Looking Back… To the Last Man

Posted on May 12, 2008

Way back in the summer of 2004, I had an idea for a graphic novel about a man cutting a swath of vengeance across Texas. I called it To the Last Man, and I wrote the first half of it in an old notebook I happened to have with me while in San Diego. Once I returned home, I started refining the script.

A month later (this would be August) I had an artist contracted to draw the whole thing for just over $3000. I sent him the first quarter of his payment and waited. Month a later, I received character sketches (after bugging said artist for them).

Then my job canceled all available overtime, and I had to kill the project. Every now and then I really miss that $750.

I rewrote what I had of the script. The end was refusing to come together, but I didn’t let that bother me. I’d figure it out. Without an artist, I had all the time in the world. During this phase, To the Last Man took on a different flavor. While it was still a gritty revenge story, it took the occasional turn toward the fantastic, such as an Act Two action sequence involving our hero driving a ‘49 Mercury up against a pair of redneck survivalists with enough weaponry to take over a country.
It was awesome.

During all of this, I tried various artists who were willing to work on the project. Standard operating procedure went something like, “I’ll have those character sketches for you in a day or two,” followed by the artist’s disappearance or decision to work on something else.

So I changed my plan. With two months and change left before Comic-Con 2005, I called up Ben Dale, an artist I’d met the year before, and asked if he’d be interested in penciling and inking five pages for a pitch. He read the script and agreed. We hammered out a few details concerning what we’d expect from each other if the project sold, and two months later (and after some lettering by yours truly) we had a pitch ready for San Diego.

I hustled that pitch around to every publisher I could find. Oni, Viper, Boom!, Planet Lar, and everybody else who wasn’t Marvel or DC.

Every last one of them turned it down.

Eh, you live and you learn. The odds were again me from the start, anyway. I went back to the drawing board, getting more pitches ready. Those are tales for another day, however. We’re here to talk about To the Last Man. See, I’ve always been a little sad that nobody got to see it.

I think today’s a good day to change that.

Because I love you all, I am presenting you the five finished pages from To the Last Man.  Maybe they’ll amuse you or inspire you or make you wonder What the hell was this guy thinking?  Either way, I hope you get something out of them, because they’re all I have to show for a year of work.

Enjoy!

Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5

Copyright 2004, Nate Southard.
Art Copyright 2005, Ben Dale.

My Chemical Romance, April 28th

Posted on April 30, 2008

Back in 1994, I saw Helmet at Bogart’s in Cincinnati.  It was my first club show.  Prior to that, I’d only seen concerts in arenas and amphitheaters.  I was unprepared for just how incredible being stuck in a compressed sea of humanity can be when a kick ass rock band is playing.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I dislike people and tight spaces in almost equal measure, but even I can ignore lackluster conditions for a couple of hours so I can experience a great show.

Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin is a lot like Bogart’s.  It might be an outdoor venue, but it’s not much bigger than that space on Short Vine.  It does have the added bonus of barbeque, however, and the porta-lets are somehow cleaner than Bogart’s underground bathrooms.  I figured it would be the perfect venue to see a band like My Chem.  I was right.

Despite the proliferation of kids and teenagers (worse than people, not quite as bad as college students), it was one of the best shows I’ve seen in years. From the moment My Chem took the stage, they brought a high level of energy that got the entire venue shaking.  Bodies bounced, jostled, and swayed through the entire set.

I’ve seen My Chem three times in the past year, and not once did they appear to enjoy themselves as much as they did in Austin.  Maybe it was the crowd or the break from arenas.  Whatever the cause, there was a joy there I hadn’t seen before.  From bringing out the road crew to provide harmonica and cowbell support on “Teenagers” to the epic build at the beginning of “You Know What They Do to Guys like Us in Prison,” the show was sprinkled with more great rock moments than 1978.  Even without the full scale production of an arena show, My Chem made their set feel something close to mythic.

I spotted a ton of parents at the show, and I think that’s a good thing.  I’m sure it’s safer than dumping their kids off at a venue and hoping for the best, and I’m glad they’re taking an interest in their children.  I couldn’t help but wonder, however, what must have been going through their heads during the aforementioned build, when Gerard Way bent himself over the drum riser and delivered a dramatic presentation of a prison rape.  Did any kids receive a stern talking to post-show?  I hope not.  If nothing else, Way is pretty enough to forgive. 

