Inferno

My favourite chapter in Titan: The Midnight Hour is chapter 14: Inferno. I grew quite fond of the main villain in the chapter, Inferno. Inferno was the assassin hired by Mr. Midnight to take out Titan. He also ended up being the first major super villain that Titan ever faces. Inferno to me represents one of those great secondary villain archetypes that exist in comics. Hes mean, he's colourful, he has a catchy hook with all his weapons, and he's far peskier than he ever should be for Titan. For me, there's still so many questions that circle around this fun character. We don't even get a great sense of who is is and what drives him ther than mopney and the pride he take sin being the best at what he does (sorry, eat your heart out Wolverine). He only lasts one chapter in 'The Midnight Hour' and we don't even learn his back story or real name. I had more plans for him , but just wasn;t able to fit everything in for Vol 1. So, I think it's safe to say that Inferno will return.

Hitting the Big Time

Since May I have been building and promoting Titan:The Midnight Hour independently through bookstores. I have done book signings and am in BC interior bookstores in Kelowna, Penticton, and Vernon. It is also no in Lethbridge Alberta as well. Now I am trying to expand into some bigger markets. I have been contacting some bookstores in the Vancouver area. I am not too sure what if any book signing events I will be able to do but I am hoping to at east get it in a couple stores by Christmas. I am also hoping to expand the e-book into some other platforms as well. This whole process has been quite the learning experience, but I think it has made me much more prepared for the next book in regards to what needs to be done for promoting and marketing.

Dude...Looks Like a Lady

One of the big factors when planning a series like Titan is figuring out how you can broaden your reach over a wider audience. At one point when I was developing Titan I thought that I would be alienating young girls from reading Titan. It was a story about a young boy becoming a superhero. So, I toyed with the ideas of swapping the roles of Michael and Carly, and making her the superhero. It would hvae been a relatifvely easy adjustment to make through out the manuscript. I though this would have broadened the audience base as well as offer some very intriguing story lines. the role of the female superhero is one I find very interesting. They are typically hyper sexualised and ridiculously stereotyped, and I thought a great new female Titan would be a great way to not only tackle some of those stereotypes but challenge them in a fun way as well. Who knows maybe somehow Carly will get to wield the ring yet. Of course there is also the matter of what will happen when the ring is through with Michael and another Titan  must be chosen? Also, we have only seen one Titan from the past so far and I have only mentioned another here, so maybe there has already been one and we have simply yet to meet her.

The Doppelganger

Book 3 'Shadow Games' will feature, as one of the main villains, that falls into the doppelganger archetype. I have always loved the doppelganger villains like Bizarro, Reverse Flash, or Black Adam. His name will be Shadow and he will mirror Titan's power in every way, but he will wear black and red. When I was first conceiving him I was trying to go for something ancient of the old Titan's world. Then, I suddenly had a revelation of how to combine certain other plot lines I was already exploring and found a totally different way to introduce him in the Titan universe. he is one of my favourite villains now and cannot wait to start writing him.

Chapter Titles

The list of chapter titles for the the upcoming Titan volume 'City UnderSiege' are currently as follows:

1-Shock and Awe
2-Warnings and Threats
3-Apologies
4-Sonic
5-Vince
6-Hawk
7-Aerial Assault
8-Martial Law
9-Pieces of the Puzzle
10-Hammerhead
11-Passage of Doom
12-Dr. Melodian
13-Death From Below
14-Fifty Feet of Terror
15-Picking Up the Pieces

Looking Forward Back

One of the benefits of having the entire Titan series fully planned out is that I know exactly what every character's arc will be. I know that's kind of obvious, but what's great is that I know certain characters will have their story fully expanded by say book 4 or 5 so I can drop in subtle references foreshadowing that now. I have done this in book 1 and am doing it now in book 2. I always loved personally, whether in TV or a comic series, a big character or story reveal would happen and I could go back through past episodes or issues to see how that story built up. So, if I have done my job right, when certain things happen throughout the series you should be able to go back to the other books and see the little hints and clues that should leave a trail all the way to the big moment when we find out certain developments i.e. when Mr. Midnight is unmasked (yes he lived and yes he will certainly be unmasked at some point). All I can really say is that every character is worth watching out for because you will just never know what lays ahead.

