Procrastination, you have to love it. Notice how the last couple of Journal updates haven't had anything substantive? It's been the same re-hashy crap, with me expressing my feelings as if I was in some support group ("This is Ben. Ben had bitch tits...").
Well this week I have updates. First of all, the Lightbringers are getting pushed out of book three. I know, Ben's stretching it as much as he can go to sell as many books as possible, that bastard. But actually, I'm running into a bit of a wall with them and there's another elephant in the room; Mr. Haha.
We have to deal with him, one way or the other and I don't want to leave that out there. THAT would be stretching things out. So book three is going to be all about Haha, all about what Dale wants, now that he's been given a new lease on life (that he almost died to deserve, mind you), and it's about how he and Apogee get to know each other. Simple and clean.
Complicating things are Haha, of course, who wants to use Blackjack's new-found fame to make a social commentary on how weak humanity is, how unworthy of intellect. Remember what Haha said at the end of book two, first he wanted to build Blackjack up, then he was going to tear him down.
Also, there's the escaped villains from Utopia, making a mess of themselves. I threw out there a lot of names in book one and we'll get to see a few of them in full action this time around. Curious about Baron Blitzkrieg and his Dogs of War? Did they survive Hashima? What about all those names from the ending list? There's a lot of guys there that we're going to play with. Same with book two. Know who I want to see again? Capt. Miraculous and Bad Karma. And FTL and Mirage. You have to figure Lady Vexille will be a bit upset to see what Blackjack's done with himself. So will Razor, Delphi and Serpentis. Think you've seen the last of them? What about the remaining Original Seven? We never did deal with Global, and Lady Jade survived the mess at Hashima, what do they know about the original experiment? (see, we're not avoiding the Lightbringers altogether). And the Superb Ten? Hell, what happened to Epic after that beat down he got?
So I've got plenty to work with. Going straight into the Lightbringers would force me to cast aside some of the cooler things I want to do with Blackjack and I don't want to. We've got time. The books are averaging 650 pages, so we have time.
What about the update?
Well, he's back in Mali, getting himself checked after the beat down HE got from Lilith. You guys read that, right? Something's wrong with his new bones and its scaring the hell out of him. But first, Superdynamic gets the fun idea of going out on an overnight safari. Just SuperD and his girl, Blackjack and Apogee. Yeah, some private time for the big guy, finally. After that it's a testing/training MONTAGE (insert 80's Survivor music here), then back to KC with Powermaster and the boys. Except his presence there has not gone unnoticed.
Think about it, is there anywhere in the world where Blackjack could hide from the ultimate A.I. gone mad?
Is Haha even beatable? Hes practically THE ghost in the machine. It would take a world wide shut down of ALL networks to even isolate him and even then who knows where his primary storage is located. A computer than could run Haha would put out a massive amount of heat. And that means he would need an even larger amount of coolant. I'm thinking underwater somewhere. Now lets say you destroy his primary storage unit....hes a computer program. What if he has backup? This is what make digital foes so scary. Are they eve really defeated?
ReplyDeleteThis would be a cool ending.
ReplyDeleteBlackjack beats Haha somehow and just as Haha's damaged shell powers down he says " You think you've beat me?" Insert insult. "How could such an imperfect creature like you ever defea....." SMASH! Blackjack stomps the last circuit still active and says " That's how!" and if it was a movie the music would come up and Blackjack would walk off with Apogee while the camera would pan back to the crushed remains of Haha. Fade to black. Credits come up but you wait because with every superhero movie there's another small clip after the credits. Finally the credits are done and it shows a little girl at a store looking at the bargain bin. Picks up a box and runs to her dad and says " Can we get this one daddy?" The dad looks at it "Hmm The Adventures of Haha the bunny." Fade to black.
I can't hardly wait to getting back into Blackjack's little world.
ReplyDelete"That's how!" ... mind if I borrow that? And the post-credits scene is IN, as soon as I can get George Lucas to write the script ("Blackjack is really young and his mommie died, and he's really sad"), and Spielberg to direct.
ReplyDeleteEhhh.....I like Spielberg but I'd go with Joss Whedon to direct. Hey Ben seeing as you like my ideas how about Blackjack get a sidekick named SuperDiBs. With the powers of Superman the brains of Batman and the rugged manliness of Wolverine he'd be an instant hit. Think about.