In Austin, With Ghosts

Posted on April 28, 2008

Saturday night, Shawna and I ventured downtown to check out one of the Austin Ghost Tours.  I am happy to report that the 90 minutes we spent on this tour of the Capitol District was fun, educational, at times more than a little creepy.

In order to clarify, the Capitol District Ghost Tour isn’t a bunch of folks hiding out in buildings with spectrographs and other gadgets, hoping against hope they might take pictures of “orbs” or record “activity.”  Instead, it’s a walking tour that explores the history of Austin, or more to the point the city’s underbelly, the darker facets you don’t normally hear about when folks speak of The Live Music Capital of the World (with a noise ordinance and a no-smoking law).  And really, when just about every downtown bar east of Congress Avenue resides in a building more than 100 years old, who wouldn’t expect some interesting history?

Some of the tour’s history lessons (particularly the abandoned building that used to house the Hard Rock) provided more than a little chill.  Whether this is due to actual history or the skill of our tour guide Monica is up in the air, but I can tell you Shawna and I had a great time.  I’m sure in the future we’ll return to take one of the group’s other tours.

Will I be attending the Austin City Limits Festival?

Posted on April 15, 2008

The ACL lineup was announced this morning.  That means it’s that time of year for me to go through said lineup and decide if I want to go to the festival.

Last year was the first time I’ve wanted to attend ACL.  The lineup was great.  See, at $170 for a pass, I need at least 17 bands I want to see in order for the ticket price to be worth it.  Otherwise, I’m wasting money.

So, let’s go through the lineup, see who I’m intersted in watching, and find out if I’m shelling out the cash or not.

HEADLINERS

1. Foo Fighters
Saw them in both a small club and an arena.  Their last two records bored the crap out of me.  Pass.

2. Robert Plant and Allison Kraus
Is it Led Zeppelin?  No.  Pass.

3. Beck
Saw him at Lollapalooza back in 1994 or 1995.  Great show.  I’d see this one.

Headliner Count: 1

OTHER BANDS

1. John Fogerty
2. The Raconteurs
3.The Mars Volta
4. Silversun Pickups
5. Gnarls Barkley
6. MGMT

And that’s it.  My total comes to seven bands, ten below my goal.  It appears I’ll be saving $170 this year.

I should have bought a SXSW wristband.

Gary Gygax

Posted on March 4, 2008

Today is the Texas Primary and Caucus. I’m told it’s important, but in all honesty it means less than a shit to me. Why? Well, for one I hate politicians. Two, Gary Gygax died today.

If you read the blog of any horror writer this week–hell, any writer–odds are you will see mention of Gary’s passing. See, Gary Gygax created Dungeons and Dragons. This man spent his college years creating a brand new form of entertainment. In essence, he turned a backyard game of fantasy into a creative wellspring for creative types everywhere.
Maybe that sounds ridiculous. It looks a little ridiculous to me, and I just wrote it. If I’m being honest, however, I have to admit that the first real story I ever wrote was a Dungeons and Dragons adventure I took my friends on when I was eleven years old. Well, really it was just my friend George, who I let role play eight characters because we didn’t have anybody else in our gaming group.

See, when I was eight, I played D&D for the first time. A gaming group whose ages ranged between my eight and the dungeon master’s sixteen enlisted me because they needed somebody to play a monk. A week later, I begged my mother to drive me to Children’s Palace in Florence, Kentucky so I could buy a Player’s Handbook. At sixteen dollars, the book was a bit expensive for my third grade pocket, but I just had to know what my bardiche-wielding monk would be capable of in the future.

Long story short, an obsession was born.

These days, I play Dungeons and Dragons every Friday night with my friends. Everything else gets put on hold so I can go spend some quality time with my buddies, hacking and slashing and role playing our way through adventure after adventure. I made my first real friends in Texas because of Dungeons and Dragons. My best friend George became such a good friend because of Dungeons and Dragons. Damn-near every writer I’ve ever met has played Dungeons and Dragons.

