|
Subject Matter
|
Period |
|
|
Pre-Silver Wolf History |
1957-1983 |
| Pre-Silver Wolf.... That dates back a few
years, but let me fill you in. When I was young, I lived in
California's Mojave Desert which was also my open playground though
a little shy of playmates. My father was a very active man, still
is, as a matter of fact. He had a great imagination and we tended to
play games. He also encouraged me to read as much as I could and,
somewhere along the way, he purchased a station wagon full of old,
old books. Because we did not have television, I became a voracious
reader, devouring everything I could get my hands on both from our
personal library and from the public library. So, my early
influences were enormous fairy tale collections, games, and creating
activities from my own mind.
I remember, at the age of nine, creating a one page
comic entitled "Turquoise Turtle." I believe that was my
first attempt at writing. The artwork was, well, terrible. But, it
was fun. I also found creating enormous, intricate mazes to be
entertaining. My father provided me with huge pieces of paper (might
have been drafting paper), and I would spend hours creating very
precise, intricate mazes. I had more fun making them than solving
mazes. That would prove to be a template for my personality during
the rest of my life. In the fifth grade, I wrote a story with
someone else in my class... I found that I enjoyed the process as
well.... More imprinting... Hmmm...
Fast forward a little while to my high school years.
Avalon-Hill games and bookshelf games were popular at the time. I
began to try my hand at creating strategy games. I enjoyed that as
well as anything else I had attempted. Along the same time, during
my junior and senior year, a friend of mine (Will Riley) and I began
to write a novel together. It was about, understandably enough, two
characters still in high school, in a time when the United States
was being invaded by Russia through Alaska. Made sense to us. The
book was never completed, however, some years later, I happened to
watch a movie entitled "Red Dawn." I guess we had a great
idea, after all!
I spent five years in the United States Navy, from 1976
through 1981, and during that time I began to write a great deal.
Although I wrote plenty of short stories, I wrote two novels "Character
Mutiny," and a second, unnamed fantasy about winged people
in another world. I might have to get back to that one, someday.
In 1983 I went to college using my GI bill and,
while doing so, opened up a couple comic book and collectible
stores. I met an artist by the Name of Ron Lim. He was searching for
something to do and I wanted to tell my stories. I had him work on
two books for me: Eradicators and Grips. Although The Eradicators
saw print, his version of Grips did not.
Anyway, that's the short version of the germination of
Silver Wolf.
Back To Top |
|
Last Adventurer #1
|
Spotlight on The Last Adventure #1 |
1987-2006 |
| Copyright 1987, 1988, 1999, 2001
Science Fiction/Action/Adventure.
The Last Adventurer was one of my earliest works.
Originally written in 1987, I repenned it in 1999.
I took Cory, the main character, through his paces.
Cory and his best friend, Ken, stumble onto cryogenic technology
that they quickly put to use. Thrust into a post apocalyptic future,
Cory and Ken meet the challenges of the new world head on. Cory
quickly becomes the unexpected owner of a monster that is part horse
and part lion. It his mount. In other aspects of his life, Cory
finds love and lust in the arms of a sultry princess and a
red-skinned warrior maiden, Cory learns that the future holds more
than violence and insanity, but, not much more. Imprisoned as little
more than a troublemaker and condemned to hang, Cory takes a good
look at his life. Sacramento has been turned into a kingdom
run by a benevolent monarch. Unfortunately, Sacramento is the
coveted jewel of that part of the world and four tyrannical
dictators want to own that particular parcel of land. With four
armies approaching Sac, there is little Cory and his comrades can do
except fight. Or is there? Cory takes a band of warriors and
wreaks havoc amongst the enemy forces, depleting their numbers
wherever possible, but still, is it enough?
Back To Top |
|
ElfQuest #1
|
Side Note About Comics |
1978-2006 |
Comic books were not far from my mind during the
time of my military career. A good friend of mine, Dave Miller, had two
Spiderman issues I absolutely loved: #189 and 190, the man-wolf story. He
gave those and a box of Heavy Metal to me. That was the
beginning of my comic collection. Little did I know that in a few years, I
would turn my collection into a couple stores and later a five-store
chain.
