Nick Sagan Online

Enjoying The Moment

Had a great birthday.  Celebrated with family and friends, and signed copies of Shrapnel: Arestia Rising over at Comics for Collectors.  Met fans of Shrapnel, fans of my Idlewild trilogy and fans of the Star Trek episodes I worked on.  A really good time.  Felt very fortunate and enjoyed a sense of relative harmony with the universe.   Existence and consciousness too often go taken for granted, but right now I'm feeling deeply appreciative. 

Don't always feel that way, of course.  Some days I'm down.  Frustrated with the world or with myself.  But it's been pretty decent lately, these past nine days since my birthday. 

Hope you're doing well, too.  How are things?

Len Wiseman to direct Shrapnel

Radical Publishing is proud to announce that Len Wiseman, director of Live Free or Die Hard and co-creator, director and producer of the Underworld franchise has signed on to develop and direct the motion picture adaption of Radical Publishing’s Shrapnel.

 

Co-created by Zombie Studios’ CEO Mark Long and science fiction novelist Nick Sagan, Shrapnel is an epic 3-part miniseries that unfolds in a dystopian future in which imperialism has laid siege to the Solar System and Venus stands as the last free colony of humanity. Caught in the middle of this interplanetary war is Vijaya “Sam” Narayan, a soldier in self-imposed exile recovering from her service in the military. When the battle once again crashes into Sam’s life, she must choose to either remain on the sidelines and watch a colony’s destruction, or risk her physical and psychological well-being to intervene. The first story arc revolves around Venus, while the second arc rages across Mars and the final climax carries over onto Earth itself. 

 

“I’m really drawn to the reluctant-hero story.” said Wiseman, who noted that the last hero he directed, John McClaine in Live Free or Die Hard, fit that archetypal mold.

 

“Shrapnel is a story about making choices and rising to the occasion.” stated Radical’s President and Publisher Barry Levine. “I enjoyed it so much that I made this Radical’s biggest commitment to date. Len was my top choice for adapting this perfect balance of action and drama and I’m glad to have him on board.”

 

Developed as a live action film with possible 3-D approach, Shrapnel will be produced by Barry Levine, Len Wiseman and Mark Gordon with Radical’s Executive Vice-President Jesse Berger, Mark Long and Josh McLaughlin of Gordon Co. attached as executive producers. A video game version of Shrapnel, developed by Zombie Studios, is set for release in the near future.

 

Shrapnel: Aristeia Rising Trade Paperback, which collects the first miniseries of the Shrapnel universe, goes on sale August 19th.

Very excited about this.  And so proud of the team that's worked so hard to bring us to this point.

Shrapnel Signing

From left to right: me, Mark Long and Zack Sherman.

San Diego Comic-Con

Don't hold me to this, but I think it's possible I let this whole blogging thing get away from me for a day or two.  And by "a day or two," I might just mean seven months.  Yeesh. 

So how's 2009 been treating you?

Over here, it's been a blur of writing and moving and dodging wild animals that appear out of nowhere and more about all that in the days ahead, but first I'd like to invite those of you who are attending Comic-Con this year to come swing by and say hello! 

Two signings are set for Team Shrapnel: Arestia Rising.  Thursday from 5-6 pm is the first and then it's Sunday from 12:30-1:30 pm.  I'll be the one there who isn't Mark Long, Zack Sherman or Tae Young Choi. 

You can also find me, Mark and Zack taking part in the Radical Publishing Creators Panel (hosted by Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News) Friday from 12-1 pm in Room 4. 

Should be a lot of fun.  Hope to see you there.

Shrapnel

Sadly, I won't be attending Comic-Con this year, but my friend Mark Long of Zombie Studios will.  He'll be unveiling Shrapnel, a brand new graphic novel, the first in a "solar war" trilogy set on Venus, the Jovian moons, Mars and finally Earth itself.  Shrapnel was scripted by another friend of mine, the talented comic writer M. Zachary Sherman, with the story a collaboration between Mark, Zack and myself.  Radical Comics is publishing it, and you'll be able to find it in stores later this year.

Here's the plot:

Shrapnel focuses on a future where humanity has reached out and colonized the Solar System and a Solar Alliance governs the planets similarly to the way ancient Rome dominated over their territories.  Venus, the last free colony in the system, must do what it can to battle the domineering Marine forces of the Alliance in order to remain sovereign.  Unbeknownst to the Marines, or even the Colonists themselves, one of the Alliance’s greatest heroes has exiled herself on the lost planet, hoping to escape the life she once knew as a soldier.  Now, pulled back into the fold, she must teach the Colonists how to fight for their freedom, and come to terms with her own past.

Shrapnel is a fun project--I've been having a great time working with Mark and Zack.  And the art's looking very cool, featuring legendary visual futurist Syd Mead's amazing mecha designs.