Lucas Tesshu, the sword-toting modern day samurai whose greatest weakness was a compulsion to help everyone he met is now fully visualized with an origin story in the upcoming PATHOGENS. To all the teachers out there, I ask: What would you do if the zombie apocalypse hit while class was in session? Stay put with your students? Try to get them to their parents? Just leave the snotty brats and make a run for it?
Your answer might change if you were a master swordsman teaching a kendo class. Or not. Either way, get ready to live his journey for yourself!
Up next? Our final character: The cold, hard, badass leader: Cooper!
Thanks for reading! Excited? Confused? Bemused?
Leave me a comment below, and don’t forget to share and subscribe!
Tyberius, the street-smart athletic force of nature from INFECTED is now completed! Some might recall he reacted rather harshly at Deleon’s reveal in the high school. In the upcoming PATHOGENS, you can find out why as you live his story for yourself.
Most evocative image of the Tyberius path I could find. Still recovering from the Google image rabbit hole. Whew.
Up next? Kendo master Lucas Tesshu!
Thanks for reading! Excited? Confused? Bemused?
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Brazil Travel post #4: The Favelas (intro post is here).
Come on, let’s explore the winding alleys and hilltop views of the favela together.
Today, we journey into one of Brazil’s favelas. What exactly is a favela, you ask? At it’s simplest, a slum, but the favelas are so much more than that. 11.4 million people live in one of Brazil’s ramshackle hillside communities. Let’s explore exactly what makes a favela so unique.
The favelas of Rio de Janeiro are world renowned stacks of poverty, drug use, prostitution, and violence. Rivaled only by the slums of Mumbai, you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy than in the favelas of Rio. Or at least that’s how it used to be.
First, some history.
View from Rocinha favela.
Before “favela” became a generic term, it was the name of one particular village. The first favela was formed at the turn of the 20th century, after the War of Canudos, the bloodiest military-on-civilian massacre in Brazil’s history. The soldiers killed nearly every man, woman, and child in a 30,000 person settlement in a military action dubbed a civil war.
When these 20,000 soldiers, many of whom were suffering from what we would today call PTSD returned to Rio, they found no government assistance nor any place to live. They founded the first favela, and it was named after a skin-irritating tree found in the massacre region.
From these inauspicious beginnings, more favelas cropped up as more poor citizens were displaced and found no other option but to band together and fend for themselves.
Rocinha is the largest favela in Rio.
If your choices in MURDERED lead you to work with Agent Danly, and his subsequent investigation leads him into the favelas, it’s a prospect so dangerous that he’s hesitant to allow you to accompany him.
“Listen, you’re doing great, but I’m not sure you should stay with me. I aim to get to the bottom of this, even if that means coming head-to-head with the drug cartels in the favelas. You can’t even imagine what it’s like in there—gangsters dance in the clubs while shooting AK-47s in the air. Even the kids are armed and they won’t hesitate to shoot you if they think it’s worth a laugh. I can’t put your life in jeopardy like that…”
So if these place are so dangerous, why were we crazy enough to visit?
Pacification
In preparation for 2014’s World Cup and this summer’s 2016 Olympics, Brazil has made a considerable crackdown on crime, and this includes “pacification” of the favelas. Pacification is a hostile take-over of the slums in a military operation. Elite special forces are sent in to take out any violent resistance, and then a permanent police force is left to keep the region free of drugs and firearms. In fact, once a favela has been pacified, the Brazilian flag is placed on a high building top — to show that the government has conquered this foreign territory within its own borders.
So while I was expecting this:
What we got was this:
A favela musician and his “manager.” The man spoke perfect English and includes favela children on his albums.A vibrant city market attracting customers from all over, much like a farmer’s market in the US.Might want to cook your meats well-done, just to be safe.“Jackfruit” is common, but has a love-it-or-hate-it taste.Pet fish?Fresh fruits, spices, everything.
Rocinha is one of Rio’s older pacified favelas, having been pacified in 2011, and our visit was full of unexpected experiences. The people who live there can range up to middle class, our guide informed us, and in addition to pacification, the city government has helped the community receive clean water, free electricity, even wi-fi.
We were a bit wary of a visit, not because we thought we’d be unsafe, but because we didn’t want to offend or exploit people or go on some sort of voyeur tour.
The visit was anything but. Our guide is a well-known figure in the community and the tour company gives back a portion of every ticket, totaling to tens of thousands of dollars donated thus far. There were smiling faces waiting to greet him by name, and we were even given a trip to see the schools they support.
Stepping into another world.Our guide, Alfredo, in the school.Even English classes are provided.Feliz Natal (Merry Christmas!).Who knew the kids were fans of the zombie genre? (heh)The locals take pride in the unique look of their communities.We did!
In addition to the portion of our tour price donated, we bought jewelry made by the students, music and paintings made by locals, and even the “best caipirinha in Rio” at an alley shop.
