the Lottery Party XVII

the Lottery Party: the Fill-In Issue

posted on March 25th, 2009 in Columns
by Richard Caldwell, Managing Hackster

The blessed fill-in issue.
Originally an editorial tool to buy the regular creative team of a book some deadline time, I actually made a point of collecting fill-ins over the years. They can be an art unto themselves, self-contained stories that when properly utilized can either tie up loose ends or lay groundwork for things altogether new. They can be glimpses, like the calm betwixt the storm, allowing readers to see their beloved heroes stop and catch collective breaths. Ace writers from the much missed Bill Mantlo on to superstar Scott Lobdell got their big breaks writing fill-ins.
Nowadays, it seems fill-ins have lost any potential weight due to overusage. Extended creative runs on titles are becoming a rare thing I think, with creative teams hanging around for more than a few issues standing out like modern oddities. Sure, sales play a big role in this, but I think passion (or the lack thereof) is equally at fault. Was it so long ago, when an individual creative force could not only write and draw a mainstream monthly, but do so for years? That is where epics come from. Miller’s Daredevil. Simonson’s Thor. Grell’s Sable. But I digress.
This will be my fill-in. I have been reading over past columns of mine, and feel the need for some catching up on subjects previously hit upon.
When I began the Lottery Party, I was then under contract by a new publisher as artist for a perspective horror series. Promises were broken, the powers that be proved embarassingly incompetent, and numerous people were left hanging- without a single issue of any book ever going to print. I was fortunate in exiting stage left before they lost their funding, their website, their credibility. I mention this here because said persons are apparently at it again. I trust this time they are able to pay their creative people for any and all works rendered. Returning phone calls would be nice as well.

Nathan Thomas Milliner, one of my earlier interviews for the site, has made a truckload of progress on turning his OGN- Girl #3 into an indie film. Nate did the cover/poster art for another movie, Travis Miller’s Bloodstained Romance, which I reviewed before and is now at last available for sale online.

I hear word that Jimmy McCranie and son Brian McCranie are at work on new projects, both together and separately. There is a world of talent in that bloodline.

10th Muse 800 is still on the stands. I have interviewed before both the writer, Adam David Gragg and the penciler, Roman Morales III (who can bench press Galactus). Non-threatening futuristic Greek Mythology is always alot of fun, so buy this comic.

Dave Olbrich’s blog is going strong, and garners my highest recommendation. Dave is a comics historian, and even a brief perusal of his articles and stories will learn you something: http://funnybookfanatic.wordpress.com

I just bought a page of art from Matthew Clark. To see his originals is to see the sweet graphite love he makes to his work. He is hard at work on DC’s new Doom Patrol series. You should add it to your own watchlist. Or I will kill you.

And finally, one of the best examples of a group stepping up to bat against the Diamond Comics Distributors monopoly status quo can be found via this site well worth bookmarking: http://www.comicsmonkey.com

I am a firm believer that every era is an era of change, but now more than ever, it seems like our industry is redefining itself in so many ways. As such, don’t forget to stop and catch your breath on occassion.
Like Tom Waits said, “Champagne for my real friends, and real pain for my sham friends”.

richardcaldwell@comicnews.info