Here we go again!

(All my previous Year In Books posts, if you’re so inclined: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.)

GRAPHIC NOVELS/*Completed Miniseries

FEBRUARY

Emily and the Strangers: Road To Nowhere Tour [Dark Horse]

Astrid: Cult of the Volcanic Moon [Dark Horse]

APRIL

The Infinity Gauntlet [Marvel]

MAY

Kennel Block Blues [Boom! Studios]

Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 1 [DC Comics]

New Mutants Classic Vol. 4 [Marvel]

JUNE

X-Men: Age of Apocalypse Prelude [Marvel]

New Mutants Vol. 1: Return of Legion [Marvel]

Manifest Destiny Vol. 1: Flora & Fauna [Image/Skybound]

JULY

The Filth [DC/Vertigo]

OCTOBER

Superman for All Seasons [DC Comics]

Crisis on Infinite Earths [DC Comics]

Infinite Crisis [DC Comics]

Aquaman Vol. 1: The Trench [DC Comics]

Aquaman Vol. 2: The Others [DC Comics]

Aquaman Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis [DC Comics]

Aquaman Vol. 4: Death of a King [DC Comics]

NOVEMBER

Identity Crisis [DC Comics]

Batman: Arkham Asylum — A Serious House on Serious Earth [DC Comics]

Herc: The Complete Series [Marvel]

DECEMBER

Death of Wolverine [Marvel]

Iron Fist Vol. 1: The Trial of the Seven Masters [Marvel]

Fame and Misfortune [Self-Published]

The Better to Find You With [Self-Published]

Elements: Fire [Beyond Press]

NOVELS/PROSE

JANUARY

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry [Washington Square Press]

It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences: A Writer’s Guide to Crafting Killer Sentences [Ten Speed Press]

A Sense of Where You Are: Bill Bradley at Princeton [Farrar, Straus and Giroux]

FEBRUARY

The Golden Compass [Laurelleaf Books]

Instant Happy: 10-Second Attitude Makeovers [Ten Speed Press]

The Very Embarrassing Book of Dad Jokes: Because Your Dad Thinks He’s Hilarious [Portico]

The Subtle Knife [Laurelleaf Books]

MARCH

A Technique for Producing Ideas [McGraw-Hill Education]

APRIL

The Amber Spyglass [Laurelleaf Books]

MAY

La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Part 1 [Alfred A. Knopf]

JUNE

Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year [Anchor]

JULY

The King in Yellow [Public Domain]

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World [Ten Speed Press]

No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind [Bantam]*

AUGUST

Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen [HarperCollins]*

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life [Harper]*

OCTOBER

The Death and Life of the Great Lakes [W.W. Norton]*

NOVEMBER

The Haunting of Hill House [Blackstone Media]*

The Dharma Bums [Penguin Classics]

DECEMBER

The Lathe of Heaven [Scribner]

Nighty-Nightmare [Avon Camelot]

Tribes [Portfolio]

The Christmas Hirelings [Audible]*

Grendel [Vintage/Random House]

Bunnicula [Aladdin Paperbacks]

*Audiobook

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

JANUARY

Mr. Bump [Price Stern Sloan]

If I Were A Kitty [Jellycat]

Kitty Tails [Jellycat]

Duck & Goose: It’s Time for Christmas [Schwartz & Wade]

Everywhere Babies [HMH]

Where is Baby’s Belly Button? [Little Simon]

Where is Maisy’s Panda? [Candlewick Press]

Where is Maisy? [Candlewick Press]

Hair [Candlewick]

XO, OX: A Love Story [Roaring Brook Press]

Rocket Science for Babies [Sourcebooks Jabberwocky]

Beach Baby [Orca Book Publishers]

Rory the Dinosaur Wants a Pet [Little, Brown Young Readers]

Cleo on the Move [Barefoot Books]

Everyone Poops [Kane/Miller Book Publishers]

Witzy’s Halloween Ghost [Dalmatian Press]

Baby: Woof Woof! [DK Publishing]

Mille Moo [Priddy Books]

Yummy Yucky [Candlewick]

Fox in Socks [Harper Collins]

FEBRUARY

My “b” Book [The Child’s World]

Baby’s Shapes [Little Simon]

Mary Had a Little Lamb [Andersen]

Big Red Barn [Balzer + Bray]

The Country Mouse and the City Mouse; The Fox and the Crow; The Dog and His Bone [Little Golden Book/Western Publishing]

Weigh It! Fun with Weight [SandCastle]

Measure It! Fun with Length & Distance [SandCastle]

Bright Baby: Happy Thanksgiving [Priddy Books]

Madeline [Puffin Books]

Potty [Candlewick]

MARCH

The Best Nest [Random House]

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! [Random House]

A Fly Went By [Random House]

A Fish Out of Water [Random House]

Are You My Mother? [Random House]

Maybe You Should Fly a Jet! Maybe You Should Be a Vet! [Random House]