ReplyDeleteLol dibs
ReplyDeleteAnd if we're adding characters now... I kind of want to see a super named Geist with the ability to create spectral weapons and other things, possesses quicksilver speed with above average strength (insane speed makes up for lack of raw power) and has some ghostly abilities besides (ability to pass through walls or perhaps throw around some form of spectral energy taking the form of chilling, life-stealing fire, lightning, shields and other energy constructs). I can't go into enough detail do describe it but I've always had this picture in my head of this character. I even made a basic scene: Geist faces down his rival, spectral blade in hand (he's a master at using bladed weapons) and goes toe to toe with him, only to discover his rival is almost stronger than him. Geist makes as if to give in, letting his rival draw close, then manifests spectral chains around them both,anchoring them in place. As he smiles at his rival through mask of blood, he manifests a multitude of identical blades in the air around them, then launches them forward and impales them both.
ReplyDeleteThat would be so sick as a Mortal Kombat fatality!
ReplyDeleteBut what is Geist's weakness? Cupcakes? A hero can't be to powerful or they get boring. That's why I don't really like Superman. Hes to strong. Nothing can really hurt him EXEPT a rare mineral from his planet. That's it. And hes a freakin goody two shoes. I like the hero who don't mind getting a little dirty and the ones who FINISHES the fight. You don't let you archnemesis get taken away only to escape again FINISH HIM!!!!
Geist was meant to be a darker character, cold and merciless when fighting those he saw as amoral. he also wasn't meant to be invincible. For example: he was supposed to be powerful but with a limit to the amount of energy he could throw around as well as lacking the endurance of most other superhuman s. To counter that, I'd also planned to work in a balanced healing factor that was extreme but left him vulnerable enough that he wouldn't recover from any wound inflicted on him. And, unlike most metahumans (superhumans) of a similar caliber, he would have a great potential for ranged mass a destruction without making him capable of say, destroying an entire city. Anyways.... I agree on the Superman thing. It's not only completely naive and impractical, it's idiotic. And if I ever get around to writing about Geist, I don't know exactly how I'll keep him from becoming an invincible character but I want him to be strong enough for epic fight scenes like from John Conroe's Demon Accords but not so powerful that he is as god-like as Chris. I think that coming across a more powerful foe and being forced to outwit him is a key feature to a good character's story line.besides, there is always someone out there who is stronger, if not more skilled. And in a world of superhumans, pretty much anything is possible. You could have a super with the ability to make himself into the fatal weakness of anyone he comes across for example.
ReplyDeleteGOD DAMN!!!!!! First the antisuper bounty hunters now a supe who's power is to manifest as the weakness of another supe. WHO ARE YOU!!!! Watch out Ben you might have some competition here in D.H.
ReplyDeleteThank you dibs.... But I've had years of constant thought put into this, even before I read Blackjack Villain, and I daresay my best ideas remain my only ideas sufficient for a genuine novel. Also: super who can manipulate negative energy (anger, despair, grief , etc.) And turn it into destructive force or pain. Could also have someone named Phantasm, who can create illusions of partial mass
ReplyDeleteDid you guys die on me? Site's been silent lately
ReplyDeleteYes. Yes we all died. I'm typing this from beyond the grave. Surprising enough there's a pretty good wifi signal here. God is REALLY into WoW. Anyhoo just thought I'd touch base with you. What's new with you? Oh before I forgett you should avoid everyone with a name starting with S. Ignore at your own blah blah blah.
ReplyDeleteLol. Nothing new here, really. Waiting for Book 6 of the Demon Accords to come out and also waiting for another update on Blackjack: Hero
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain. I to know the crushing despair that comes from......waiting. "sniff" I've looked but there is no support group for people like us with our unique affliction. "sniff" When will authors and directors and restaurant staff LEARN that there is only so long we can withstand.."sniff"...the pain? I am saying here today right now that I am waiting and I'm NOT ashamed of it!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sending a call out to all my brothers and sisters out there who is also waiting! It is time to come into the light! Time to rise up! We CAN and we WILL show that waiting is not the monster everyone else thinks it is.
Together we can RULE THE WORLD!!!!
are you leading a support group or giving a speech to nerds waiting for the next book release in an attempt to convince them that they should help you take over the world? lol dibs, you may have exaggerated a bit but waiting for the next book to come out in a series is torture.
ReplyDeleteI totally feel you guys. I'm on the same boat with my favorite author, who's latest book is out in England but won't come out til January here. It's almost as if he's doing it to frustrate me SPECIFICALLY.
ReplyDeleteAs far as DiBs ruling the world, NO WAY. He has to contend with Haha's machinations and poor old DiBs is too emotional to defeat the ultimate A.I. (with a sense of humor). It'd be fun to watch as DiBs donned his cardboard armor and imaginary weapons, riding into battle like Quixote mowing down windmills.
If it's any consolation, DiBs, I'll be your Sancho anytime.
