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"Techno-optimism is the metallic silver frosting on the deep-baked cake of sadness on which we chew like a cud in a doomed bid to ignore the loudly howling void."

Enjoyed this sentence on why Silicon Valley tech bros act the way they do from Dominic Pettman and Eugene Thacker's Sad Planets, a new book of essays looking at the state of the world (and beyond) through the lens of our modern state of global melancholy. It's an interesting lens that leads them interesting places- hurtling undiscerningly between Spinoza, David Bowie, Kant, and the intricacies of My Octopus Teacher. (I'm not yet convinced whether much of what they indicate as a planetary undercurrent of sadness might not be better characterized as desire or dissatisfaction, though I'm wondering if that'll be addressed later in the book.)

I expected to dip in and out over it over a few weeks, but inhaled about 100 pages last night so I suspect I'll plough through it top to tail. Surprisingly breezy and entertaining, with the kind of chapter titles that set my brain fizzing; "Astral Melancholy." "Necrobiome." "Haunted Atoms." Hell yeah.

Out this week: Destro #3 from Skybound. This issue sees Andrea Milana stepping in on art, and doing so with aplomb. Script-wise, it may be my favorite issue of the miniseries. Being an issue 3 of 5 means it's a crux point. The middle of the story, where everything has gone to hell and I get to write a lot of the scenes that initially bloomed in my head when I was approached for this book. Revelations about the history of clan Destro, a hint of how far his influence really reaches, and a bloody fistfight in the snow. I think it's a fun one.

For fans of Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, and Black Mirror, THE ONE HAND AND THE SIX FINGERS is a thrilling graphic novel that will keep you guessing until the very end. Two of the hottest writers in comics — RAM V and DAN WATTERS — have teamed up with artists LAURENCE CAMPBELL and SUMIT KUMAR to tell the most unique crime thriller, now collected in the manner it was intended to be read in — with the miniseries issues as alternating chapters! THE ONE HAND tells the story of Neo Novena detective, ARI NASSER — a grizzled homicide detective who’s about to retire with an enviable record, until a brutal murder occurs bearing all the hallmarks of the “One Hand Killer”… which should be impossible since Ari already put him away not once but twice in years past. In THE SIX FINGERS, Neo Novena archaeology student, JOHANNES VALE has always been so very in control of his life. But when he commits a brutal murder using the M.O. of an historic and notorious serial killer, everything begins to spiral out of control… and Johannes doesn’t remember doing it. What follows is a deadly cat-and-mouse game told through two intertwined narratives. Both men will stop at nothing to unravel the secrets and ciphers of this case- but each revelation only leads further into the dark heart of this future-metropolis.

Anand RK's beautiful cover for The One Hand and The Six Fingers collected edition has been revealed.

The two books are being collected in the order they were meant to be read- meaning you get issue 1 of The One Hand, followed by issue 1 of The Six Fingers, then issue 2 of The One Hand etc etc.

Ram and I very much wrote the issues that way, too- call and response all the way down. It's two mystery stories telling a third which fits in the middle between them, so there was a lot of juggling, a lot of figuring out where moving parts fit on the fly. It was an exhilarating way to work, but I definitely breathed a sigh of relief when the final issues were received so well. I think we pulled it off.

10 oversized issues, so this should be a very nice, meaty tome. Out December from Image Comics.

Working on something new and creator owned with Stefano Raffaele, Lee Loughridge, and Frank Cvetkovic. A lot of my focus this year has been playing with other people's toys, so it's exciting to tear something straight out of my own head.

Spending today finalizing the script for Nightwing #121, then finishing the second of the two scripts I was working on last week. It's issue 7 of a big project which I believe should be announced in the next month or so. Very much My Take on a well established character.

I was hoping to tease a little more of my thoughts going into Nightwing this week, but I'm at 100mph across a bunch of projects. I've been sensible with what I've said yes to, so I have a manageable amount of scripts to write each month. But there are the extra things that come along with writing comics. Approving layouts, pencils, inks and colors, and lettering drafts. Writing lettering scripts and solicit text. Chipping in on cover ideas/concepts. You're often doing this for every issue of every book, so it can all rather add up, especially as projects overlap. Counting on my fingers, I currently have seven different books in various stages of this production line.

So naturally I've had a shiny new idea I want to develop. Bugger.

This has been thedeadairchannel. A broadcast from the desk of Dan Watters. Please do subscribe.