THE PRETTY, PRETTY 6x9 VERSION

What a difference it makes to go with a new printer! I went back and re-sized ONE NIGHT STAND for 6x9 using Lulu.com's print-on-demand services. Last week, I received my test copy and it looks much better. If you were not able to find the original mini-comic (5.5x8.5) when it was released on Indy Comic Book Week last December, then this is your chance to pick up a copy.

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/one-night-stand/8605012

I have it priced "at cost". It's $5.14 for a single copy. Some contributors might order their own copies in bulk and have them available at various conventions.

SOME END OF THE YEAR LINKS

First, thank you to everyone at Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles for hosting us. There was some confusion at first, because our contact person was out all week with H1N1. So, I showed up with a box of comics (early as always) and they didn't know they were having a signing -- but it didn't phase them at all. "Cool. Let's set you up over here." Introductions were made, and we were good to go. Plus, with California locals Christopher Higginson, Cat Staggs, and Sina Grace, we were able to bring a lot of people to Golden Apple. The people at that comic book store were all very nice. It was good to hang out with Christopher, Cat, and Sina -- and thank you Christian Beranek and Christina Weir for stopping by and supporting us.

A picture of us at the signing (click here)

A nice review of ONE NIGHT STAND (click here)

My interview with CBR about ONE NIGHT STAND (click here)

The latest WE'VE NEVER MET is now available, featuring the new logo by Jenni Leder. Look for Quick in racks around town. (click here)

This week's Quick also features some love for the web series The Variants.

D MAG, QUICK, NEW LOGO, AND STUFF

The January issue of D Magazine is now available in newsstands around town. It features a new installment of SOUVENIR OF DALLAS (click here). Also, this week's Quick has the latest WE'VE NEVER MET (click here).

SOUVENIR OF DALLAS covers the opening of Main Street Garden in downtown Dallas. I attended. (What? You think I make all this stuff up?) It's a beautiful park, and finally we have some green in a downtown dominated by concrete. Score. However, being satire, it wouldn't be any fun for the comic to leave it at that.

WE'VE NEVER MET introduces Trenton, one of Liz's best friends and a fearless bike rider. I was a little worried that I'd get a negative response from the biking community, especially my friends at Bike-Friendly Oak Cliff. However, with the exception of this twitter post from Pedal Dallas, I haven't heard much. Maybe everyone is still worn out from the Observer's big story on the subject? Yes, it's not a good idea to ride on the highway without a helmet and other proper equipment (rear-view mirrors, etc). It's also probably bad for someone to ride with you, standing on your back wheel pegs, at night, on the highway. This comic might stereotype bicyclists as having unrealistic expectations of their place within traffic. If you feel slighted, let me know! Alas, responsible behavior just isn't as funny. Given the chance, Trenton will grow as a character. Mostly, I wanted to make one big statement with this issue: It is possible to live in Dallas without a car, but it's probably not easy. Trains, buses, and bicycles will be instrumental, along with other creative alternatives.

The next WE'VE NEVER MET will come out December 31st and will debut our new logo, designed by Jenni Leder.

Currently, Paul, Chad, and I are working on some postcards to promote SOUVENIR and WE'VE NEVER MET. I should have them ready by January's Dallas Comic Con.

In other news, I shipped ONE NIGHT STAND to retailers yesterday. If you live near one of these stores, pick up your copy on December 30th. On that day, I'll be signing at Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles with Cat Staggs, Sina Grace, and Christopher Higginson.

Comps will be sent soon to the artists involved. If you are a ONE NIGHT STAND artist, try to wait for your comps. I want regular store customers to have a chance at this mini-comic. Supplies will be limited.

One random link: Here's a humorous and insightful review of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (click here). It's 70 minutes in length and worth every minute. This video actually doubles as a fairly good Creative Writing lecture on critical mistakes made with characters and plot. Valuable stuff to keep in mind when you work on your next story.

MINICOMIC GETS AROUND

Here's a list of all the incredible stores that will receive copies of ONE NIGHT STAND for December 30th. Hopefully, there is a retailer near you. At this point, I'm at full capacity and cannot add anymore locations.

