I sit here at my computer, gazing through tired and bloodshot eyes. Heh, that’s right! It’s done. The new and improved CageyComics.com is live and ready for your perusal. I put this website together myself, my first one. YouTube is your friend for just about anything. It isn’t quite perfect just yet, and there are more things I want to get on here, but I’m definitely feeling a HUGE chunk of SATISFACTION that I was able to knock this out myself.
KICKSTARTER!!!
Take a look at this:
Here’s the new cover for Issue #1 for the Kickstarter launch. Amazing, right? I met Chris Ehnot at Wizard World Chicago and he was open for collaboration. I lucked out! Can’t wait to see how this looks with the title.
March 23rd is the day. I’m very excited and extremely nervous! I know there are a lot of people asking me for Issue #3 and it is on its way. Kickstarter is going to make or break me. It better make me because I spent an obscene amount of time building this website!
Hope everyone is doing well. I’m gearing up for the next few conventions and Kickstarters. It’s going to be a great year for comics!
What a great year it’s been! I just wanted to drop you a quick note thanking you for signing up and supporting my ideas and my comics. We’re on our way into 2020 and… well… who knows what might happen next?!
But enough of that! Let’s get on to the fun stuff!
Creating this comic book has been a great outlet. Even when I was a kid, I loved stories. Now, I find myself with this amazing opportunity to find great artists, meet great people and perhaps… put something new and different out there that intrigues people. Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and join me on this dark path into the supernatural!
If you ask me, dark paths are the more interesting ones… and it’s going to get darker!
And now… on to the latest Spectress & Sabanion news: Issue #3 continues apace! My plan is to have it ready for the convention schedule in 2020. I am also priming things for the Spectress & Sabanion premiere on Kickstarter. I’m working with some artists to create new covers for the existing issues (#1 and #2) to spice them up for the wonderful folks that have already picked up a copy. Currently working with Chris Ehnot for a new issue #1 cover. He’s done quite a number of covers for a variety of independent comic publishers.
Here is a rough sketch of the idea we came up with:
The idea is Aneksi (Spectress) leaping forward out of her old, ancient world into the new, modern one. She’s wielding her magic and has her khopesh sword at the ready. The evil eyes of Sabanion look on…
Another cover artist is pending… more on that as things develop.
How about you?
What have you been reading or watching lately? I’ve been finished a few shows lately: The Witcher, Watchmen, The Expanse. I enjoyed each one of them. The Witcher definitely had an interesting approach to the story structure. Honestly, with so many great shows and amazing content I think it’s OK to challenge the audience with some timeline fudging but it might not be for everyone. They are certainly angling for the Game of Thrones crowd with the swordplay and the… um… well, you get it.
As far as comics go, I’ve got a pile I’m still sifting through. Immortal Hulk is not the most patient being out there, but he’s just going to have to wait.
Any recommendations for me? What you you been reading and/or watching? I’m always on the lookout for something unique and intriguing. The new Dracula just popped on Netflix, have you seen it yet? Let me know if you like it!
Upcoming Conventions in 2020:
So far, I’m confirmed for Indiana ComicCon, April 10 – 12th. My first show in Indiana!
The year is winding down and what a year it has been! This has really been my first full year on the convention trail and it has been a great (and exhausting) time. Had some great discussions with some great fans about comics, movies, music, etc. Two more shows to go! As the conventions wind down, I’m trying to get back to focusing on writing. I’ve been learning that content is king and I need to stay on top of bringing my story (the first story arc, at least) to a conclusion. I’m looking forward to releasing that 5 – 6 book story in a gorgeous hardcover omnibus but… I have to start with writing the scripts first.
And now… on to the latest Spectress & Sabanion news: My artist has been banging on my door for the next script and I’ve handed off the next 10 pages. Topper has already passed me rough layouts of the first 2 pages: PAGE 1 – Features Cheska at an abandoned gas station waiting, somewhat nervously, to pick up her potential friend, Rasha (aka Aneksi aka Spectress).
PAGE 2 – Features Aneksi and Sabanion leaving CONFAC-4, much to the chagrin of the security team that guards the facility.
I have to say, with so many weekends at conventions it’s been hard to stay focused on writing. I also plan on using an editor to help me streamline my story and make it a smoother read. I am really excited to get back at it though! Issue #3 is going to start the friendship of Cheska and Aneksi (… if things work out), show the next steps of Alarbus (who is burned and pissed off!) and introduce a new and insidious villain, the Blood Shade. He will be the dark mirror to Aneksi, the Joker to her Batman, the Red Skull to her Captain America. The introduction will definitely take that step off the dark end. Kickstarter!!! Keep an eye out in the next month or two as I will be getting into the Kickstarter game! I’ve had a lot of fun and discovered some pretty cool stuff just clicking around on the site. You can find my Kickstarter profile HERE. I’m working on Issue #3 but I will be launching on Kickstarter starting with Issue #1. I know that doesn’t sound all that interesting but, after a bit of research, I’ve learned you don’t Kickstart in the middle. I’ll start with Issue #1 and release some new covers! I’ve already pinned down 2 (maybe 3) artists for alternate covers and they are going to be so cool! I can’t wait to see the artwork! After that, I’ll launch Issues #1 thru #2 (also with new covers), and then Issues #1 thru #3, then Issues #1 thru #4 and so on… I’m really excited to try out this new way to get new comics into the hands of fans!