The King, the Mice, and the Cheese [Harper Collins]

The Feelings Book [LB Kids]

The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone [Random House]

The Birthday Box [Candlewick]

The Crayons’ Book of Numbers [Grosset & Dunlap]

Tough Guys Have Feelings Too [Flying Eye Books]

Mister Dog: The Dog Who Belonged to Himself [Golden Books]

MAY

Hello, World! Weather [Doubleday]

Harold’s Fairy Tale [HarperCollins]

Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs [HarperFestival]

JUNE

Llama Llama Trick or Treat [Viking]

The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack [Little Bigfoot]

JULY

Animals in Underwear ABC [LB Kids]

Maisy Goes to a Wedding [Candlewick]

One Day on Our Blue Planet… in the Rainforest [Flying Eye Books]

Maisy Goes to the Movies [Candlewick]

The Runaway Bunny [HarperCollins]

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? [HarperCollins]

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb [Random House Books for Young Readers]

Barnyard Dance [Workman Publishing]

Pajama Time! [Workman Publishing]

The Foot Book: Dr. Seuss’s Wacky Book of Opposites [Random House Books for Young Readers]

Little Blue Truck Leads the Way [HMH Books for Young Readers]

Good Night Oregon [Good Night Books]

The Lady with the Alligator Purse [LB Kids]

The Body in Art: Feet [Sourcebooks]

Maisy’s Bedtime [Candlewick]

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? [Henry Holt and Co.]

Policeman Small [Random House Books for Young Readers]

Peanuts: A Scanimation Book [Workman Publishing]

I Love Hugs [Little Hippo]

Green Eggs and Ham [Random House Books for Young Readers]

Three Little Pigs (Night, Night, Sleep Tight!) [Make Believe Ideas]

AUGUST

A Trip to Busy Town [Top That]

Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? [Cooper Square]

Bunny’s Noisy Book [Disney-Hyperion]

Curious George Goes Fishing [HMH Books for Young Readers]

Olivia [Atheneum Books for Young Readers]

A Potty for Me! [Little Simon]

Gossie [HMH Books for Young Readers]

Nothing-to-Do Puppy [Sterling]

Cozy Classics: Moby Dick [Simply Read Books]

Cozy Classics: War and Peace [Simply Read Books]

Cozy Classics: Tom Sawyer [Simply Read Books]

Cozy Classics: Oliver Twist [Simply Read Books]

OCTOBER

If the Dinosaurs Came Back [HMH Books for Young Readers]

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site [Chronicle Books]

Little Bear’s Little Boat [Clarion Books]

Like Likes Like [DK Publishing]

Black Dog Red House [Little Brown]

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel [HMH Books for Young Readers]

Mouse Mess [Blue Sky Press]

The Monster at the End of the Book [Golden Books]

Another Monster at the End of the Book [Golden Books]

NOVEMBER

Oh Say Can You Say Di-No-Saur? [Random House Books for Young Readers]

The Princess Who Saved Herself [Self-Published]

Who Are You? [Barefoot Books]

Where the Wild Things Are [Harper Collins]

Hush, Little Baby [Tiger Tales]

I Love You Through and Through [Cartwheel]

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo [Chronicle Books]

Merry Christmas, Santa Claus! [Grosset & Dunlap]

DECEMBER

Olive, the Other Reindeer [Chronicle Books]

Elmo’s Countdown to Christmas [Random House Books for Young Readers]

The Night Before Christmas: A Bedtime Shadow Book [Peter Pauper Press]

Black Bird Yellow Sun [Candlewick Press]

Madeline’s Christmas [Viking Press]

Cookiesaurus Rex [Disney-Hyperion]

Goodnight Krampus [Hazy Dell Press]

Lift-the-Flap Tab: Santa’s Workshop [Priddy Books]

Shout out to all the folks who gave us children’s book for reading with my son! He loved them and I loved getting to read some new stuff—as almost every one of these books gets read aloud at least 20+ times. Variety is nice. (Also, I’m destroying my GoodReads yearly reading challenges thanks to logging all these children’s books. So, that’s an added bonus!)

Similar Posts:

• My Year in Books: 2017
• My Year in Books: 2015
• My Year in Books: 2016

The post My Year in Books: 2018 first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.

2017 was a busy year, and 2018 was no different. My son turned one, my sister got married, we camped three times (one excursion was a backpacking trip covering 15 miles with my wife), we swam in Oregon rivers and lakes, we traveled (Chicago twice and Arizona), and I took my nephew to see a Trail Blazers game. On top of that, my wife started working a second job to pursue a career in public health, all while I worked my day job in marketing and pursued freelance editing and writing opportunities. It was a full, busy year. And while my wife and I have put together our hit list of things to accomplish as a family in 2019, I thought—much like last year—now would be a good time to take a look back at 2018 and see what ground I covered in my freelance career. Can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been, right?

