2010 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News Archives

July 9, 2010: Greg Cox Discusses "Final Crisis" Novelization

Final Crisis Thanks to Aidan Lucid, author of "The Zargothian Tales: Return of the Son of Hamorin", we have the following interview with Greg Cox, author of the "Final Crisis" novel, which is now available to order from Amazon.com.

Greg Cox is a New York Times bestselling author and has written many books based on TV shows such as Star Trek, CSI, Alias and novelizations on huge comic book events that occurred in both Marvel and DC universes. I recently had a chance to chat with Greg to discuss his work and how writers can break into writing novels based on Marvel and DC characters.

    Can you tell us what you're currently on?

    Well, obviously, my novelization of Final Crisis goes on sale this week. I had a lot of fun writing that book and can't wait to hear what readers think of it. I still can't believe I actually got paid to write about Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman AND Frankenstein!

    After that, I have a new CSI book coming out in November, plus a Green Hornet short story due out sometime this summer. I also have to plug my new issue of The Phantom: Generations comic book, which just went on sale two weeks ago.

    Beyond that, I'm looking at a few new projects, but nothing I can talk about yet.

Thank you, Greg, for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.

No problem. After putting so much work into books like Final Crisis, it's great to finally have a chance to talk about them. And it's a great excuse to procrastinate and not slave over the next chapter of the next novel!

What does it feel like to be a New York Times bestselling author?

Exciting! I still remember the first time one of my Star Trek novels made the NYT list. I was waiting by the fax machine for an advance copy of the list and let out a whoop when I saw The Q Continuum on it. I think I ran through the halls of the Flatiron Building in New York City, waving the fax proudly.

You have worked on many big franchises such as CSI, X-men, Star Trek etc. Which is your favourite to work with and why?

I can't choose. What I really like is the variety. As much as I like Star Trek, superheroes, and vampires or whatever, I would go nuts if I had to write the same kind of book over and over again. I like jumping from science fiction to horror to mystery and back again. I haven't done a western yet but it's probably only a matter of time!

When writing novels based on the CSI TV series, did you have to do a lot of research?

Oh my God, yes. Those books always take me longer than I expected, because I want to get all the real-life forensic details. I can't just make up science fiction techno babble like I can with Star Trek or whatever. Plus, they're set in a real city - Las Vegas - so that I want to get right as well. On my first CSI book, Headhunter, I actually spent several hours on the phone talking to a real-life forensic sculptor on how to do facial reconstructions. She kept me from making some big mistakes!

When writing Star Trek and X-men novels, for example, are you given free reign or do you have to conform to a set of strict guidelines when working on these titles?

Everything has to be approved by the copyright holder, from the original outline to the final manuscript. On Final Crisis and the other DC novelizations, the folks at DC gave me lots of freedom to simplify the storylines a little bit, in order to turn those sprawling multi-part sagas into coherent 300-page novels, but, ultimately, they had the final call on everything that went into the book!

The same applies to Star Trek, X-men, CSI, Underworld, and every other franchise I've worked on. You always have to respect the original material and remember that, in the end, Batman doesn't belong to you.

Having been in this business a long time, what advice would you give to new writers who are pondering on writing novels for Marvel or DC characters?

For God's sake, don't write a 350-page Spider-man novel and then try to get Marvel's permission to publish it. That's not how it works. Realistically, the only way you're going to get to write a novel based on Marvel and DC characters is if they hire you to do so first. Your best bet is to write your own stuff, and become well-known enough, that DC and Marvel know they can trust you with their characters. Don't write an entire novel unless you already have an arrangement worked out with the copyright holder.

Some say it's essential to have a literary agent while others disagree. What's your stance on this and what tips would you give for writing the all important query letter?

I've had an agent for years, and I find they're very useful, especially when complications arise. They're a little like auto insurance; you might not need one when everything is going smoothly, but you need somebody in your corner if you run into a problem.

Regarding query letters, the best thing you can do is keep it short, sweet, and professional. Think of it like a job interview. Above all else, you want to sound like a sensible grown-up who will be easy to work with. Just introduce yourself, mention any relevant credits and credentials ("I have previously sold five stories to Isaac Asimov's SF Magazine, one of which was nominated for the Hugo Award"), and explain that you write mysteries, horror, science fiction, or whatever. Do NOT ramble on at length about your dog, your hobbies, and your philosophy of life. When in doubt, keep it short. Again, you want to sound like a professional, not a nut or amateur.

Can you tell us what you're currently on?

Well, obviously, my novelization of Final Crisis goes on sale this week. I had a lot of fun writing that book and can't wait to hear what readers think of it. I still can't believe I actually got paid to write about Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman AND Frankenstein!

After that, I have a new CSI book coming out in November, plus a Green Hornet short story due out sometime this summer. I also have to plug my new issue of The Phantom: Generations comic book, which just went on sale two weeks ago.

Beyond that, I'm looking at a few new projects, but nothing I can talk about yet.

And finally, if you could be any superhero, who would it be?

Ooh, that's a tough one. My favorite superhero is probably the Spectre, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to die to become him! Maybe Green Lantern. I've always wanted an emerald power ring that actually works!

(True confession: I actually dressed up as Green Lantern for Halloween when I was just a little kid - so I guess I was always destined to end up writing for DC!)

Greg's latest novel, Final Crisis, published by Ace Books, goes on sale today and is available to purchase on the publisher's website or through Amazon and other online retailers.

- Aidan Lucid

Aidan Lucid is a freelance writer and owner of Lucid Eyes Editing. His debut young adult fantasy novel, The Zargothian Tales: Return of the Son of Hamorin, published by WordTechs Press, will be released in the first quarter of 2011.

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