You'd figure something called "the Seinfeldian Chain" would relate to how to integrate completely unrelated plotlines all into a single comic payoff. In fact, it's a pretty simple organizing trick to help writers write, artists draw, and bloggers blog — as described here on LifeHacker. It's all about inertia — the object in motion tending to stay in motion.

Born and raised a journalist, deadlines have always tended to be my major motivating factor. But since going fully freelance, I've begun to use something like the Chain on my own calendar to manage multiple projects at once, so everything doesn't pile up and I get something done on each pending assignment each day. I'm still tinkering with it, but the goal is not to have to rely on the Dreaded Deadline Doom for anything more than ulcers. Maybe it'll result in me blogging more frequently, who knows...

Thanks to Cat's blog for the link — check out her useful advice for gamers!

Wizard Entertainment has announced that Inquest Gamer magazine (originally named Inquest) has been cancelled as of the September issue.

As editor of Scrye and later editorial director overseeing the gaming magazines at F&W,  Inquest was the magazine's major competitor — and, as such, we paid a good deal of attention to it. There was of course some back-and-forth as you might expect in a highly competitive business, but we also came to respect the work each other did. I recall a trade show right after we released the first giant Scrye CCG book  in which one of their editors came over to praise the effort in a "wish we'd done this" moment — and I should say there were moments looking at their mag when we thought the same. There was a lot of talent there, and I'm hopeful it won't be lost to the industry.

I didn't know an official announcement had been made about the following when I was already being asked about it, but I understand now from my editors at Dark Horse that Lucasfilm's Jonathan Rinzler announced it at their panel at San Diego. Anyway, I am cleared by my publisher to confirm that, yes, I'm writing the comics adaptation of the fourth Indiana Jones film, releasing next year.

And that's about all I can say, beyond confirming that, yes, they're making a movie and, yes, we're making comics — so please don't ask! Please visit Dark Horse for further information about the comics; their initial press release is here.

As for myself, I can say that I'm continuing to write Knights of the Old Republic each month, so nothing changes there.

And I can also add that this is a great honor — speaking as someone who not only adored the original films, but snarfed up all the old comics off the rack. I still have a spare unopened polybag with Raiders #1-3 (wonder what that's worth?) — and I remember one of the earliest things I bought at a comics shop nearly 25 years ago (was it that long?) was the first issue of John Byrne and Terry Austin's Further Adventures of Indiana Jones, a series I followed faithfully thereafter. Readers of my CBG column may recall that the one sad attempt I ever made at costuming at a convention was none other than the Professor — evidently, the hat alone is not enough — and I even still have my copy of the old TSR role-playing game!

So add that to your shopping list. It'll be fun!

And Knights of the Old Republic #19 hits the shelves today -- for real, this time! Lots of surprises this issue as all the pieces for "Daze of Hate" move into place.

I haven't had time to work up preview pages for them here yet, but Dark Horse has announced my Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Handbook for November 7 -- as well as #23 of the regular series, shipping November 28.

The handbook is something I've been working on for a long time -- should be interesting reading, whether you're new to the series or not. More on these later!

And Chicago Con is in the books. This is the last one they're having in August -- next year they're going to the last weekend in June, which may make it easier for people to get there. The gamers (like me) have trouble doing this and Gen Con, which is usually the week after -- and of course the comics folk (also like me) are usually dead from San Diego in late July. So June seems like a good compromise move for everyone.

I did signings at the Dark Horse booth -- thanks, guys, for the hospitality -- and got to hang out with friends old and new. I chatted with Jim Johnson, Bill Baker, Mark Sparacio, John Kovalic, and Paul Storrie, among many others -- and this time I met Michael Golden, Jim Calafiore, and Alex Saviuk (the latter who accompanied Jim, Mark, and I on the trip to Fado's Pub downtown, below -- a trip that the Chicago Transit Authority seemed never to want to let end.)

David Campiti was there, whose Glass House Graphics has brought us the art of Knights #17-20, through Harvey Tolibao and Bong Dazo. And Jim Pavelec had his new art book, Hell Beasts, from  Impact.

I also finally met Mark McKenna, who got us out of a jam years ago by inking Crimson Dynamo #3 on a tight deadline!

Oh, yeah -- photos. Revan dropped by the Dark Horse booth to get ready for his close-up...

Then there's the crowd from Fajo's. That's Saviuk on the far right, Sparacio at center, and me and Jim Johnson to either side.



Sparacio, below, you may know from his comics work or from his many covers for Comics Buyer's Guide. Whose editor, Maggie Thompson, I drove to and from the show, now that I mention it. Mark shows off a Black Cat sketch he did, below...

It's here... Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #18, with its long-awaited (a little longer-awaited than planned -- sorry!) secrets about Camper's past and Adasca's plans. What are Jarael and Rohlan going to do about it -- and who else may soon be joining the party? 

