New interview...

COMIC BOOK RESOURCES just did a really cool week long series of articles examining Iron Man and his place in the modern day Marvel Universe.
On the fifth day of the series, the article featured an in-depth interview with me and examined my take on the Armored Avenger in the upcoming IRON MAN & POWER PACK limited series.
Check out the interview (and preview art) HERE!

Where I've been... (for John)

John called last night... and mentioned that I've been slacking when it comes to keeping up my blog. And he's right. So this one is for you, Johnny...
Sadly, there isn't all that much new to report. Why not? Because I've been pretty much strapped to my desk the past few weeks. Deadlines have been crazy (and plentiful) and as soon as I finish one script, it's on to the next.
Not that I'm complaining. I'm getting some great new assignments and I couldn't be more thrilled! But the heavier workload definitely takes up a lot (ok, all) of my time!
Add to that my daily work out, eating, the Indians playoffs, and the occasional opportunity to see family or a friend, and you've got pretty much every moment of my last few weeks figured out.
So yeah, nothing too exciting, I'm afraid. Though if you'd like to imagine me off on some wild adventures, I ain't gonna stop ya...
Even with the complete lack of time (and communication), I'm doing quite well. I've got some great projects lined up at the front of the year (including one that I can't talk about yet... but is really going to rock!). And I'm hopefully going to be able to get outside and get some fresh air again in the near future... once some of these scripts are wrapped up...
But if you're reading this and you actually are one of my close friends and you actually do care, give me a call. Break up my day. Try to force me into leaving my office for a few hours. I'd really appreciate it... because if you don't drag me out now and then, I'm probably just going to stay here writing for 18 hours a day. And that would be sad...
Okay... that's it! Consider yourself updated. I'll try to do this more often...

Coming in January...

Shameless self promotion time again!

IRON MAN & POWER PACK #3
Written by MARC SUMERAK
Art by MARCELO DiCHIARA
Cover by GURIHIRU

Someone is using stolen Stark Industries technology to take control of Marvel's most high-tech heroes and villains. Sounds like the perfect time for Power Pack to attend an exhibit of old Iron Man armor! Nothing could possibly go wrong there... right? Part 1 of 2.

MARVEL ADVENTURES: AVENGERS #20
Written by MARC SUMERAK
Art by IG GUARA
Cover by LEONARD KIRK

The arrival of Ant-Man! Hank Pym has gone missing from his lab at Van Dyne Industries, and it's up to his most famous experiment -- the gorgeous Giant-Girl -- to track him down. But when Giant-Girl finds herself stuck in the middle of a very bizarre love triangle, it's time for the world's tiniest super hero makes his diminutive debut! Will he be able to prove that size doesn't really matter?

HULK: THE END Premiere Hardcover
Written by PETER DAVID
Art & Cover by DALE KEOWN & GEORGE PEREZ

Chronicling the final days of the Green Goliath! Peter David and Dale Keown, creative team on some of the Hulk's most memorable tales, reunite to produce this searing vision of the future in which Bruce Banner, the Incredible Hulk, is the last man on Earth. It's the Hulk's final battle, as "The Last Titan" wrestles his inner-demons in order to discover his place in a dying world -- if only he can survive! Plus: The testing of the first Gamma Bomb thrust upon Robert Bruce Banner led to what he would come to believe would be his greatest nightmare: his unwilling transformation into the Incredible Hulk. He believed wrong. Now, having been dragged into the future -- into a post-holocaust, dystopian world -- Bruce Banner discovers that his nightmare has a whole new name: the Maestro. This is a nightmare that only Hulk can end; for he knows that he himself is responsible for the presence of the evil Maestro. The future, our future, and the Incredible Hulk will never quite be the same. And neither will you.
This premiere hardcover collection reprints HULK: THE END, on which Sumerak originally served as Assistant Editor!
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Werewolf Bar Mitzvah

This may be the funniest thing ever...
Thank you, Tina Fey & Tracy Morgan...

GO TRIBE!

Great work, boys.
Time to do the same to Boston on Friday...

Mystery Project #1

Okay, so I'm at a point where I can finally mention the first mystery project that I've alluded to in recent posts (even if I can't give too many specifics yet)!
Starting in January, I'll be writing a four-issue arc on MARVEL ADVENTURES: AVENGERS!
This is a really exciting gig for me, since AVENGERS is the book that started my comic book career (as an intern, as a writer and as an editor)! It's so nice to be back home...
More details will be revealed as soon as solicitations for Marvel's January 2008 books are released next week. 'Til then...
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!
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Website update...

