Hard Time: Season 2 – A Few Quick Notes
Some days you go with the flow, some days the flow eats you.
Or something like that.
Thursday was an “eats you” day. I won’t dwell on it.
As promised, some information on *Hard Time: Season 2*:
First of all, yes, there definitely will be a Season 2. *Hard Time* is the lone survivor of the DC Fccus imprint.
We’ve been “picked up,” as they say in television, for twelve more issues. The contracts have been signed. The first two scripts have been written. We’re working on the third. Artist **Brian Hurtt** — who draws *much* too fast, damn him — is well into the pencils for #2.
Note that I said “we’re” working on the third issue. The “we” is myself and **Mary Skrenes**, who contributed mightily to the writing of the first twelve issues but who, for contractual reasons, couldn’t be credited for her work. That’s changed as of Season 2. Mary will at last receive the co-writing credit she deserves.
Mary’s name may be familiar to some of you. She and I created and wrote *Omega the Unknown* for Marvel Comics a few decades ago. That series has never been reprinted, unfortunately, but I hear it’s become a cult hit as an illegal Internet download.
Note also that I said Brian Hurtt was working on the *pencils* for #2. Brian, who both pencilled and inked issues 1-10 of the first series, has chosen to turn the inking over to Steve Bird. Steve inked the final issue of the first series.
Some other changes:
The Focus imprint and cover design are gone as of Season 2. *Hard Time* will be published under the unfocused DC bullet.
And we’re changing the balloon font. The uppercase/lowercase lettering was an interesting experiment, but we all concluded that the traditional all-uppercase comic book lettering is simply more attractive and easier to read.
There’s much more to tell you about Season 2, of course, but the third-issue script won’t get written if I don’t get some sleep.
More to follow.
April 15th, 2005 at 8:11 AM
“Thursday was an “eats you” day. I won’t dwell on it.”
Oh, Steve… please dwell on it….
Nobody else dwells quite like you!
April 15th, 2005 at 8:21 AM
I’m looking forward to Hard Time v2. I’ve picked up the first collection and will definitely be getting the second when it is published. I’ll be picking up the issues of v2 when they come out. When publishers give good series a second chance despite low sales, I want to reward them for that (see also Runaways, She-Hulk, Sleeper).
April 15th, 2005 at 1:01 PM
When you make a comment about the flow eating you, I’m inclined to shiver. I’ve rarely known anyone as illustrative of the Chinese curse “may you live an interesting life” as you. Still, Gordon’s got a point. You’re so entertaining about it.
I’m not sorry to see the end up upper and lower-case lettering in Hard Time. Call me an old fart, but I like the old all-upper-case, hand-lettered fonts. It’s probably just what I’m used to. When I see upper- and lower-case fonts in a comic, I never quite fall into the experience of reading. I’m always very aware of the font differences.
And it’s good to see you working with Mary Skrenes, too. I always loved Omega. It was right next to Guardians of the Galaxy in my list of “Weird Gerber Stories.”
So how’s your mom, Ed?
April 16th, 2005 at 10:52 AM
Great, great news. I’m glad for you and Mary and Brian, and I’m glad for those of us who get to read it. I’m just glad.
(I’ve got a legal eBay purchase of Omega the Unknown but I’ve yet to read it all. I ought to do that.)
April 19th, 2005 at 2:07 PM
Looking forward to v.2. Good news that the Focus imprint is gone — I’m sure that scared people off. Although I did love that Focus cover design.
–Alex
April 19th, 2005 at 3:02 PM
Under the DC bullet, huh? Seems weird that they wouldn’t let you into the Vertigo clubhouse (assuming you actually wanted in, but it seems the subject matter would be a better fit for Vertigo as opposed to undifferentiated DC). Either way, I’m glad to hear about more Hard Time ‘a comin’.
Now if only Marvel would reprint your FOOLKILLER mini so it could actually sit on my bookshelf and not in a magazine file. I know. Don’t hold my breath.
May 2nd, 2005 at 1:37 PM
Yes! Yes, yes, yes! I’m so excited hear this! I was worrying that this too was going to be axed. I’ll be waiting on pins and needles…
May 8th, 2005 at 10:24 PM
Yuhooo! I cant wait to get a copy of the second season of Hard Time. Hey, when will it be released?
May 9th, 2005 at 6:51 PM
Can’t wait on V.2 the first one was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!