Pesto Comics - Audio Edition

Let's talk lettering! An unsung hero of making comics.

Notes:

Add Crazy Latte Thing Called Love to your pull-list here: https://leagueofcomicgeeks.com/comic/4727323/crazy-latte-thing-called-love-1

And the rest of Pesto Comics' catalog here: https://leagueofcomicgeeks.com/people/62791/adriano-ariganello

You can find Blambot at https://blambot.com/

You can find Comicraft at https://www.comicbookfonts.com/

--

You can find the whole thing at https://pestocomics.substack.com/

Visit the store at https://pestocomics.com

Find me on (almost) all the socials @pestocomics

Leave a comment or shoot me an email at [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pestocomics.substack.com

Today, we do the first half of our post-mortem for the Kickstarter campaign for Crazy Latte Thing Called Love.

You can find the whole thing at https://pestocomics.substack.com/

Visit the store at https://pestocomics.com

Find me on (almost) all the socials @pestocomics

Leave a comment or shoot me an email at [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pestocomics.substack.com

Some Quick Updates

Crazy Latte is Successfully Funded!

Thanks to 189 backers from all over the globe, we’ve had a successful crowdfunding campaign for Crazy Latte Thing Called Love! This campaign broke records for Pesto Comics. Hopefully it’s the start of a trend with 72% of those that backed being completely new to our books. We had a pretty decent returning backer rate too, so if that holds the sky’s the limit.

I can’t wait to show you this book once it’s ready. Mattia is hard at work colouring the remaining pages. In the next post on July 1, we’ll have an in-depth review of the Kickstarter from top to bottom.

Don’t miss it if you’re interested in how a successful campaign works!

A Revamped PestoComics.com

Have you checked out pestocomics.com recently? It wasn’t the most thrilling site in it’s first iteration, so it’s had a complete overhaul. This is a full-on store experience. You can order copies of all of our back issues directly from here.

Plus it offers me the ability to do discounts, like this: NEWSTORE

Visit the store and enter that code at checkout. You’ll receive 10% off your order! This is only valid until the next newsletter comes on July 1. Enjoy!

Big Smoke Pulp - Last Chance

I’ve got stories to fill about 87% of the book. We’re very close to completing it. If you’ve been holding onto a story, giving it that last polish - just send it now! You’re running out of time!

Now, some exciting announcements:

The Next TWO Projects

You read that right! We have two new ongoing series coming this year. They’re actively being worked on right now. It’s still very early going in both, but I want to share the titles with you now so I don’t have to speak in riddles about them going forward:

First up is a 5-part story about a brotherly tag-team partnership that gets tested inside and outside of the ring. Pietro and Bruno are professional wrestlers brought into a remote town where not everything is what it seems. For a show that’s pretty popular, the locals reject it and everything it brings.

Once the brothers figure out who is pulling the strings, they’ll quickly find out it’s more than just a wrestling show - and getting out of town won’t be so easy.

Art duties on this project are being masterfully handled by the talented Daniel Caval. This story of high-flying antics needed art with a kinetic energy and Daniel’s work fit the bill. He embodies that spirit as he’s already inked the entire first issue!

This series will be comprised of five 24-page, full colour issues. With the pace that Daniel is able to draw, we should be able to get the full story in your hands within a matter of months. Each issue is built to leave you wanting more, while still telling a complete story per issue. You can binge it all at the end or read it and build the anticipation for the next issue. True serialized storytelling here.

You’ll start seeing more information about this Kickstarter campaign as soon as Crazy Latte Thing Called Love is fulfilled.

Next is Pesto Comics’ first foray into the NSFW space with another 5-part series. We’re not going for anything gratuitous here, but a fun concept that has a lot to say about the world we live in today and how we value women.

If you’ve read any of my work, you know I love writing strong female protagonists. In Naked Kaiju Woman, our lead, Claire, might be the strongest — physically — of all of them, but the role she’s taken on as defender of the city begins to take a toll on her mental health as the prudes down below begin to turn on her.