Zeus Comics and Collectibles in Dallas, Texas
Titan Comics in Dallas, Texas
Lone Star Comics in Dallas, Texas
Keith's Comics in Dallas, Texas
Good Records in Dallas, Texas
Madness Games & Comics in Plano, Texas
Heroplex Comics and Games in North Richland Hills, Texas
Boomerang Comics in Lewisville, Texas
Austin Books in Austin, Texas
Domy in Austin, Texas
When Nerds Collide in Allen, Texas
Allstar Comics & Games in El Paso, Texas
Atomic Comics in San Antonio, Texas
Skylight Books in Los Angeles, California
Meltdown in Los Angeles, California
Golden Apple in Los Angeles, California
House of Secrets in Burbank, California
Hi De Ho Comics in Santa Monica, California
Isotope in San Francisco, California
Comic Relief in Berkeley, California
Hijinx Comix in San Jose, California
4 Color Fantasies in Rancho Cucamonga, California
Jim Hanley's Universe in New York, New York
Midtown Comics in New York, New York
St. Mark's Comics in New York, New York
St. Mark's Comics in Brooklyn, New York
Rocketship in Brooklyn, New York
Jim Hanley's Universe in Staten Island, New York
Pulp Nouveau Comix in Canandaigua, New York
Challengers in Chicago, Illinois
Quimby's in Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Comics in Chicago, Illinois
Brainstorm Movies, Comics, & Gaming in Chicago, Illinois
Comix Revolution in Evantston, Illinois
The Million Year Picnic in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Hub Comics in Somerville, Massachusetts
Comicopia in Boston, Massachusetts
Reading Frenzy in Portland, Oregon
Cosmic Monkey Comics in Portland, Oregon
Floating World Comics in Portland, Oregon
Zanadu - Downtown in Seattle, Washington
Zanadu - University in Seattle, Washington
SpazDog Comics in Phoenix, Arizona
Samurai Comics in Phoenix, Arizona
Big Brain Comics in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Source Comics and Games in Falcon Heights, Minnesota
Bizarro Wuxtry in Athens, Georgia
The Dragon's Horde in Stone Mountain, Georgia
Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, Oklahoma
Astrokitty Comics in Lawrence, Kansas
Star Clipper in St. Louis, Missouri
Copacetic Comics Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Atomic Books in Baltimore, Maryland
Sarge's Comics in New London, Connecticut
Green Brain Comics in Dearborn, Michigan
Velocity Comics in Richmond, Virginia
Ssalefish Comics in Winston Salem, North Carolina
Tangled Web in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Zaldiva Comics and Collectibles in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Strange Adventures in Fredericton, New Brunswick
Strange Adventures in Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Beguiling in Toronto, Ontario
Comics Mart in Singapore

Now, I must return to more folding and stapling.

MY KICKSTARTER THANK YOU

While I spend this weekend folding and stapling some 500+ minicopies, I thought I would take a break to thank the 34 backers who contributed to my Kickstarter project.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Jenni Leder, Adam Gutierrez, April Wenzel, Justin Stewart, Andrew Dalgleish, J. Kyle Fagan, Leah Wilson, Dawn Toh, Tania Kaufmann, Andy Baio, Deborah Driscoll, Vincent Kukua, Zack Sinkler, Phillip Ginn, Brandy Davis, Kevin Nguyen, Gordon McAlpin, Holly Lindem, Jamie Tanner, Kristina Egrigoz, Geoff Johnston, Sarah Jane Semrad, Wim Bens, Jamie Baker, Steven New, Sarah Nash, Dan Hughes, Jessica Stewart, Nate Bramble, Jason Rodriguez, Abeni Garrett, Jonathan Foisset, Sarah Gaydos, and the Samlis

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I still need contact information from some of these people. If that's you, I sent an information request through Kickstarter weeks ago -- please respond. If it got lost in your inbox, then message your address to me. I can't send you a copy of ONE NIGHT STAND or any other goodies, if I don't have your address.

Later this week, I will post a listing of every retailer receiving copies of ONE NIGHT STAND. Look for a store near you, so you can purchase a copy on December 30th.

More exciting news: I will be in Los Angeles for Indy Comic Book Week. Christopher Higginson, Sina Grace, Cat Staggs, and I are signing at Golden Apple Comics. I'll send more information once I have it.

ONE NIGHT STAND COVER

Here it is, as designed by the amazing April Wenzel --

I have approximately 8 minutes left on our Kickstarter pledge drive. That's 8 minutes left to pre-order ONE NIGHT STAND. I'm visiting some print shops today to get estimates and find the best deal possible. I'm also working on my class for Saturday's ArtLoveMagic workshop. And last night, I met with Geoff Johnston and the editor of DFW's Quick to discuss a project. (Announcement coming soon.)

DEADLINES

Today is the deadline for artists working on ONE NIGHT STAND. As of right now, I have sixteen finished pages and I'm waiting on the remaining half. I'm getting anxious emails from anxious artists. I feel bad causing such torment upon the busy lives of comic book artists. Seriously. We're all swamped with work, and sometimes a project like this can be a real albatross (so thank you to everyone contributing). I set the deadline to have enough time to layout, print, and ship everything a week before the December 30th release date. It also coincides with end of my Kickstarter pledge drive -- five more days left -- so that funds will be available in time to print. The deadline wasn't completely arbitrary. My apologies to those artists cursing my name as they ink the final panel.

On my end, it's exciting. This is probably my favorite part of the process. I love seeing the art for the first time. And I've never worked with this many people on a single project. It was an interesting exercise to script all these one-pagers on a single theme. I tried to complete five pages every day. Each artist is incredibly talented, and the styles are all varied. This project includes artists I've worked with on other projects: Paul Milligan (How To Lose Big), Tom Kurzanski (Karma Incorporated and Antigone), Brock Rizy (Emily Edison), Daniel Warner ("50 Miles to Marfa"), ZeeS ("Siren Song"), Cal Slayton (The Last Babysitter), and April Wenzel (our relationship). This project also includes artists who are brand new to comics, and several pros I've always wanted to collaborate with.

