Best plan I have is just writing series 3 and then writing into my will that assuming I die young and Jamie’s still around, lob him whatever’s in my bank account to draw it. Which is assuming he’d even be willing to do it then. It’s not that we’re bitter about it — well, not just because we’re bitter about it — but that it’s been emotionally exhausting. We’ve been doing “Phonogram” for over 4 years, not including the years before the first series came out. Imagine if we could have just done the comic and not had to deal with any of the shit we’ve had to. We’d have been up to issue 44 now. Instead, we have 13 issues.

Comics Alliance skews its coverage in a little more rock and roll way, so I give Comics Alliance a somewhat atypically virulent interview. I can’t do a real Lou Reed, but this is as close as I’ll get. Fun! Read!

I’m at Emerald City con this weekend, in Seattle. I’m actually heading up there a few days earlier to get acclimatised, so I better do this week’s comics blogging now.

Firstly…

Last issue. Sniff. I think it’s the best issue, which is the way to go out.

Preview here.

Also last issue, but since it’s a one-shot, that’s not so bad a thing. Frazer Irving and I contribute a story to THE MYSTIC HANDS OF DOCTOR STRANGE. Which is just brilliant to write, y’know?

Preview here.

And to stress the point, I’m at Emerald City at the weekend and you should come and say Hi. And I mean that, because I’m going to be all alone at the table because McKelvie’s had to cancel due to work commitments. More sniffs!

Still, I’ll be able to lure your friendship by having the very first Phonogram: The Singles Clubs trades for sale. I’ll sign my name. Hell, I’ll sign Jamie’s name too. It’s not as if he’ll ever know, eh?

While we’re here - any suggestions what to do in Seattle? Other than sit in a hotel room and JUST WRITE.

I’ve got two books out next week. Firstly, the final part of S.W.O.R.D.

5 page preview showing a distinct lack of Drenx celebratory conga. Also, the introduction of Space-Uzi.

Sniff.

Also, connected to S.W.O.R.D. I answer the X-readers questions in this week’s X-position, wherein I say things like this…

Well, the problem with this question is that I see merit in all sort of lunatic things. I see merit in Marvel diverting funds into an enormous statue of Steve and I and depositing it in the New York Harbor, entitling it “The Statue of Awesomeosity.” This is why I’m not an editor.

I shouldn’t be let out in public.

Also out next week is the black and white comics-magazine thing THE MYSTIC HANDS OF DOCTOR STRANGE. I’ve got a 22 page story featuring the good doctor in it, and there’s a five page preview on CBR too…

Art by the Great Frazer Irving, which I’m really pleased with.

Finally, a little more distant from release since it comes out on, some unlettered preview art from the issue of New Mutants 11 I’m doing. This ties into Siege and heavily involves the word “Valkyrie”.

It’s part of an interview with me about the issue, which you can read and purr at the Niko Henrichon art here.

The first press for Siege: Loki has just appeared on CBR. I have a talk about what McKelvie and I are doing with the God of Mischief in our special, and the first four pages of McKelvie’s art are lobbed up. As well as the above image, which makes me smile to imagine McKelvie crying with some ornate array of perspective rulers or other arcane devices of the trade, I draw you to the attention to the scene with Loki and Norman Osborn. The final panel just makes me smirk. Oh - and love the guyliner, Loki. It suits you a lot.

The issue will be a lot of fun. Dark fun, but it is Loki, after all.

Using the prism of culture — especially music — to examine life is often seen as a desperate grasp for an easily satisfied sense of superiority. By making moral judgments on others’ tastes, the author is able to comfortably reaffirm their elitism and keep populist tastes at a disdainful arms’ length.

Of course, this is utter bollocks.

Music is transformative, spiritual, but, above all, a shared experience and this is key idea behind The Singles Club.

More by Gavin Lees here.

And I’ll admit, it’s nice to have something written on TCJ’s site. Hell, even if it wasn’t as positive as it is, it’d be nice to have something written.

The trade should go to press today, by the way. Will we find the photos of us daubed up with Pritstick? FINGERS CROSSED.

New issue of Thor out today, or tomorrow in the UK. It’s the first of my Siege tie-in issues. If you’re a Marvel comics reader, you’ll have almost certainly have been following Siege, but in case you haven’t… well, no sooner than our cast have returned to Asgard (In Oklahoma) from Latveria, does a corrupt wing of the US government decide to invade. Action and god-bisection follows. Thor’s actually such a main player in the series, actually writing his titular comic proves tricky. As in, he’s off fighting folk, so not leaving much room for his own material - or, at least, material which would stand on its own. Luckily, since Asgard is under Siege, it seems natural to shift the focus to the supporting-cast’s response both to the Siege itself and Thor’s actions. We’ll see what people make of it, eh?