How did I spend my weekend (other than hagning out with my brother and watching Indians games)?
You guessed it! I revamped the flow of my website!
(Honestly, you probably didn't guess it... because most sane people actually stop working during their free time...)
Still, I've really streamlined the site. I've added new character-based pages to help make navigation easier. So all of my books featuring Spider-Man are now conveniently grouped together (and the same goes for the Avengers, the FF and more).
I've also added a "Collected Editions" page to showcase all of my various digests, hardcovers, etc.... and a "Custom Comics" page to show off the bizarre work I've done for clients like Tyson Foods and Pepperidge Farm!
Check it out at www.sumerak.com and let me know what you think!
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Looking ahead...

This is the first Monday morning in a while that I haven't had every moment of my week already mapped out for me.
In the past two weeks, I've written two full scripts, finished a few random small projects on my plate and started plotting out an upcoming top-secret gig.
Looking back, the past few months have been just as busy. I've been writing non-stop with barely no time at all to breathe between scripts... and I like it that way! I'm honestly quite amazed by the volume and consistency of my output. It's felt great to finally hit my stride again!
Back to now. I'm actually ahead of schedule with all of my writing... and so my week is starting without any set schedule or looming deadline. Weird.
I expect that to change very soon. Once I get notes back on any of the aforementioned scripts or plots, I'll have to jump on corrections lightning quick. And if my plots get approved for the new assignment, I'll have to start writing my first script immediately. Plus, I can start planning the next issues of a few of my current projects if I don't have anything else to do.
So yeah... it won't last long. But it is nice to wake up on a Monday and not immediately wish it was Friday already!
Enjoy it while it lasts, kid...
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Just one game...

Last night's Indians game was a real heartbreaker. A promising start quickly gave way to some rookie mistakes and some poor pitching. And in Yankees Stadium, there's no room for error.
I'm not going to complain about individual players because I hate when people bitch about me and my work on-line. Seriously. These guys were just trying to do their job and had a rough night. It happens.
But it better not happen again...!
We're still ahead in the series 2-1. We still have a chance to win it all tonight. And if we don't win it tonight, we can come back home and win it on Wednesday. The odds are still in our favor. Don't forget that (I'm looking at you, TV commentators).
Anyway, if you need to find me tonight, I'll be glued to the TV watching the Tribe finish the series and send the Yankees on a well deserved post-season vacation.
Good luck, boys. I still believe...

Halo 3?

So... now that I've finished some of my work, who thinks I should reward myself and buy Halo 3?
(I'm looking in your directions, Scott & Jeremy...)

NEXT!

Got my script done this morning, as I originally hoped (hooray!)... but it doesn't look like a day off is anywhere in my future!
I've got another new project in the works (yes, a second one I can't talk about yet), and I found out this morning that I've got to get some preliminary issue breakdowns turned in to my editors by Friday.
To be honest though, I'm cool with it. I'd rather have a lot of work on my plate than none. And I seem to be in a very good creative headspace these days. I've been thrilled with my output of late (at least in terms of quantity... I'll let others judge the quality). Just gotta keep rolling at this pace and all will be well!
I am going to take a little break from writing this afternoon, though. I've got a 2:00 conference call with a magazine that is doing an article about me. Then I have to take a trip to the comic shop to pick up my new books... and some research material for this new project.
Then it's back to writing until the weekend finally arrives!
At least my sinuses are starting to clear up...
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Monday morning update...

This place sure has been quiet lately. But it's been for good reason.
I spent all of last week working on a new script. Got it done by the end of the week and turned it in. This was a script that I had to put on the back burner for a while because another mystery project popped up that took first priority in terms of scheduling. This original project's first issue was written and approved months ago, so I was a bit nervous jumping back onto the series after a long pause... but I'm actually very happy with how the final script for this new issue ended up! (Hopefully my editors feel the same way!)
This weekend, I spoke about my work at a college in southern Ohio and did a book signing at their campus bookstore. 6 hours of driving in one day is no fun, but it was a good experience overall.
And now that the new week is here, I'm jumping right into the next script. Yep, I've got another one due this week (for the aforementioned mystery project)... and if all goes well, I'm trying to get it wrapped up by Wednesday so I can actually take a day off and do something for myself on Thursday (since I didn't really get to have any time off this weekend). Don't know if it will happen, but I sure as heck am gonna try!
So, when all is said and done, I will have produced about 45 pages of new material in 10 days. Yikes! When I say it like that, it seems nearly impossible! But I think I can do it...
Wish me luck...
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