Ghosts of Titans Past

I have really enjoyed writing the first Titan mini serial, In the Clutches of the Leviathan. It has been great fun exploring the world of Regulus one of the very first Titans. In all there have been over a dozen Titans throughout history. I will definitely be introducing more of them. In Vol 4 "Reign of Diablo" we will meet another one who will join Michael in current time, two Titans fighting along side one another. I would also like to explore more in future mini serial's and possibly in the novels as well.

Buckle Up!

I cannot wait for people to be able to read "City Under Siege". I know people say those kind of things all the time, but I think it is far better than the original. By establishing most of the characters already it seems to be a much nicer balance for developing many of them further as well as keep the action and pace very high. The whole last third of the book is once action packed sequence after another that just builds and builds to its ultimate climax. I already can't wait to bring back Dr. Melodian in vol. 5. Even though I had the book plotted out it managed to take on a life of its own once it started coming out. I found so many of the characters had a story that needed telling, and most of the those stories don't get any closure until the very last chapter.  

Building Foundations

When I first started creating Titan and his entire world I started with just the vague image of the hero I wanted. i knew the colours I wanted and I had a vague notion of his look. I knew what mask he would wear and I knew that he wouldn't have a cape he would have the a long flowing belt and the ends of his bandanna would be the same. What I had more than anything though was the villains and many of the key plot point for the series. I had been developing superheroes and super villains since I was a teenager and wanted to use all of the bets villains I had made as well as find ways to bring in the other heroes and give them guest spots or cameos. So before I had even fully designed my hero i had created the world of Delta City and and outlined all of my stories and then I went to work exclusively on Titan. Choosing his name was one of the last things I did. It was no easy task either as most good superrhero names are taken. I cold find no mention of a hero named Titan however in 2005, there was only the Teen Titans. plus, Titan worked perfect with the background I had created for the character. The very last thing was the symbol on his chest. That was the ,most iconic and cool thing I could come up with so I hope it will work alright.

Rise of the mini's

I am nearly done the first Titan mini serial. It has gone well overall and I have enjoyed doing it. It was harder to stick to any deadlines I set for myself than I thought that it would be but otherwise i feel very good about it. To see an even better viewing version of the mini chapters go to titansadventures.com or Titan: The Midnight Hour on facebook to see the PDF's Jim Henry has made for them. I have been thinking already about the future of the mini's. I would like to do at least one more before the release of "City Under Siege", and after that I plan on doing many more through the course of the series. I think they can add a great new dimension to the overall Titan story. Now that I have condensed several Titan volumes I may even have to move some smaller characters out of the books and tell their stories through one of the mini's. I would like to try some different things with them such as telling stories through other characters points of view including even the villains. There are many stories in the Titan universe that can and should be told and I can't wait to do so. I have many ideas so we'll see here it goes form here. Also, if there becomes enough of them I may release a collected volume of them as well.

Titan mini serial part 5

the following is part 5 of the Titan mini serial:

                 Titan:

                   In the Clutches of the Leviathan pt. 5 

                Regulus stood frozen as he gazed across the scene of destruction laid out before him. Much of the city he had been sworn to protect lay in smouldering ruin. His hands began to tremble in a mixture of fear and rage as he stared down from the hill top. He dropped down to street level to gauge the extent of the damage.

                From the middle of one of the nearest streets to the edge of the hill Regulus saw firsthand the extent of the damage left by the Leviathan. Buildings all around were either completely levelled to rubble or had large pieces ripped out of them. The street was littered with debris and bodies. Regulus could see several citizens limping badly with visible wounds or lying in the street struggling to get up.

