"Imaginary Drugs" Kickstarter: the Homestretch

The Imaginary Drugs Kickstarter campaign - coordinated by Michael McDermott and featuring a few stories written by me - has been a success to this point, I think it can be said.  With just under two days left before the end, it's raised more than double its initial goal.  There's one more stretch goal to go, and at $14,000, I think it's within reach.

The book has already expanded to include several new stories, such as Star Captain Apollo, as seen below.  In the campaign hits its final $14,000 goal, a separate Free Comic Book Day comic will be in the works.  If you've donated and helped to make this book a reality, I sincerely appreciate it!  We've had over 500 backers to this point.  If you're still on the fence, I hope you'll consider it as there are some great comics and other rewards to be had.

Check out the campaign here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1562823940/imaginary-drugs

Two more days!

"Imaginary Drugs" on Kickstarter

Hello, world.  There's a new comic on Kickstarter that I thought you should be made aware of.  It's an anthology titled "Imaginary Drugs" and it features a number of stories by different creators and it looks just swell.  Oh, and I'm involved in it.  Does that render my evaluations meaningless and this very post overly self-serving and egomaniacal?  No.  No, of course not.

This new collection is spearheaded by Michael McDermott and features a number of FUBAR alum, such as Jonathan Brandon Sawyer, Christine Larsen and K. Michael Russel.  For my part, I've got two never-berfore published stories, and I also did some lettering work on the flagship story, "Saint in the City" by McDermott, Sawyer and Russel.

Included in this comic is "Eternal Flame", a two-part story drawn by the inimitable Paul Tucker:

Paul really put a lot of work into making this story look both futuristic and old fashioned at the same time.  It's the space ballet that I've always wanted to write and I'm always happy to work with Paul.  He doesn't disappoint, if I can say so.

My other inclusion is a brand new Teddy and the Yeti short story drawn by the incomparable Pietro.  In the below preview, we see Ted, the Yeti, and a familiar pooch.  This is one of my favorite stories of all time, for reasons that should seem obvious if you know anything about me.

There are a number of great rewards in the offering, including prints, shirts, and even a set of coasters, one of which features the lead character from Eternal Flame:

There are a couple me-centric rewards, for those who are looking to see just what I'm coughing up to make this book a reality.  I'm offering issues of Teddy and the Yeti, some trading cards and a print with image of the cover to Teddy and the Yeti #2.  If you're super impressed by my lettering "skills", you can even hire me to letter your eight page comic.  Interestingly enough, three people have put a pledge down on the Teddy and the Yeti reward...I have no idea who these people saints are, but I thank them will all my heart:

So if you're looking for a fun comic and are so inclined to click on links to Kickstarter pages, I hope you'll consider Imaginary Drugs for a comic purchase-y buy.  You can find the campaign here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1562823940/imaginary-drugs

We'll find out in about a month if this project gets funded or not.  I'll post updates here when I think it's prudent.  Wish us luck!

Magic Bullet #6: The Naked Man!

Lost in the shuffle of Free Comic Book Day and other such festivities is news that a new issue of DC Conspiracy's Magic Bullet is out!  Issue 6 of the Washington, DC-area free comic newspaper in on stands now, and it features an oversized, one-page comic written by me that you can read by clicking the image above.

My entry is titled "The Naked Man at the Edge of Time", and it's drawn by Kurt Belcher with inks by Jonathan Brandon Sawyer and greyscales by Tom Ziuko.  It's about a guy who time travels, but has to do so naked.  That's...pretty much all you need to know about it.  I got the idea while reading an issue of Dark Horse Presents, specifically a story titled "The Marked Man".  I just glanced over the title and had to look at it again, because I mistook "Marked" for "Naked".  Who knows what kind of Freudian analysis that conjures, but let's just take it for what it's worth.  Anyway, I thought the idea was funny, so here we are.

The whole issue turned out really well, if I can say so.  I love the format and I love the idea of a bunch of creators getting together to work on something of this scale.  It's pretty neat.

Also in the issue, FUBAR bigwig Steve Becker gets inadvertently name-dropped in a story...about...heck, it's a comedy story about a time traveler.  Oh well.

This issue also features an ad for Franks and Beans!  That's right, we convinced someone to actually advertise for our Internet show.  I'm sure this will drive viewership through the roof...I mean, if it wasn't already.  THE ROOF, I TELL YOU!

