Are You Watching For The Green Skies?

I did say that work on the final part of the Invasion Earth trilogy, The Green Skies, was being delayed for various reasons. 

As noted in a previous post, this all started out (and I've found the rough notes page!) as "Invasion Earth 1987" but there were all sorts of problems and it was scrapped.  Then came The Ultimate Game for Fleetway.

This could get long and messy so: http://hoopercomicart.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/the-invasion-earth-trilogy.html

And there's an interview here: http://hoopercomicart.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-ultimate-game-and-return-of-gods.html

In fact, I had not realised it -I seem to have done so subonsciously- but there are tie-ins (you do not have to buy these!!) with the whole thing in The Dr Morg Trilogy, The Bat Triumphant! and even in Krakos: Sands Of Terror -it was only while I was going over books to order that I came across the blatant link in Krakos!

But, to cut a very long story short because this is not Marvel nor DC Comics news or even Marvel/DC movie related news so you probably aint interested.......sorry, I got out of breath there. 

Where was I?  Oh, yes.

Well, I did estimate that The Green Skies would be bulkier than the 331 paged Return Of The Gods http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/the-return-of-the-godstwilight-of-the-super-heroes/paperback/product-20981003.html

The bridging book, The Cross Earths Caper was a sad disappointment to me as I cut out so much and it was a tiddly 107 pages.  107 pages -what kind of book is that??   http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/the-cross-earths-caper/paperback/product-21657095.html

There is far more in the way of "personal" life of the various characters in Green Skies.  We see how they prepare their loved ones and themselves for what will be the ultimate battle against evil in the form of Kathatakathalaka. Jack Flash and his attempts to evade the ultimate evil has already had repercussions...in the past - http://hoopercomicart.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/green-skies-kathatakathalaka-is-coming.html

"Ah, but that means he'll bring in heroes from other parallels again!" you may say. No. A few have dared to come to help this Earth in what could be its final days, however, the multi-verse has  "quarantined" the Black Tower parallel in fear that Kathatakathalaka will enter their own.  A few have defied the quarantine such as Blacksmith and Jones and Dr Science but the ultimate outcome will be faced by 664s heroes and I have the declare here that many will not be making it.  That in itself has been a very depressing business -drawing characters that have been with me 40 years making the final sacrifice.

Very depressing.

And newbies out there: unlike other comic companies where characters die but then come back -in the Black Tower Universe death means DEATH. No coming back.

How long is this final part going to take?

Well, I have had to chop out and re-think the original concept several times.  Nothing major just incidents and events that would have taken the book to over 600 pages.  How can I know that if I do not write a script and draw it "as it comes to me"?  Well, I am currently up to page 265 and though the minor incidents and events do just come to me, I know the main events in the story.  I'm probably looking at 400 pages if I'm lucky with everything cut to the main story and events.

I may just retire when I've finished this book!