One thing to keep in mind, I’m just comparing my own personal progress. At the end of the year, everyone is reflecting on what they accomplished. It’s very easy to get caught up in those comparisons and be crippled by them. (“She did so much more than me!” “How’d he get that much writing done?!”) I try to avoid that—I even did a podcast episode about how important it is not to get stuck in that comparison trap. So, I’m just looking at how my 2018 compared to my 2017 and focusing on the positives. Got to keep that momentum up!

Here’s what 2018 looked like for me…

Published

5 issues that I edited
1 story I wrote

Edited

15 comics scripts
6 pitch consults
1 movie script

Wrote

36 new comic book pages
2 pitches (including a big revision on a 22-page comic book script)
38-page children’s book
Launched a newsletter and sent out 11 installments

Podcasted

6 episodes

Gave Advice

9 months of professional comics advice on the Comics Experience Creators Workshop

And while these next two are definitely personal, putting a focus on self-care was crucial to my work during a very, very busy year.

Meditated

1,090 minutes (over 18 hours) in 171 sessions

Ran

277.36 miles (241.77 of which are from September through December)

My main goal for 2018 was to do more than in 2017. Thankfully, in all the craziness and busy-ness, that was accomplished! And while I could certainly just look at the number of freelance vouchers issued this year versus last (32 in 2018 versus 22 in 2017), I’m definitely trying to boost my momentum in 2019 even more by breaking down as much as possible from 2018. And, again, if the goal is to see that momentum continue to improve, mission accomplished. The big trick? Now I have to keep the momentum going to keep accomplishing that mission!

Here’s to 2019! Time to bust my ass to ensure it’s another good one!

Similar Posts:

• 2017 Productivity
• Updates on a few 2018 Projects
• Writing News: Winter 2017

The post 2018 Productivity first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.

Here’s the full release from Dark Horse…

DARK HORSE COMICS AND NINKASI BREWING COMPANY LAUNCH PARTNERSHIP

Powerhouse Oregon Companies Join Forces to Tell Ninkasi’s Origin Story

Fans of beer and comics, rejoice! Dark Horse Comics and Ninkasi Brewing Company are “hoppy” to announce a new partnership. These two innovative and creative Pacific Northwest companies are proud to combine their passions to create a story that speaks to the origins of Ninkasi in Legend of Ninkasi: Rise of Craft.

“One of the best things about comics is the ability to bring together unique visions to create something great, and that’s exactly what this project has been since day one,” said Megan Walker, Dark Horse Associate Editor. “Partnering with the folks at Ninkasi Brewing has been a natural fit, and the story we are creating is a lot of fun—I couldn’t be more excited to be working on this project with them!”

Written by Jim Gibbons (CORPUS: A Comic Anthology of Bodily Ailments) with art by Eduardo Francisco (Aliens: Defiance), Legend of Ninkasi: Rise of Craft will be available for purchase at NinkasiCon next spring along with a beer featured in the comic. In Legend of Ninkasi: Rise of Craft, the citizens of the medieval kingdom of Eugenia subsist in a listless stupor because the evil King Blüdweisen is holding them hostage. He’s outlawed craft beer and serves only his terrible-tasting, mass-produced brew. Sensing some corruption of the spirit of beer, Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of fermentation, and her faithful companion Tricerahops travel through time and space to investigate these dark portents. There they meet two brewers who they inspire to rebellion—a rebellion against horrible beer . . . and zombie vikings!

“This has probably one of the most fun experiences I’ve had since starting Ninkasi! Working with Dark Horse and seeing first hand the process and the talent to bring this project to life has been amazing,” said Nikos Ridge, Ninkasi Co-Founder and CEO. “We’re excited to share the final result with everyone, including a specially created beer to pair with it, which may be a comic first!”

“As a lifetime comic book nerd, the idea of a Ninkasi comic book has been a dream that even inspired a tattoo on my back. Working with Dark Horse to bring the Legend of Ninkasi to life has been a fantastic ride,” said Jamie Floyd, Ninkasi Founding Brewer. “Dark Horse is like a fine-tuned superhero team, and watching Jim and Eduardo nail the story was fun and inspiring to see how imagination becomes reality!”

Join Ninkasi Brewing Company founders Jamie Floyd and Nikos Ridge, and Legend of Ninkasi: Rise of Craft writer Jim Gibbons at Rose City Comic Con for a signing in the Dark Horse booth (#711) today at 6:00 PM!

This project was an absolute blast! Jamie and Nikos really let us cut loose—such incredible and supportive collaborators—and I can’t wait for folks to read this! It’s a LOT of fun!

It was great to hang with Jamie and Nikos a bit at Rose City Comic Con, as well, and put our John Hancocks on some signing cards at the Dark Horse booth!

Keep your eyes peeled for the comic this spring!

