24 Hopes for 2024, How’d We Do?

It’s the last post of the year, everybody! And in honor of that, we are going back to the first post of the year, my 24 hopes for 2024. How many of them did I do? Was I overall successful? If this had been a test, would I have barely passed or have gotten a great grade? Well, we are about to find out. The original list is below, and then, after each entry, I will provide an update on whether I achieved or failed in that goal in green text.

Let’s see how I did!

1. By the end of the year I hope I can say I wrote a healthy number of short stories, single issues, annuals, and other professional comic writing assignments of various lengths.

   I wrote three ten-page short comic book stories, an eight-page comic book short story, and a two-part comic book story that was twenty-four pages in total. So no single issues or annuals, but I did various comic writing assignments of various lengths. I succeeded here.

2. It would be awesome to expand my professional relationships and work with at least two comic book publishers I have never worked with before.

   This happened. I did the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Black, White, & Green #3 story for IDW, and I wrote another short story for a different comic book company (that was not DC) that you will see next year.

3. Everything I have done so far is solo writing. I have never had the experience of co-writing and I would be happy to have that experience. Whether it was with a more seasoned writer showing me the ropes, or a contemporary/friend of mine.

   This did not happen, but I am talking to a friend about co-writing something next year, so this didn’t happen, but it is in motion for 2025.

4. I have largely written in the comic writing style known as full script. I would love to try to write something plot/marvel-style. I am always looking to surrender more control in the creative process. Also, I think it is good to be able to do things in a variety of different ways.

   Close but no cigar. I would say that the TMNT story I did with Riley Rossmo was closer to Marvel style but I could still go further.

5. Teaming up with an artist I have worked with previously on a project would be awesome. There are quite a few folks I have worked with before I would be eager to team up with again and give them an even better script with everything I know now.

   Happened! I worked with Riley Rossmo for a third time. While I was their editor before, I worked with Nikola Čižmêsija and Howard Porter for the first time as a writer, but again in a project sense.

6. It would be a thrill to write a story for an artist I grew up loving. I got to do that with Scott Kolins, David Lafuente, and Mike Norton previously. I think it really made me step my game up. I have no shortage of comic artists I grew up loving I would leap at the opportunity to work with them.

   I wrote a Hawkman story for DC’s Lex & The City that the great Howard Porter drew. I achieved this one. And had a phenomenal experience doing it.

7. Writing comics is my first love and primary goal, the vast majority of my effort is going into that. However, I had dreams of screenwriting at one point too but I got scared of it. I would love to try and write some short scripts and build my screenwriting confidence back.

   I did not do any screenwriting this year. I wrote some things that were not comics but I’m going to say I did not achieve this one. And I will get to it in 2025.

8. To date, everything that I have published is in the superhero genre. It’s one of my favorite genres and one I know intimately. However, getting to write a project, or projects, in other genres I love would be a lot of fun.

   All superheroes this year, but I have pitched some projects that weren’t superheroes and did a considerable amount of writing on them. I’m going to maybe do half-credit on this.

9. I need new artistic influences. This year I am going to try to read more books by authors I have never read and see more films by filmmakers whose work I don’t know at all or don’t know very well.

   I did do this. I had a big year of watching the films of Michael Mann, went deeper into the filmography of Paul Schrader, and took in some Elaine May.

10. Since 2006, I have been a podcast listener. I am a voracious listener and fan of interview podcasts and I would honestly love to be on some. I hope my comic writing projects this year lead me to do a few podcast interviews.

    I was a guest on two terrific podcasts this year. Gatecrashers (which I did alongside Riley Rossmo) hosted by Dan McMahon, and Portrait of an Editor hosted by Francis Lombard. Had an outstanding time on both shows and would love to do more next year. And just two days ago I was on Julio Anta’s Instagram livestream show Creator Catchup that you can watch anytime! So we can even call it three podcasts.

11. The Boston Celtics…2024 NBA Champions.

    HELL YEAH IT HAPPENED! And it’s looking like it might happen again in 2025. GIVE ME BANNER 19!!!

12. In 2023 I had the great pleasure of talking at a comic book writing class. I have an itch to teach and share what knowledge I have. It would be great to speak to more comic writing classes or writing students in general.