Two Reviews. No spoilers in the first. The second is a little more plot orientated.

Greg McElhatton, CBR: “Gillen may have been hired to serve as a bridge between Straczynski and incoming writer Matt Fraction, but he’s doing a good job in his own right as well.”
Geoff, A Comic Book Blog: “From start to finish and top to bottom, this issue simply rocked and in every way rivals the main Siege title in scope.”

Hurrah!

EDIT: And another interview. I sure do Yabber.

Newsarama: First off, an easy one Kieron. What are you working on today?

Kieron Gillen: I’m working on getting over a hangover from the Phonogram Wake last night. And then I’m answering these questions. This is about all I have the strength for today.

I’m doing quite a bit of press at the moment. It’s very much that “end of a period” sort of interviews, as S.W.O.R.D. and Phonogram finish and I cross the half way point of Thor. I’m also trying to mix up my approach a little on them. This one at Newsarama covers a lot of material, but I tried to keep the answers a lot shorter than usual. Since Chris asked 30 questions, the alternative would be some kind of crazed monomanical monograph.

From last year’s San Diego. Ah, look at us. We were so young and naive then.

Sexy, I know.

This morning Jamie McKelvie and I trotted off to Wilton’s Cafe in Hackney to record an episode of the splendid London Fields Radio. We basically sit, talk (i.e. Insult) to one another and play a selection of hastily selected MP3s. Here’s what we played…

1. Hummer – Foals
2. Me And The Major – Belle & Sebastian
3. Life Being What It Is – Kaki King
4. Cowboy – Kenickie
5. Live It Out – Metric
6. Gospel 2000 – Make-up
7. Mamma Used To Say – Jupiter
8. Band Of Gold – The Afghan Whigs
9. Ways To Make It Though The Wall – Los Campesinos!
10. Fighting In Built Up Areas – Ladytron

You may be able to guess which Tracks came from McKelvie and which came from me. Anyway, if you want to listen to such things and a lot of yabber, you can download it directly from here. Hurrah! Also, go have a nose at the News page to see more of what they do.

Do you have plans for Valentines Day? YOU ARE WEAK. ROMANCE IS FOR THE PUNY PEOPLE.

Here are two things to do. By Day?

Except, despite what the flyer says, while it is free to under 12s, they can’t come in. Last minute venue problems, apparently. It’s over 18s only. Here’s the blurb…

3 – 7pm: Drop In + Draw
Illustrators, writers and animators of all ages come together for an afternoon day of comic book art and fun. Featuring group-draw sessions, comic-themed activities and one-on-one tutorials, Drop In + Draw is open to all ages and artists of all abilities. You’ll be joined by Jamie McKelvie (X-Men: Divided We Stand, Suburban Glamour), Adam Cadwell (The Everyday) and Eagle Award-Winner Tom Humberstone (How To Date A Girl in 10 Days, My Fellow Americans), who’ll be on hand for sketches, advice and tips. So even if you can’t tell Batman from Manbat, or don’t know which end of a brush pen to hold, come on down and we’ll get you making comics.

Entry – £1 per person to cover materials. Please Note: This event is now for those aged 18 and over. Sorry.

I’m not sure why they didn’t mention Jamie, Cadwell and Tom were there on the flyer. Except that Cadwell isn’t allowed near anyone Under-12.

In the evening?

The details…

7.30 – Late: Modern Romance
A night of sunshine pop and four-color mayhem, Notting Hill Arts Club will be filled with comic art and live illustration while the bands play on. Compered by very special guest Robin Ince (The Office, Mock The Week, Nevermind The Buzzcocks, Radio 4 regular), the acts include confetti-wielding electro-pop heroes House of Strange, Dogtanion – whose single ‘Heavy Talk’ was one of Drowned in Sound’s ‘Singles of 2009′ – and intergalactic folk hero Judas Zero.

Once the bands have finished the We Are Words + Pictures DJs will play into the night, bringing the likes of M.I.A., Lady Gaga, The Flaming Lips and Los Campesinos! to the dancefloor. If you ask very nicely they might even play a slow dance. For more information visit www.wearewordsandpictures.com and www.nottinghillartsclub.com

Entry – £5 per person (£4 concessions)

Which sounds like a lot of fun, frankly. I’m actually - er - one of the punies Romancing during the day, but I hope to make the evening events. Join me!