Similar Posts:

• 2017 Productivity
• Updates on a few 2018 Projects
• 2018 Productivity

The post I’m Writing Legend of Ninkasi: Rise of Craft first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.

WRITING
If you’re reading my newsletter you may have already seen this, but I have a story that will be published in Corpus: A Comic Anthology of Bodily Ailments. Available for preorder now, Corpus is a giant tome of personal comics stories about how people deal with all sorts of physical and mental ailments. Ranging from humor to very serious, it’s packed with over 40 stories from a diverse set of creators with a wide range of experiences—including yours truly.

Collaborating with the tremendously talented Melody Often on art and with some great lettering by Micah Myers, I wrote a story about how my peanut allergy and asthma have affected my life. Beyond her crazy-good art, big thanks to Melody for suggesting the amazing title for the story: PB&J(im). Very, very proud of this one!

And, if you are interested in the making comics process, get a taste of some of the resources I make available in my writing and editing newsletter with these three versions of page one from my Corpus story:

1. First draft of page one script—annotated
2. Final draft of page one script
3. Page one of the finished comic

I’ll have, at least, two other projects to talk about before year’s end. Both were a blast to write! But for now, mum’s the word. More later!

EDITING
Two books I’m editing had some news drop this week.

Blackbird at Image Comics
With covers so hot it’s sure to set fire to shelves at comics shops, Blackbird is a magical neo-noir series from Jen Bartel and Sam Humphries—Harry Potter meets Riverdale, if you need a quick pitch—and it’s now available for preorder! Check out the release, and find a comic shop to preorder at via Image’s site!

Blackbird is fully blowing up on Twitter, as well. It’s not often an editor on a book gets this kind of traction! Check Jen’s Twitter for even more Blackbird goodness!

The Stone King at Comixology Originals
Just announced at San Diego Comic-Con as part of Comixology’s new line of original comics, The Stone King from Kel McDonald and Tyler Crook is a YA fantasy adventure story I’m thrilled to be lending editorial aid to! Keep your eyes peeled for it via Prime soon—it’ll be free to read for Amazon Prime subscribers! (Available for preorder to non-Prime folks soon too!)

PODCASTING
AMy second episode for the Comics Experience: Make Comics podcast is live. Entitled “There is No Right Contract,” my discussion with host Joey Groah focuses on not waiting for the ideal deal, but focusing on the right project and contract choices to keep momentum on your comics career right now.

Stay tuned for more updates soon, but till then, sign up for my newsletter below!

Similar Posts:

• 2017 Productivity
• 2018 Productivity
• Are you a writer, editor, or creator? Sign up for my newsletter!

The post Updates on a few 2018 Projects first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.

Old news for folks who signed up for my newsletter, but I’ve joined the new crew of hosts on the Comics Experience Make Comics podcast. Led by longtime co-host Joey Groah, comics editors Nicole Boose, Heather Antos, and I will form a rotating panel of experts for people interested in learning about the ins and outs of comics creation!

Some snippets from me from the press release:

What, for you, is the main purpose of the Comics Experience podcast, Make Comics?
Life is hectic. While CE offers amazing courses and a valuable community in the Creators Workshop, I love that Andy and Joey have built this incredible free resource that you can listen to on the go—while commuting, while you cook dinner—that can help you improve your skills and gain knowledge while you do the things you have to do daily. So many of us live and breath comics, and I think being able to scratch that itch in an easy-to-consume podcast format is so beneficial.

What can listeners expect from Make Comics with you as the new hosts?
New perspective. Much like no one writes or draws comics the exact same way, no editor does things exactly like another. Andy’s experience has overlap with Nicole’s, Heather’s, and mine, but all of our experiences are completely different, as well. It’s a pooling of editorial and comics knowledge that I think will form a well-rounded, even more expansive collection of insights, tips, tricks, and information on how to make the best comics you possibly can. I’m excited to be one of the co-hosts, but I’m also thrilled to be a listener of the new format! I think continuing education on your craft is essential and I’m looking forward to adding Nicole and Heather’s knowledge to my personal experience and to everything I learned from the previous incarnation of the podcast.

And just this week, my first episode went live. Joey and I discuss how to avoid the comparison trap that’s so easy to fall into when you see your fellow creatives producing what seems like mountains of work as you toil away on the same few projects. Helpful for your mental health as a comics creator, I think. Give it a listen and subscribe on iTunes—I’ll be appearing in every third episode, but you won’t miss a bit of the good info by subscribing!

For those of you who prefer ramblings on pop culture, Josh Wigler and I reunited for a Post Show Recaps podcast all about Avengers: Infinity War. Some good chitchat about Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, Jessica Jones, Punisher, Legion, The Gifted, and Runaways in there too.

Give it a listen! And seriously, subscribe to the Make Comics podcast—a free, indispensable guide of comics creation information!

———-
July 5, 2018 update: My second episode of the Make Comics podcast is live now too. It’s called “There Is No Right Contract” and you can listen to it here.

