I’ve recently made the acquaintance of one Howard Wong, up-and-coming writer of the newest title from Shadowline/Image, After The Cape. This is Howard’s first-ever book, so it’s both an exciting time for him and a great opportunity for all of us to learn a little bit more about how he got here.

After The Cape hit the stands yesterday, March 14, so if you didn’t already pre-order it, hit up your loving LCS to put in a reorder for you.

Oh, you want to know what it’s about before you up and buy it? That’s cool. Here’s a little snippet from the official Shadowline press release:

Ethan Falls was the man who had everything: family, fame, success and super powers. More than just a costume, his cape was a proud symbol of everything he had become. Now, a crippling addiction has taken that and everything else away from him and he's spiraling out of control, towards a life of crime. Shadowline proudly presents Howard Wong and Marco Rudy's gripping tale of addiction and temptation in AFTER THE CAPE, a three-issue miniseries debuting this March from Image Comics.

And now, without further ado, here’s Howard (with a special guest appearance from Shadowline’s editor extraordinaire, Kristen Simon)!

1. Can you talk a little about the genesis of After The Cape: when and how you got started trying to bring this idea to life?

Howard Wong: It started with a talk I had with my wife about her lack of interest in the superhero genre, which lead to asking questions about how a superhero would really fare in real life situations amongst their heroic deeds. I played with the idea and took away some common superhero safety nets, if you will (not rich or funded, no butler or other aids, etc.).

2. I know you had some less-than-stellar experiences with artists early on. Can you talk a little about that, and share with our readers any lessons you may have learned from those experiences?

Howard Wong: It's nothing new to find people who aren't ready for the kind of commitment in putting a submission together, or long hours working on a book. I went through a few artists when I was putting the submission together for After the Cape. Some decided to drop out, others simply disappeared all together if you can believe it. It can become frustrating seeking an artist if you let it get to you. There are all kinds of artists out there, as there are artistic styles. You just have to keep seeking one that fits your story and one you feel comfortable working with. To me, I like to work with people who are sincerely excited and interested in the concept/story, open to communication and critiques, but commitment is a key thing. It's easy to get excited during the courting period, but when you get into the thick of things, that's when you know if it's going to work out or not.


3. How did you wind up getting Kristen Simon of Shadowline/Image to look at your After The Cape script in progress, and what kind of feedback did you receive from her?

Howard Wong: It actually relates to your previous question. I was having self-doubts about After the Cape and asked Kris to take a gander at some scripted pages. She gave me very useful critiques and assurance that I had something there. 


3K (for Kris): Can you talk a little about those first After The Cape script pages that Howard sent you, and what it was that made you want to see more?

Kristen Simon: I saw that Howard had a real good concept, but had trouble executing it.  And I don't think I can consider it in terms of wanting to see more... Howard had hired me to help him with his proposal, which was 5 pages.  So while I obviously thought it was a good concept that was worth seeing fully developed, seeing more of it wasn't really an option unless it was accepted for publication.  And that was my goal, to get it accepted for publication!

4. How did you get hooked up with artist Marco Rudy?

Howard Wong: Marco answered an online ad I had. He was insightful and sincerely excited about After the Cape's concept. He was very open to critiques and communicated constantly, which helped bring the vision for After the Cape. He also understood that there will be lots of work to build a submission and if it gets accepted, a whole lot more. 


5. What happened after getting that initial feedback from Kris, and how did you get from there to the email from Shadowline founder Jim Valentino in which he (presumably) gave After The Cape the greenlight?

Howard Wong: I hired Kris to help edit the submission, where I learned a great deal. It was in the midst of being polished when she told me that she sent it to Jim. Then there was an email from him saying that he was interested in seeing more. It actually took awhile before we were green lit. Suffice to say both Kris and Jim did wonders for us. Besides helping me guide my story through his plotting, he even designed the logo and still continues to give Marco and I invaluable critiques and pointers. Being new to this side of the fence, it was overwhelming and very appreciated. It's good to know that there are people out there that actually want to help you.


6. So one day you're a mere mortal, and the next you're greenlit at Shadowline. What happened next? How far along was the project at this point, and what was your next step?

Howard Wong: The concept was there, but the story wasn't where it should have been. There was a lot of going back and forth at this point, but in the end instead of saying it was over, Jim stepped in and helped plot the story.

