I Should Be Writing...or Other stuff I'm working on besides Tougher Than Leather...

I have often spoken at length to various people about the importance of the year 1988 in my life. Recently I have been drumming up ideas for other projects outside of "Tougher Than Leather", and have been inspired by some of the projects from the past that I've left unfinished. One of these projects began in the spring of 1988, back when I had very big aspirations to be a writer for comic books. I was eleven years old. What follows is the "synopsis" for my story about a world class assassin who, after having an life altering experience, decides to stop killing....

"There is no weapon. You are the weapon. This sword is only an extension of you, and instrument of your will. There must be elegance in what we do. The least amount of violence with the maximum effect. We are not savages. Respect your prey. Send them on their way with silence. With speed. Leave no trace in your passing. Be like the wind, the lone wolf in the grass. The panther in the jungle. Be a shadow, a single fleeting thought. We are the unseen hand, the unblinking eye. We are the Seven. And you will be my greatest creation...the perfect assassin."

These words were those of the story's antagonist, a "bad guy" with complex motivations not revealed until much later in the tale. I never finished this story, but in 1996 I began revising it only to put it down again. Last summer the same thing happened: more revisions and note taking. But now, almost 21 years later, I've been seriously inspired (thanks Karin!) to actually bring what is probably my favorite piece of story work that I've done to life. It was always inspired by great fiction, awesome comic book writers (Frank Miller, Chuck Dixon, etc), kung fu films, and japanese manga, especially Lone Wolf & Cub (a classic). It has mobsters, assassins, bounty hunters, crooked cops, thieves, fixers, and even a few ninjas in it. It's a dark, complex story about choices, vows, love, and death. I love stories with anti-heroes, and this is my version of one.

So....I should be writing!!! In digging up all of my story notes from '88 (yep...i have them!) I also found a few other tales I wrote that year...stuff that might also finally see the light of day. I didn't co-found this company just to shoot docs about hip hop you know. STAY TUNED....

K. Smalls!!!