158(1): Redoing my Life

Having a bit of writer's block at the moment. I’ll post the full chapter soon.

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I had rarely made appearances for conventions and fan signings last year. I had left Matt to handle these events alone, which wasn’t fair, so this year, I was determined to make up for it and attend some of them.

Looking at the long line stretching in front of me, I picked up the latest issue of Invincible—No. 30—to sign for a fan who was coincidentally named Daniel.

“Thanks, Daniel,” he said, excitement clear in his voice.

“To you as well, Daniel,” I replied with a smile, handing him back the issue.

The next person stepped forward, and the routine continued: I’d ask their name, sign what they brought, and make small talk if they seemed interested—which most of them were. Surprisingly, these events were always more fun than I expected. When I first started doing them years ago, I thought it would be the most boring thing in the world.

“Hi! My name is Emily,” a woman said as she stepped forward, holding a vibrant Invincible poster.

“Hi, Emily,” I said, smiling back as I took the poster to sign.

“The last issue was insane! I didn’t see the breakup with Amber coming!” she exclaimed.

I looked up at her with a slightly confused smile. “You didn’t?”

“No!” she said, genuinely surprised. “I thought they were going to work it out. But honestly, I’m happy about it—I’m an Atom Eve shipper.”

“Oh,” I said with a small chuckle.

“And Mark’s brother? What’s going to happen with him? Is he going to be a hero or, like, a new villain?”

‘He is just a toddler,’I thought, amused.

“I can’t say. Spoilers,” I replied, handing her the signed poster.

“Ugh, fine,” she said, laughing. “Oh, and please, please let Mark and Atom Eve get together!”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said with a grin as she walked off, leaving space for the next person to step forward.

The line continued to move.

The next guy approached the table, his excitement barely contained. Sometimes fans had the wildest ideas to share, and this one was no exception.

“So, don’t you think Omni-Man was right? Earth should have joined the Viltrumite Empire,” he said, his tone completely serious.

I raised an eyebrow but kept my smile. “That’s… one way to look at it.”

He launched into a detailed argument about how humanity would benefit from superior technology and military protection under Viltrumite rule. I nodded along, though I couldn’t entirely agree.

The next few fans had milder theories, which I enjoyed listening to, but sadly nothing crazy—though I did like hearing the crazier ones.

Then sometimes came the inevitable shift to DC.

“You’re writing the Superman movie, right?” a guy in a Superman shirt asked as he stepped forward.

“Yeah, man. It’s almost done,” I replied, signing his comic.

“I hope you’re going to do him justice,” he said earnestly.

“I hope I did as well,” I answered, appreciating the sentiment.

He leaned in closer. “You should do a versus movie next—Batman and Superman, like The Dark Knight Returns.”

I chuckled. “I’m sorry, Jake,” I said, glancing at the name he’d given earlier. “I’m more of a ‘Superman and Batman are best friends’ kinda guy.”

He frowned slightly. “That’s boring.”

“Well, Jake, I might create an Elseworlds TV show or something for those alternate takes.”

His face lit up at that, and I thought, ‘Well, that’s definitely going to wind up on the internet.’ I could already see it … Daniel Adler confirms elseworlds.

The signing continued, and I met more fans, answered more questions, and signed everything from posters to action figures. But eventually, it was time to take a break. I stood, stretched my legs, and stepped away from the table, grateful for the breather.

Walking around the convention floor, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad that Matt couldn’t be here. He’d been sick, and I’d practically forced him not to come. Cosplayers filled the halls—everything from superheroes to anime characters. Some costumes were breathtaking, while others looked like they’d been thrown together at the last minute, but all were worn with pride.

I passed by booths showcasing vintage comics, collectibles, and indie art. Familiar faces from the comic book industry waved at me, and I exchanged quick greetings. But as I turned a corner, I almost collided with someone—a familiar figure wearing his signature hockey jersey and backward cap.

“Kevin Smith,” I said, taking a good look at the man in front of me.

“Daniel Adler! Good to see you again,” Kevin replied as we shook hands.

We’d met briefly a couple of years ago, but it had been a rather short conversation. A lot had changed since then—for both of us.

“Good to see you too, Kevin,” I said, shaking his hand.

Kevin’s face lit up with enthusiasm. “Man, I just read the latest issue of Invincible. You and that Matt need to pump up the numbers! Don’t leave us hanging!”

“Well…” I started, about to explain my packed schedule.

“Oh, sorry!” Kevin cut me off, a grin spreading across his face. “I forgot I was talking to the creative head of DC Studios!”

I laughed. “Well, that’s one of the reasons.”

Kevin tilted his head. “So, why didn’t you call me, huh? I mean, c’mon,” he said, mock-serious, “you’ve got all this power in DC now, and you didn’t think to call me?”

I chuckled nervously. “I asked around, Kevin. Everyone said you were taking some time off.”

Kevin burst into laughter, slapping me on the shoulder. “I’m messing with you, man! Yeah, I was taking some time off, but now? I’m back, baby. And ready for action.”

“Glad to hear it,” I said.

Kevin’s expression turned curious. “So, where’s Matt? I’ve got a proposition for him. Was gonna call him, but since you’re both here…”

“He’s sick,” I replied. “I had to practically tie him down to keep him from coming here.”

Kevin nodded thoughtfully. “Ah. I’ll give him a call then. Anyway, back to business. Look, I’ve got this great idea for a Flash movie. It’s solid gold, man. We need to talk.”

“Sounds great, Kevin. But right now, we’re focused on the big three.”

“Understandable,” Kevin said. “I hope you do Superman right, my guy. You need to get him right. No pressure or anything, but, like, pressure.”

I chuckled. “Don’t worry. He’s going to be as righteous as the paladin I play in my D&D campaign with my friends.”

Kevin’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Wait, wait—you play D&D?”

“Oh yeah,” I said with a grin.

Kevin practically jumped in excitement. “This is perfect! Listen, I’ve got a group. Mix of actors, writers, producers… even a wrestler. Small, tight-knit, real casual. We’re down a person for our next campaign, and you’d fit right in.”

“Really? Who’s in the group?” I asked, intrigued.

Kevin started counting on his fingers. “Joe Manganiello, The Big Show, Wil Wheaton…”

“Joe Manganiello?” I asked, genuinely surprised.

“Oh yeah. Don’t judge a book by its cover. That guy might look like a Greek god, but he’s the nerdiest man I’ve ever met,” Kevin said with a laugh.

“No shit,” I said, shaking my head.

“Also… Wil Wheaton,” I said as I remembered the name but couldn’t really place it.

“Wil Wheaton. You know, Star Trek guy.”

'Oh, him,' I thought.

“That’s a pretty cool group,” I said, impressed.

Kevin’s grin widened. “Oh, it gets even cooler. William Shatner joined a while ago.”

I froze, my jaw dropping slightly. “Wait… what?”

Kevin laughed, clearly enjoying my reaction. “Yeah, Shatner. He says he’s trying new things, and honestly? The guy’s been vibing with us. It’s wild.”

“William Shatner? Captain Kirk? Playing D&D?”

Kevin shrugged nonchalantly. “Yep.”

“Okay, now I have to do this,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief. “Count me in.”

Kevin grinned, clearly pleased. “That’s the spirit! I’ll text you the details.” He pulled out his phone, and we exchanged numbers.

As we wrapped up our conversation, Kevin gave me a parting grin. “Looking forward to it, Adler. Oh, and don’t forget about the Flash idea. Seriously.”

I waved him off with a laugh. “I’ll keep it in mind.”