George R. R. Martin's Latest: Inside Straight [ Edited ]

[Jessica]

Originally begun in 1986, long before George R. R. Martin became a household name among fantasy readers, the Wild Cards series earned a reputation among connoisseurs for its smart reimagining of the superhero idea.

The 17 volumes of the shared-universe Wild Cards series are all based on outgrowths of the same riveting sci-fi scenario: In 1946, an alien virus that reformats human DNA infects the populace of New York City. Ninety percent of those infected die; nine percent become grotesquely mutated; and one percent gain superpowers.

Inside Straight thrusts us into the world as it is in 2008, a place where gifted "Aces" vie for reality TV supremacy and others struggle to save the real world. This latest volume introduces a new generation of major characters, with all-original stories by Martin -- along with Daniel Abraham, Michael Cassutt, and Stephen Leigh, among others.

Reply to this message to talk about Inside Straight, the Wild Card series, or to ask the author for his insights.

Message Edited by Jessica on 03-26-2008 12:55 PM

[curiositykille…]

So, George --

what's the scoop on Busted Flush? Any hints on what will happen to the gang?

And are you bringing back any more of the old characters ..

[Ran]

Seconded on that Busted Flush question!

1) There's been a resurgence of popular interest in Wild Cards -- the contract with Tor for the new series, a comic book which just released its first issue, a roleplaying campaign in development scheduled for release later this year. How have you kept the concept fresh, not only for readers, but for the "old hands" that have been working on it from its inception?

2) Wild Cards has been optioned in the past for television treatment. What's the current status on attempts to get it on the screen? I vaguely recall Melinda Snodgrass and someone else working on a new spec script for a Wild Cards project.

[GeorgeRRMartin]

BUSTED FLUSH is finished and delivered, and has been scheduled for a December release.

Most of the spotlight will still remain on the characters introduced in INSIDE STRAIGHT, including Curveball, Drummer Boy, John Fortune, the Amazing Bubbles, and the rest of the AMERICAN HERO crew, but you'll also meet several brand new aces that we think you'll like... and yes, some of the original characters from the old series will be present as well.  Cameo will be back in her own story, written by Kevin Andrew Murphy, and one of the original stalwarts first seen in volume one will return... though not, perhaps, as you last remember him. 

[Juhan]

When can we expect a sample of Busted Flush on your webpage?

[talljack]

All right, here's the big one I have.

Is Mushroom Daddy actually the final incarnation of Mark Meadows? And, if not will Mark be returning to the plot?

[Kevin_Andrew_M…]

Well, not wanting to give any spoilers here, but if you check the credits page at the back of Death Draws Five, you'll see that Mushroom Daddy is one of John J. Miller's characters. And Mark Meadows is of course one of Vic Milan's.

[GeorgeRRMartin]

talljack wrote:
All right, here's the big one I have.

Is Mushroom Daddy actually the final incarnation of Mark Meadows?

No, he is not.

And, if not will Mark be returning to the plot?

Keep reading.

[GeorgeRRMartin]

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Juhan wrote:
When can we expect a sample of Busted Flush on your webpage?

---

           Some time soon.  At the moment we're still trying to get people to buy INSIDE STRAIGHT, since it's in the bookstores now, and BUSTED FLUSH won't be out until December.

[Juhan]

Thanks for answering! But here´s another one: Will Croyd appear in BUSTED FLUSH and/or SUICICE KINGS? He is vital to the series! And also, is it more difficult (painful?) for the gang to write about the Sleeper, since his original creator, Roger Zelazny has passed away?

[GeorgeRRMartin]

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Juhan wrote:
Thanks for answering! But here´s another one: Will Croyd appear in BUSTED FLUSH and/or SUICICE KINGS? He is vital to the series! And also, is it more difficult (painful?) for the gang to write about the Sleeper, since his original creator, Roger Zelazny has passed away?

---

Croyd has a big role in the new Wild Cards comic, THE HARD CALL, just out from DBPro.  The first issue just went on sale, so be sure to snatch up a copy.

