TINY UPDATE 11/6: How Is It Already November?

“Tiny Update” is a monthly free newsletter that keeps you up to date on the latest news, comic book projects and merchandise offerings from James Tynion IV and Tiny Onion Studios

I always get Daylight Savings screwed up.

I think basically my brain processes “Fall Back” as “Lose an hour” when it means the opposite. In any case, I stayed awake for the second 1AM last night, reading in bed. This is now officially the time of year where I need to fight the feeling that work is done for the day when the sun goes down. There’s too much to do for that.

The switch into November is always a little melancholy. Not in a deeply sad way, but effectively the year is over at this point. It’s now a matter of finishing up the last few things that MUST be done before all the publishers go off-radar in the second half of December. There’s a lot that must be done in that time, and the risk is getting a kind of year-end senioritis and losing some essential urgency to getting your work done. But I made peace by the end of last week about what I am reasonably going to tackle by year end, and it’s all manageable. A lot, but it’s manageable.

October is always a race. NYCC is never not a beast, even on a year like this one where it was really genuinely wonderful. I was surrounded by a lot of my favorite creators and comics humans every day, and it was deeply affirming to what I’ve made of my career over the last few years, and where I plan to take everything next. Halloween was fun. I dressed up as Dracula. The outfit didn’t make it out dancing with me that evening, because it was 80 fucking degrees all day and I had sweat through my shirt. But it is fun to dance with friends and celebrate all things spooky. Life has been good. There have been big shifts underway for a few months, and I feel like I have more solid ground under me than I have in a minute.

As a Horror nut, I always challenge myself to imbibe as much horror as I can over the spooky season, but given the insanity of NYCC and the way it devastates my deadlines and schedule, I kept my sights pretty limited. The project I’m diving into right now is SPECTREGRAPH, my first title with DSTLRY with Christian Ward, so I focused on watching great Ghost movies. I watched THIR13EN GHOSTS, THE ORPHANAGE, THE CHANGELING, OCULUS, THE HAUNTING (1963), GHOSTWATCH, THE OTHERS, THE FRIGHTENERS, POLTERGEIST, and TALK TO ME over the course of the month, and found something worth chewing on with each feature. I also managed to sneak in a few other favorites to get me up to 13 movies. Alongside it, I read 13 horror short stories, which weren’t ALL winners but the ones that hit for me hit nice and hard.

57 REASONS FOR THE SLATE QUARRY SUICIDES by Sam J Miller, THROUGH THE FLASH by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, and MRS TODD'S SHORTCUT by Stephen King are probably the three I’d most recommend based on how they hit me. Big thanks to Scott Snyder, Steve Foxe and Bradley Clayton for helping me cultivate my horror short story list. Now I’m going to move on to all the genres I’ve neglected over the last month. And I’m going to force myself to get out to the theaters and SEE some new movies.

This month sees the release of the first trade of W0RLDTR33, and the first issue of THE DEVIANT. It’s also most likely going to feature a very very big thing happening in my life and career I will be able to share with the rest of you in not much time at all. Send me good vibes.

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November 8th

W0RLDTR33 Vol. 1

W: James Tynion IV / A & Cover: Fernando Blanco / C: Jordie Bellaire / L: Aditya Bidikar / D: Dylan Todd / E: Steve Foxe

In 1999, Gabriel and his friends discovered the Undernet— a secret architecture to the internet. They charted their exploration on a message board called W0RLDTR33.
Then they lost control. Someone broke into W0RLDTR33— someone who welcomed the violent hold the Undernet had on them. At great personal cost, Gabriel and the others thought they sealed the Undernet away for good.

They were wrong. And now the whole world will know the meaning of PH34R.
Don't miss the next major horror outing from multiple Eisner Award-winning writer JAMES TYNION IV (THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH, The Nice House on the Lake) and FERNANDO BLANCO (Detective Comics).

Collects WORLDTR33 #1-5

HOUSE OF SLAUGHTER #19

W: Sam Johns / A: Letizia Cadonici / C: Francesco Segala / L: AndWorld Design / Cover A: Javier Rodriguez / E: Eric Harburn & Ramiro Portnoy / Created by: James Tynion IV & Werther Dell’Edera

Bait is burdened with the unbearable truth of Nannette's condition and what it could mean if she learns of her connection to the monsters. To save her and the children, Bait will have to make an impossible choice... but with new revelations about his true origins, will what he has to do truly be the worst of his actions?

November 15th

THE DEVIANT #1

W: James Tynion IV / A + Cover: Joshua Hixson / L: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou / D: Tyler Boss / E: Steve Foxe

SERIES PREMIERE!
As snow falls over Milwaukee in 1972, a blood-stained Santa Claus commits unimaginable atrocities against young men. Fifty years later, a troubled young writer interviews this so-called "Deviant Killer," who still maintains his innocence from behind bars. And as Christmas approaches once again, the past returns, wielding a sharpened ax. Eisner-winning writer JAMES TYNION IV (W0RLDTR33, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH) and acclaimed artist JOSHUA HIXSON (The Plot, Children of the Woods) unite for a pitch-black holiday horror story.

THE ODDLY PEDESTRIAN LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER CHAOS #5

W: Tate Brombal / A: Isaac Goodhart / C: Miquel Muerto / L: Aditya Bidikar / Cover A: Nick Robles / E: Greg Lockard & Daniel Chabon / Created by: James Tynion IV

Christopher, Dracula Boy, and Viv take refuge in a bizarre church and explore the subterranean boulevards of New Briar City, where the mysterious giant reveals secrets of monsterkind.

November 22nd

UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: DRACULA #2

W: James Tynion IV / A + Cover: Martin Simmonds / L: Rus Wooton / E: Alex Antone

As Lucy Weston suffers from a mysterious ailment, Dr. Seward calls upon Professor Abraham Van Helsing, and Dracula’s thirst goes unquenched…

November 29th

SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #35

W: James Tynion IV / A + Cover: Werther Dell'Edera / C: Miquel Muerto / L: AndWorld Design / E: Ramiro Portnoy & Eric Harburn

Erica's heartbreak in the wake of tragedy turns to rage as she faces Cutter one final time. But who else will fall at the hands of the Order, and how will things change for Cecilia and the House of Slaughter?

I am very happy to announce ONE FINAL APPEARANCE in 2023! My good friend, and THE DEVIANT co-creator Joshua Hixson is going to be joining me to sign comic books at THIRD EYE COMICS in Annapolis from 11am - 1PM on Saturday, December 3rd. Maybe if we twist his arm, we can get him to wear the Deviant reference costume that he got decked out in for Halloween…

Anyways! THE DEVIANT is in stores in ONE WEEK! You should buy it! It’s good! It’s fucked up! It’ll get you ready for the holidays!

Okay! That’s enough from me this month. I hope you all have a lovely November. There will be some other little things here and there from me before the end of the year, but if you don’t hear from me, have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

ALSO: For folks asking, it’s looking like the Onion Club membership drive for next year won’t happen until after the new year, rather than trying to figure it all out while you’re thinking about presents and stuff. But I promise we’ll be shouting from the rooftops when the time comes.

Be good out there!

James Tynion IV
Brooklyn, NY
11.6.23