Sci-fi-books-WEBAnyone else noticing what a terrific time this is for exhilarating, visionary science fiction comics and GN’S? The above photo is of a handful of trades I just scooped of my studio shelf for this photo to make the point. All are new/very recent books. Some by creators who’ve done lots of work for major publishers, some who’ve been cutting their teeth on small press or self-publishing projects. All who have been inspiring and dazzling me with their fresh, vibrant books. All who demonstrate what a wide range of approaches and stories”science fiction” can encompass.

While I’ve been shaping Trekker for a long time now, and while the series is pretty well set in its approach and tone, reading these new works and seeing how the writers and artists keep pushing to find new techniques, fresh ideas and flashes of surprise keep challenging and feeding me as I work on each new Trekker story.

When I talk to people about comic-making, I often here that familiar question, “Where do you get your ideas?” And I’ve come to answer with a very familiar equation to many of us. “Garbage in, garbage out.” If you want to write and draw well, you need feed your mind, your imagination and your skills by seeking out the good stuff. For a storyteller, hearing a good yarn-spinner, seeing a great film, reading a masterfully written short story can all help you learn how to select detail and pace a story. And reading a great comic where the words and pictures work together to create their special, magical blend to summon up a world of the possible has never been easier to do then now, when so many creators are doing such amazing, polished works.

If you like Trekker, you are going to love any of these books. Check them all out, they really deserve your support!