This story was written with, a now frequent, collaborator in mind: Rafael Chrestani. If you enjoyed the art in Stay Cool, wait until you see what he’s putting together here! I knew he could draw women very well, but the kaiju he’s creating are some of the most inventive I’ve ever seen!

I’m very excited to show you what he’s been sending me - and this time, we’ll be doing it all in full colour The first issue is about 1/3 inked so far, so expect to see more about this in the Fall.

NKW is a little different than From Parts Unknown as each story is entirely it’s own. Less serialized storytelling and more a story, followed by sequels that get richer if you know what came before.

These are just two stories. Check out the '2024-2025 Progress & Release Calendar’ at the end of this post to get some hints at what might be coming next. That’s only some of it as there are other things being worked on outside of Pesto Comics that are very exciting! I’ll definitely be sharing that as it comes closer to reality.

And now, looking back on the weekend that was…

Niagara Falls Comic Con!

Niagara Falls (and Hamilton) are my homes away from home. I spent a good two years working all over that part of Ontario, repairing Tim Hortons menu boards and Petro Canada gas station computers, so any time I get to return, it feels like a homecoming.

Not just that, but when anyone comes to visit Toronto from abroad, there’s three things they’re nearly guaranteed to do: go to (or up!) the CN Tower, go to a restaurant that makes the same food they have at home (we have it all) and visit Niagara Falls. It’s…not close to Toronto, but it’s always part of the trip.

Same goes for when Torontonians need a mini-vacation that doesn’t involve going up north to cottage country. Needless to say, I’ve spent a lot of time in this city for both work and play. I was thrilled to have this be the first comic con I’ve tabled at.

The weekend started pretty slow. Friday presented us with some torrential level rains throughout the evening and it seems like that kept most attendees away — except for the cosplayers. Though I saw cosplayers of all kinds all weekend, Friday was probably 80% cosplayers to 20% in civies. It was really impressive.

The person who made my day was actually dressed as Chainsaw Man. (I regret not getting a photo with her.) She was so very patient while I struggled to get my Square Reader to connect on the non-existent network coverage and she even ran to an ATM so she could grab her copy of Unlimited Udo. After a very slow evening, this absolutely made my day.

Go support this friendly, young artist on Instagram and pre-order her plushies from her Etsy store!

Saturday was a lot better as things picked up with the weekend traffic. That said, it wasn’t nearly as busy as I had hoped. I met a few cool folks, handed out a lot of bookmarks, but had an overwhelming amount of people saying they don’t read comics at all. It was discouraging to say the least.

To make the most of the weekend on Sunday, I decided to focus on networking instead. I met some great people around artist alley including Carmen Peters of Waterlight Studios, Alex of Alchemist Elite Comics and Surjit Chana, the1surge — along with getting to hang out with my (now often mentioned) friend, Roberto Viacava and long-time film school buddy and table-mate, DanonNotTheYogurt.

The weekend had its positives and negatives, for sure, but I had a good time nonetheless. I’m looking forward to do it again very soon! Next show, I’ll be just another attendee, but it’s a big one: San Diego Comic-Con!

As far as where you can find me tabling next, I’ll be at Vaughan Con August 10! (More details at the end of this post.)

I’m very much looking forward to doing it all again.

What’s Next?

July 1

Post-Mortem: Crazy Latte Thing Called Love

An in-depth look at the third Pesto Comics campaign (plus: potential launch date announcements)

July 15

To The Letter

How I letter comics and why it’s so dang important (plus: prepping for San Diego Comic Con!)

Find Pesto Comics In-Person!

What’s Coming from Pesto Comics

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pestocomics.substack.com

The Fun Stuff First

Join Me at Niagara Falls Comic Con

I’ll be at Niagara Falls Comic-Con with copies of Unlimited Udo and Stay Cool available — plus a bonus for any backers of Crazy Latte Thing Called Love.

Not just that, but dear subscribers (LIKE YOU) will also get a freebie from me. Just show me your subscription on your phone and I’ll hand over the goods.

NFCC runs from June 7-9. Find out more here.

“Crazy Latte Thing Called Love” Going Strong

Holy cow! What a start we’ve had! 13 hours in and we hit our funding goal! We rocketed past the first stretch goal too before slowing down through the deadzone for a little while.

