TWO FISTED HOMEOPAPE March/21 - Two comics out this week! Wild!
Perhaps you’d care to sample multiple sequential narratives written by me…?
♫ I applied for a rescue dog,
But if I get you dog,
You're rescuing me ♫
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2022 -- bounce.
Speed Republic #2 out this week.
Ah, the second issue of our mad Europe car race comic drops this week!
I really love the way this issue absolutely escalates things. If you thought the first issue was funky, hold onto your butts, it’s about to really jump off.
As always, Emanuele Parascandolo brings the entire world, cast, and emotional palette to life. This issue brings some really sharp moments for our people as they struggle just to survive on their way to a finish line that’s all probably more metaphor than we’d like it to be.
You can also scope the variant cover by Fabien Lelay.
If you’re following us along with this title, thank you greatly. This one’s a real joy to put into the world.
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Black Beacon ends in Heavy Metal #315 - which should be this week!
I have had no idea when this story has ever ended up hitting the streets, in fact, my entire understanding of the dates of this title have been up my ass. I’m sure I’ll have to double down on the coming trade collection launch because the art beauty of Sebastian Piriz is not to be ignored.
But I have it on good [decent, likely] authority that the Heavy Metal magazine lands this Wednesday, in which you can find our final chapter of this epic story. Then the single issue release will be right around the corner. And I have zero date options for the trade, but I’m going to hammer it home like it’s my job [I just checked, it is actually and literally my job].
It should have a cover like this, if the internet is anything to be believed!
I’m really proud of this story. I wrote the script for this issue 14 months ago, and I’m still exceptionally proud of how we bring this story home today. It’s a huge sci fi epic with massive ideas and deep emotions and I hope you dig the way we wrap it all up.
This is going to be the cover for this chapter as a single issue, and it’s very boss. But, sorry, I have no idea of a street date for this at present - I’ll no doubt warn you with 72 hours up your sleeve. Maybe just contact your LCS and tell them you want it on your pull and then you're pretty well guaranteed not to miss it.
Ah, shilling comics is fun :]
Oh, the cover:
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Canberra Geek Markets…next weekend.
Not this weekend, as in the weekend directly upon us, starting on the 26th, no, the weekend after that, ‘next’ weekend. Not ‘the’ next weekend on the calendar.
Clear. Phew.
I’m looking forward to a day out selling comics. Alas, I don’t have copies of the new stuff I’d want to sell, like Speed republic and Black Beacon, which makes me very sad. But I will have SHE, and ETERNAL, and EVERFROST single issues for days, and a smile for hours, so if you’re around please cruise through.
If not to see me, then for the Lifeline Book Fair. They’ve decided to bung the beloved Book fair in with us because it’s previous date got screwed up by a bunch of bogans who thought they’d protest the government telling us what to do by walking around outside a book fair and telling people they saw what to do - there were reports of people having their masks pulled off their faces by [hopefully sub-sub-branch representatives of] these ill-informed pathetic moronic forces who stepped up to rally in the name of…something something something masks, mandates, freedoms, sigh.
So, I’m stoked to have the Book fair share a home with us nerds and hopefully it’s a success for everyone as they get their hands on some reading material, swap some digital coin, and have a bit of relaxed banter before our town probably shuts down for another go around as our numbers are slowly escalating, and our schools are feeling the pinch.
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What have I actually been doing this week?
Oh, yeah, that part.
I’ve been marking about 100 papers from all my students. All essays/analysis. So I have about 90,000 words to read [that’s be a very solid and chunky novel] and I’ve clocked just over half of it so far. In doing so, I’ve written about 15,000 words in feedback. It’s intense, but very fun and satisfying.
This has eaten into my mornings a little, just so I can get ahead on it and try to do my absolute best, so my writing has fallen off a little. But I’m still tinkering with this full plan my new publisher needs, and it’s coming together really well. It’s nice feeling that click as moments slide into pages and you can see it come to life before you then script it all.
Been thinking about how Tom King has changed to writing his stories like novels - he’ll just sit down and write a 12 issue series in one stretch and then just across to something else and give it all hes got until he’s finished it.
This only works with contained stories, which he mostly gets to do now exclusively in all his comics, but it relates more to my writing than it does someone grinding out monthly comics and trying to keep hitting that schedule.
I like having one thing on my plate. Jeez, I’d be screwed if I had 2 right now. Between work, marking, and life, I have place for one story right now. So I’m happy to give it my focus. Then I can do it right, keep it cohesive, and give focus to my entire project as one beast.
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ASD&D.
Sat down to prep the next session of play with my mates. Have to always map it out in little splinters, all depending on how they handle themselves. Completely fake example: the statue will come to life and grant one wish. If the players get here, will they figure it out? If they don’t, will their enemy get here and get a wish?
So, always trying to think a little bit ahead about how it might play out if things go awry - which they always do. Has any plan ever gone to plan in this game?
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PERHAPS YOU'D CARE TO SAMPLE
Almost feel like I should drop this section. But then every now and then I find a great article or a video of something, but this week has not been for that.
If you’re anything like me this past week, perhaps you’d care to sample some sunshine. Would you like to sample some healthy food? I still swear by raspberries being the thing that keeps me healthy.
Ooh, I’ve got it - sample this new shoulder exercise I’ve been doing at my desk, the waiter. Really helps straighten me up, and strengthen whatever the hell is going on back there. I swear to the gods when I die they’ll take my muscles and tendons and straps back there and sell them to sailors to use as sail rigging because of the tension and knots they can hold. You could also rock a pretty decent Cat o’ Nine Tails out of one strip of my back as it’d be full of little knots that’d tear someone up.
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GRIST FOR THE MILL
GIGANTIC - I finally read this comic by Eric Nguyen and Rick Remender. It’s an old Dark Horse series. It’s…okay. I always dig that Remender takes something he cares about and runs it through a dark sci fi lens. This one’s very much about the brainwashing of the masses through dumb television. But then he goes big with this idea, pun intended. The outcome is: a little heavy handed, but a decent enough amount of fun. Happy to have read it, but wouldn’t gift it or point someone to a copy beyond one on a library shelf.
THE BOYS tv show - I finally sampled the first episode of THE BOYS tv adaptation. I read the whole series years ago as it came out. It’s a very good, very not for everyone, comic. The show nails that tone, too. They don’t appear to have toned anything down on this one. I don’t know if I’ll watch both seasons. I feel like maybe, just maybe, the comic was enough for me.
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Be one of the good guys, because there's way too many of the bad.
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POST CREDITS SEQUENCE
I’ve been staying off my personal computer a lot this week. Work marking and paper planning for this comic. This means my email is slowly building up. I’ll either get to it all, or I’ll just not read some month old newsletters. I’ll see how the balance comes out on this one.
But mostly, if real life is keeping me busy, then I’m happy to put my efforts into real life. I think, for once, I’ve got my balance and priorities right on this one.
Time, as always, will tell, and will tell me in loud and obvious ways.