Because I was writing a lot at that time as well
as collecting comics and playing Metamorphosis Alpha (a D & D sideline
written by James M. Ward), idea were beginning to form in my mind about
characters. Along came my first "Superhero" story entitled
Superhero and starring some young, relatively green guy named Martin Kane
and a lady you might recognize as well.
Elfquest was a great inspiration to me and made
me realize that comics weren't just for the big companies. Us 'little
guys' could make comics, too, if we wanted to. I wanted to. But, it would
be a few years before I would have the time and resources to begin
publishing comics. However, my path was becoming very clear at the time of
the early eighties.
Back To Top
|
|
 |
Silver Wolf Comics |
1984-1987 |
| With the first issue of the
Eradicators' comic being worked on, other artists began to drift my
direction and, soon, I had a team of about six artists working on
various projects including Eradicators, Fat Ninja, Dungeoneers,
Grips, Deadly Dungeoneer, Lance, and Guillotine. Things were looking
good for the young company. I had expected a nice little print run
of about three to five thousand orders for the first Issue of
Eradicators. I got twenty thousand. Just a few more than I expected!
The first issue of Fat Nina did better. Other books did about the
same.
Now, artists, writers, colorists, all began to swamp
me, wanting to work on any project. It was the height of the black
and white comics craze and Silver Wolf was doing well. However, I
knew that the market would wane, eventually. I did not want to get
caught in the backlash so I refrained from putting out any 'fuzzy
animal' or multi-worded anthropomorphically titled books. It
didn't matter. Silver Wolf was crushed under the ensuing torrent of
rage from cynics and angry speculators. Yet, Silver Wolf had been a
strong little independent company. We worked on our own universe,
depending on our own characters and contented readers. Early on, in
an open article to any prospective retailers, I made a point to all
buyers that they should only buy what they have orders for and not
to speculate. We wanted strong support from our readers, not the
uncertain support of speculators. I knew this was the secret for
keeping my company alive. Furthermore, it was the secret for comic
book stores to stay alive as well. Well, we survived through that
holocaust. Unfortunately, mane retail outlets did not.
During the final months of Silver Wolf, we had to
shelve many projects including Cosmoneers, Grips Origins
mini-series, Lance of The Eradicators mini-series, and more. But,
greater Mercury Comics was just around the corner and many of the
comics would pick up where the Silver Wolf issues left off. In the
summer of 1987, Silver Wolf officially closed its
doors....temporarily.
Back To Top |
|
 |
Spotlight on Grips
in Silver Wolf Comics |
1985-1987 |
| Grips. Martin Kane. Superhero.
Yes... he is known by all three, but exactly how did the character
come about? Early in the 1980's, I wrote a story about a guy who
went by the name of "superhero." It was a short story and
a short career. The story is planned to be released in a special
Silver Quill edition.
In 1985, I began creating the Silver Wolf Comics
company. Grips was one of the first characters I developed for the
company. He was a twentieth century warrior, a vigilante, lusting
for action and a release for his pent up need to fight. He chose to
defend the defenseless and take revenge on those who would attack
victims incapable of defending themselves. His main weapons were a
pair of nubaku or two-handed bobby sticks. The second handle is
where he derived his street name... Grips. These weapons were great
for subduing his opponents, but he needed something more lethal, so
I gave him his 'pincers.' They were designed, originally, to be more
a sabre than a claw. Unfortunately, at that time, such 'claws' were
the rage and his blade was interpreted as a claw. Well, most readers
realized that this was, indeed, not the case. In addition, I knew he
would need a distance weapon. His stings were just the thing. Two
projectiles at the front end of his weapons' sheath could be ejected
at deadly accuracy at short ranges. In the Martin Kane stories
novels, we learn that he acquires a long-range, heavy weapon. It's
an explosive sting that can stop a big-rig at three blocks.
Grips is a very violent character who has a penchant
for violence. What makes him unique is his ability to not panic...
to not be subject to the 'fight or flight' response the rest of us
succumb to. Instead, Martin Kane sees every situation as one of many
possibilities. In that moment, he acts, instinctively, based on a
lifetime of Kenpo training.
Martin's adventures continue in Greater Mercury Comics
and in the Novels "Martin Kane."