I’m writing post on Monday to get ahead of all the things I need to do for the campaign, so I don’t know how the Flash Goal and Pocket Reward have done. Hopefully those drummed up a lot of interest. If you’re reading this now, you know better than I do.

The support this campaign, in comparison to the previous ones by Pesto Comics, has been absolutely astounding. I’ve been trying a whole bunch of new things this time out to drum up interest. Not everything has worked, but a lot has.

Most of all, Mattia Monaco’s art has been a huge talking point by nearly everyone who checks the campaign out. I’ll get into this more later in this post.

I’ll also be doing a post-mortem, here in the Substack, a couple weeks after the end of the campaign to really dive deep into the numbers.

For now, I just want to say thank you to anyone who has backed the campaign already. If you haven’t, don’t delay. Though the comics will be available in some form after the campaign, you won’t get the deals you do during the Kickstarter.

Shipping is included. There’s great bundles. A whole whack of free extras that go to both physical backers and to digital only ones. Plus, keeping these campaigns alive ensures that we can keep creating new and more amazing stories to share.

Speaking of sharing stories…

Call for Entries Continue!

I’ve been reading more than ever - and I was already an avid reader. There are so many good stories out there. It’s incredible the gems I’ve been uncovering from the submission to Big Smoke Pulp. Space in the book is nearly 50% spoken for. So if you’re a glass half-full kind of person, throw your hat in the ring.

Some tips to make sure I’m happy when I read your story:

* Fast paced and high tension: get into the story immediately. Set the scene with action over description.

* Shorter is better: though some longer works have made it through, the overwhelming majority have been south of 2000 words.

* Cliche is okay...sometimes: with shorter word counts, using some cliched tropes helps set to scene so you can get to the action.

* With a twist: keep me guessing 'til the end. I want to feel like I know what's coming - then be shocked. It's not a requirement to be an actual twist, but subvert my expectations a bit.

I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve got — and I can’t wait to show you what I’ve been reading!

A Year on Substack

Time flies, doesn’t it? I remember when this newsletter could barely walk - and now it’s soaring!

This newsletter started with just a handful of readers and we’re now well over 600 subscribers. I’m thrilled to have so many friendly folks interested in what’s happening with this venture every couple of weeks.

If you haven’t subscribed yet, it won’t cost you a dime! Join the party:

Now, with that hidden segue…

How Lucky Am I?!

You may have noticed I use “I” and “we” interchangeably. That’s because I don’t do any of this alone. The amazing artists I’ve worked with since 2022 have elevated my stories into something new and amazing every single time.

I’ve had a great experience with all of them, so I’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to each of them individually! If you’re looking for some great artists to work with, consider this my recommendation list.

I’m working with some again already - and I hope to work with others again soon. Feel free to fight me for their services.

Here they are - in the order that I’ve met and worked with them:

Lane Lloyd

Brad(s)

It’s hard to miss Lane’s work if you’re familiar with indie comics at all. Lane is a work-horse with a very distinctive style that you can spot from a mile away. Lane’s work on Brad(s) - which you can still get a drm-free pdf copy of as a subscriber to this newsletter - might be a brief, silly story but Lane managed to make it a lot of fun with the limited space.

Valentin De Las Casas

Unlimited Udo

After working with Lane, I knew there were huge advantages to finding artists with distinct styles. Valentin fit the bill. Unlimited Udo needed someone with a sense of humour. Someone that could make the silly story of a tech-bro making multiples of himself seem grave while staying as ludicrous as it is.

The cross between manga and graffiti makes Unlimited Udo something terribly unique and something I’ll be proud of for a long time.

Rafael Chrestani

Unlimited Udo / Stay Cool / NKW

To contrast Valentin, I found Rafael who has a very traditional style. He drew a cover that brought Hope, the main character of Unlimited Udo, to life in a way that I didn’t think was possible. From there, we worked on the 2nd Pesto Comics project, Stay Cool.

