stuff would ever make it into the book. Instead he’d draw all-new marginalia. But there is a lot of space to fill and the thought of drawing so many new pictures depressed him. He asked me to put the file aside so that he could work on the buffer.
I thought this over for a day or so. I realized that I love the idea of this project. I love the chance to organize the strips and put in the margin art. Then all I have to do is ask Howard to write a few notes. I don’t even care if the notes say “I hate this art, but Sandra made me put it in because she thinks you’ll want to see it.” So I have wrested the layout project from Howard’s unresisting hands. I’m so glad that I’ll get to influence what goes in. Like the picture of Schlock which Howard didn’t like, so he gave Schlock a talk bubble saying “I look awful. Keep trying toon boy.” Or the very first character sketches of Schlock, Tagon, Kevyn, and Brad.
This book when it is finished, will always make Howard want to apologize for the art. What he can’t see is how much people love getting a glimpse into the origins of things. People WANT to see the bad art. They want to see the awful prototype for the F’Sherl Ganni which never saw the light of day. They want to know the story of why Sentient Elephants wear earrings and body paint. If you’re a Schlock fan, please comment and back me up on this. I think I’m in for some arguments about what gets to stay in the book.
Mostly though, I’m just excited to have a fun project that allows me to directly contribute to the Schlockiverse.