I do have plans to do more with the Naked Man.  Okay, that sounds a little weird, but you know what I mean, right?  The Naked Man idea.  That doesn't sound any better.  Whatever, there are still plans for a full length (that sounds bad in this context as well) story later this year.  I'll post updates...whenever.

Visit the Magic Bullet website here: http://magicbulletcomics.blogspot.com

You can even buy a copy of this issue for your very own self.  It's only 99 cents!  http://dcconspiracy.storenvy.com/products/1352276-magic-bullet-6

This comic strip will make its way onto the webcomics section of this site.  Look for more soon!

A new photo shoot; new Magic Bullet; Thing vs. Hulk; Franks and Beans and more!

- I think I'll just post the above picture to all of my blogs, or on anything I publish, anywhere.  That way when readers see it, I'll create a level of intimacy by virtue of my gentle staring from in front of a wall of comic books.  That's soothing, right?  A picture of Jeff McClelland looking at you from a comic shop?

This image is part of a project being undertaken by my friend Vicki, who is creating a portfolio of images of people doing what they do at work.  Apparently, I stand around reading comics, which is terrifyingly close to real-life truth.  You should all check out Vicki's website here: http://morisuphoto.blogspot.com/

The picture was taken at McMurray's Pittsburgh Comics.  On the wall behind me is a copy of IDW's Hawken by Ben and Tim Truman.  I wish I had a segue for my next item, but, oh well.

- Oh, look!  It's IDW's Hawken by Ben and Tim Truman!  Both gentlemen have contributed to FUBAR at one time or another, and now the crossover runs the other way, too, as Jeff McComsey (layouts, colors), Dominic Vivona (pencils) and Steve Becker (inks) put together the above incentive cover for Hawken #3, which is on sale very soon!  The book is a western horror tale and it's worth picking up.  So pick it up!

- I initially thought that the above strip (of which I'm showing just part) would be appearing in the soon-to-be-released Magic Bullet #4, but it now looks like it instead will be part of issue 5.  It continues with the theme of one page stories that the publication is becoming known for; its title is "The Naked Man at the Edge of Time".  The story deals with a naked time traveler.  And yes, that's Gandhi in panels 2 and 3.  My apologies, India...I know that you can be sensitive about that sometimes.

Art for this story, which was very fun to produce, is by Kurt Belcher (pencils) and Jon Sawyer (inks).  I'll post more once the publication date draws near.

- A little while ago, I posted some initial art from a Charles Atlas ad parody that Duane Redhead and I were working on.  As you can see, there's been more progress on this front, as the monster design as been tweaked and an old-time coloring scheme has been added by Rafer Roberts.  I've got the text just about done, and then the page is off to be rendered.  It's turning out very well so far, in my nowhere near objective opinion.

- One of the reasons the Thing is better than the Hulk is because the Thing isn't just some raging, mindless brute.  He's a tough guy who knows how to fight, but he's also no dummy.  The above image is just further proof of that.  My friend Mike Adams took my suggestion for "the Thing beating up the Hulk" (which I suggest often) and put this piece together.  Great work, Mike, and finally, some truth!

- A few interesting website stats caught my eye recently.  First up is this phrase that I found among search terms; that is, someone (obviously I don't know who) found this blog by typing in the phrase "teddy and the yeti promo card 1 price".  If, by some stroke of fortune, that person is reading this post, let me say this: I...I don't charge anything for the promo card.  Seriously, if you reply to this post with a comment, I'll send you one.  For free!  I will.

Now that I sit back and think on this for a moment, another explanation might be that the person searching got a card at a convention and is looking to see if it's worth any money.  Hrumph.  That would be the less desirable explanation of the two.  So I refuse to believe it.

The next interesting search term is above.  Someone found this blog by searching for fellow Franks and Beans collaborator Larry Franks, and we know this person was looking for our Larry, because they even added information on the city and state.  That's weird.  Larry, are you searching for yourself online?  You know I plug www.franksandbeansonline.com all the time.  See?  I did it again!

- Lastly, and speaking of Franks and Beans, here's the highly (?) anticipated and painstakingly produced 54th episode of the probably hilarious Internet comedy show.  Seriously, we worked a long time on this and our entry to the Comic-Con film festival.  I'd like to think that this is one of our better ones.  You watch and decide!  That was not a suggestion.