Back To Top |
|
 |
Side Note About Holocaustic Dungeons and
Arena |
1986-1987 |
The concept for Holocaustic Dungeons originated in 1982. The
idea was to create a character or a group of characters-in the case of
multiple players. Thrust into a futuristic "dungeon" designed to
protect certain artifacts while providing media coverage of the
dungeoneers as entertainment for the masses, characters are forced from
room to room in an attempt to locate sections to keys and treasures. The
game consists of a small instruction booklet although supporting books are
also available including character sheets, logs, maps, and other dungeon
grids.
The books came out at the time of the first generation of
Silver Wolf and had severe start-up difficulties due to the market failure
of the time. Yet, the game still exists and I will be releasing the new
publications, in time. The rules will be the same, and be backwards
compatible.
The game lends itself to multiple player play as well as solo
play.
Back To Top
|
|
 |
The in Between Year |
1988 |
| Hmmm... The year of the writers'
strike in Hollywood. It was bad timing for me. I had a movie I had
worked on entitled "Deadly Metal," but I couldn't sell it
until the strike was over. Fortunately, it did end and I sold the
movie to Twentieth Century Fox. Meanwhile, while waiting, my storage
had been invaded and burglarized. Fortunately, I had good insurance
and I was covered. At the same time, Silver Wolf was being sold. It
turned out to be a boon year for am and saw me through the time
between Silver Wolf and Greater Mercury Comics.
It was also during this year that I began to take a
serious interest, once again, in writing. I began a few projects and
gained a feel for exactly where I wanted to go with my writing. It
was my writing I had always wanted to do and here I was, back at my
roots.
There was one other wonderful event in that year. my
son and best friend was born: Kristoffer James Silver. As I
said, it was a boon year.
Back To Top |
|
 |
Spotlight on Deadly Metal, the Movie |
1988 |
| Deadly Metal is the tale of a
robot gone horribly wrong. With the rudimentary intelligence of a
child, the Robco robot was designed to be a handyman, recycling,
assistant. Beneficial in and out of the home, it's basic
construction was built around a lathe. It could recycle scrap for
thousands of uses. It ran on a hydrogen engine, gathering its fuel
from hydrogen wrenched from water molecules, though it was
programmed to stay clear of ocean water. On the celebration of the
Robco release, the company that created it celebrated there success
on a private island. Quite by accident, the Robco learned that blood
was also a good source of fuel.
During a storm, the Robco's water source is rendered
unavailable. The Robco robot, unaware that it should not do so,
begins looking for alternate fuel sources... There were couple dozen
on the island.
Meanwhile, the storm has knocked out all communications
to the mainland and back at the main warehouse, Robco robots were
being prepared to ship out with the same defect as the
prototype. While attempting to evade the ever-evolving, robco
robot, the Robco creators race to find a way back to the
mainland before catastrophe occurs.
This is the first part of the tale for both the movie
and the first book in the series.
Back To Top |
|
 |
Side Note About Novels |
1979-2006 |
My novel began, in earnest, in the late seventies and early
eighties, but it was in 1980 that I put Character Mutiny together and and
completed it. It was not to my satisfaction, later, as I ended up
rewriting it. However, one of the most important things a writer can do
when writing their fist novel is to end it. From there, I began working on
other projects.
However, it wasn't until 1988 that I began writing, again,
with a goal in mind. I began releasing my stories in novelette. It was an
opportunity for me to continue writing and I took it. I wrote short
stories, including the first Maxwell Faraday story. In addition, I wrote
the Last Adventurer. This character was the epitome of the kind of
character I enjoyed writing about. With the advent and responsibility of
Greater Mercury Comics, I had to set the novel writing aside.
It would not be until the mid-nineties that I would put my
mind to work on my books. I began writing and set myself up a stringent
schedule, producing The trilogy of Character Mutiny Books, Many of the
Last Adventurer books, Luna II, Martin Kane books, Terror.
After another interruption in my life, I began writing short
stories, novellas, Lunch Tales, and more novels, producing Vampyre Empyre,
Source of Power, more Last Adventurer books, and more.
So, with about two dozen novels completed, I am ready to see
them produced. Now, is the time.