If you ever get the opportunity, I’d highly recommend a visit to the favelas. Just make sure the one you go to has been pacified, use a reputable guide, and don’t go at night. Just because improvements are made, doesn’t mean those elements that gave the favelas their reputation are gone completely.
That’s it for today. Up next? I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry. Let’s check out Brazil’s food and drink!
Thanks for reading! Did you enjoy your trip into the favelas?
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This is post #3 in my Brazil Travel series. If you haven’t kept up from the start, you can check that out here.
Graffiti has a big role to play in MURDERED. In fact, taking a picture of a graffiti mural is the whole reason your tourist character leaves a public street and becomes forever embroiled in a murder mystery. While the mural I describe in the book exists solely in my mind, the real street art of Rio inspired my imagination:
“In the preview on the LCD screen, you notice there’s the beginning of a graffiti mural sticking out from the adjoining alley. You peek around the corner to see the full image. It’s an angel, larger than life and in stunning detail. His hair is long and his face is placid, much like a beardless Christ. Yet this is a dark angel; his wings, not feathered, are formed from two AK-47 machine guns divided in broad symmetry. Two snakes wrap around his legs, originating from behind his ankles and enveloping his lower half like the caduceus, their heads biting his wrists and spreading his arms. A nuclear mushroom cloud which serves as his halo bursts forth from behind his flowing mane. In stylized calligraphy, the caption above reads, ‘Vou testemunhar.’“
It’s called anything from vandalism to street art, but no matter what you call it, tagging can be a powerful method of expression in large cities, specifically by its poorer citizens. While I don’t think this justifies someone putting their initials or callsign wherever they can, I do think that some graffiti transcends into art. Here are a few examples that stuck out to me during my travels. Unless otherwise noted, all pictures are from Rio de Janeiro.
Manaus traffic circle. Child with the colors of the Brazilian flag.Manaus traffic circle. Left unfinished by choice or circumstance.A simple Merry Christmas, or perhaps a deeper meaning?Favela stack design painted on an actual favela stack in Rocinha. So meta.Rocinha. Great use of colors and perspective.Rocinha. A deeper meaning might be gleaned by those who read Portuguese.The juxtaposition of Brazilian pride and abject poverty really spoke to me.This “heart labyrinth” is beautiful. Note: In some favelas, there are so many alleyways that they decided to give them street names.Brazilian mascot for the World Cup.Love the expressions, and the use of color.It’s always interesting to me where you’ll find graffiti. Like this dirt lot on the other side of a neighborhood.Looks inviting, right?Mural Part One.Mural Part Two.Full sign was “Money is Violence” but I like “Bus Violence.” It’s rare to see murals in English.St Sebastion the Martyr is a common image, here re-imagined as a beach bum. The patterns on his board shorts are also recurring theme in Brazil.Michaela says she saw this “oil angel” several places in Rio.Dracula and zombies. Nuff said.
Good one to end it on? Sure, good as any. The point is, it’s not like I asked a cab driver to take me around to all the best graffiti in the city. The stuff is just everywhere! These are all designs I just happened to see as I explored. In face, over half were taken from moving taxi windows. In my humble opinion, it adds character to the city. A certain depth and color, both literally and figuratively.
I’m still hard at work with INFECTED: Origins (which I think is called PATHOGENSnow), and one of the things I find visually fascinating about the apocalypse is abandoned theme parks. So…one of your choices will lead you exploring a derelict carnival.
Here’s a few shots that will help inspire that sequence. Some are from digital artists, some are from real abandoned parks. All images are hyperlinked to where I found them on the internet and I don’t claim to own any copyrights. Enjoy!
Yeah, I know…Zombieland. But I don’t care. It’s just a vignette, not the whole book. What do YOU think?
Add your opinion in the comments below. And don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
New art celebrating Click Your Poison by DC Comics artist and co-creator of Malice and Mistletoe, Jack Purcell!
We’re a month out from the SUPERPOWERED release, and to celebrate my third “gamebook” in the Click Your Poison series, I’m giving away three signed copies of each book, anywhere in the world. Each book is a standalone title, so there’s no need to read them sequentially. But hurry, this contest ends soon.
Click below to enter each raffle:
INFECTED — Will YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? [Ends midnight, 10 April]
MURDERED— Can YOU Solve the Mystery? [Ends midnight, 25 April]
SUPERPOWERED— Are YOU a Hero or a Villain? [Ends midnight, 10 May]
Add your opinion in the comments below. And don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
Artist Brian Silveira delivered the goods on the SUPERPOWERED cover. And it’s Bam! Pow! Incredible.
Click me. See my stunning details.
Yes, this means we’re getting closer to having a book. No firm release date yet, but I’m nearing the end! Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, Brian is working on a landscape promo graphic (all the better to social media with, my dear), and happy to return to his graphic novel (Bun). I’ll totally post info on that when he releases it. Oh! And we may collaborate on future projects. An interactive graphic novel, perhaps?
