Library Force Winds
Let Me Tell You A Story
Here’s what you get in every issue of Into the Storymaze: writing insights or a work-in-progress; something creative I’m digging; a highlight from my comics-writing credits; plus a quote that’s got me thinking — both about right now and what’s next.
Twisty Little Passages
A great little summer springboard is #1000wordsofsummer. I discovered it late in 2020, but it’s coming around again soon. It’s a self-competition to churn out 1K words a day, for first a 14 day run, and then later a 7 day run. To give myself some creative direction, I took advantage of an amazing writing tool called The Storymatic, a box of cards that you randomly draw 4 cards — 2 character traits, 2 incidents or situations — and then run with it, wherever it will take you. This set was “interview”, “cheapskate”, “storm chaser” and “library.” I had no plan (or concern!) where this might lead, and followed where it went, tenses be damned, free association be my guide. The result was certainly not what I expected, which is eminently cool. I turned this one (and a few others) into an audiogram, ‘cause it’s always fun to see sound.
Appropriately enough, this was written on a Windsday.
If you’d prefer the words-words-words version, grab a PDF and read-read-read.
Treasure Seekers
You may know pretty early on where this spooky short is going, but “Tingle Monsters” from Alexandra Serio has some super stylistic bits and totally delivers on its jump scares. Props for its reality feel, both in capturing the ASMR* zeitgeist, but especially in the use of the livestream comments that build from idle chatter to troll to outright panic. (Even more unsettling than the film may be how “true” those kind of intimate/privileged/cruel chatter seem in light of internet behaviors.)
*Autonomous sensory meridian response — beware, it’s a YouTube rabbit-hole. With or without monsters.
The Comics Labyrinth
Threw myself into much ninja-tastic detail in writing Elektra: Root of Evil mini series with Scott McDaniel, and remain proud of how it turned out, carrying forward themes of her resurrection from Daredevil.
This was not a guaranteed project, by any means. Many had talked about bringing back Elektra, and many times it had been shot down. Our own excellent editor, Ralph Macchio, had always protected that turf, especially due to “commitments” to creator Frank Miller that she would never rise again. We respected that, and with Ralph’s good counsel steered clear. But as we began the reinvigorating journey that would become the storyline called “Fall from Grace”, Ralph was the one to give us permission to think about a *VERY GOOD* reason to introduce her to the storyline.
I imagine we came up with one, because he gave us permission to explore her “resurrection” in those issues of Daredevil. That would then dovetail most excellently into this standalone series — which felt, in its publication, as close to “Yeah, that’s how I imagined it!” as almost anything I had a hand in creating. (Look at that spread from Scott — wowsah.)
Really dug this call out on Twitter, and this review sums up everything we aimed for: “Brutal, powerful, poetic.”
Web of Intrigue
“To go out of your mind at least once a day is tremendously important. By going out of your mind, you come to your senses.” – Alan Watts
Amazing Times
How’d we end up here together? Maybe a detour off the dark web! But I’m hoping it’s because you subscribed to this share-out of projects I’m working on plus things that have me jazzed. I’m D.G. Chichester. Which sounds very pretentious, and tweed jacket and pipe — so feel free to just call me “Dan”, and have a go at the last name as Chai (like the tea) Chester (just like it looks). I earned my word-cred writing comic book titles like Daredevil, Terror Inc., Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD and Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, along with all manner of digital widgets and websites in the world wide web of advertising. I keep my storytelling cred by trying new things — this is one of ‘em, with more on the way. I like weird and sometimes creepy tales, so if things here bend that way — now you know why!
Folks seem to like the comic book adventures I’ve written, so if you haven’t checked one out — please do. Many are now available in fab collected editions.
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