Back To Top
|
|
 |
Greater Mercury History |
1988-1993 |
| Greater Mercury Comics was Silver
Wolf Comics reincarnated. The name was changed when the company
sold. Initially, we released Eradicators, Edge, Dark Assassin, and
Grips Adventure. The books did well enough, but apparently not well
enough for the two new owners. So, at the end of the first year,
with orders pending, deadlines encroaching, and running in the red,
the company reverted back to me. I knew the change was coming and
was mentally prepared for it. I worked hard and in two months had
GMC running smoothly, once again, and in the black.
I began to add titles to my schedule, slowly building
up my the universe and completing tales that had been begging to be
told for years. Unfortunately, the market was beginning to wane, and
just before the release of my color books, the market fell enough to
make printing even the minimum quantities an unreasonable expense. Crimson
Cougar and Daemon's blood, originally planned as a color release,
were forced to be produced as black and white comics.
During the early nineties, the black and white market
was waning, again, and GMC suffered badly, many of its orders
dropping so far below minimum print runs that printing was
unreasonable. I decided that it was time to close the doors for
awhile and take some time to do something else.
Back To Top |
|
 |
Spotlight on Grips Adventures |
1988-1988 |
| Grips' Adventures was the flagship
title for Greater Mercury Comics. It was more than a Grips title. It
was a title that allowed me to spotlight characters other than
Grips. The first issue spotlighted Legion X-1 in the first half and
Legion X-2 in the second half, completing the tale that had been
started in the first generation of Silver Wolf. Subsequent issues
spotlighted Dark Assassin and Chance, Nightmaster, Blood, and
others...
Although it was a very interesting book, and fun to
produce, there came a time, at the end of the GMC period, when it
had to end... But, I have tales to complete for that title as well.
I will finish those tales in the comic continuations project.
Back To Top |
|
 |
Side Note About Novelettes |
1987-1988 |
During the initial year of Greater Mercury Comics, I began to
explore my novel and short story writing, once again. I wanted to release
my books as novels, but again, minimum print requirements kept me from
doing so. I began to realize that owning my own production equipment was
going to be the answer to getting around the larger minimum print runs.
Later, this thought would make a difference in my production of the
current line of products. However, instead of producing my material as
novels at that time, I elected to release novelettes, a small
saddle-stitched production. It was the answer, then, for my need to
write non-comic book material. Unfortunately for the novelette project, I
knew there would be a better way and I have no intentions of producing any
other novelettes. I am undecided over the fate of the existing novelettes,
but once I do decide, I will post the information, here, on the web
site.
Back To Top
|
|
 |
Silver Wolf Productions History |
1993-1995 |
| In 1993 and 1994, I began work on
the Terror Card set. It was an ambitious CCG with many subsets and a
unique storyline behind it. I created a handful of limited prototype
card sets of the first Mandibles release for the purpose of final
play testing the game. All went well and we released the full set,
signing an exclusive 1.1 million dollar contract with War Games West,
a well established game distribution company. Mandibles cards were in red. Subsequent card sets
would have been produced in other colors such as green, blue, butterscotch, etc.
Unfortunately, the CCG and game market dissolved and so did the
contract when War Games West fell apart. But, it wasn't the only
project we had on the table.
Battle Wagon was complete, had been heavily play
tested, and was ready for production. Everything was prepared
including all financing. We went to press. Unfortunately, the
manufacturing company produced the main portion of the game upside
down and, because they were unwilling and financially incapable of correcting the problem, Battle
Wagon was forced into Hiatus.
We brought two other, small games out: Hardware Wars
and Lazer Beamz, but it was too little too late and I had to stop
and breath. Meanwhile, I began writing novels and socking them away
for a later date, but it was time to sit back and step away from
production for awhile. I took some time help my Sensei open his
studio, manage it, and instruct. It was a good choice and I enjoyed
the time away from production. It also gave me time to put serious
effort into my novels, writing two more Last Adventurer novels, a
second Character Mutiny novel, Luna II, Terror, and a second Martin
Kane novel. In addition, it was the point where I laid out the
Vampyre Empyre series.
