Get Back On the Dragon, Hotshot
8 months ago – Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 11:56:19 PM

Do we get to win this time?

My dad's out of the hospital. He's still on oxygen and can't move much without assistance, so the VA gave him a walker to help. We're monitoring him and I'm hopeful he doesn't have to return to the ER for a fourth time. With luck, he'll be back to walking and breathing on his own in a few weeks.

That said, I'm trying to get back on the... dragon. Yes, I just made that joke twice and I'll do it again! I have a lot of catching up to do and I'm excited to do it. Stay tuned for content updates.

And now for the (un)paid advertisements...

Bloody knuckles

https://fskgo.com/

My friend, Michael Watson, is running a campaign for the thirteenth (!) issue of an ongoing, semi-autobiographical series of superhero comics called HOTSHOT.

Wait, what's the autobiographical part, Mike? That you can $#@&ing fly?!

Rumor has it that the series was born from his very real struggles with depression while attending college, including failed relationships, strained friendships, and the echoes of a dark home life from his then-recent upbringing that haunted his subconscious and tormented him with nightmares.

This is issue #12 of HOTSHOT, the culmination of an emotional three issue arc where Mike (the character) is finally able to protect his mother from the monster of his childhood: his step-father.

I guess by protect we mean beat into a gross, bloody pulp?

Is this the turning point? Does Mike give in to his hatred and let the void consume him? Or does that brief moment of unrestrained violence teach him a valuable lesson about the responsibility of those with power, and upon self-reflection, he returns to his senses and becomes a Jedi? No, I will not apologize for this paragraph!

I thought you said it was thirteen issues...
Listen, I didn't start the series at issue zero, Mike did, blame him! There are thirteen issues in total, starting with zero, which makes this new issue #12. Whatever the numbering convention may be, the series is fun, it's emotional, it's exciting, and it's colorful. All back issues are available on the campaign.

https://fskgo.com/

The Year of the Dragon (Kiss)
8 months ago – Tue, Jan 16, 2024 at 02:15:26 AM

Or it was supposed to be!

Everything sucks.

I really don't like making updates that aren't actually, you know, about the book or a share of a friend's campaign. I suppose it's technically an update about the status of the book in a roundabout way, does that count?

I myself am doing fine. My COVID was mild, thankfully. My dad, on the other hand, ended up back in the hospital with COVID pneumonia. He was in the ICU for a few days and was eventually discharged, still on supplemental oxygen. It looked pretty good for a couple days following, however, he's back in the hospital for a third time, now in general admission. His prognosis seems promising, but that's what you say right before someone kicks the bucket out of nowhere, right? FML.

During this time not a lot has gotten done on the book. I wrote a few new ideas down and hammered out some of the lore. I was also able to work on some of the interior colors for this issue, as well as a character concept for the issues after this one. I wasn't going to show off the concept until the launch of the second campaign, but I feel like you guys deserve to see SOMETHING for your legendary patience.

What's up with that snake tattoo? Why did I draw her with a bo staff? Are those really geta style Air Force 1s, and if so, where can you get a pair?

Her name is an homage to Sho'Nuff from the cult classic 80s movie The Last Dragon. She runs a criminal syndicate not unlike the Foot, but the name of which is to be determined.

Thank you, again, I appreciate all of you. The book is coming soon, and by god, it will be the Year of the Dragon Kiss.

(I'd rather not be) Down With the Sickness
8 months ago – Fri, Dec 29, 2023 at 11:51:48 PM

Ooh, ah ah ah ah?

Holy shit.

I have COVID. Or rather, my father got COVID and then gave it to me, and now I'm taking care of both of my geriatric parents while trying to decide if a second trip to the ER this week is warranted. Thanks, 2023, you've been real--real shitty.

Production is stalled, obviously. As if I wasn't late enough already, right? This might even push back the campaign for the second issue. I'm not about to run a second campaign when nobody has the first book yet!

Anyway, I'm very sorry.

Sidenote: why do I have to put my password into Kickstarter literally every time I open a browser tab and visit the site? What's the point of that "Remember me" checkbox? lol

Letma People Update
9 months ago – Thu, Dec 21, 2023 at 09:27:13 AM

Jeez, 20th update? Do I do too many of these?

Yes, you do. Happy holidays!

Not much new to report, still whipping hamsters into submission. Still chugging along, still chugging slowly...still late. Omg, look, something shiny: here's a colored and lettered page! The context is she's about to enter her transformation sequence to power up and she wants to use a catch phrase, but the cat is worried we're going to get sued for it... did I mention this book is off the rails?

Where Is Murasaki?!
9 months ago – Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 04:45:36 AM

When I wrote that line for the original campaign copy I wasn't intending it to be literal!

Shinobi the best there ever was.

Here's a page from the book with zero context. Page 19, to be specific. The entire book will be in color--including this page--but shading in grayscale is part of the hamster process. Although, as I've been shading pages, I'm thinking I should release a "Kurosawa" edition of the book; essentially old, iconic, black and white samurai films. Anyway...

As you can see, things are moving forward steadily. Not nearly as fast as I would like, but I am a one man army and there have been several significant snags along the way. I wanted this issue completed and in your hands this week, but that's starting to look a little like wishful thinking. I believe the digital edition will be released this month, still, with physical being mailed out in January.

Thank you all for your patience!