It was a story that needed a little more gravitas. It’s a noir about revenge and spontaneous combustion. Being silly would change the book entirely, as it’s more about paranoia and gaslighting than explosions.

And that’s not all. I’ve been keeping Rafael busy with our next, yet-to-be-announced project NKW. It’s a series that’ll keep Rafael busy for a while. I’ll be sharing more in the coming months, with plans to launch the first issue in the Fall.

Riccardo Faccini

Unlimited Udo / Stay Cool

Riccardo is an artist that’s on my wishlist for a full project. Some of the best work you’ll find on Kickstarter is Riccardo’s. I knew I wanted him for a cover for Unlimited Udo and he did not disappoint.

I didn’t expect to work with him again so soon on Stay Cool. Both Rafael and the next artist I’ll mention only do inks. I needed a colourist and put a call out on Facebook to look for them. I must have reviewed over 100 colourists, but just couldn’t find the right fit.

Then Riccardo gave me a nudge saying he’d happily work as a colourist. The palettes he chose for two of the covers for Stay Cool were not what I was expecting, but in the best way. He proved I must work with him again soon.

Brian Azcurra

Stay Cool

Brian was an artist I had on my shortlist. I loved the way he drew women. They looked strong in just the right way that fit the character of Ellie in Stay Cool. It was serendipitous that as I was scanning the Facebook groups, I saw Brian had put a call out that he was looking for commissions. It was an easy hire.

Mattia Monaco

Stay Cool / Crazy Latte Thing Called Love

Mattia was honestly a dream come true. I’ve been telling the story on every podcast or to anyone who asks, but I’ll mention it again.

I was reading Chicken Devils from Aftershock and absolutely loved the new artist on it. I didn’t know who it was, but I loved just how dynamic yet detailed it all was.

Then I saw those very same pages on a Reddit post with that same artist looking for work.

I had a spot for an extra variant cover on Stay Cool and had to jump at the chance to work with Mattia. I loved the result so much that I wrote a script with him in mind.

That’s how we came to Crazy Latte Thing Called Love.

Mattia’s ability to make the mundane to the insane so incredibly full of life and interesting is something you need to see for yourself. His art is absolutely mind-blowingly good and elevated this story well beyond what I had imagined.

There’s still 9 days to check out the Kickstarter so you can see what I mean.

Roberto Viacava

Crazy Latte Thing Called Love

Roberto is the first local I’ve worked with. We met virtually in the ComixLaunch program, but when I found out we lived a mere hour away from one another (with no traffic) - it felt like it was meant to be that we’d work together.

Roberto has so much going on and I’ve already mentioned him a couple times in recent posts. You need to see what he’s doing with his Voyager series.

He’ll probably be in the next post too as we’re tabling across the aisle from one another in his home town for Niagara Falls Comic Con.

Will Robson

Crazy Latte Thing Called Love

I try to swing really big with the 3rd covers. Riccardo, Mattia and now Will.

There’s a method to how I choose these covers too: The 1st is the main artist. The 2nd is for me. The 3rd is the one that has an audience already that I can draw from. (In Crazy Latte Thing Called Love, there were two for me as Mattia gave me too many good options. You should see what I didn’t go through with - it was still great!)

I reached out to Will based on a tweet:

I knew Will excelled at homage covers - and I knew just the one for him. Not only did he make an amazing cover - but he was the first one to support the campaign! I didn’t even finish adding the add-ons yet.

I’m talking seconds.

That aside, Will comes with a resume that I could only dream of. He’s an expert at his craft and I was thrilled to get to work with him - and get his support!

Debora Lancianese

Crazy Latte Thing Called Love / NKW

This one was so hard to keep under my hat.

I love Debora’s work. I didn’t even know I did right away, having read and loving Jonathan Hedrick’s Hyper/Aware not knowing that she was the artist!

I got her to do a cover for the Rafael project way ahead of schedule. I didn’t want to chase her down last minute…but I did anyway.

While she was busy with a move back in Italy, I was pestering her for a cover for Crazy Latte Thing Called Love. I had an idea I knew she could nail (and she did). I knew it would be a great pocket reward, but man, was it hard to keep a secret.