I had laid the groundwork for Silver Wolf to continue,
but before I returned to production, there would be a hiatus.
Back To Top |
|
 |
Spotlight on Terror |
1994 |
| The Terror CCG was designed to be
an empire building game of unique creatures. The scenario revolved
around humanoid insects that ruled the world. Players built and
maintained a hive and perimeters around the hive for foraging and
defending against other forces (other players). Outposts could be
created to further expand the colony. Queens maintained the hive of
workers, warriors, drones, guards and more. Players could dig
connecting tunnels to other players hives in order to ally or
invade. The game had multiple dimensions to it and allowed for some
thought by the players.
In addition, Terror Adventures, a subset to the main
game, allowed players to take
a force of characters on an adventure. It was a unique approach to a
CCG and one I look forward to expanding in the near future.
Unlike other CCG games, every card the player purchased
could be used in the game. With other subsets, hive capabilities would
expand, however, the new subsets have been put on temporary hold. I
plan to continue releasing the subsets in small print runs for
dedicated players and collectors. For those interested, please watch
this web-site. Eventually, I will include a section of this website
just for Terror play and collecting.
Back To Top |
|
 |
Side Note About Battle Wagon |
1995 |
Battle Wagon was designed as a strategy game,
complete with ship and aircraft tokens, sectional maps, and, of
course, the rules. Unfortunately, during production, the Battle Wagon
token maps were printed incorrectly making it impossible to die-cut the
craft tokens. The printing error forced us to put the game project into
hiatus. We will return to this project when time permits.
Battle Wagon has numerous additions
that can be added to the game to make it even more interesting and more
complete. A unique aspect of the game is the modular board allowing each
player to set up his side of the game table in the manner he sees fit.
Entertaining and thought provoking,
the game was a great deal of fun to play even in its prototype state. I look
forward to seeing it released as soon as we can return to the
project.
Back To Top
|
|
|
The Hiatus History |
1995-2004 |
| There comes a time when everything
seems to click and things seem to work out well. However, there are
also times when things do just the opposite. Life can just get in
the way. I spent about a decade just putting my life together and
re-evaluating everything I had produced. There was a great deal to
do and, yet, I was not in a hurry to do anything that included
manufacturing and publishing. I had so many people demanding that I
publish this, or create that, that I began to resent the yoke of
creation thrust upon me. I needed to be left alone and allowed to
decide how I wanted to proceed. It was, after all, my life.
Eventually, my life settled down and things began to
smooth out. I began writing short stories and novellas during an
airplane trip to Texas. For whatever reason, it was the perfect
setting to allow my mind to work, again, in the area of production
and writing. My mind lit up and I began the long task of rebuilding
everything I had allowed to slip away. Slowly, I have been reworking
novels and other products while, simultaneously, creating new tales.
Although I was not productive in the sense of releasing
anything in the last decade, I have been working on projects and
looking toward a future.
What is important to note is that life does continue
on, regardless of what transpires in the cracks between each step.
Back To Top |
|
 |
Spotlight on Vampyre Empyre |
1998-2006 |
| Vampyre Empyre was one of those
projects that I worked on throughout the hiatus. It was a very good
tale and I knew it. It had the right touch of horror and a
definitive sense of Kristoffer Silver adventure. Even though The
Last Adventurer is my longest running series and one of my most
complete tales, I feel that Vampyre Empyre will be my most
well-known work.
The Vampyre Empyre Series is more than a vampyre tale.
It is the tale of a vampyric world where a small faction of rebels
fight to stave off annihilation. Marc Spencer and Lynne, the woman
who loves him, find love and heartache through this trilogy.
But, the Vampyre Empyre Trilogy is more than just
a single series. There is the Source of Power series, an origin
trilogy that explores how Marc Spencer first came to our world and
how magic spread throughout the planet, altering and evolving
everything alive to make the world unlike anything its natural
progression would have allowed.
The series after Vampyre Empyre (the title, as yet,
unrevealed), continues the tale, taking the tale through a
science-fiction twist. The subsequent trilogy completes the main
story in a purely action-adventurous tale.