Similar Posts:

• Updates on a few 2018 Projects
• 2018 Productivity
• 2017 Productivity

The post 2018 Podcasting Update first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.

In that vein, and because I pay too much attention to my own productivity, I decided to start a newsletter.

One day, it will have a catchy name. But for now, just know that you’re signing up for (roughly) monthly information about writing, editing, and publishing from someone with a decade of experience in journalism, comics publishing, and marketing.

The first installment went out last week and you can read it here or simply keep scrolling.

Let the experiment begin!

Hi, I’m Jim Gibbons! Thanks for signing up for my newsletter.

Many of you probably signed up because you know my work in comics publishing as an award-winning editor. I worked at Dark Horse Comics and Stela Comics for a combined seven years and edited stacks of comics—writing a few self-published stories along the way. I currently freelance edit a handful of comics projects and write a bit too.

In my day job, I’m a content marketer. I write marketing copy and do content strategy. To build my skills in that field, I’ve signed up for newsletters, downloaded podcasts, read blogs, and clicked about a thousand “How to Get Better at [Insert Skill Here]” links. I’m the type of person who’s constantly seeking out info on how to do what I do better. If you’re here, you probably are too.

Recently, I’ve read a TON of articles about Facebook and Instagram algorithm changes that are limiting the reach of social accounts for businesses—I even edited a blog about it for my boss! It got me thinking.

In comics, or in any freelance capacity, you are your business. As a freelance comic editor and writer, I’m a business. So, I decided to combine my more recent marketing knowledge with my editing experience to create a platform to reach an audience more consistently while delivering that audience something of value: insight and info on writing and editing. This newsletter is the result.

Origin story out of the way, my goal is to share whatever expertise I’ve gained about writing and editing over ten years of working as a journalist, publicist, editor, writer, and marketer. I hope it’s information that helps you become a better creator!

What Do You Want to Learn About?
This newsletter is 100 percent a work in progress. I’ve got ideas, but hey, you’re the audience. Drop me a line and let me know what questions you have! I’ll answer them in upcoming newsletters!

Obvious Tip #1
When it comes to notes: Work from the most recent draft—especially if you are getting notes from an editor.

I know, I know. It sounds incredibly obvious, but when you’re an editor and you’re going through a second draft making all the same grammar changes and fixing the same spelling errors, it’s time-consuming and frustrating. Not that everything you do should be about making an editor’s life easier, but editors employ people that are easier to work with. So, don’t give them extra work—give them more of a reason to keep hiring you.

Also, paying attention to editor’s marks in a track changes (in Word Docs) or suggest (Google Docs) function is like a free mini writing lesson—pay attention and you will get better. Learn your most common errors and work to remove them from your next drafts. Rinse and repeat. I don’t just say this as an editor. As a writer, I’ve learned a lot from editor’s notes. Don’t skip those learning experiences.

Some Larger Advice: Know Your Story
Here’s a quick version of some of the best advice I’ve received on pitching a comic book editor. But, prose writers, don’t ignore this. It’s key. It’s all about knowing your story.

To write your story well and to sell your story, you have to know what it’s about.

Paraphrasing the advice, which I got from Dark Horse Comics editing honcho and longtime Star Wars editor Randy Stradley, I still use this as a guide for everything I write and edit.

Break down your story with a line or two on each of these areas…

1. Plot: Here’s what happens in the story.
2. Characters: Here’s how what happens in the plot affects or changes the characters.
3. Theme: Here’s the throughline to everything that happens, what ties it all together—aka the point you’re making with the story.

I sometimes simplify them to…

1. Plot: What happens?
2. Characters: What’s the struggle?
3. Theme: Why should the reader care?

Let’s use the movie Captain Fantastic as an example…

Plot: MAIN CHARACTER takes his children on a cross-country road trip to their mother’s funeral.

Character: What makes a good parent? MAIN CHARACTER’s philosophy for raising his children is challenged and, through interactions with his children, he begins to question it as well.

Theme: If you love someone, let them go. MAIN CHARACTER learns that he can’t protect his children forever, he can only do his best to prepare them for the world and must learn to let them go.

Basically, by breaking these down at the beginning, you’re not only providing yourself with a roadmap, but you’re giving anyone looking at your story with the intent to approve or buy it the same understanding. These lines should act as watchwords as you write. Hold each scene up to them like a lens: How does this scene work based on your theme? Does it? Does this inform the character journey or is it just plot for the sake of plot? You can omit a lot of extraneous scenes with this method as, in a perfect story, each scene will reflect your watchwords on character journey and theme while advancing the plot.

Advice in Action: My Corpus Anthology Pitch
Not that anything I write or any advice I give is infallible, but I thought seeing how I apply the above advice might be helpful. Or, at the bare minimum, it shows that I practice what I preach!

I recently had a pitch accepted to the Corpus: A Comic Anthology of Bodily Ailments, which is currently being Kickstarted.

