Sunday Thoughts

- We're getting ready to launch a really cool behind-the-scenes production blog on one of my new projects.

- I may have books tied in (vaguely) to two of next year's biggest films. Neither title has been announced yet.

- I'm just finishing up a WOLVERINE script that might be the best thing I've written. That one hasn't been announced, either.

More on all as it happens!

Iron Man: With Iron Hands trade paperback

This one slipped by me: In January, along with my one-shot special SPIDER-MAN: FEAR ITSELF, Marvel will collect my recent Iron Man storyline into the one-volume trade paperback WITH IRON HANDS. Two threats -- one from Tony Stark's past, the other stemming directly out of his present role as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. -- converge on Iron Man as he leads his elite Alpha Team on a mission to stop an Eastern European nuclear terrorist.

This will, sadly, be the final volume of DIRECTOR OF S.H.I.E.L.D. When regular writers Daniel and Charles Knauf were unable to return to the book, Marvel decided to end the title, replacing it with the upcoming WAR MACHINE book and allowing the new INVINCIBLE IRON MAN series to carry on the red and gold tradition. In any case, I loved this story -- I tried to give S.H.I.E.L.D. its own military protocols and jargon, while keeping Iron Man himself in constant motion. The way I see the character, if he's not using both his brain and his technological strength every waking moment, he gets antsy. He needs to be doing good, as he sees it...even though things don't always work out as planned.

IRON MAN: DIRECTOR OF S.H.I.E.L.D. - WITH IRON HANDS is scheduled for release the week of January 18, 2009. Here are the first two pages of the story, as published this past year in IRON MAN: DoS #29.

Some Things That Happened

• The wonderfully gracious and talented Colleen Doran notes THE NIGHTMARE FACTORY Volume 1's recent award, and says unduly nice things about me.

• The also-gracious Tim O'Shea posts an interview with me and Joe Harris about Volume 2.

• And, uh, something else nice too.

Award for Nightmare Factory Volume One

Just got the news: The first volume of THE NIGHTMARE FACTORY, published last year, just won the prestigious International Horror Guild Award for "Best Illustrated Narrative."

NIGHTMARE FACTORY is a class act. Congratulations to my talented cohorts: Colleen Doran, Ben Templesmith, Joe Harris, Michael Gaydos, Ted McKeever, and editor Heidi "My Name Is Bruce" Macdonald. UPDATE: And, of course, Fox Atomic ed-in-chief Eric Lieb, who started it all and whom I stupidly forgot earlier.

Thanks to Tim Lucas's Video Watchblog for the info, and congratulations to him for his own award.