The new books available through Brooks' Kickstarter — the new cover art on the right, and the brand-new book on the left.
R. Alan Brooks
It was in the smash-hit wake of the TED Talk that the initial run of The Burning Metronome sold out, and it's been out of print ever since.
"I get people all the time asking me when that book is going to come back into print," says Brooks. "They're like, 'Hey, can I buy the book?' And I have to say, 'Well, no.' So I thought it was about time to reprint it."
To that end, Brooks has initiated a Kickstarter campaign to raise the necessary funds for publishing expenses. Think of it as a pre-order, he suggests, and adds that it's helpful that the money pledged doesn't get charged until the project reaches its goal. The funding period runs through August 31, and there are several levels at which supporters can pledge, from $30 for the books alone to higher prices that include more perks, like a soundtrack, posters, original art and much more. For details, see the sidebar on the right of the Kickstarter pledge page.
"This version will have new cover art," promises Brooks, "and over the years, we've done some additional chapters that will be included. And then there's an entirely separate new prequel book, 117 pages or so." This Kickstarter is the only way to get that prequel book; it's never been offered before, and will never be again in this initial iteration.
The Burning Metronome ties in pretty closely with some of the themes from his TED Talk. "In that presentation, I talk about the importance of art in the times we're living in," Brooks says. "In periods of crisis, some people can feel like art is flighty and self-indulgent. But there's a reason that dictators and despots immediately come in and ban art, first thing. Because they recognize the power of it, even if we as artists may not. Art has been at the core of every major revolution.
"So in talking about that," continues Brooks, "I talk about my own artistic journey, including my experience writing The Burning Metronome. It was the first graphic novel I ever did, and it was able to tap some big Rod Serling vibes while also dealing with a lot of social issues I wanted to address. And it was the success of that book that led me to all the things I get to be now."
The Burning Metronome, Brooks points out, came out "way before" the Right really latched on to calling things like Star Trek "woke." "It's such a weird thing," Brooks laughs. "It's amazing to me that some people can consume science fiction, fantasy, or superhero media and not see that there were messages of social justice and equality there. To act like that's some sudden, new development, like it wasn't foundational to the work itself originally. It's so willful. I think about that old episode of Star Trek, the one with Frank Gorshin [the Riddler from the Batman TV show], where half of his face is painted black and the other half is painted white. I'm like, there's nothing subtle about that message. I mean, it's right there."
And it's right there in The Burning Metronome, too.
"I'm super excited about it as a collected work," adds Brooks. "It looks amazing, and I'll be so happy to have it back in print and available for fans."
And it echoes the primary advice from Brooks' TED Talk: "Go make some art and scare a dictator."
Support R. Alan Brooks' The Burning Metronome through his Kickstarter, available through Sunday, August 31.