As far as updates, you've spurred me into action. I'll drop one today. There's good news, in fact, not just a writer's missive into the agony of pessimism. Like, actual pages, bros.
The answer to your question D.H. is.....Yes.
ReplyDeleteAwww that is so nice Ben. I could always use a trusted squire/lackey. With you by my side we could FINALLY defeat those awful giants. And then RULE THE WORLD!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA
No more would we have to...wait. Everything from books to movies to ice cream sundays with the bananas and whipcream and caramel sauce and the chocolate syrupandsprinklesandchocolatechipswithamazingbrightredcherrie.....
..grggl..where was I? Ah. All this would be made for ME..I mean US. No more having to wait! 24/7. 365 days. All day everyday. They would be working.
For ME! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
But seeing as it will take awhile for me to get the all consuming faith of my nerd brethren I'll have to lay low. So THEY wont suspect me. You know who I'm talking about.
ReplyDeleteAnyway who is this favorite author of yours Ben? Anyone we'd know? Hey we've talked about some of our favorite authors what about you Ben. Who makes you stand in line?
I stood in line for Hikaru Sulu himself, George Takei, for his first book "To the Stars" back in '94.
ReplyDeleteBut authors I like are Bernard Cornwell, R.A. Salvatore, Alan Moore, Austin Grossman ("Soon I will be Invincible"), Weiss & Hickman, Butcher, Crichton, Zahn amongst many others...
Cornwell has a habit of putting one of his characters near to a famous historical figure and really letting feel the period as if you were there. He talks about food, clothing and customs without making into a travelogue (I'm talking to you, Ghost of Tolkien). One of his series is based around the era and life of Alfred the Great, and the leading character Uhtred is a huge inspiration for me when writing Blackjack. Like Dale, Uhtred is a guy who's wronged by society and circumstance, yet perseveres against the greatest odds. I whole-heartedly recommend Cornwell to anyone that likes my books. The Uhtred Saxon stories in particular. It's six books so it'll give you a good read (seven in January).
Oh, and I'm reading books by Dan Abnett, Markus Heitz, Conn Iggulden, James Aitcheson (Cornwell ripoff but really good), David Gemmel, Simon Scarrow, James L. Nelson (omg best pirate books ever), Michael Lewis (business stuff, but he's the best writer I've ever read - wrote Moneyball) and Cornellius Ryan. I'm psychotic like that, reading 10-12 books at a time.
ReplyDeleteAre you a fan of the warhammer 40k books Ben? Abnett happens to be one of my favorite authors from the Black Library.
ReplyDeleteTHATS RACIST!!!!! Shame on you! Black library indeed! Why cant we all read together?! That's one of the many things that will change once I'm the Supreme Overlord of all that the Light Touches and the Darkness Covers.
ReplyDeleteDibs....the Black Library is Warhammer 40k's publishing company....however...im not sure they're NOT racist
ReplyDeleteLol, DiBs is on a tear.
ReplyDeleteActually, the Abnet book I'm working on is Eisenhorn, and I'll admit I'm slugging through it. Don't know why but it's kind of tough. I've put it down three times.
And hey, a pre-update update: Wrote a 14 page scene/sequence earlier. Blackjack versus a big old T-rex thingamagig. Well, it's more complicated than that :)
Hey if anyone is looking for a good read you should try House of Blades by Will Wight. Seriously cool magic system. Its about the other guy. The one that doesn't have a prophesy. The one who doesn't have everything given to him. Try it. If your Supreme Overlord of all the Light Touches and the Darkness Covers likes it you will to. SO SHALL IT BEEEEEEEEEE!!
ReplyDeleteSee, that sounds really interesting. I'm working a magic-type book in my head, with the same mechanic at it's core. There's no ONE, there's no PROPHESY OF THE ONE...just some that can, and the rest of us that cannot.
ReplyDeleteI've even got a main character already in my head (though no name) and his antagonist. I don't know whether to do it as a full on book or as a series, but right now it's just a few scenes and a few concepts.
You guys ever hear of an RPG system called Mage the Ascension? It had a clever concept that Mages were a hunted few and while powerful, did their best work when out of the limelight. I think they had some fiction books as well.
By the way, 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon for House of Blades is off the charts. And 250-ish reviews to boot...okay, I'm getting it, adding it to the dozen other books I'm struggling through.
If you start it you wont stop until your done with book 2 the Crimson Vault and then you'll be like me whining until book 3 comes out.
ReplyDeleteThere is a character that has a prophesy but the book is about another guy from the same village. Oh and there isn't actually a good side or a bad side. Each side feels completely justified in their actions. It was a really nice change.
Simon is an awesome character.
ReplyDelete