And just wait until you see what she did for NKW.

Needless to say, Debora is also on my list of “want to work with again”.

Daniel Caval

FPU

Lastly, the latest artist I’m working with. Daniel was another artist on my wishlist that I would reach out to…one day. Then I saw Daniel post that he’s looking for long-term projects.

And I just happened to have something I’ve been kicking around for 5-6 years now.

With his art in mind, I was finally able to get it all together and ready. Daniel is trucking through pages that I may end up reversing the release of FPU and NKW to get this book out first. We’ll probably bounce Kickstarter campaigns between these two projects, but my goodness does Daniel have a work ethic.

And the pages he’s been sending are a lot of fun.

What a Roster!

This is just the beginning. My wishlist of artists I’d like to work with grows constantly. There’s one artist, much like some I’ve listed here, that is available and I absolutely dream about working with. I’ve already messaged him warning him I’m coming at him with something soon. Fingers crossed the stars align.

I thank you, dear reader, for supporting our campaigns so I can continue to get these amazing artists working. I want to check off every name in my checklist multiple times. How could I work with Mattia just once? Or Riccardo? Or Roberto? Or Debora? Or Valentin? Or Brian? Or Will? Or Lane?

Not to mention all the ones I haven’t got to work with yet.

I have stories to keep all of them very busy. Here’s hoping we can keep breaking records so I can afford to keep them all making me look good!

Before We Go…

Speaking of artists making me look good: A reminder to check out Crazy Latte Thing Called Love - live now on Kickstarter - if you haven’t already.

What’s Next?

June 15

A Home Away from Home

The weekend at Niagara Falls Comic-Con (Plus: announcing the next project by Pesto Comics)

July 1

Post-Mortem: Crazy Latte Thing Called Love

An in-depth look at the third Pesto Comics campaign.

Find Pesto Comics In-Person!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pestocomics.substack.com

What’s Been Up Lately

Big Smoke Pulp: Call for Entries Still Open

We’re looking for your stories!

Find out more about our new project coming this fall: Big Smoke Pulp

If you have something I should read, be sure to send it. It’ll cost you nothing but your time (and could get you paid!)

I’ve accepted enough to make up 30% of the book so far, so there’s still a time to get in.

A Fun Couple of Weekends

TIAC - Toronto Indie Author Conference

I started the month at the Toronto Indie Author Conference. I got to meet cool indie authors like Eric P. Caillibot and Stephen Kotowych, along with uber successful speakers like Genevieve Clovis, Melissa Storm and Tao Wong.

If you’re an author, or a comics writer, I highly recommend checking out this conference next year. Or one like it if you’re not from Toronto. There was a lot to learn and everyone there were some of the most supportive people around. You really get the sense that everyone is in it together.

I came back energized with some big gameplans for the coming months. Keep an eye on the Progress Calendar at the bottom of this post as it’ll be updating a shifting around a lot with each post.

TCAF Word Balloon Academy

I presented at TCAF’s Word Balloon Academy on Friday - and it couldn’t have gone better! There was a decent crowd to hear me talk all things comics and Kickstarter. I got to meet a few after the presentation too.

Plus the entire day was very informative. TCAF tends to really focus more on the “art” side of comics, so I felt I was a good counterpoint for how to make more commercially-minded comics.

If you missed it, don’t fret. I’ll be sharing a recording of the presentation for all subscribers. I’ll share that in the footer links of the email.

TCAF - Toronto Comics Arts Festival

The next day, the main event was underway. It was the busiest it’s been since 2020 - though still not at the pre-pandemic levels quite yet. Not entirely a bad thing as you were actually able to walk across the floor without being crushed.

I got to talk to a bunch of comics friends like Filip V, Roberto Viacava, Jen Woodall and more. Plus I got to meet the editorial team for TO Comix The City We Chose, Steven Andrews and Emily Stewart. (Steven assures me there’s a big smile under his N95!)

Better yet, they were able to show me proofs of the upcoming book. They look amazing. Marzia’s art is really something else. You really don’t want to miss out on this anthology.

Just two days left to get your copy.