I thought it might be helpful to share an annotated version of the pitch. That way, you can see the pitch itself and some of my thought process and rationale behind what I put where and why. Hopefully, this is a helpful exercise. Let me know what you think!

Thanks!
That’s it for installment #1 of this newsletter experiment. Thanks for reading! I’m aiming for monthly updates, so keep an eye on your inbox in about 30 days.

If you found this useful, tell your friends to sign up using this link: http://eepurl.com/dkjssr

Till next time!
JIM

If you found that useful, don’t miss out on more advice and information like this! Sign up below!

Similar Posts:

• Updates on a few 2018 Projects
• 2018 Productivity
• 2017 Productivity

The post Are you a writer, editor, or creator? Sign up for my newsletter! first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.

This past year, my son was born. In the most important of ways, it was the biggest year. He’s the best thing I’ve ever had a hand in creating and being with him daily is the best “work” I’ve ever done. Naturally, it was a pretty busy year. (So busy I’m finally writing those post in February!)

While parenting is a life shift that redefines everything, I still wondered how my year stacked up in terms of creative output. Even when you’re having an incredible year, at least for me, it’s hard not to try and tally your efforts. (I’m a bit of a listmaker.) When I crunched the numbers, expecting it to have been a light year in creative work, I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve had busier years, but to have done all this…

Edited

13 comic scripts
1 TV pilot script
1 movie script
1 graphic novel script
2 pitch consults

Wrote

22 comic script pages
2 accepted comic pitches

Podcasted

10 recorded episodes, and
9 of those aired

…while raising a kid, working a day job 40 hours a week, and living the rest of my life, it feels like an even bigger year!

My point? Don’t get caught up in a “grass is greener” trap. You might see fellow writers or artists who logged a ton of work in the past year, but what they did is not your standard. You don’t have to keep up. You need to do your work. Focus on what you did, not what you didn’t get to. Progress is progress, even if it’s just a little.

At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. So far, it’s working!

Naturally, I’m aiming to be even more productive in 2018. That includes a monthly newsletter on writing and editing. Check it out by signing up below!

Similar Posts:

• 2018 Productivity
• Updates on a few 2018 Projects
• 2018 Podcasting Update

The post 2017 Productivity first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.

Each year, I track what I read. I post the list here. I jot down some thoughts, and then I rinse and repeat year after year. (I explain the reasoning and history of this habit a bit more in last year’s post.)

(Previous My Year In Books posts: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.)

No long preamble this time. Here’s the list…

GRAPHIC NOVELS/*Completed Comic Book Miniseries
JANUARY
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10 Vol. 6: Own It [Dark Horse]

JULY
Suicide Sisters Vol. 1: Shoot The Devil [Self-published]

Spider-Man: Kraven’s Last Hunt [Marvel]

Spider-Man: Sinister Six [Marvel]

One Punch Man Vol. 10 [Viz]

One Punch Man Vol. 11 [Viz]

Jessica Jones Vol. 1: Uncaged! [Marvel]

Defenders by Matt Fraction Vol. 1 [Marvel]

Defenders by Matt Fraction Vol. 2 [Marvel]

The Fearless Defenders Vol. 1: Doom Maidens [Marvel]

The Fearless Defenders Vol. 2: The Most Fabulous Fighting Team of All [Marvel]

AUGUST
Power Man and Iron Fist Vol. 1: The Boys are Back in Town [Marvel]

Power Man and Iron Fist Vol. 2: Civil War II [Marvel]

The Last Defenders [Marvel]

Marvel Masterworks: The Defenders Vol. 1 [Marvel]

Cage! [Marvel]

Avengers/Defenders War [Marvel]

Iron Fist: The Living Weapon Vol. 1: Rage [Marvel]

Iron Fist: The Living Weapon Vol. 2: Redemption [Marvel]

SEPTEMBER

Cage [Marvel Max]

Doctor Strange and the Secret Defenders [Marvel]

Defenders: Indefensible [Marvel]

Punisher: Circle of Blood [Marvel]

Daredevil vs. Punisher: Means and Ends [Marvel]

PunisherMAX Vol. 1: Kingpin [Marvel]

PunisherMAX Vol. 2: Bullseye [Marvel]

Punisher Max: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 [Marvel]

NOVEMBER
Last Man Vol 6: The Rescue [First Second]

The Princess Diarist [Blue Rider Press]

Wishful Drinking [Simon & Schuster Paperbacks]

Hogwarts: An Incomplete & Unreliable Guide [Pottermore Presents]*

Consumed [Self-published/Wet Frog Studios]

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics, and Pesky Poltergeists [Pottermore Presents]*

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship, and Dangerous Hobbies [Pottermore Presents]*

FEBRUARY
The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-To-Be [Abbeville Press]

The Guy’s Guide to Surviving Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the First Year of Fatherhood [De Capo/Perseus]

