Talk Live September 21, 2001

There's not that much to report from the recent talk live event, except
perhaps for the fact that Kikuchi-sensei finally mentioned the comic deal
that's been in the works forever (and since he didn't say anything about it
being off the record, I guess it's finally okay to tell you folks about it).
After the success of Amano's Sandman graphic novel, DC Comics asked him what
else he had up his sleeve.  It just so happened this was about the time that
Tohan (the company handling Asahi Sonorama properties overseas) got my
translation of the first book, and somehow Amano wound up with a copy, too.
So Amano's office pitched a VHD comic to DC using my translation.  Whether
it would be a mini-series, maxi-series, or graphic novel was unclear, but
the material would probably need to be reworked.  At one point I was asked
if I'd be available to redo some of it.  Kikuchi-sensei apologized to me
over what he found to be not the greatest of terms -- I'd get a supporting
credit (even if someone else rewrote my translation) and a one-time fee.
After negotiations had started, the editor working on the details left DC
for rival Marvel Comics, leaving the project in limbo.  The last time I met
with Asahi Sonorama editor Susumu Ishii, he mentioned the possibility of
shopping the project to other comic companies (mainly meaning Marvel).  And
then Kikuchi-sensei told the crowd he had a stack of legal papers from "AC"
comics (I think he meant DC) about an inch thick, and that the conditions 
weren't especially good (again, this might be referring more to my 
situation than to his).  So I guess it's still up in the air.