And now, let’s talk about the latest project launching today…

We’re Live!

We went live on Kickstarter today at 8:00am Eastern!

How much can you really know about a person you've just met? 

Crazy Latte Thing Called Love is a 32-page full-colour one-shot where Liam, a lovelorn insurance adjuster, doesn't care to answer that question. He falls deeply in love with a barista, Ruby, who barely knows him. As his love falls deeper into obsession, he gets dragged into a world he was not prepared to enter.

This project has been a long time coming. I had written it late last year, but good things come to those who wait. Mattia has done some unreal work for this comic and I can’t wait for everyone to see it first hand.

I’ve used that time to collaborate with more artists for some really cool variant covers. This includes Roberto Viacava with his “Frankly, My Dear” Gone with the Wind variant and Will Robson with his “Groovy” Army of Darkness variant.

Homage variant aside, we’ve got two excellent covers by Mattia Monaco to add to the bunch.

Shipping has been a real pain when it comes to getting comics in your hand. However, I’ve been working with Stallion Express since last campaign and with that in mind, I was able to do something different this time around to soften the blow:

But there’s more!

An early tip for newsletter subscribers: We’re experimenting with “pocket rewards” this time out.

For those not familiar, these are rewards that are introduced mid-campaign to give it a boost. However, if you get the bundles from “All The Crazy Latte Covers” and up - you’ll get the pocket reward thrown in at no extra cost.

It’ll be another excellent homage variant about a certain city of stars. 😉

If you’re new to Pesto Comics, campaign season is the best time to catch up. There are a ton of bundles and add-ons available that let you save money while reading everything we have to offer.

If you haven’t picked up your copies yet, make sure you do before May 17th at Midnight to get in on early backer bonuses. This includes some great digital comics from other indie creators I’m a big fan of, including:

* Deadskins: Part One

* Wishful Thinking #1

* Beowulf #1

For physical backers submit their order before May 17th 11:59pm EDT, they will receive a bookmark and sticker from previous campaigns - along with those great digital comics.

I want to get this comic in the hands of as many people as possible. This campaign is a huge step towards that. Funding is just one part of it, but truthfully doesn’t cover the cost of production or fulfillment entirely.

That’s why we’ll have a whole bunch of stretch goals to hit throughout the campaign. So many, that I may come to regret including shipping!

I want you to make me regret it.

Lets make Crazy Latte Thing Called Love a record-setting campaign for Pesto Comics together.

To help that happen…

Listen to Me On All Your Favourite Podcasts

Along with pushing the advertising as far as my budget can muster, I’ll be pushing the campaign on a number of podcasts every few days.

Wednesday Night Reviews

TONIGHT! May 15 at 7:00pm ET

We celebrate launch day with Konrad for Wednesday Night Reviews!

I met Konrad at a panel at Fan Expo last year and this will be my second time on his show. He’s a great host and really comes up with some tough questions throughout the conversation, leading to some really deep insights.

Highly recommend checking this one out.

True North Country Comics

After May 16

I’ll be recording this the evening of May 16th with host John Swimner.

John has a tried and true formula for his podcast while still digging into what makes indie creators tick. It’s likely the shortest of all the podcasts I’ll be on too, so if you’re tired of hearing me talk - this might be a good one to get a rundown without having to invest too much time!

Write Now! w/ Frank Martin

Next Wednesday May 22 at 8:35pm ET

Frank is really doing something different with Write Now! We’ll be writing a short story together LIVE, trading a sentence at a time until we have something fun to share. Join us if you’re curious how quickly things can go off the rails.

Artist Roberto Viacava informed me that this writing style, translated from Spanish, is called an “exquisite corpse”. I feel like that’ll be a fitting name for what might result of this.

Freshly Pressed by Comix One

Thursday May 30 at 8:30pm ET

Lastly, we have Freshly Pressed. This is a podcast promoting the new digital indie comix website, Comix.One. I’ve already made some sales on this platform! I do love how it’s indie focused - and allows Pesto Comics work to be available to even broader audiences.

Join us as we talk all things comics live.