                “Regulus, oh Regulus, I am so glad you’re back,” came a familiar voice from behind him.

                Regulus turned and was shocked to see a man with a wide gash down the side of his head that was still seeping blood down the side of his face and neck. The man had one arm outstretched and the other clutched at his side which was also soaked in crimson. It took Regulus a moment to recognise this man as his friend, Seamus.

                “Seamus, what’s happened here? How can all of this be?” Regulus asked as he rushed toward his friend.

                As Regulus reached him, Seamus’s knees buckled and he began to drop to the ground. Regulus quickly wrapped his arms around him and eased him down to the ground.

                “The Leviathan awoke shortly after you left. There was nothing we could do,” Seamus said in a faltering weak voice.

                “Why did you approach the beast, old friend? You should have simply ran,” Regulus said, as he tried to wipe the blood from Seamus’s face.

                “I had to confront the creature. It had reached your home, and your son was still too ill to be moved.” The words to cut Regulus like a knife to the heart. He suddenly froze and looked into Seamus’s eyes. “We tried old friend we were just not strong enough. We…”

                Before his voice could even trail off to an endless sleep, Regulus was setting his friend aside and rising to his feet, that old feeling of fear and rage boiling over now. He glanced over to the east toward his home and saw only various thick plumes of smoke that rose high into the air. He took several steps and then launched himself into the air.

                Regulus, I know you are worried and angry, but you cannot let your anger cloud your judgement now. You must find the Leviathan and put him to rest for good.

                “No, nothing else is done until I see that my family is okay,” Regulus seethed as he flew over the city.

Do not forget your higher duty to the innocent civilians still at stake. Also, do not forget that this has only happened because you were neglectful of your duties before you left. You should never have left that creature to the people of this city.

                “Do not worry. I have forgotten none of this.”

                Regulus almost refused to believe the sight of the scene he saw before he landed and could see it up close for himself. His home and all other structures ion the surrounding area were completely and utterly destroyed. It was as though they had been stomped completely flat. He rushed into the ruins of what was once his home and began to frantically search for his wife and son. He was tossing wooden beams and throwing big chunks of rock when he saw a long thin arm poking from beneath the remains of a wall.

                Regulus rushed over and tossed the rubble aside with ease. There lying before him was his wife. Clutched tightly in her arms was their son. He knelt on trembling legs and reached out with one shaky arm to check for any signs of life. He found none. He pulled them close and held them as his body convulsed and shook. At last, a loud sob escaped him and rivers of tears poured down his face as he looked up to the sky cursing himself for letting the happen to his family.

                Regulus clutched his family tightly letting his grief consume him when a long dark shadow suddenly hung over him. Warm air pushed against the back of his neck. He recognised the breathing sounds instantly, and gently laid his family down. Then, he stood and turned and stared at the Leviathan as it hovered over him, teeth bared.

                “You were unwise to come back, creature,” Regulus said, as he gazed up at the creature through tear streaked eyes.

                Without another word Regulus leaped for the beasts head with one mighty fist outstretched and the other cocked ready to deliver another immediate blow. The Leviathan opened its mouth wide, exposing rows after row of sharp jagged teeth, and ready to accept its prey.

To be Concluded…

Sky's the Limit

I was asked some questions the other day about what Titan has done so far, in regards to sales and in stores and libraries, and I was shocked once I tallied it all up. I have sold around 1,400 copies, I am in 5 bookstores, 3 community libraries, 2 school libraries, and read in 2 schools to students, and I have gone to speak at 1 school so far. Then there's the blog, the facebook page, and the website. I have been able to do more and accomplished more than I ever thought I would with this first book. I feel extremely lucky and fortunate, but I'm far from done. I'm really just starting to scratch the surface of indie publishing and how to make it all work. I am still looking into what other authors have done and where they have seen success. I am also looking for new ways to add to the series with all of the new avenues and technologies that are now available. We'll see what the future holds!

Dr. Feelbad!

