Comments on: Eric Trautmann Deserves a Gig

By: This is Good – Eric Trautmann Continues to Get Gigs | Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:38:53 +0000

[...] last year, I wrote a piece about Eric Trautmann, who, at the time, had just gotten passed over to be the new Checkmate writer [...]

By: Brandon Jerwa

Brandon Jerwa — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:22:56 +0000

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Eric on a few projects lately (look for the first fruits of our labor in Image’s Popgun Vol. 2) and he is 100% awesome all the way.

He’ll have no problem continuing to make a name for himself. Glad to see there are plenty of folks out there rooting for him.

By: MarkAndrew

MarkAndrew — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:17:52 +0000

As of now I completely agree with Cronin: I thought Checkmate really needed a tighter focus and smaller cast.

By: joshschr

joshschr — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:10:32 +0000

Isn’t the point of having an understudy (very very tenuous metaphor, I realize) to have someone to fill in for the regular performer without a big disruption to play? I’m neutral on Bruce Jones taking up writing duties, but it would have been nice to see Trautmann continue the title for a few issues (even if he couldn’t increase sales) rather than have DC resort to stunt casting to try to get the numbers up.

Anyway, the move could be good, could be bad, but I’ll give Trautmann’s next project a more serious look.

By: Eric Trautmann

Eric Trautmann — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 01:47:34 +0000

“Apparently Trautmann has a new agentâ€¦”

…apparently so.

Heh.

(Also, in response to earlier commentsâ€”yeah, a tighter focus and smaller cast fits my personal preferences much, much better, though my “plan” for Checkmate was to alternate between small-focus stories (a la Carl’s tale in “Firewall” or the “La Vie En Sang” 2-parter) and the big all-hands-on-deck tales.)

Thanks for the post; it brightened my day.

-E

By: StoneGold

StoneGold — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:44:14 +0000

Where was he in Rambo IV, anyway?

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 04:12:42 +0000

By the by, let me add that I am certainly not blaming the book’s editor (Joan Hilty, right?). The editor made a call looking out for the best scenario for the book, and as Funky mentions, you can easily make a good case that Trautmann might not have been the best bet, marketing-wise.

I’m just saying that the guy is definitely a talented writer, and editors (Marvel Comics Presents, perhaps?) should give him a shot with different titles. Fill-ins, etc.

By: JC

JC — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 03:45:35 +0000

I thin Eric needs a book that is character driven and maybe a smaller cast and a tighter focus. Flash after Waid is done? Hawkman (he doesn’t have a title and for some reason I think he would rock this)? GL Corps? Suicide Squad (thought this would just be Checkmate by a different name)? It’s a pity DC doesn’t do Elseworlds anymore. Maybe he should jump to Vertigo, do a mini, get indy cred and then go back to mainstream.

By: FunkyGreenJerusalem

FunkyGreenJerusalem — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:40:14 +0000

Checkmate is easily one of the top 3 books DC publishes right now and now it is effectively dead. Trautmannâ€™s stories were gold, Jonesâ€™s ash.

Stupid stupid stupid DCâ€¦.

They had a big name in Rucka and the book wasn’t selling, so why would they let Trautmann do it solo?
His name brings nothing to the book, and his stories aren’t hitting a big enough audience, so editorial have decided to get someone else in.
I can get arguing the choice, up to personal taste, but I can’t understand people asking ‘why’ when a book that isn’t selling gets canceled or a new team.

By: Ira Henkin

Ira Henkin — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:53:17 +0000

Considering what Jones did to Warlord and Viglante, I am not optimistic about this

By: nadir

nadir — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:46:42 +0000

This makes me very sad. Bruce Jones is either the luckiest man in the world, related to big wigs at Time-Warner, etc…

Checkmate is easily one of the top 3 books DC publishes right now and now it is effectively dead. Trautmann’s stories were gold, Jones’s ash.

Stupid stupid stupid DC….

By: Rohan Williams

Rohan Williams — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:59:19 +0000

Apparently Trautmann has a new agent…