JB, I hope you explore the SATP route with at least a couple of your newer ideas.

The advantages of the "long form" or novel as comic book seems made for you, JB. Your particular bent with subplots and "time" manipulation would work even better long form, just as in a novel.

Also, just because it is a "novel" does not remove the "serialized" nature of certain parts of the story, or "arcs." Instead of leading into infinitum, the arcs would crest toward a true ending.

I was just mentioning SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE in another thread, and thinking how that comic's "arcs" were broken into four parts (generally) centered around a mystery/criminal pursuit by the Sandman, but the "through-line" is so strong that the stories read like one big novel. The three-to-four part arcs work in direct conjunction with the furthering of the "through-line" for the central characters, so every arc reveals more and more...the "end" of this story is implicit, of course, in whatever fate befell Wes Dodds and his woman in modern continuity--which of course is an unfortunate byproduct of a corporate-owned character subject to the whims of other talent.

Robert Kirkman has claimed to be writing WALKING DEAD as one continuous novel the whole 50-plus issues. It's barely discernible where the issue "breaks" are when read in trade form. And Kirkman, understanding his "novel" conceit, doesn't explain who the characters are, again and again for the monthly audience, or bother with many other trappings of the monthly.

Darwyn Cooke is adapting the novels of Richard Stark, upcoming, a series based on the Parker series. His NEW FRONTIER operates as a novel as well, assuming an audience for which comics does not now target, the reader, and their ability to comprehend subplots and resolutions over long periods and many pages.

Plus, JB, the work is ALL yours, published in book form devoid of ads, crossovers, or editorial mandates. I just can't imagine a better situation for a guy of your stature...even referring back to that Jack Kirby/Stan Lee/Joe Sinnott SILVER SURFER original trade, Kirby and Lee laid down perhaps the best work they'd done in almost a decade (well, the only work together, but still...)

(And I just love the art in that SS book...gorgeous)

A name guy like yourself needs to cut out the middleman and lay it out there, all yours (and whoever inks/colors/letters of course.)

LOTR by JB

- but I'd buy a Next Men TP the second it came out