There’s more in the works podcasting-wise. That information will come out down the road - likely post-campaign.

One More Time for Good Measure

If all this hasn’t convinced you to check out the campaign yet, I’ll do my best to find another way to twist your arm!

I highly appreciate anyone who takes the time to share the campaign. Tweet it, Instagram it, do whatever you do on Tiktok. Get the word out.

And back it if you haven’t yet! You don’t want to miss out.

What’s Next?

June 1

How Lucky Am I?

Highlighting the amazing artists I’ve worked with so far(Plus: A ‘Crazy Latte’ Mid-Campaign Update)

June 15

A Home Away from Home

The weekend at Niagara Falls Comic-Con (Plus: announcing the next project by Pesto Comics)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pestocomics.substack.com

First, Some News

A reminder of the big launch date!

Crazy Latte Thing Called Love will be launching on Kickstarter Wednesday May 15th at 8am EDT.

If you haven’t hit notify on the campaign page yet, there’s still time! We’ll have early bird deals, until the end of Friday May 17th (ending at 11:59pm EDT), that include deep discounts on already discounted bundles and early backer rewards every pledge level will receive - as long as they get in before the deadline.

The first couple of days are make or break on Kickstarter, so we’re really hoping to launch strong with this outing. I’ll be sharing a lot more on my socials as we get closer to launch - and I’ll highlight everything that’s available right here in this newsletter on launch day.

Tell your friends, your cat, your mom and your ex-lovers. Get them to back the campaign day-one so we can get Kickstarter’s attention and make this another “Project We Love”.

Hear me on True North Country Comics

I’ll be on True North Country Comics - recording tomorrow night with host John Swinimer. If you haven’t heard the podcast before, he has short 15-20 minute interviews with Canadian creators from coast to coast.

John has a very friendly and easy-going style while still being pretty structured. It leaves a lot of room for fun conversations.

Please give it a listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or YouTube!

Campaign from a Friend

I had the great pleasure of meeting the uber-talented artist Roberto Viacava in person in his hometown of Niagara Falls. Not only is he an overall great person, but he’s also part of the Pesto Comics family as he’ll be doing a variant cover for Crazy Latte Thing Called Love!

The more pressing matter is that he has an active campaign on Kickstarter: Nathaniel Fox and the Tomb of Humayun #1

It looks incredible and I’ve already picked up my copy - helping rocket it to 85% funded in the first couple of days.

This is the kind of pulpy goodness I love. It has real Doc Savage meets Indiana Jones vibes and promises to be a ton of fun.

Help Roberto get this project over the line and beyond! The campaign is running until May 18th.

‘The City We Chose’ going strong!

Live right now is the TO Comix anthology I’m a part of: The City We Chose.

This campaign started really strong and has crossed the halfway mark of funding. There’s still plenty of time to jump onto this campaign.

If you read last week’s post, you know this story means a lot to me. I’m hoping that even more people will get to read Il Pescatore in this great anthology.

I’ve been keeping really busy, but there’s a piece of unfinished business to bring back up…

Voting STILL Open for ‘Chop, Chop, Chop’

If you haven’t read my finalist story for the Writer’s Digest “Your Story 128” - there’s not only time to read it, but time to help me get it published!

There’s still a lot of ground to cover, so every vote it very much appreciated.

Speaking of short stories…

New Project Announcement!

Big Smoke Pulp

This project is a little different than the comics-focused projects I’ve been doing over the past two years…

Big Smoke Pulp Vol. 1 is a pulp genre anthology of short stories, flash fiction and micro-fiction. With this project, I’m looking to share stories across all kinds of pulp genres: sci-fi, noir, romance and anything else that following the tenants of pulp storytelling.

I’m a pretty avid reader. I joke all the time that I need to take a sabbatical from work just to catch up on all my reading. I already subscribe to a bunch of short story mags like Asimov, Analog, Ellery Queen, Apex and Clarkesworld. I read as much as I can from the library too - and that’s not even counting all the weekly LCS and indie comics I’ve got piling up.