Between the World and Me [Spiegel & Grau/Penguin Random House]

The Casual Vacancy [Little, Brown]

Lyra’s Oxford [Knopf]*

The Collectors: A His Dark Materials Story [Knopf]*

Calm The F*ck Down: The Only Parenting Technique You’ll Ever Need [Knock Knock]

MARCH
The Old Man and the Sea [Scribner]

‘Salem’s Lot [Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster]

APRIL
Once Upon A Time in the North [Knopf]

MAY
Career of Evil [Mulholland Books/Little, Brown]

The Happiest Baby on the Block [Bantam Books]

A Man Without A Country [Random House]

JUNE
The Torrents of Spring [Scribner/Simon & Schuster]

SEPTEMBER
On the Shortness of Life: Life is Long if You Know How to Use It [Penguin Great Ideas]

Fox 8: A Story [Random House]*

The Diaries of Adam and Eve [Dover]

OCTOBER
The Call of Cthulhu [Amazon Kindle Edition/Rising Star Visionary Press]*

The New Father: A Dad’s Guide to the First Year [Abbeville Press]

NOVEMBER
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life [Anchor Books/Random House]

Ollie’s Odyssey [Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books]

DECEMBER
A Fistful of Fig Newtons [Broadway Books]

Notes from the Upside Down: An Unofficial Guide to Stranger Things [Touchstone]

*Kindle single/novella

Hop On Pop [Beginner Books/Random House]

Oh Say Can You Say? [Beginner Books/Random House]

Dr. Seuss’s ABC [Beginner Books/Random House]

I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! [Random House]

The Cat in the Hat [Beginner Books/Random House]

The Giving Tree [HarperCollins]

FEBRUARY
A is for Activist [Triangle Square/Seven Stories Press]

If I Built A Car [Dutton/Penguin]

When Dinosaurs Came With Everything [Atheneum]

MARCH
Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs! [Workman Publishing]

APRIL
Good Night, Gorilla [G.P. Putnam’s Sons/Penguin]

Bed, Bed, Bed [Simon & Schuster]

Oh Say Can You Seed?: All About Flowering Plants [Cat in the Hat Learning Library/Random House]

Little Owl (Finger Puppet Book) [Chronicle]

10 Little Rubber Ducks [Harper Collins]

Little Blue Truck [HMH Books]

The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s ABC [Grosset & Dunlap]

Harold and the Purple Crayon [Bloomsbury]

Curious George and the Pizza Party [HMH]

I Am a Bunny [Golden Books]

Pride & Prejudice: A BabyLit Counting Primer [Gibbs Smith]

MAY
I Heart You, Mom: with the Very Hungry Caterpillar [Grosset & Dunlap]

Colors [Ammo Books]

Alphaprints: ABC [Priddy Books]

JUNE
The Big Orange Splot [Scholastic]

My Dad Loves Me! [Sourcebooks Jabberwocky]

JULY
Oh, The Places You’ll Go! [Random House]

The Lorax [Random House]

All About Corduroy [Barnes & Noble Books]

Henry Builds a Cabin [HMH]

The Day the Crayons Quit [Philomel Books]

The Day the Crayons Came Home [Philomel Books]

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear [Child’s Play]

Quick as a Cricket [Child’s Play]

Fiesta Secreta de Pizza [Puffin]

King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]

AUGUST
Animal Alphabet: Slide & Seek the ABCs [WS Publishing]

Baby: Colors! [DK Publishing]

SEPTEMBER
Little Blue Truck’s Halloween [HMH Books]

Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World [Scholastic Press]

OCTOBER
I See Something… Green [Self-Published]

Spooky Friends [Scholastic]

Goodnight Moon [HarperCollins]

Eating the Alphabet [HMH Books for Young Readers]

NOVEMBER
The Snowy Day [Puffin Books]

Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey [Random House]

Hello, World! Solar System [Random House]

Baby Beluga [Knopf]

Count to Sleep Chicago [Our World of Books]

I Love You, Stinky Face [Cartwheel]

First Words Lift-A-Flap [Cottage Door Press]

McElligot’s Pool [Random House]

Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book [Random House]

The Cat in the Hat Comes Back [Random House]

Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories [Random House]

I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew [Collins]

DECEMBER
Santa Claus Is on His Way to My House! [Sourcebooks Jabberwocky]

Little Blue Truck’s Christmas [HMH Books for Young Readers]

Dream Snow [Philomel Books]

How the Grinch Stole Christmas [Random House]

Mr. Silly [Price Stern Sloan]

Mr. Tickle [Price Stern Sloan]

Mr. Greedy [Price Stern Sloan]

Day Dreamers: A Journey of Imagination [Random House]

The Bad Seed [Harper Collins]

Mr. Happy [Price Stern Sloan]

Mr. Topsy-Turvy [Price Stern Sloan]

Mr. Snow [Price Stern Sloan]

Mr. Sneeze [Price Stern Sloan]

Mr. Nosey [Price Stern Sloan]

That’s a final tally of 129 books: 28 graphic novels, 30 prose books/novellas, 71 children’s books. Pretty good for a new parent! Excited to see how year two of being a reading parent goes! Excited for ALL THE PICTURE BOOKS!!! and for when Ollie hits the age where he’s interested in children’s novels!

