EVERYTHING BUT IMAGINARY #173: COMIC BOOKS, STORY AND THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

**Blake Petit** · #1 July 19th 2006, 12:44 PM

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about Story lately. That’s “Story” with a capital “S,” not stories, which while very important, aren’t quite the same thing. Stories are the tales you read, the movies you watch, the yarns that are spun around the campfire. Story, however, is simultaneously the act of creating stories, the pool of inspiration and collective unconscious from which all storytellers draw and the sum total of all stories ever told in the past or ever to be told in the future, and if I lost you in that sentence don’t feel bad because I’m not entirely certain what I’m talking about myself anymore. Story is confusing. Story is an enigma. But that’s what I like about it. And it’s been weighing on my mind because of a pretty big development in my own life, but we’ll get to that just a tad later.

Some of my favorite stories, however, are stories about Story, and about Storytellers. Part of the reason this is on my mind is because I just re-read all ten volumes of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman for the first time since I finally finished collecting them some years ago. Sandman, for you scarce few who may never have read it, is Gaiman’s haunting tale about Morpheus, the King of Dreams, the Prince of Stories, Dream himself. He had a lot of names, that Dream. But over the course of the 75 issues and assorted specials that make up the Sandman story, we learn a lot about Story itself –how patterns repeat, where inspiration comes from and what power stories have. And even if you discount the mystic qualities of Gaiman’s story, you still learn a thing or two. I think it was Sandman that first made me realize my favorite stories are those about Story and Storytellers.

This came to mind again last week when I got issue #1 of The Escapists from Dark Horse Comics. The Story behind this story is an odd one indeed. Unlike most comic books, it started with a novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon. Published in 2000, this novel is about a pair of Golden Age-era comic book creators and the path to fame forged by their most famous character, the superhero Houdini called the Escapist. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was well-deserved, it’s an excellent read and I highly recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of comics.

The novel was just the beginning, though – it inspired a series from Dark Horse Comics, The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist. The quarterly 80-page giant featured stories about the Escapist and other characters in his “universe” over the decades, with the conceit being that the character had been passed down from creator to creator the way other Golden Age characters like Superman and Batman were, and that Dark Horse was simply reprinting classic material. It was a fun read, and even wound up giving us the final Spirit story by his creator, Will Eisner, in issue #6. The hefty nine dollar price tag was no doubt a turnoff for a lot of readers, though, and the plan to bring in hot writer Brian K. Vaughan to contribute an ongoing serial to the title may have come too little too late. Issue #8 was the last one released, and I don’t think any more are in the offing.

But the first issue of the Vaughan serial, begun in issue #8, was enough to spin off into its own miniseries, The Escapists. The comic book about a novel about comic books has spun off a new comic book about the world of the novel. Set in the same “world” as the novel but in the present-day, Vaughan’s story is about Maxwell Roth, a kid who grew up reading the old Escapist comic books left behind by his late father, and dreamed about bringing the lost hero back to comics. He puts together a team of sorts – his best friend, the calligrapher, and an artist he meets when he rescues her from a stalled elevator, and lets them in on the dream.

The Escapist himself is the protector of the “League of the Golden Key,” an ancient society dedicated to liberty. Max and his friends, even in this short first issue, all put forth a feeling like they too are trying to escape from things – their past, their present, the circumstances that are keeping them down. And what’s more, Max feels like he’s trying to liberate the lost superhero and set him free so that he can resume his mission. It’s a comic book about comic book creators living the life of their comic book. Now that’s Story, friends. And the first issue of the miniseries (which reprints the story from The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist #8) is only a buck. You can’t go wrong with that, friends – go out and snag a copy.

It’s a story about Story, and I love those. And I want to tell them myself. And very soon, I’m going to have that chance. Let me tell you a quick story, friends, one about myself. And like most stories, especially those about Story, it has many beginnings.

It began when I was eight years old, when my dad gave me a box of old Archie comics that the son of a co-worker had outgrown. I was already a reader, but this was the first time I got to read comic books, and the hooks that got set into me weren’t ever going to come out. It began when I was ten years old, in Mrs. Meliff’s class at Carver Elementary School, and she gave us the assignment, as a class, to write what she called an “And Then…” story. One student wrote a paragraph which concluded “and then…”, which is where the next student would pick up on it, finish his paragraph the same way and pass it on again. Reaction was mixed, but I loved it. It was the first time I realized I could put my overactive imagination to work. It was the first time I really felt like I was good at something.

It began when I was in college and had a mild crush on a girl in one of my classes. (I have a great many stories that begin that way.) One day, she didn’t say “hello” to me when we passed in the hall like she usually did. A sane mind would simply assume she didn’t notice me or was preoccupied. My mind began to concoct bizarre scenarios in which she wasn’t who she appeared to be and it would take a quest to another dimension entirely to rescue her. The girl, as all crushes at that point, was forgotten as soon as the next one came along. The story stayed.