So, what do YOU think? Intrigued? Dig the cover? Tired of waiting for the book?
This week I cracked the 100k word milestone on the third Click Your Poison book, SUPERPOWERED. It’s happening, and soon, but every book needs a cover first.
I’m happy to announce a partnership with Brian Silveira. He’s an extremely talented comic artist, and he’s gracious enough to take a break from working on an original graphic novel to jump in and work for me. I’m crazy excited. Care to see why?
Check out our current development
Welcome to Mercury City, the metropolis where you live and work. Your home.
Here you’ll get 1 of 3 superpowers when you’re in an experiment gone awry. The other two test-subjects — will they be your allies or your sworn enemies?
Brian and I decided to give the cover a comic-book feel, even though it’s an illustration-free interactive novel.
How about some character detail?
Diamond — One of the other test subjects, Catherine Woodall, once she receives miraculous super-strength and near-indestructible levels of damage resistance.
She wears a tight, midriff-exposing black t-shirt emblazoned with a playing-card-suit red diamond logo, fingerless gloves, and black yoga pants tucked into crimson-red boots. Her face is concealed behind a red domino mask, but as she smashes through the security doors and rushes into the bank, there can be little doubt in your mind as to who this superpowered woman truly is.”
Dorian White — Subject Nick Dorian, imbued with techno-genius, Nick makes his own mechanized armor.
Computer, boot up White Ranger sequence. Prepare for Stark battle-mode.” “Dorian White voice recognition accepted. Beginning Techno-zord protocol,” a disembodied voice with a filtered, British accent replies. A panel behind one of the walls opens to reveal an enormous, ten-foot tall mechanized suit. It’s glittering white, with the sheen of a brand new sports car. Nick climbs inside and the armored computer closes around him, booting up. The limbs move as part of a systems check, and two more arms swing out over the shoulders—though these prove to be more cannons and less appendages. “All systems online,” a flitered, robo-Nick says. “Let’s go kick some ass.”
DinoSkin Mark IV — next generation bodyarmor. When you’re the flying-telekinetic, you can find this suit.
“Too expensive to be put into combat on a mass scale, but nothing else comes close. Lightweight, breathable, and incredibly durable. The scaling provides multilayer protection against gunshots or knife attack. Go ahead, touch it.” The material stretches when you tug at it, but it’s coarse to the touch. Droakam raps his knuckles against the mannequin’s torso. “A reinforced plate on the chest and spine provide added shock protection against explosives. But the best part? You should still be able to fly around in this thing because it’s so lightweight.” “Maybe your superhero name could be Terror-dactyl,” Nick snarks.
What’s next?
There are dozens of variations on costumed characters/personas in the book, so this is just a sampling for the cover. And, as you can see, the cover art is still a work in progress. I’ll definitely post more updates as Brian continues to work, so don’t forget to subscribe! (little box over there on the left, where you’ll never find any spam).
What do YOU think? Are you getting excited? Ready to save the world? Or perhaps enslave it…? Let me know in the comments at the bottom!
It’s really happening. I’ve seen a rough cut, and it looks fantastic. The MURDERED trailer should be ready for the world by the end of the week/beginning of next. Just to be safe, I’m calling the world premiere as Wednesday, October 29th. Expect a blog post with the trailer next week!
But in the meantime, I’m hosting a Goodreads giveaway to add to the excitement. If you have an account, please consider RSVPing “Yes!” to show your support and help spread the word! Here’s your invite:
Hey all! MURDERED is finally getting a book trailer and it’s going to be killer. Help celebrate the world premiere and win a FREE copy in the process.
3 Unique Storylines. Over 50 Possible Endings. Just one question… Could YOU Solve a Murder?
Now: More art.
Art by Jeremy Pollreisz, PixelTwister StudioArt by Jeremy Pollreisz, PixelTwister Studio
Art by Jeremy Pollreisz, PixelTwister Studio
Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment, like, and share. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll be the first to see the trailer when it’s released.
This week, I’m happy to share that Ellen (the writer-half of PixelTwister Studio) and I have come up with an amazing script. It’s meant to tease out the idea behind the book, so it shares part of the you find a body and a revolver with a “pick me up” note opening hook, but it’s also broad enough to get the entire concept across in only a minute or two. If you haven’t read the book/don’t know what I’m talking about, you can check out the first chapter for free using the amazon “look inside” function on the MURDERED product page.
The gist goes something like this:
You’re in Brazil for Carnival when you turn down the wrong alley on the wrong night…”
Meanwhile, Jeremy (the artist-half of PixelTwister) has been busy building the world of the trailer. As part of that, he sent me a sneak peek (which I’m also happy to share with you!) of the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue that watches over the iconic Rio de Janeiro skyline.
Without further ado:
Boom! Annnnd that’s now my desktop background.
Sorry to tease you all, but I had to share my excitement. The trailer is coming soon! So don’t forget to subscribe 😉
Author James Schannep 