Young Salem

[EHH123]

http://archie-blogs.archiecomics.com/ar ... efore.html
Care to explain yourself, Ian?

[Ian Flynn]

DAGNABBIT!

I didn't think news of this would hit for a while!

I'll spill the beans in a bit - too busy to go into detail just yet.

[Spin]

Wow, there’s so many versions of his failed world domination plan, I’m curious the direction you’ll go with it, Ian. But I like Salem so I might end up reading it just to see him in action as a warlock. XD

[Zulon Eredas]

Well this is unexpected, I don't read Sabrina but I might just have to pick this up.

[Ian Flynn]

Okay - now I'm ready to talk!

What are you talking about?

I'm really excited to confirm that I'll be doing the stories running in SABRINA #101-104.

Back in SABRINA #93-94, Tania del Rio told this fantastic story that looked back on Salem during his days a a wizard with villainous intentions. It was a fascinating look into the earlier days of the Magic Realm. It was a fun story that showed you just how heroic and fun Salem-the-human could be - and just how evil he could be as well.

It got me to thinking: where did Salem come from? How did he get this way? So I put together a pitch which has turned into the story you'll find in SABRINA #101-104 "Finders - Keepers."

What's it about?

It's about one of the early adventure of the very young Salem Saberhagen. Before he was a despot - heck, before he was really much of a wizard.

He lives on his small family farm with his mother, Felicia Saberhagen, and their farm hand, a four-armed ogre named Foreman Armstrong. His scruffy (and maybe a little sketchy?) Uncle Mort also shows up.

Salem ends up finding a talking frog that used to be a wizard. Salem and Mort go on an adventure to restore the frog-wizard and end up finding a huge pile of treasure and a whole lot more trouble.

It starts with Sabrina #101. How lost am I going to be?

Not at all. You know Salem is the boy, right? You know there's magic involved, right?

That's it. That's all you need to know to get into this story. If you've been reading Tania's run on SABRINA (and if not - WHY NOT?!) then you'll get a few in-jokes, but you're not going to be lost at all.

I know how you write on SONIC, but how's the art?

I'm especially giddy to say we've got Chad Thomas back to do the art. He did the Salem story in SABRINA #93-94, and I absolutely loved his stuff there. He's doing the entire story arc, and I've seen a lot of the early pages. This is going to be a gorgeous book!

So...are you taking over Sabrina or something?

NO! I'm just doing this little story. I'd love it if I could tell more of Salem's stories, but that all depends on YOU! For this to be successful we need some big numbers, so pick it up.

I dunno...

Look, you like SONIC, right?
That means you like fun fantasy action-adventure.
That means you like solid, lively artwork.

You're going to love this, I promise.

But I'm a girl! And since Sabrina isn't in this...

Nononono, stop right there.

A large number of Archie readers are girls. This is an Archie book. You're not wandering far from the source.

Almost half of SONIC's readership is female. If you're digging SONIC, you'll dig this. Trust me.

There's another boy wizard who has a huge female readership. You might have heard of him. He wears glasses, as this funky scar, fights He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named? If you liked those books, there's no reason you won't like this one.

Wow! You're right! You've totally won me over.

Of course I have!

The first issue will be out late March of 2009. You don't want to miss it!

[Tcat]

Salem was probably my favourite part of the Sabrina TV show.
I may have to check this out X3

[sonicblaster59]

What kind of story prep/background research did you have to do to put this story together, Ian?

Are you as knowledgeable in the Sabrina/Salem universe as you are with the sonic/sega universe? Or did you have some help from other Sabrina/Archie writers?

I was just wondering how easy/difficult to would be to write a story about one universe one way and then write a completely different story from a completely different universe the next.

I remember a few stories from the Sabrina TV show which talked about Salems past and whatnot. The human Salem from that show, from what I remember, reminded me of Fidel Castro. In mannerisms and dress. It's different seeing him as a young kid...for me at least.

[bsonic10]

Salem was probably my favourite part of the Sabrina TV show.
I may have to check this out X3

I second this. I haven't picked up any Sabrina's in a while, though I'll have to pick this one up!

[Ian Flynn]

What kind of story prep/background research did you have to do to put this story together, Ian?

Are you as knowledgeable in the Sabrina/Salem universe as you are with the sonic/sega universe? Or did you have some help from other Sabrina/Archie writers?.

Actually, there was very little research to do. Tania's run on the book pretty much established the Sabrina world. The old Sabrina book was like Archie - virtually no continuity, mostly sight gags and a few reoccurring characters.

Tania really gave SABRINA a solid world to work by, and a great deal of the past was left open or unexplained. So I had a nearly clean canvass.

I researched the show a bit - I think that's where I got "Saberhagen" and Mort from - but the vast majority was my own creation that abides by Tania's rules.

That's part of why it will be super-new-reader-friendly: you're jumping on along with everyone else.

[Zulon Eredas]

Well I picked up the issue yesterday and I have to admit that it wasn't bad considering that I don't read Sabrina I had no idea what to expect.

[Ian Flynn]

New preview pages! Huzzah!

[Sir Bert Leaman]

New preview pages! Huzzah!

Finally, I've been waiting for this. Seemed like it took longer than a month. Looks good and I'll pick it up next week.

[Sir Bert Leaman]

Sorry about the double post, Ian, but I needed to get your attention. I picked up the newest edition of Young Salem but wondered if you wanted reviews and discussion in one of the stickies or an entirely separate thread.

[Ian Flynn]

Sorry about the double post, Ian, but I needed to get your attention. I picked up the newest edition of Young Salem but wondered if you wanted reviews and discussion in one of the stickies or an entirely separate thread.

Here, there, copy-pasted - it's all good!

For this project, I'll willing to let people get a little spammy talking about it. Hype it up!