My next step is to arrange the completed pages in an aesthetically pleasing order, and get the files ready. Then, I need to find a good local print shop. Preferably not Kinko's. After that, I'm sending fliers to the retailers I've contacted -- and doing a bit more promotion.

LAST CALL!

There are ten days left on my Kickstarter pledge drive. It was exciting to hit our goal so early, but it also caused the contributions to slow down. The goal represents the bare minimum I need to get the mini-comic printed and distributed to as many stores as possible. When you factor in the fees subtracted from Kickstarter (5%) and Amazon (4%), printing (one color cover, eight b&w interior pages front and back), and shipping -- the $800 we have so far is great, but we could do so much better.

Project page (CLICK HERE)

Think of it this way: I've found 25 people willing to pledge to ONE NIGHT STAND. Compared to other comic book projects (that I would also highly recommend), these numbers are actually kinda low.

Gordon Alpin has 182 backers.
Jamie Tanner has 108 backers.
Poorcraft has 226 backers.

Surely, I can get more than 25 people to each pledge $5 to get this mini-comic sent to as many North American retailers as possible.

NEWLY ADDED REWARD: As a last minute reward level, for anyone who donates $10 or more, I will send them a hand-made thank you card -- with a crappy little sketch from me. I'm not a great artist, but I will certainly try to make it look nice. Crayons? Markers? Glitter? I'll try anything to make your card... special.

Plus, we still have two slots open for the $100 level: art + care package + ten comics ship to the store of your choice + 1 comic shipped to you + thank you listed in the comic.

So, there you go. I'm leaving this project in your hands. I'm not the type to keep knocking at your door. (Oops. We're dealing with a mixed metaphor.) I greatly, greatly appreciate everyone who has donated so far. We're almost done! But it would be awesome if we could get a few more supporters on board before I start printing and shipping this mini-comic. Thank you!

Project page (CLICK HERE)

I WON'T TELL DIAMOND. IT'S OUR SECRET.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ONE NIGHT STAND MINI-COMIC TO ARRIVE ON DIAMOND'S "NO SHIP" WEEK

Comic book retailers in North America have a long committed relationship with Diamond Distributors. They're a cute couple. However, since Diamond will not be shipping any new comics during the week of December 30th, David Hopkins is offering a ONE NIGHT STAND. No strings attached.

Written by David Hopkins, ONE NIGHT STAND is a series of one-page vignettes, a collaboration with 32 artists -- including Ryan Dunlavey (Action Philosophers), Christopher Higginson (Ghouly Boys), Sina Grace (Books with Pictures), Mark Murphy (Tiki Joe Mysteries), and Daniel Warner (Cocopiazo). All the stories center around a theme of casual sex and brief intimate encounters.

"The instant I heard about this project I wanted to be a part of it," says Ryan Dunlavey. "David is one of the most outspoken advocates for indie comics -- and a great writer to boot -- so I knew if he was putting it together I'd be foolish not to get involved."

The goal is to distribute free copies of ONE NIGHT STAND to indie-friendly retailers across North America. The stores can then sell those copies to customers looking for something new on December 30th.

"I realize mini-comics are not the easiest books for a retailer to move, but it'd be nice for an independent comic to steal the spotlight for at least one day," says David Hopkins. "I'm not trying to turn a profit. It's my slutty way of saying thank you to retailers who sell independent self-made comics throughout the year."

Preview page by Nate Bramble, creator of the webcomic Hermit Hill

Funding came through Kickstarter, a pledge-drive website used to support ideas and endeavors. After only three days, Hopkins was able to raise $500 for basic shipping and printing needs. The project site also allows people to pre-order the mini-comic.

ONE NIGHT STAND is part of an initiative by IndyComicBookWeek.com. A retailer does not have to join ICBW to receive ONE NIGHT STAND, but obviously their participation is appreciated.

"It would be great if stores encouraged their local talent to put something together for December 30th," Hopkins says. "End of the year, the economy has been crappy; indie comics seem like the most appropriate way to celebrate."

##

RELATED SITES:
http://antiherocomics.com
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/994120775/one-night-stand-mini-comic-and-casual-encounters
http://indycomicbookweek.com
http://www.hermithillcomic.com

ONS UPDATE

Aaron Taylor sent me this pin-up in support of our ONE NIGHT STAND project. When we started, I had to cut the comic down to 32 pages, which means some artists weren't able to participate, because of promises I made first to other artists. It happens, but I felt terrible having to cut anyone. Aaron's pin-up art is greatly appreciated. Online promotional exclusive?

Right now, I'm working on a press release for ONE NIGHT STAND and an email to gain the support of more retailers. The scripts are all written, but I'm keeping busy.

For more updates, click here or visit the Indy Comic Book Week website.

KICK ME. SUPPORT INDIE COMICS.

After only a day, I'm already at the half-way point for my goal on Kickstarter (click here for my project page). I'm trying to raise money to cover the printing and shipping costs for ONE NIGHT STAND. Here's the promotional video I put together...

It'd be great if we can meet our goal. However, at this point, I'm kinda hoping we can raise beyond the $500 goal, which would allow us to do even more with the mini-comic. All support is greatly appreciated. (click here for more details and updates)