    Happened. I spoke to two comic book writing classes this year, talked to a few young writers one-on-one, and did some work with artists on their portfolios.

13. Growing up I went to a lot of punk shows. Live music was a big part of my life and that has faded away, unfortunately. This year I want to go to at least one live music show.

    This one was big for me. I went to see The Gaslight Anthem, Joyce Manor, and The Dirty Nil over the summer at the legendary Greek Theater in Los Angeles with two friends and we had an amazing time. And our seats got upgraded twice. It was SICK! And all three bands ruled.

14. The other day I was eating lunch near Shawn Ryan, creator of the amazing TV show THE SHIELD. I have been very fortunate and met many of my comic writing heroes. It would be fun to meet one of my screenwriting and or comedy-writing heroes.

    Sad to report that I did not meet any of my screenwriting or comedy-writing heroes.

15. I have never had a table at a comic convention. This year I would like to do that for the first time. Sign some comics, meet readers, and just start getting used to that type of experience.

    YES! Even though it briefly seemed like it was not going to happen, I did end up having a table in Artist Alley at Los Angeles Comic Con and it was a life-affirming experience. And I just last week did my first store signing at Comics N’ More in Easthampton, Massachusetts.

16. I want to see the Jeff Nichols movie The Bikeriders which was delayed from 2023 to 2024 and I hope it was one of my favorite movies of the year.

    Absolutely loved this movie. It’s definitely in the top three movies I saw this year. I am so thrilled it finally came out and I hope bigger audiences find it once it hits streaming.

17. Having the ability to do at least three unassisted pull-ups would be a nice fitness goal.

    Big swing and a miss on this one. I did not dedicate as much time to my fitness as I wanted, so that’s going in the next year column.

18. There are so many people from around the world I have worked with in my comic career, and the number of them I have met in person is smaller than it should be. Meeting more people I have worked with in person would be a thrill.

    I did meet more people I worked with in person this year and it was a joy meeting them. The first two that come to mind are Mitch Gerads and Tini Howard at LA Comic Con, they were both very lovely and incredibly friendly.

19. I want to meet a Boston Icon in person. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris Evans, etc. I want to take a picture with someone like that, send it home, and have my family and friends freak out.

    Didn’t meet one damn Boston legend. This one is killing me. I’ve gotta meet one of these people, take a picture with them, send it back home, and get it framed at my dad’s bar. That would be amazing.

20. I would love to be asked to work on a project that is creatively exciting and out of my comfort zone.

    This happened, I did some non-comic writing work that was really exciting, creatively fulfilling, and reminded me of all the different things I can do with my writing skills and my improv comedy training.

21. To write a comic for a property I love that is not currently a comic or has not been one for a long time.

    Half credit here. I pitched on a property I love that is not currently a comic. It didn’t happen, but man was it cool to put together my idea for it. And maybe it will swing back around to me someday.

22. To get a few creator-owned comic projects off the ground.

    I had two that almost went but did not ultimately get off the ground. I have some pitches out right now and I remain hopeful that next year will be my creator-owned year, but alas dear reader it was not this year.

23. I truly hope that this is an incredible year for comics. For creators, for fans, for retailers, for all of us. We could all use a winning year.

    You know what, man, this was a really good year for comics. DC’s Absolute Line, their All-in books, Marvel’s X-Men relaunch, the continuation of their Ultimate books, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles relaunch at IDW, the thriving of books like Minor Threats at Dark Horse, several new Image books being big hits, and going back to multiple printings, and the continued success of graphic novels in the adult and YA world? I do think this was the shot in the arm we were hoping for in comics, and I hope we build off this and go even bigger in 2025. Everyone did great!

24. I would be grateful to get to pay all my bills on time for another full year as a freelancer.

    This is the most important thing that happened this year and I am incredibly grateful for it. Thank you all who helped make that happen.

The final tally? 17/24, which would be a C- in school, but 70% of goals achieved? That’s pretty damn good. And I can say that I really put maximum effort in on 22 out of these 24. Some of them just didn’t go my way. But next year I’m going to do even better with my goals. And next week you will see my 25 hopes for 2025.

Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, I am sending all my love to you and your loved ones.

Stay safe!

—Dave Wielgosz