Apologies for the lapse in postings these last few weeks, but I haven't been here. I had a number of appointments around the country -- and being out of the nine-to-five grind for the first time since college, I decided to put some miles on the car.

It was my first fully cross-country driving trip (at least that I remember; I am told the family drove to California back when I was, to use Neil Gaiman's line, still "gainfully employed as a fetus"). With the craziness in the airports and so many stops to make, it seemed like the thing to do... and it turned out to be a lot of fun, with no unexpected mishaps. Engine temp never moved a hair off cool even in the 104-degree weather Montana had (thank you, General Motors) -- even as I saw helicopters going over the interstate carrying water to forest fires! (Cue up the Lindsey Buckingham -- some images from the road, now...)

There were a number of stops, including Portland, where I visited with Dustin Weaver and my editors at Dark Horse. Actually getting to walk through a script in person with Dustin was new for us both -- I'll be interested to see how that issue differs from the others. Reminds me of the days when the writers and the artists were in the same room. Yes, we can ask questions on the phone or online, but nothing beats actually saying, "y'see, Zayne should be going like this when he says this!"

Pleasure stops included the Black Hills of South Dakota, before they caught fire. I liked Deadwood a lot -- played cards a bit in Saloon No. 10, where my luck was only marginally better than that of Wild Bill. Also checked out the Midnight Star, the saloon Kevin Costner owns, which is full of his own memorabilia.

And later in Oregon I caught up with a friend from high school who's helping to run a golf course -- my first golfing experience that wasn't on a driving range or a course with windmills. I did about as expected, and it only got worse. "No, that doesn't say 25 on the front nine. That says 25 on the ninth hole!"

Anyway. I'm beginning to get back into the swing of things here, and things should be clicking smoothly again soon. To the best of my knowledge Knights #18 will be out on Wednesday -- I already have my sample copy -- and I should be able to post about that and get some other updates online soon. Tally-ho...

OK, there have been interviews before Star Wars Celebration and interviews at Star Wars Celebration: Now, here's an interview about Star Wars Celebration at the Scoop.

Also, the preview for #21 is now up. Check it out...

I wouldn't say I'm a huge Sopranos fan — I don't own the DVDs, the Matchbox Car Tony Soprano SUV or the trading cards. But I have seen every episode and have tried to catch every one in first run, so I guess I'm in the "loyal viewer" category.

Once I'd had a while to let the series finale sink in, it occured to me that it recalled a debate that had just been going on on the Dark Horse boards about the choices facing comics fans — buy the monthlies, wait for the trade paperback, or buy them both. Now, I've written about this many times in my Comics Buyer's Guide column  (and, boy, do I need to update that section on the site) and elsewhere, but it occured to me that it had special meaning for the show's finale.

In effect: If you're just watching regularly like me and don't have the DVD set (and of course, no one has the DVD set of this season yet — unless they recorded it themselves), there's a good chance you didn't remember the single line that makes sense out of the ending. Well, at least I didn't recall Bobby Bacala's "it all goes black" speech — but that seems to be the key.

Which brought to mind that, just as much as some comics writers tend to "write for the trade," presenting stories that improve dramatically when read in one sitting — this finale, anyway, was for the DVD owners. Especially if some of the wilder theories out there are true, about this character or that one entering the restaurant at the end being from Season 1 or wherever.

The DVD revolution makes that kind of storytelling possible, I suppose — and I guess, when I think about it, knowing that the comics I write will be available in collected editions makes me a little bolder about nesting story points further in what will be the past once they're resolved. Interesting comparison, I think. (But I won't be doing any cut-to-darkness panel at the end of the series!)

About that ending? After it sank in, I thought it was interesting — though, like everyone else, at the time, I was sure my satellite dish had screwed up. To be honest, I think I preferred the effect when it was done in one of my favorite films, Before Sunset, where the movie (Moderate Spoiler Warning) hit a moment about an hour in where you went, "OK, this would be a great place to end it — but we're only an hour in, so clearly something's going to happen in the fourth reel to screw it all up."

And then suddenly it went to black and ran the titles — there was no fourth reel! There were gasps of surprise from the audience in the theater I was at — including a yelp of glee from myself. We'd all been manipulated based on our presumptions of how long a film was supposed to run — such that the ending had a lot more impact than it otherwise might have. But I guess you can do that in independent movies!

No contest here for favorite last TV show episode, of course — that still belongs to Newhart...

And yet, twice as filling! Yes, there was a Knights of the Old Republic issue out this week, on top of everything else. Jarael, Camper, and Rohlan find themselves "guests" aboard the Arkanian Legacy — a place that looks the Los Angeles Convention Center look puny. Good thing these sets don't cost anything to build! And what more can go wrong for Zayne, locked in prison? How about Mandalorians trying to blow the prison up? Yeah, that'll work!