Brandon Thomas never meant to be gone so long. After a tumultuous 2006 (both personally and professionally) he did the one thing that always seemed impossible: he stopped writing. For nearly three months, he wrote almost nothing of significance, marking the first time in over seven years that writing wasn't his main focus in life. Since then a few important things have happened: he and artist Lee Ferguson have signed The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury to be published in early 2008, he sold his first script to DC Comics (Robin #167), and he's added someone special into his life that makes it immensely more enjoyable.
This will be the last installment of Ambidextrous on SBC…
Since the summer of 2001, this site has been kind enough to let me publish 235 columns and before turning out the lights one last time, there are a few things I should say.
Most importantly, and with as much sincerity as I can possibly muster…thank you. To all of the people that have made it possible (and enjoyable) to do the column for this long. Without your support, there is no question that I would’ve burnt out years ago, long before accomplishing any of the lofty goals I set for myself. Goals that have been met, redefined, and reexamined several times over the years, all while preserving the original mission statement---telling the story of an aspiring writer hoping to become a professional one, hesitant as I am to use that word.
Nearly every facet of my life has undergone some manner of change and evolution during the last six years, but this forum has remained a constant throughout. It’s taught me invaluable lessons about the actual craft of writing, the need to persist when everything you’re seeing and feeling is telling you to quit, and that patience is one of the most important things you’ll need to maintain focus. Without this column, there is no question that I wouldn’t be writing comics at this point and for that I’ll always be incredibly grateful to a large number of people, yourself certainly included. My best friend was just telling me how appropriate it was that my last full column was the commentary on my Robin issue, and that this little epilogue contains the ending/announcement that’s the culmination of over two years of work. Stranger than fiction, indeed.
But to all the readers, creators, editors, friends, and haters that have given me fodder for over 200 installments---thanks again. I leave you with two solicits from the new issue of PREVIEWS that I hope you’ll be very interested in, as well as a link to what I’m sure will be the first in a series of interviews about a project I’d love you to pick up in the coming year.
From DC Comics-
ROBIN: THE BIG LEAGUES TP Written by Brandon Thomas and Adam Beechen Art by Freddie Williams II Cover by Patrick Gleason & Wayne Faucher
Collecting ROBIN #163-167! Robin goes solo to battle a group of villains who take an entire hospital ward hostage. The only problem is that the gang is led by his former friend Dodge. Can Tim save the day and turn his friend from the dark side? Advance-solicited; on sale March 12 • 128 pg, FC, $12.99 US
From Archaia Studios Press-
THE MANY ADVENTURES OF MIRANDA MERCURY #295 by Brandon Thomas & Lee Ferguson
Now available in this dimension, leading directly into the oversized, monumental 300th anniversary issue! In less than one year, a lifetime of heroism will come to a premature end; Miranda Mercury, the greatest adventurer in this or any other galaxy, will die. Her greatest adversary, Cyrus Vega, will succeed in causing her death where so many others have failed. So why have Miranda and her partner Jack Warning gone through so much trouble to secure the legendary Riddle of Rebel Ronin? It might have something to do with extra-dimensional terrorists and the secret auction of the Eighth Day. Or it just might be that Jack knows something he isn’t supposed to. Something that will change their relationship forever and endanger the legacy Miranda hopes to leave behind. Everything changes from this point forward — and in the next issue, it all changes again!
Ya’ll be good to each other and keep your eyes peeled for Ambidextrous’ imminent return, in a slightly different form and in a slightly different home than the one we’ve all grown accustomed to. But it’s all good and it’s all surprising (to me, anyway) and I hope that you’ll join me. Until then.
