Last Saturday I was forced to admit there are more good days behind me than ahead. I turned fifty-nine. That said, thanks to Kim and her family, I had the nicest birthday I’ve had in decades. While most people have birthday memories which feature thoughts like “I saw a pretty balloon” mine tend to be more akin to “Drunken biker pulled gun.” I liked this year’s version much better.
Moving on, as many of you know I teach Sunday school, and the occasional adult ed class, at church. What you may not know is that I’m a huge fan of the New Testament. Give me the Gospel of Mark, add in the pointed humor of Beatitudes, and I’m a happy guy. So, naturally, when I get selected to lead a class I’m assigned, without fail, Genesis. Which is the antithesis of the New Testament.
You can imagine my joy when New Wave Comics asked me to pen a series of Christian comic books for tweens and teens. I wrote the first one, a look at how envy can destroy people, made sure to include giant monster’s, clear morals, and a fun swipe at beauty pageants.
I bet you know what’s coming.
The publisher reached out to me and asked for an origin story, Genesis 3 I guess, so the uninitiated would understand the back story. To make it fit the story I’d written I mixed parts of Genesis 1 and 2, ladled in some Dante, and added celestial flowers since I think they’re pretty. Don’t judge me.
Nevertheless, the resulting comic, CROSSTITCH: ALPHA (Envy) is in the hands of an artist, and will be coming to a Kickstarter near you on October 15th. The publisher is assembling a platter full of perks that backers, like you, can earn when they join the fun.
I’ll keep you updated as things progress, but I’d be a bad McSciFi if I didn’t give you a tease.
More below.
I was chatting with an Instagram buddy two days ago and he mentioned how much he’d enjoyed reading SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY. That was great to hear, but confusing as well. You see, he lives in Chennai, which is in India, and we don’t have distribution there.
Or so we thought.
Apparently, as my minimal fame inexorably grows, Amazon has opened up my author’s page in every country so people can buy anything I’ve written that they carry, That last part is key. Due to cost restrictions we don’t use Amazon for comics. There are a couple of early iterations of Legends Parallel there that you can get cheaper, shipping included, just by CLICKING HERE and making me walk to the post office. Also, to be blunt, our private printer produces a superior product.
Still, if you’re in India and want to burn through some of those rupees you’ve been saving for a rainy day, just CLICK HERE and have fun. You can get the KDP version of SPLICE for a mere ₹ 449.00. Also, just like in America, you can order hard copies, of some titles, if you wish. For example, for a paltry ₹ 1,413.00 you can have The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The classic tale and an anthology of twists, retellings, and sequels. which is an amazing anthology.
Circling back, this weekend I got to meet two new fans who enjoyed SPLICE immensely. They were even nice enough to demand that I autograph their copy.
More below.
While I’m beyond thrilled to be writing a couple of comics for younger readers, with Bob: Sins of the Son also in the works, I’m not abandoning my brain bending, more mature, titles. Just click on any link to wallow in the awesomeness of it all.
LEGENDS PARALLEL
Hadithi Sambamba Comix
A man, his mom, and her lover have to save the multiverse. No one said this shit would be easy. The perfect series for those who think quantum physics isn’t sexy, or violent, enough. One story, five Earths, twelve issues. Art by Leslie Tejlor.
HYBRID ZERO: JUGGERNAUT
Dr. Strangefate Publishing /Hadithi Sambamba Comix
Set in the distant future, Hybrid Zero is the story of a human/alien fusion and her strange family. They live in an era where sexuality, in all its joyful panoply, is lauded and violence is taboo. This group of aristocratic soldiers must face down their own petty, in the grand scheme of things, problems and stop a trans-dimensional creature before it destroys the universe. Or not. You know how things can get sometimes.
HYBRID ZERO: JUNGLE GRRL
Dr. Strangefate Publishing / Hadithi Sambamba Comix
In a far future the universe has taken many unusual turns. Genetic manipulation has led to many unforeseen consequences. One is, after Earth had been destroyed, a group of rich investors rebuilt it to be an amusement park like nothing you’ve ever seen. Complete with sex forests and dino clones.
HYBRID ZERO: CASSANDRA AND THE CHANGELING SWORD
Dr. Strangefate Publishing / Hadithi Sambamba Comix
She’s a ninety-six year old dead chick whose spirit is in a new dimension where she’s now a young woman with mystical powers who lives with a chain smoking, hard drinking, MIT educated, prostitute who’s also a master craftsperson who creates all sorts of wonderful things to help keep Cassandra alive. Or whatever it is she is.
RUH ROH RANGERS
Hadithi Sambamba Comix
Those meddlesome kids are all grown up. A savage satire featuring the work of the 2019 Glyph Nominated artist, Maku Tellez, this is the comic that will ruin your childhood and make your day. Scooby Dooby Don’t!
SVAROZIC
Hadithi Sambamba Comix
A woman trapped inside a man, a god trapped inside a human. Part of the Independent Creators Connection (ICC) ring anthology. Each character, created by different artists, has an elemental force controlled by a ring. They will try to stay alive as a dark menace hunts them down and tries and steal their powers. Art by SBRii.
THE EDGAR ALLAN POE CHRONICLES
Dren Productions, LLC
My take on The Oval Portrait has been included in a collection of sci-fi reimaginings of the works of Edgar Allan Poe featuring graphic artists who’ve worked on comics for Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Iron Man and many more. It’s a really cool project and I’m honored to be a part of it.
Until next week, stay safe, sane and inside.