I am just in the midst of writing the first encounter of Titan and Dr. Melodian, the titular bad guy from "City Under Siege". Up until now in the book Dr. Melodian has something of a shadowy figure.We will have heard from him and will have seen some of his henchmen, but we will not get to fully see him until the last third of the book. we first see him with a direct encounter with Titan that does not go exactly as Titan will have hoped. He may take some time to make his first appearance,but once he does he will leave his mark on Delta City forever.

Growing Pains

One thing that has aways got to me about the long standing superheroes is how none of them ever age. It's not something that has bugged me or anything it's just something that I have noticed and wondered about in an affectionate and reflective way when I think about the superhero concept as a whole. Obviously I know that it wouldn't work on so many levels to have any of the cast of characters on any book age in any way naturally, but I do find an interesting occurrence in comics. With Titan, however, one inters ting turn I look forward to taking is to have Michael age normally throughout the series. We will watch him go through high school and then college and out into the world. We will see him mature as h goes as well as in his relationship with Carly. They may move in together, get engaged, married, and even have children within the course of the 7 books. Having all of the books planned out thoroughly definitely helps as I know exactly how to guide the characters toward the end results that I have planned. I can already see those final moments in the entire series. I can only hope that Michael and company are ready for what's ahead.

Wanted!

I cannot decide what angle to take with Titan's involvement with the Delta City police. I left the opinion of Chief Thomas Ross rather open in regards to Titan at the end of "The Midnight Hour" and now am trying to decide where to take Chief Ross's direction in "City Under Siege". I feel torn because I want Chief Ross to be Titan's Jim Gordon, but then I can't accept that  police chief would simply allow a vigilante to run wild through his city even if well intended. I only have a few more chapters to write in "City Under Siege" and then it will all come to a head, but I will likely not know for sure until I get to that part exactly what I will do

Holy sidekick, Titan!

One of the most intriguing and fun elements of the superhero mythos to me is that of the sidekick. Since the early 1940's the superhero sidekick has been a staple in comics. From Aqualad to Bucky, Speedy to Toro, and Kid Flash to, what is arguably the biggest of all sidekicks, Robin, the sidekick has been easily one of the biggest elements of the superhero, and I can't wait to explore this archetype in the world of Titan. Book 3 "Shadow Games" will be the first time that I will tackle the world of sidekicks in Titan. In that book it will be Titan that experiences something of what it is like to be a sidekick himself. later in the series, for a time, Titan will also be getting a sidekick of his own. This is a favourite superhero element of mine and I think there is plenty that I have to say about sidekicks and much that can be harvested for great stories.I know that does gice a lot of detail but I don't want to say any more that would act as spoiler, but I think it will be very fun to explore. 

Acknowledgements

An acknowledgements page was something I regrettably did not have in the pages of "The Midnight Hour". Of course, like any writer I had the help and support of many people to aid me in accomplishing my goal. Johanna, Wendy, and Anne from the Johanna Bates literary consultants group who provided me with of insight into the world of publishing and in editing my manuscript when it was still very young. Rick and Diane Kelly, Diane who read my manuscript when it was nearly ready, and Rick who spent many a hour helping me format and prepare my files for print, he also provided me with the first professional illustration of Titan that carried the light of inspiration through many dark hours. Jim Henry, who created and put up the titansadventures.com website and also formatted my e-pub file, and continues to offer help and encouragement in the ongoing process of building the Titan series. Wanda Gibbons, who, when I was only in junior high, was one of the first and only teachers to be very complimentary in my creative writing and remains supportive to this day. To my mother in law Jackie who always remains one of my biggest fans and advocates. To my parents, Tom and Kathy, who always had me believe that I could do anything I set my mind to. And lastly my wife, the real Carly, who was the one whose eyes shone the brightest when I told her of my dream to write encouraged me to give it I try so that I wouldn't regret it and also forced me to not delete my first draft when I thought it was beyond saving. Without these people there would be no Titan, thank you.