The 42nd Post

So, 2021 was a bit like 2020, and 2022 isn't promising to be much different.

We did get to a few Cons at the end of the 2021, which is great, but sadly sales (despite them being record breaking for us) didn't create enough space in my storage locker and so I'm still unable to print any new books.

Books that are ready to print:-

• WesterNoir Volume 2
• Right Place at the Right Time (Blessed/Cursed)

Books that are complete and are having covers/internal pages etc designed 

• Stephenson's Robot 

Books that have all art complete and need lettering and then the design work

• Thick Skin (Blessed/Cursed)

Books that are well underway and will be ready for lettering / design very soon

• Stephenson's Robot - Companion Book
• Kia Wordsmith 3

Books being coloured

• WesterNoir Volume 3

Books where the script is with the artist

• V2A - Wasteland Chronicles - Book 2
• A Kia Wordsmith spinoff title - I'll come up with the title at the end I think
• The Shadowless Man GN

...and I know I'll have missed something...

I'm also working on that Young-Adult SciFi book that I seem to mention every year. A few weeks ago Jemma, my daughter, issued the challenge to see which of us could complete a book before the end of 2022. I think I've learned something about my character as this has really energised me.  Bring it on.

Well, I do hope that 2022 is better than the last two years (plus). 

I hope that all who are able to take up the vaccine do so and we globally get on top of this pandemic and stop giving the virus room to mutate. I hope the anti-vaccine crowd actually pick up a few science books and read the facts rather than listen to people who were probably asleep in their biology lessons when they were at school. I hope those people who are forced to live in lockdown (still) because we haven't got control of the virus are able to step out of their houses safely in 2022. 

Kingdom looks fabulous

 Just came across this on Twitter.

Jon has finished adding all the little details and 'Wow'.. doesn't he look fabulous.

Now we just need to work out how best we can produce some for sale.

Kingdom Comes

I can't believe how good this is looking.

It's a prototype of the Kingdom 3D figure I've been wanting to produce for years. 

Sadly I don't have the time (read technical ability) to do such a thing myself but very fortunately I know a man who does.

Jon Ayre, the co-writer on my Stephenson's Robot Companion titles is still busy at work modelling and printing this off of his own 3D printer. 

The plan is the then pick a pose for him and see if we can get a mould made somewhere so we can then produce a batch of them for people to purchase and paint.

I'm still smiling at how good this looks.

Disney+

So, a few months ago I cancelled my NOW subscription and started one for Disney+.

I've been enjoying the MCU movies and from what I'd seen, read or heard it looked like the TV shows that Disney+ was producing were quite good. 

I really enjoyed most of the Netflix efforts from a few yers ago so I know what is possible.

I must say that I've not been disappointed. 

In order of viewing I went for 

1. Falcon and Winter Soldier 
2. WandaVision
3. What if
4. Hawkeye 
5. Loki

Wow. 

Where to start, some were very clever (WandaVision and Loki), some had a lot of heart (Hawkeye and strangely Loki) and some where just enjoyable as they developed some of the lead characters (Falcon and Winter Soldier) or introduced new ones (Loki, WandaVision, Hawkeye and to a lesser degree Falcon and Winter Soldier).

As a long time reader of Marvel comics I guess I picked up things that people who just follow the movies will be unaware of, but I'd be surprised if that in anyway lessened their enjoyment.

and What If was fabulous too.

I'm not a big Star Wars fan but I've dipped into some of those too and enjoyed the Mandalorian  (first season more than the second). I'll check out the Boba Fett series when it lands. 

Well worth my money. 

Titles to print next year.

With the last couple of years being very poor from a Comic Convention perspective I've been beavering away regardless, producing what I would have produced anyway. 

The problem has become one of storage and it this that has stopped me printing them off. This means that as we go into the early part of 2022 I'll most likely have the following books ready to print.

• Right Place at the Right Time - A Blessed/Cursed comic.
• WesterNoir - Collection 2 (prints, in colour, issues 5, 6, 7 and 8, plus extras)

• Kia Wordsmith - Issue 3
• A New Threat - a single issue tale. accompanying Kia Wordsmith featuring two of the main characters

and second half of the year

• Stephenson's Robot - Collection (prints the main story arc of issues 1 to 5, plus never before printed 6 and 7... plus extras).
• Stephenson's Robot Companion - Collection (prints the back up stories, those seen in issues 1 to 5, plus a number of new tales)
• Thick Skin - A Blessed/Cursed comic
• V2A - Wasteland Chronicles 

I just hope that the 2022 Con Season is much better than 2020 and 2021.

Kingdom model

 I caught up with Jon Ayre, and old work friend and also co-writer of the Stephenson's Robot back stories, at the recent Northwich Comic Con an he offered to have a go at making a 3D model of Kingdom himself.

This is an early version of the model, yet to have any details added. Looking great so far.

And it looks like things have progressed really well as the next photo I got from Jon is...

Looking very cool isn't it.

A day off today...

So, yesterday my daughter was looking to travel down to stay with me over Xmas but we decided it was too risky. She'd have to take a few trains and go through London to reach me. The plan was that I'd then drive her back up North around the 28th. So, we have Covid (with very high cases in London) and then there's a possible lockdown after Christmas (too late Boris) and the weather looks like it's going to take a turn for the worse.

We'll celebrate in February, or whenever things calm down a bit.

So I had booked today as a holiday and have decided to keep the day off and write the script for a comic instead. It's about one of the characters who will appear in Kia Wordsmith Issue 3, well actually it features two of them, and I'm enjoying writing again. I'll need to come up with a title, these usually occur to me halfway through writing but I've had nothing pop into my mind as yet.

Take care over the Festive Break everyone.

Ian Ashcroft's Patreon

Just to let you all know that Ian Ashcroft, artist on Kia Wordsmith, has a Patreon where he will put up pencils for issue 3 of Kia before it sees print.

As well as the basic level there are some very attractive higher levels where you can get original art. 

Go and check it out over at Ian.Ashcroft.Art

I'm in.

The Shadowless Man walks again

A couple of years ago I wrote the story of another character who is central to the stories that surround Jigsaw Girl. 

The Shadowless Man could also move between planes, using the Nexus, and their tales are set to meet at a significant crossroad in the greater story.

Joe Campbell, who I had enjoyed working with on my Blessed/Cursed story Missing: Have You Seen The Invisible Man? agree to do the art and got to work.

The first issue was completed, and I'm very happy with it, but then one thing or another got in the way and it went into limbo.

Good news is that I've contacted Joe recently and he's agreed to pick it up again and get it finished.

We'll be producing it as a combined story as I think that works best for this tale.

I just need to get the scripts to Joe... and try not to read and play with them first.

Last Con of the Year

What a great little Con that was.

Northwich isn't a big town. It does have a comic shop, Millennium Comics run by Dan, but it has no book shop. 

I popped up and stayed at Col's house, meeting Gary at the venue. It was really just an excuse for me to get together with friends before 2022, and whatever that dumps on us all. It was also a chance to support Mike, a friend of many years, who organised the event.

I was surprised that it was so well attended. 

It had a great feel to it, despite being in a cold winter hall, and a whole range of things to interest most people. I bumped into an old work friend who had provided some really fabulous pinball machines. Jon Ayre, co-writer of the Stephenson Robot - Companion Book stories and his family popped by for a surprise visit, and it was great to catch up. 

A really nice day and I sincerely hope that Mike runs another next year. If he does then I'll be there.