Official website of writer Aaron Johnston

short story

Ender’s Game: Mazer In Prison (Now available)

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I’ve long been a fan of Ender’s Game. In fact, if I were I to list my top five favorite books of all time, I would be tempted to name Ender’s Game twice. I love and adore this book that much. I never knew it was possible to become so emotionally invested in a character until I read EG. I was Ender. Or at least I liked to think I was–as every other kid who has ever read this book has.

So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work on this one-shot. Next to Ender, Mazer Rackham is my favorite character in the series, and “Mazer in Prison” is an incredible story. Scott Card allowed me to read it a few years ago before it was published, and I felt like I was holding a precious gem. “Mazer in Prison” takes place before the events of Ender’s Game as Mazer is hurtling through space at relativistic speeds. The International Fleet is cheating time and trying to preserve Mazer’s age so that he can lead the fleet when it reaches the Formic planet. The only problem: Mazer doesn’t want to lead the fleet. He wants to find his replacement, someone who exemplifies the characteristics of a true commander. Unfortunately, no one in the International Fleet currently fits that description, and if things continue as they are—under the rule of self-serving careerists—Mazer won’t have a replacement in time. So Mazer takes the appropriate action to ensure the search for his replacement begins in earnest.

The short story is mostly epistolary and takes place entirely in the cramped space of Mazer’s tiny starship. For the comic, however, we knew we needed to do something a little different; we couldn’t have all 22 pages take place inside this starship. The artists would go crazy. So to give the comic more visual diversity, we follow Graff’s point of view as well as he works on Eros, interacting with the bureaucrats who currently run the International Fleet.

Pop Mahn did an amazing job with the art. It looks incredible. What I enjoy most about this story is that it shows us what soldiers give up when they go off to war; we see the sacrifice that Mazer made, the family he left behind. Anyone who reads the short story—and hopefully the comic—will come away with a renewed sense of gratitude for those who sacrifice so much to keep us safe and free.

Creative Director & Executive Director: Orson Scott Card
Script: Aaron Johnston
Pencils: Pop Mahn
Inks: Norman Lee
Colors: Jim Charlampidis
Lettering: Cory Petit
Cover: Pasqual Ferry & Frank D’armata
Editor: Jordan D. White

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

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I became a fan of Neil Gaiman after reading American Gods, which may be the best contemporary fantasy novel of the past several years. It won the Hugo Award when it came out and became a bestseller, launching Gaiman into the mainstream. I’ve since read a few of his other novels and enjoyed them immensely, though I don’t care much for his ghost stories, not because he doesn’t tell some goods; I just don’t like ghost stories, written by anyone.

And there are quite a few ghost stories in this, Gaiman’s most recent story collection. There are also some mind-blowingly cool stories, as well, not to mention an American God novella, which is worth the price of the book alone.

The only story in the collection that I had read previously was A Study in Emerald, which is a freaky twist on traditional Sherlock Holmes mysteries. It also won a Hugo Award winner, if I’m not mistaken. And it’s also quite possibly the best story in the bunch. I also enjoyed:

How to Talk to Girls at Parties
The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch
Bitter Grounds

You can skip How Do You Think it Feels? since it contains a briefly pronographic sex scene, which will only btoher you afterwards.

There’s also a story set in the universe of The Matrix entitled Goliath. Gaiman was commisioned to write it before the movie was released in an effort to promote the film. Good stuff, whether you’re a fan of the Matrix (like me) or not.

And I got a kick out of the poetry, particularly The Day the Saucers Came. Funny and fun.

All in all, Fragile Things shows how vivid and broad an imagination Gaiman has. His writing is brilliantly simplistic. If you enjoy short stories, this is a must read.