What happened after that? Lots of work Elton, lots. I was learning about comic books from this side of the proverbial door, and at the same time writing scripts with deadlines.  It's one thing to have the freedom of time on your side to muddle through a scene/dialogue, but with a deadline, it challenges you as a writer.


7. What has the process of working with Kris and Jim been like? What I'd be particularly interested in (if not outright fascinated by) is any specific examples you might be able to give of the sort of back and forth, give and take writer-editor relationship between you and Kris. But even without specifics like that, just a sense of the process and experience and what that's been like would be great to share with our readers!

Howard Wong: Challenging. Like I mentioned previously, there was a lot of learning as I was working After the Cape to where it should be heading. I made mistakes, got bumps and bruises, but at the end learned a great deal about the process and at least to me, became a better writer for it.

The back and forth process is pretty straightforward; a comment and critique here, a change and edit there. It's the relationship-building that's interesting. You're learning to be part of a team and wanting to be the best contributing member you can be. Being a newcomer to the field, like I mentioned earlier, I was learning as I was working, which does cause hiccups in reaching goals.

Both Kris and Jim are very open and have a straightforward approach. They have an understanding of what works and what doesn't. Sometimes it is a little difficult to see it, but in the end you do and wonder why you didn't in the first place.


7K (for Kris): What has it been like working with Howard on his first-ever book? Are there any specific examples you can share to help illustrate what I like to think of as The Shadowline Difference (i.e., the writer/editor relationship)?

Kristen Simon: It's been challenging at times, as Howard mentioned!  This being Howard's first attempt, a lot more instruction was given than a typical book usually requires.  As for the "Shadowline Difference", which is fully explained on my blog at myspace (http://www.myspace.com/editor_girl_kris), the mistakes I saw were mistakes that a lot of new writers make when first dipping their toes into the comic script writing format.  The pacing is off, which happens when writers are used to writing in prose form, and taking their time developing scenes.  And the focus shifts, and suddenly there are 3 different storylines going on and no sub-plots!  Little things we had to change...we needed to make the wife more sympathetic than she was originally written, which was kind of shrewish, the bad guys needed to be a little more tough, and we narrowed the focus down to Ethan's fall from grace.  For instance, in the first version of the story, Ethan's wife also had super powers, and it added a whole new aspect that we felt was distracting for a 3-issue story.   Jim and I would go over the script together and make notes, Howard would make the adjustments and I would go over the finished script and correct any syntax, grammar, spelling or dialogue errors.


8. I understand from your recent Broken Frontier interview that Jim has actually helped you plot the book. Can you talk a little about how that has worked on After The Cape?

Howard Wong: It helped guide the story with the right mix of drama, conflict and excitement in every issue. This was something that I wasn't able to pull off for this story. 


9. What would you say you've learned from this whole experience, and is there any advice you'd like to share with aspiring writers who are still looking for their first major publication (e.g., me!)?

Howard Wong: Making a funny book can be a real pain in the ass at times, but in the end it's all worth it. You forget about all the sleepless nights pounding on the keyboard, feverishly scribbling notes about the perfect scene and dialogue, wondering why yet another artist has dropped off the face of the planet, and so forth.

Keep an opened mind, continue learning about the writing craft and do follow submission guidelines. They are there for a reason.

During the preparation for a submission, use the flexibility of time to your advantage. Work out the kinks and polish it.

Don't be afraid to submit to publishers you would like to work with. There's no secret handshake or formula in getting your work published. Just work on what you love and believe in, after that, find a publisher who would be interested in working with you.


10. After The Cape, what's next?

Howard Wong: Hopefully more After the Cape and other stories that I would like to see on the stands as well.


Thanks, Howard and Kris!

And for our loyal readers, here's a four-page preview of After The Cape #1:




Elton Pruitt's first published work is a short story, "Fall of the Triumvirate," in 803 Studios' new anthology, Sequential Suicide. Currently, he's working on one two three new short stories, while trying to decide what his next major project (i.e., submission) will be. He also has a top-secret formula for making the Major League Baseball playoffs twice as nice, which one of these days he'll actually share with the world!

Elton's online hangouts include EltonPruitt.com, EltonSpace, and ComicSpace. Visit and befriend him early and often -- you'll be glad you did!