In other news…
Not sure what the point is with these guys. I understand they are great filmmakers. I will always love Goodfellas, The Departed, The Godfather, Apocalypse Now and many of their other movies. Not sure why they’re on this kick and throwing shade on the Marvel movies. They could very simply say, “Those movies are really not for me, but I congratulate them on their success” and be done with it. Ah well, I guess the media culture we’re in pushes people to unnecessarily blather their nasty opinions. I guess I don’t even understand why the questions were asked. It’s like asking Beethoven if he likes Guns N’ Roses and then everyone getting all worked up when he says no. Eh, more manufactured indignation. Who needs it?
Thanks, Comicvine!
Also, I found out I’m on Comicvine.com. That’s kind of cool. Thank you, pikahyper, whoever you are.
Wizard World – Madison:
I was at Wizard World-Madison last weekend and had the pleasure to share a table with another writer, William Miles. This was his first show and convention debut of his comic, The Hawk.
This kid is ONLY 17 and he’s put out his first comic! Plus, he knows how to use social media waaaaayyy better than me! Ha! He’s going to conquer the world. I gave him some pointers on attending conventions and he showed me a few of the bells and whistles on Instagram. He sold out of his comic at the convention. The guy has endless enthusiasm, a great attitude and, honestly, a pretty damn well written comic book! You can find him HERE.
Remaining Conventions in 2019:
November 8 – 10, GalaxyCon, Minneapolis, MN. I had such a great time in Minneapolis for MetaCon so I’m looking forward to this show. I really enjoyed wandering around downtown. Found a great bar where I sipped a great beer and munched a great burger. Union Bar? I think that’s what it was called. Anyway, can’t wait to visit Minneapolis again!
November 22 – 24, Days of the Dead. Rosemont, IL. This will be my first horror convention. Unsure how it will go. Are horror convention people into comics? Will they get fake blood all over my table? Only time will tell. Michael Biehn will be there and I REALLY WANT TO MEET HIM AND/OR GET A PICTURE WITH HIM. I grew up watching him be the ultimate gritty tough guy in Terminator and Aliens. My character, Sorn, has a bit of Michael Biehn in him.
Wow, it’s been a busy month! Conventions on 3 out of 5 weekends in August! I had a great time down in Springfield, IL for Springfield Comic Expo and Wizard World Chicago was an exhausting blast! I also made the haul up to beautiful Minneapolis for Meta Con. Had a great time chatting up some great people. I really want to thank those that took the leap and picked up a copy of Spectress & Sabanion.
…which is VERY EXCITING!!! I hope to reach a much broader audience that way and find new readers. If you know any fans of comic books or just an interesting story, and you think they might like something as dark and crazy as Spectress & Sabanion, send them a link or just tell them to search me on Comixology or Amazon and BANG! they’ll find me.
Also, I received a great review from Reading with a Flight Ring.
“This is why I love finding unknown books by unknown creators because you can feel the passion for what they are doing.”
You can check it out HERE I’ve been gently pushing my story to other reviewers too but… they’re all so busy and how do you gently prod a critic that you want to be nice to your story? A conundrum.
Next projects: my artist has been banging on my door for Issue # 3 and I am working on making that happen. I’m also rolling around a supernatural story set here in Chicago in the 1920s. I just watched the old classic White Heat with James Cagney. It’s an old B&W gangster movie that still holds up in modern times… although the car chase would really be considered “quaint” by today’s standards. It got me researching old gangster slang and some of it is just so awesome I have to put it into a story. There will most likely be vampires, black magic, demons, Tommy guns, lawyers and illicit booze.
What’s everyone been into lately? I’m still trying to get caught up on FX’s Legion. I’m just a few episodes into Season 2 and have a ways to go yet. Still… probably one of my favorite shows ever. Behind Spartacus, but still up there with Breaking Bad. Marvel just announced a big new lineup of new shows on Disney Plus (She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight). They also just released a trailer for The Mandalorian. I wonder sometimes… how am I going to stay on top of all that? I’ll have to retire just to keep up with all those shows. Disney has more money than I have time.
As far as comics go, I’ve been reading Immortal Hulk (yeesh!), War of the Realms (soooo many tie-ins), and The Life and Death of Toyo Harada (Valiant) has been great too.
Upcoming Conventions:
September 21st, Galaxy Comic Book and Fantasy Art Expo. Joliet, IL. This is a special show, might be once in a lifetime because I’ll be there together with Topper Helmers (artist on Spectress & Sabanion) as well as Wesley Wong (colorist on Spectress & Sabanion). We’ll all be there, at the same table, signing books and saying hello.
Hope everyone is doing well, enjoying comics, enjoying Spectress & Sabanion, and loving life. Drop me a line if you get the time! Thanks again for supporting my story!