Thank you, Gary Gygax. Come Friday, I’ll roll a d20 for you.

Falling down the hole again

Posted on February 1, 2008

I skipped most of Lost’s third season.  After facing the unbearable bore that was their six-episode mini-season, I just couldn’t stand to subject myself to any more.  What had once been enthralling television was reduced to a plodding, lackluster mess in just six short hours.

Then I saw the season three finale.  I don’t know what possessed me to watch it last May, but I did.  I was astounded at how easily I was able to understand everything (which just tells me how little actually happened in the third season).  I was also amazed at how quickly I was sucked in by two hours of television that didn’t, well, suck.

So I have last night’s season four premier on my DVR at home, and I’ll be watching it tonight.  Time to fall down the hole again.  Let’s hope I don’t crash like last year.

2007 Top 10 Songs of the Year

Posted on December 15, 2007

Moving on with the various top 10 lists, we’ll go with songs. I tried to stick with songs released in 2007, but I’m afraid it just wasn’t a very good year. At least the top five came out this year. I can’t make the same promise for the last five.

As a special note, all of these songs should be available on iTunes.

1. “My Way Home Is Through You” by My Chemical Romance. Who would have thought the song of the year would be a B-Side by a band that’s seen so much success in the last year? “My Way Home” is a gut-kick of a love song delivered in under three minutes. Kudos for admitting in the middle of the song that there’s no message but a declaration of love. “We’re not here to pay a compliment or sing about the government…”

2. “Feathers” by Coheed and Cambria. It figures that these prog-rockers would reach their apex when channeling both “Janie’s Crying” and “Jump.” The result is an incredible string of pop-rock bliss with an incredible hook. “So right now hide your feathers on the back porch baby…”

3. “Magazine” by The Afghan Whigs. The Whigs return after eight years and score a touchdown with a song that doesn’t even have a chorus. Greg Dulli sums up the entire Whigs output in three minutes of heartfelt longing. “Think I’m driving by your house, don’t ya?”

4. “Point of Extinction” by Motion City Soundtrack. While Even If It Kills Me may have been the weakest of their records, this song is one of their strongest. In just over two minutes, Justin Pierre and company create a pop masterpiece. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned you always get burned, but you never get enough.”

5. “Little Lover’s So Polite” by Silversun Pickups. Wow. I didn’t think there would be a single band to impress me with a debut record this year, but these guys did it without even trying. “Can’t control the slow ride, little lover’s so polite.”

6. “Song Without A Chorus” by Butch Walker and the Let’s Go Out Tonights. Yeah, it’s another song lacking in the chorus department. Instead, it’s three minutes of Butch Walker harmonizing with Pink while contemplating love, the creative process, and the music industry. “And this beach is getting wider than this train of thought is long, and each little drop of sand is probably some other asshole poet’s song.”

7. “Intervention” by The Arcade Fire. Cutting down religion and politics in the same song could end up as an obvious joke, but The Arcade Fire make it work in ways that it shouldn’t. “Working for the church while your family dies…”

8. “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by Dropkick Murphys. There’s more violence, anger, and optimism in this two minute and 34 seconds than I’ve heard in my entire life. “Climbing up the top sails, I lost my leg!”

9. “Starlight” by Muse. Slow, driving, and featuring a keyboard line that turns the song into a pop masterpiece. This probably wins points for being the strangest love song of the year (Yeah, I’m addicted to love songs). “Far away, this ship is taking me far away…”

10. “Finale” from the Dreamgirls soundtrack. Just in case the previous nine songs didn’t completely sabotage my cool, here’s one from a musical. Even if you haven’t watched the preceding two hours of this movie, this song packs enough punch to put you on your knees. Led by Jennifer Hudson, the climax of this song is a crushing example of musicality, and then they strip away everything for the final note. Damn-near perfect. “We’ll be theeeeeeere!”

2007 Top 10 Books of the Year

Posted on December 12, 2007

Every year, I like to list my favorite reads.  I’m pretty lax on my rules, as I’m constantly playing catch up when it comes to reading.  You’ll note that most of these books didn’t come out this year.  My only rule is that I had to read them for the first time in 2007.

