For Hal, that moment came during the viewing of “Star Wars IV: A New Hope,” at 0:11:57, when Jawas first appear. As inspiring as were the other elements of that movie, the promise that the future held not only droids, faster-than-light travel, and pew-pew lasers, but also weird used-parts sales aliens, clinched the deal.

“Now that’s something worth writing about!” he said. Thus was born the idea for the “Across Space” universe.

The first embodiment, a screenplay entitled “Across Space with Harris and Phil,” was registered with the WGA in 1987. Luckily, it never got made. Or even considered. Numerous iterations followed, including some precocious novels still in development.

The current project, a series of graphic novels, began in 2018. Along the way, Hal founded and sold one of the most profitable video store chains in the US (Super Video of NJ), patented several music-related inventions (The Jewelsleeve, The Sheetminder) and founded a pop-culture figurine company (Headz.com.) 

Other works include a children’s picture book with Walter Brogan, “Wolfgang and Sheba,” and the time-twisted alt-history graphic novel “Her First Time.”