Observations

Naturally, lots of children’s books this year, which were a lot of fun. Probably a lot more of these over the next ten years! Going to be hitting the library a lot in 2018!

Almost all of my comic reading this year was research for podcasting, so very few new releases and a lot of older Marvel stuff. Hoping to read more new stuff in 2018!

Prose-wise, my goal was to read 50 different prose publications — the ambitious goal of a guy whose son wasn’t born yet. Things got pretty busy after Ollie arrived! I read some novellas to try and pad the number. It didn’t get me to the impossible book-a-week goal of a sleep-deprived new dad, but it got my reading some new, different stuff in a new format. Don’t sleep on short reads. I’m all about shorts now!

Once again, I read a lot of parenting books. And books with parenting themes, like Bird by Bird and Between the World and Me.

Rhyming books are the most fun children’s books to read, so Dr. Seuss was naturally my most read author with 13 books. Over 25 of the new kid’s books I read Ollie this year were rhyme-based — which is nice when you’re reading these books about 10 to 50 times over the course of the year.

Having a kid led to some more philosophical/big thinking reads like A Man Without A Country, On the Shortness of Life: Life is Long if You Know How to Use It, and again, Bird by Bird and Between the World and Me. I definitely see this trend continuing for the next few years, at least!

Similar Posts:

• My Year in Books: 2016
• My Year in Books: 2012
• My Year in Books: 2018

The post My Year in Books: 2017 first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.

This year, though, I finally made some headway as a writer.

For the first time, I was paid to write a comic. It was a work-for-hire gig for Sony to promote a new smartphone in Canada. I have no idea if it went live anywhere, but it was paid work! A small victory, but hell yes, a victory! (Shout out to Ryan Yount for the gig!) I’ve self–published a bit, but to get hired? It’s a step in the right direction!

Maybe with some cosmic momentum in my pocket after that, I got two separate pitches accepted for Kickstarter anthologies that will launch in 2018.

I’ll be writing a story about THE NEAR FUTURE and parenthood with the talented Matt Grigsby for the “Planetside Anthology.”

I’ll also be writing a story about my lifelong experience with a deadly peanut allergy and asthma for “Corpus: A Comic Anthology of Bodily Ailments.” (Update: I’ll be collaborating with dope artist Melody Often on this one!)

It’s gonna be an exciting year! Stay tuned here and on my Twitter for updates on how to support these two Kickstarter projects and more info on any new writing projects. Similar Posts:

• The Dawning of a New (Professional) Era
• My 2015
• Are you a writer, editor, or creator? Sign up for my newsletter!

The post Writing News: Winter 2017 first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.

This past year, thanks to my good friend and compatriot, the talented and extremely hard-working Josh Wigler (Listen to “First One Out,” you’ll see what I mean.), I got into podcasting. I had a blast and it was a good way to put all my nerdy hot takes to better use than simply spouting them off on Twitter at 12 a.m. Josh and I know each other from way back in our Wizard magazine days, so it was also a pleasure to get to spend so much time with an old friend who lives thousands of miles away!

We recorded eight episodes previewing, recapping, and speculating on Netflix’s “Marvel’s The Defenders.” Even if you didn’t watch the show, I think we give pretty good talk — you’ll almost certainly laugh a few times! Check out the podcasts!

MARVEL’S THE DEFENDERS | Pre-Show Podcast #1: Avengers Assemble?

Beyond The Defenders | The State of the Marvel Netflix Universe

This lead to an opportunity to chat about the new series “Star Trek: Discovery” with PostShowRecaps founder and honcho Rob Cesternino. As a die-hard Trek fan, it was a real thrill to be asked to publicly give my opinion on the newest entry in the franchise. Rob and I had a great chat! Again I say, give it a listen!

Star Trek: Discovery | S 1, Ep #5 Recap, “Choose Your Pain” with Jim Gibbons

Finally, I got to catch up with another old buddy from my Wizard magazine days, TJ Dietsch, on his podcast “Midnight Comics Book Club.” We talked about the paranoia-centric book “Deep Dark Fears,” parenthood, and worrying. Check it out!

The Midnight Comic Club – Episode 6 Jim Gibbons & Deep Dark Fears

If you enjoyed any or all of these, and I hope you did, look for updates on more podcasting in 2018 here or over on my Twitter.Similar Posts:

• Thor: The Final Frontier!
• “Lost” Comics!
• Webcomics in ‘Wizard’

The post Cast Your Pod to the Wind first appeared on Enemy of Peanuts.