Finally, the epilog trilogy allows me to finish the
tale with a philosophical tone. Fifteen books (Five Trilogies)... An
anthology book of short stories concerning the origins of magical
life... another anthology of tales relating to the Vampyre Empyre...
and, finally, a source book. It is a healthy project and one I am
excited to continue....
I hope you enjoy reading about Marc Spender as much as
I enjoy writing about him and his world.... our world, as it might
have been.... or might yet be!
Back To Top |
|
|
Side Note About
Computer and Video Games |
2000-2006 |
Recently, I have been writing a few computer games as a hobby. I
enjoy game production, and have since I was a child. Remember the mazes?
Well, I still think in terms of games and game creation. I will be
releasing a few CD games for people to play if that is what suits their
fancy. Most of these games will be very inexpensive.
In addition, some games will only be available in
downloadable versions and most likely they will be shareware.
A couple of the games that I have worked on are Othello - the
classic strategy game, Sentence Decoder - a game of decoding sentences,
and Best Guess - based on the classic Master Mind game (one of my all-time
favorite brain teasers!).
I am also an avid Free Cell player and have created a Free
Cell utility that helps me keep track of the games I have played, those I
have won, those that were difficult to defeat, and those that I have not
been able to defeat (that file is empty, to date!). It pulls up Free Cell
for me and selects the next available unplayed game for play. This will be
a free utility that I will give out as shareware to all those Free
Cell addicts like myself!
Anyway. There will be more and there are those games I still
need to refine. The downloadable ones will be available on the Online
Games web page. Those available on CD will be sold here, on the Silver
wolf site.
A Sentence Decoder style tidbit>>> Qrrl
smbu rsrv lrrjro!
Back To Top
|
|
 |
Silver Wolf History Now |
2005-2006 |
| The thrust, now, is with material
that has always been at the core of what drives me: the story. I
enjoy writing and that's really what I want to do, but I do not want
want to have produce enormous quantities of each item in order to
get it out there. So, this is the current productions thrust:
novels, novellas, lunch tales, and short stories. I have a many
tales to tell and plenty ready to release.
I have been writing and preparing the novels over the
course of my life. Now, I am able to put the time into organizing
and preparing them for production. I will begin releasing the line
of novels, the lunch tales, comic continuations, and the short
stories in two formats: Lunch Tale Anthologies and the Silver Quill
magazine series.
As for games, I will make a push to complete all
existing projects and carefully begin new ones. I want all these
projects to see completion. This is exactly the purpose of the comic
continuations.
So, be prepared to see a smooth release of material
with consistent follow up on a regular schedule. With fewer external
forces working again me (most small companies hurdles), this should
not be such a lofty goal. At the moment, we are on the cusp of the
new era!
Back To Top |
|
 |
Spotlight on Lunch Tales |
2001-2006 |
| Lunch Tales.... Mmmm... A tale
designed to be read while enjoying your lunch,. The book is
conveniently sized to fit in a pocket or a handbag. Grab some chow,
grab a Lunch Tale, and feed the need to read. The Lunch Tale line of
products will be at the forefront of my release schedule and many
Lunch Tales will be available, soon! As well as being pleasant
reads, these perfect bound, small books are also moderately priced
at $2.95 each. In most cases, less than the price of lunch!
With Fifteen Lunch Tales ready for production spanning
the the following genres: Romance, science-fiction, fantasy, horror,
general fiction, western, and paranormal, I believe I have
enough to make certain I launch a smooth production
schedule.
In addition, I have fifteen Lunch Tale Anthologies
spotlighting tales from the Silver Quill magazine. These tales, too
address many genres and should offer readers a variety of material
to choose from.
Back To Top |
|
|
|
Side Note About MMORPGs |
2003-2006 |
Massive Multi-Player Online Role Playing
Games. Well, I am currently working on one as well as an MORPG (Not
Massive.) Survivors of the Apocalypse (SOTA) will be released
through the Silver Games Web Site, but it will be closely associated
with the main Silver Wolf site. SOTA will be free in the beginning
or at least begin with a free area. I am also working with the new
Torque engine on a larger version of SOTA. I am not in a huge
hurry with the game, mainly because I build them as a joy, not a
job. I will, however, keep everyone posted with my progress on
the Silver Games site.
Back To Top
|