Yes, you'll be seeing him in the books as well, but I won't say when or where.  That would be telling.

We all miss Roger, both as a writer and a friend.  He always enjoyed it when the rest of us made use of Croyd in our stories, so we mean on doing so, as our own little memorial to his genius.

[Phadedsky]

Hello Mr. Martin! I have to say that I'm a huge fan of the Wild Cards series and I have just a few questions about the future volumes of Wild Cards.

1) Will we get a chance to return to Jokertown in the newer novels to see what's been going on there?

2) Will The Great and Powerful Turtle make another appearance?

3) Is "The Committee" going to continue to play a big role?

[GeorgeRRMartin]

Phadedsky wrote:
Hello Mr. Martin! I have to say that I'm a huge fan of the Wild Cards series and I have just a few questions about the future volumes of Wild Cards.

1) Will we get a chance to return to Jokertown in the newer novels to see what's been going on there?

We'll check in on Jokertown eventually, but it doesn't play a big roll in the current triad.

On the other hand, Jokertown is the main setting for Daniel's comic, THE HARD CALL.

2) Will The Great and Powerful Turtle make another appearance?

Maybe somewhere down the line, but he's essentially retired.  He's almost old enough to be collecting Social Security by now.  And that hot young girlfriend of his tires him out.

3) Is "The Committee" going to continue to play a big role?

Definitely.

[Ran]

Wild Cards grew from a roleplaying game you ran. Did you and your fellow writer-participants stop gaming in the setting when you started turning it into a book?

And speaking of gaming, I know you still take part in regular gaming sessions. Is there a main campaign/setting that's played primarily, or are you guys sticking to shorter campaigns these days?

[Juhan]

Dear George,

Who comes up with the titles of the (Wild Cards) books? Aren´t you afraid that someday you might run out of card-playing terms? Don´t tell me you guys haven´t thought about it... My question is how are you going to intercept this problem? Or is it a case of "We´ll deal with it when we get there"?

[zaccur]

Mr. Martin

Will you be writing a story for one of the next two books in the present wild cards trio?

[GeorgeRRMartin]

Ran wrote:
Wild Cards grew from a roleplaying game you ran. Did you and your fellow writer-participants stop gaming in the setting when you started turning it into a book?

Yes.  It was too confusing to do both at once.

And speaking of gaming, I know you still take part in regular gaming sessions. Is there a main campaign/setting that's played primarily, or are you guys sticking to shorter campaigns these days?

Well, we played in Walter Jon Williams' Rome game (GURPS) for a decade or more, but Walter hasn't been running that lately.  More recently we're playing a space game run by Ty Franck, which uses a D20 system.  Ty's game is great fun, but frankly I don't like D20 nearly as much as GURPS.  (Old GURPS, 3rd edition, at least)

[GeorgeRRMartin]

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Juhan wrote:
Dear George,

Who comes up with the titles of the (Wild Cards) books? Aren´t you afraid that someday you might run out of card-playing terms? Don´t tell me you guys haven´t thought about it... My question is how are you going to intercept this problem? Or is it a case of "We´ll deal with it when we get there"?

---

          I come up with the titles.

          Yes, we will eventually run out of "card" titles.  There's a scene in CITIZEN KANE when Kane is informed that his paper lost a million dollars last year.  "Yes," he says, "and I expect to lose a million dollars next year, and the year after that.  If that keeps up, I'm going to have to close the paper... in thirty-seven years."  (paraphrase)

          Which is a long-winded way of saying that I already have enough titles for another twenty or thirty wild card books, if need be.  Some are better than others, mind you, but we won't run out soon.

[GeorgeRRMartin]

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zaccur wrote:

Mr. Martin

Will you be writing a story for one of the next two books in the present wild cards trio?

---

          Sadly, no, but I will be heavily involved as editor.

[Reil]

I'm curious, off the top of your head, who are your 3 favorite Wild Card characters with whom you had absolutely no creative involvement? (Obviously you have very likely written about them or from their point of view after they've been created, I'm just talking about ones you had no involvement in their actual formation.)