>Times right now are about as senseless as have ever been seen in our
>lifetimes or our parents' lifetimes. People are scared - scared of
>war, scared of the economy collapsing, of losing their way of life.
>More than any other time than we've seen, people in this country need
>hope, and I believe that this is the time for artists - composers,
>painters, poets, novelists, singers and actors, and yes, film
>television creators as well, etc. - to step up to the plate and give
>that to them. This is an opportunity to make a difference and shine
>light where it is needed. I'm not talking jingoistic, blind
>patriotism; I'm simply talking about lifting people's spirits in a
>time of need. Does this make any sense?
>

Here's where we discover that I have a black transmutational aura that turns
whatever weird shit is around me into something substantial.

Ever since the events surrounding the WTC, I have said little because, as noted
in response to another note, I simply didn't have the words and didn't know
where to look for them. And consequently declined invitations to make a
statement, on the further grounds that I'm not qualified.

Here's where life just nails you.

I got an email from Marvel, who felt that in at least one of their books they
needed to really address the issue of what happened at the WTC. Their feeling
was that the one character best suited to this was Spider-Man because after
all, he's a native New Yorker.

So they asked me to write it. Unsure if I had the wherewithal necessary to
pull it off without embarrassing myself or trivializing the situation through
any inadequacies on my part, I asked for 24 hours to think it over. Figured
I'd probably pass, since I just didn't know how I could handle it in a comic
book format.

Somewhere along the way that night, I found the words...and 24 hours after my
email, I sent in the script.

I think it says what needs to be said.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2001 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)

>Times right now are about as senseless as have ever been seen in our
>lifetimes or our parents' lifetimes. People are scared - scared of
>war, scared of the economy collapsing, of losing their way of life.
>More than any other time than we've seen, people in this country need
>hope, and I believe that this is the time for artists - composers,
>painters, poets, novelists, singers and actors, and yes, film
>television creators as well, etc. - to step up to the plate and give
>that to them. This is an opportunity to make a difference and shine
>light where it is needed. I'm not talking jingoistic, blind
>patriotism; I'm simply talking about lifting people's spirits in a
>time of need. Does this make any sense?
>

Here's where we discover that I have a black transmutational aura that turns
whatever weird shit is around me into something substantial.

Ever since the events surrounding the WTC, I have said little because, as noted
in response to another note, I simply didn't have the words and didn't know
where to look for them. And consequently declined invitations to make a
statement, on the further grounds that I'm not qualified.

Here's where life just nails you.

I got an email from Marvel, who felt that in at least one of their books they
needed to really address the issue of what happened at the WTC. Their feeling
was that the one character best suited to this was Spider-Man because after
all, he's a native New Yorker.

So they asked me to write it. Unsure if I had the wherewithal necessary to
pull it off without embarrassing myself or trivializing the situation through
any inadequacies on my part, I asked for 24 hours to think it over. Figured
I'd probably pass, since I just didn't know how I could handle it in a comic
book format.

Somewhere along the way that night, I found the words...and 24 hours after my
email, I sent in the script.

I think it says what needs to be said.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2001 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)

>Any idea what issue it will be in? I'd like to pre-order it, from somewhere
>(I have no idea where, right now, because I haven't collected comics for a
>long time.).

It will be issue 36. The whole thing is one lengthy meditation on the tragedy.

35 has been ready for some time, I think it just got caught up in the whole WTC
situation.

As for the comics in general I'm doing, there was a hiccup of some time on the
Joe's Comics line due to the massive amount of work involved in launching
Jeremiah. Some days I'm literally on the set and in the office for 24 hours in
a row. Once the series is up and running, and we're into a natural flow of
things, this will change. I was only about 4 days late in delivering the
script for ASM 35 even with all that, so I think keeping it going on schedule
won't be that much of a problem.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2001 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)

>Any idea what issue it will be in? I'd like to pre-order it, from somewhere
>(I have no idea where, right now, because I haven't collected comics for a
>long time.).

It will be issue 36. The whole thing is one lengthy meditation on the tragedy.

35 has been ready for some time, I think it just got caught up in the whole WTC
situation.

As for the comics in general I'm doing, there was a hiccup of some time on the
Joe's Comics line due to the massive amount of work involved in launching
Jeremiah. Some days I'm literally on the set and in the office for 24 hours in
a row. Once the series is up and running, and we're into a natural flow of
things, this will change. I was only about 4 days late in delivering the
script for ASM 35 even with all that, so I think keeping it going on schedule
won't be that much of a problem.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2001 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)

>Would it be safe to say that you feel that your writing is better when
>"spoken
>by others" rather than by yourself?

In this case, yeah, because in truth I didn't find the words, the words found
me. I don't quite know where they came from. It's something that used to
happen on B5 from time to time...it's like this door inside my head, and the
wider it opens, the truer the words. And the door opened all the way on this
one. It literally just tumbled out and onto the page. No revisions, no second
thoughts, just...there. When this sort of thing happens it's as if it has
nothing to do with me, I'm just sorta there when the door opens.

I donated the writing fee from this issue to the NY Fireman's emergency fund,
and suggested that all profits from this issue also be donated (this in
addition to the huge amount that Marvel is already donating to the various
funds trying to help those in need.) So if you pick up this issue, know that
the money is going to the right places.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2001 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)

>Would it be safe to say that you feel that your writing is better when
>"spoken
>by others" rather than by yourself?

In this case, yeah, because in truth I didn't find the words, the words found
me. I don't quite know where they came from. It's something that used to
happen on B5 from time to time...it's like this door inside my head, and the
wider it opens, the truer the words. And the door opened all the way on this
one. It literally just tumbled out and onto the page. No revisions, no second
thoughts, just...there. When this sort of thing happens it's as if it has
nothing to do with me, I'm just sorta there when the door opens.

I donated the writing fee from this issue to the NY Fireman's emergency fund,
and suggested that all profits from this issue also be donated (this in
addition to the huge amount that Marvel is already donating to the various
funds trying to help those in need.) So if you pick up this issue, know that
the money is going to the right places.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2001 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)

>You don't giggle like Mozart did, do you?

Put that feather down right NOW mister.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2001 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)

>You don't giggle like Mozart did, do you?

Put that feather down right NOW mister.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2001 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)