Get Back On the Dragon, Hotshot
10 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)
10 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
11 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
11 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?!
11 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!