It began a few years ago when my friend Joan said to me, “you should write a children’s book.” I’d never had an idea for a children’s book before, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the few stories I’d already written were part of a bigger tapestry, that my children’s book would be another part, and that the idea I’d had in college years before was actually at the heart of everything else I would create, when I realized the power in a story that doesn’t believe anything is imaginary, in a story where all Story is true.

It began a few months ago when my friend and agent, Ronée, mentioned to me that she was talking to the staff of a new comic book publisher that was planning to launch later this year. It began Sunday night when she gave me the thumbs-up to make the announcement to the world that we’d reached an agreement with Tightlip Entertainment, and that my little piece of Story would get a chance to be presented like Gaiman’s and Chabon’s – not to compare myself to those brilliantly talented men, but even the opportunity to try to do what they’ve done is amazing to me.

And it will begin next year, when (hopefully) you walk into your local comic shop and pick up the first issue of Blake M. Petit’s Evertime. It will be a story about a girl from a world full of everyday magic that’s drawn into a world of extraordinary magic. It will be a story about a quest to find something long lost, the heroes and villains both who undertake it, and it will be about a place where everything you can imagine comes true.

And why not? It’s already a dream come true.

It’s a story about Story, and it’s something I believed in even before I knew what it was. I hope you’ll all join me. I hope you like it. I hope I can be good enough to teach you to believe.

Favorite of the Week: July 12, 2006

Sorry to pimp a title I’ve already spent so much time talking about, but The Escapists #1 was hands-down my favorite comic of the week. A great story, something that really speaks to you, and for just a buck. You can’t beat it. But since I’ve already gone through it extensively, let me throw in a word for the runner-up, Superman #654. Kurt Busiek’s first solo issue on this title is a mostly standalone (there’s a little set up for next issue) story about Lois and Clark trying to celebrate a very important anniversary while he juggles his other career. It’s a great little character piece that reminds you of what makes these two work, and especially, what makes them work together.

Blake M. Petit is the author of the superhero comedy novel, Other People's Heroes, the suspense novel The Beginner and the weekly “Think About It” humor column at Think About It Central. His new comic, Evertime, is coming soon from Tightlip Entertainment. E-mail him at Blake@comixtreme.com and visit him on the web at Evertime Realms.

RadioCleve · #2 July 19th 2006, 02:27 PM

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who enjoyed The Escapists this week. A wonderful metaphysical tale that transcends the trappings of its source material while simultaneously embracing it. As drawn, it played out like a wonderful independent movie, particularly the sequences when The Escapist and his nemesis give voice to their own history. It was so cool! I'm definately looking forward to what Vaughn has in store for the remaining 5 issues of this miniseries.

The funny things is that, while I've started Cavalier and Klay, I never finished it. It was my "airplane book," the novel that would travel with me back when I had a job that required it. And half-way through the book, I got a new job and never finished the novel. It's sitting on top of my DVD shelf right now, and I'm thinking I'll have to finish it.

I'll have to give the Superman issue a try. I dropped all Batman/Superman titles after the initial OYL, but have been picking them up as they pique my interest.

Mr Flibble · #3 July 19th 2006, 02:35 PM

Huge congratulations Blake. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it and look forward to it's massive success.

**Blake Petit** · #4 July 19th 2006, 08:18 PM

Heh -- thanks, Flib.

I hope to hear from a lot of you guys about it.

**Mark Blicharz** · #5 July 19th 2006, 10:13 PM

Congrats bab... erm Blake!

**Blake Petit** · #6 July 19th 2006, 10:19 PM

Hey now, you know that term of endearment is reserved.

**Mark Blicharz** · #7 July 19th 2006, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blake Petit

Hey now, you know that term of endearment is reserved.

I know nothing! :his best Sergeant Schultz impression:

**Andrea Speed** · #8 July 20th 2006, 03:32 AM

I always knew there was something between you two ...

Congrats, Blake. Buy Mark something pretty - he deserves it.

Terry Verticchio · #9 July 20th 2006, 04:42 AM

Here's a story...

Years ago a young man walked into his local comic shop and noticed two new titles on the rack. One was "Sandman" the other was "The Question". He bought both. Once a month had passed (yes these were the days that comics were published on time) he noticed the second issue of each title. He passed "Sandman" by and picked up "The Question". Then he proceded to keep up with it for 24 issues and an annual before dropping it.

As the years wore on the young man couldn't help but smile at the fact that it was "Sandman" that would become a classic and "The Question" would end up in the quarter bin and that he the opportunity to be on the ground floor for that all-so important title, but didn't take it.

He tried to re-read the issue, but whatever he didn't see in it the first time remained hidden. He didn't like "Sandman". Now does he mention that with a hint of pride? Perhaps. Perhaps even a slight twinge of superiority that he wasn't one of the many that just "didn't get it" or pretended to "get it" but deluded themselves.

Comics are such a subjective things. They are either liked or disliked. People like them differently.

I look forward to seeing your book, Blake. I'm certain it will be great.