Now, on with the list (complete with links where you can learn more and buy, buy, buy!)… 

1. Pressure, Jeff Strand.  I’ve mentioned this one multiple times, so you’ve probably seen this coming.  Strand’s tale of a man hunted by a former friend turned raging psychopath is at times funny, heartwarming, and utterly horrifying.  One of the best books I’ve ever read, and an easy cap to 2007’s list.

2. The Dead Letters, Tom Piccirilli. A masterful mix of police thriller and horror.  This tale of a man hunting a serial killer who’s just trying to make up for the horrible things he’s done will have you turning pages faster than you thought possible.

3. Under My Roof, Nick Mamatas. Funny and thought-provoking.  This story of a suburban home declairing itself its own micro-country is fun even as it makes you ponder the world around you.

4. The Keeper, Sarah Langan.  This story of a small town trying to get back on its feet even as terrible events begin to spiral out of control is as wonderful an example of mood and character as I can find.

5. Crooked Little Vein, Warren Ellis. Hilarious, twisted, maybe a little psychotic.  When a detective is sent after the original, secret Constitution of United States, he meets every imaginable nutjob in America.

6. The Road, Cormac McCarthy. McCarthy writes in a style I didn’t think I would dig, but this story of a man and his son wandering a post-apocalyptic landscape just trying to stay alive was one of the most affecting books I’ve read in a long time.

7. DMZ: Public Works, Brian Wood and Ricardo Burchielli.  Wood writes a story of terrorism and corporate exploitation in a war-shattered Manhattan.  It helps to have read the previous DMZ volumes, but this story is powerful enough on its own to warrant inclusion on this list.

8. The Waste Lands, Stephen King.  As I make my way through King’s Dark Tower series, I find myself more and more amazed with each passing volume.  The third book in the series is the most wonderful yet.

9. Ghoul, Brian Keene.  Brian captures the spirit of youth in so many ways with this novel.  From the wonder of the unknown to fear of the adult world and what it might do to your innocence, Keene leaves no stone unturned, leaving us with one of his best novels to date.

10. Baltimore, Chris Golden and Mike Mignola.  In this illustrated beauty, Mignola and Golden weave a story that will remind you of Stoker, Shelley, Lovecraft, Poe, and all the old masters.  Incredible from start to finish.

The Other Nate Southard

Posted on December 6, 2007

If somebody wants to buy this card for me, I’ll love you forever.

STAPLE! Registration Open!

Posted on November 8, 2007

When I’m not busy alienating both friends and strangers who have enough money to buy stuff like Rock Band, I’m helping with the organization of STAPLE!, a indie comics con here in Austin. 

Here is you STAPLE! news…

Hey everybody!

STAPLE! The Independent Media Expo is back for its
fourth annual show! Come out Saturday March 1st, 2008
to a new location – the Monarch Event Center next to
Highland Mall – www.monarcheventcenter.com. This
exciting new venue occupies the site of the former
Lincoln Village Theater in the Lincoln Village
shopping center in north central Austin. It’s been
completely remodeled and refurbished into a lovely new
spot just perfect for a bigger and better STAPLE!
www.staple-austin.org

We are very pleased to announce a very special guest
for STAPLE! 2008 - BRIAN WOOD! Author of Channel Zero,
Couriers, DMZ, Demo, Local, Supermarket, and the
forthcoming Northlanders (available December 5th),
Brian has made his mark as an influential and eclectic
pioneer of independent comics creation. We are very
honored and excited to have him appear at STAPLE! For
more on Brian go to www.brianwood.com

And if you’d like to start making your own mark, you
can be an exhibitor at STAPLE! Exhibitor registration
is now open and tables are available at $65 for an
eight footer and $35 for a half – cheap! They always
sell out fast so to get yours now go to
www.staple-austin.org/register

STAPLE! The Independent Media Expo is the Southwest’s
only convention for independently produced comics,
zines, graphic arts and animation. The fourth annual
Expo is Saturday, March 1st, 2008, 11am-7pm at the
Monarch Event Center in Austin, Texas. Admission is
STILL only $5 at the door! For more info go to
http://www.staple-austin.org

Thanks! Hope to see you there!

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