From the short story standpoint, I don’t always get my fix in the pulp realm that I’d like. Sure, Ellery Queen has incorporated a Black Mask section in their bimonthly magazine, but that’s not enough to scratch that itch. That’s what inspired me to put together Big Smoke Pulp. I want to read all the great stories that aren’t making it past editors at those magazines.

When I first envisioned this project, I wanted to replicate those magazines I love tearing through. I pictured a shelf full of stories, coming out every few months, but I’d rather give some time to find the best stories I can and assemble them in one nice volume.

This isn’t a departure from comics by any means. If you see the projects that are lined up, all except this one are comics. There is plenty to come. I have many stories to tell and this is just another outlet to do exactly that.

The unfortunate, and realistic, truth is that comics are difficult to make. Especially as a writer. I’ve been very lucky to work with some amazing artists and to be in a position to fund their work before launching Kickstarter campaigns. I plan to continue doing so, but there’s only so many artists I can float at the same time without launching a campaign to recoup some costs.

I’ve met so many writers that are in the exact same boat. Writers that, being from the comics world, have a more pulp-genre bent than most lit-mags are willing to accept. I wanted to have a place to showcase those stories. This is where Big Smoke Pulp comes in.

If you’re a writer and have a story you think could work for this, check out our call for entries at bigsmokepulp.com. Get paid for your writing and be a part of our first volume!

I’m announcing this project well ahead of when it would be released to get stories sent over, but I’m aiming for an Autumn Kickstarter campaign.

There’s at least one more comic project launching in between. I have two artists working on two projects simultaneously and I’m remaining flexible - so I’ll have more about which project is next after Crazy Latte Thing Called Love is fulfilled. Stay tuned.

Now let’s get to this week’s topic…

Convention Season Begins!

Anyone who has been following my exploits over the past year knows that I applied for a table at TCAF this year - and was rejected by the jury to get one. I’ll be trying again next year, but my luck didn’t end there…

TCAF Word Balloon AcademyFriday May 10 9amToronto Reference Library

It turns out, I’ll be representing Pesto Comics at TCAF anyway! Not at a table, selling my wares, but sharing what I’ve learned about Kickstarter with my own projects - and backing nearly 800 other comic projects since 2012.

If you’re in Toronto and interested in launching your own comics, please join me at the TCAF Word Balloon Academy this May 10th at 9am. It’s an invaluable day of interesting panels for a variety of speakers. All focused on independent comics creators!

But for the more traditional appearances…

Which Cons Am I Tabling At?

Niagara Falls and Hamilton, Ontario are tied as my home away from home. I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time in these cities, so I jumped at the chance to get a table at Niagara Falls Comic-Con.

It’s a pretty decent sized event and gets a number of different kinds of guests, so there will be lots of new audiences available to meet. I’ll have my long-time friend, Danon Hennessey, tabling along with me who is spinning up his TTRPG social service hybrid: Dice & Development.

Plus, there’s friends like the aforementioned Roberto Viacava who will be tabling as well! (Here’s that campaign link again!)

I was too late to join the fun in Vaughan-Con last year, but this looks like one of those old-school cons. Really focused and built around the fandoms rather than corporate sponsors handing out Amazon Prime bags. It should be a good show.

There’s an asterisk to put next to this con. In moving venues, applicants to artist alley have been put on a waitlist while they figure out how much space they actually have.

As I’ve mentioned, Hamilton, along with Niagara Falls, is like a second home to me. I’ve spent years of my life in this city, for work and play, and getting to be a part of the festivities in the Hammer would mean the world to me.

Let’s hoping I get a table.

Thought Bubble was a big swing for me - and it worked.

I’ll be tabling overseas - along with a number of some of the coolest creators I’ve met online. It’ll be a real treat to meet them all in person and see how they do things across the pond. This one is very much circled on my calendar.

The way the new Brexit’d visa rules work, I may just be handing out freebies and driving locals to pestocomics.com (which I’m working on a refresh of, should be up soon!), but it’ll still be worth it to meet everyone! (Note: If any non-UK folks have some good advice about this, I’m all ears! Leave a comment, message or email me!)

—

It feels like a packed schedule, but I’d love to do more Canadian shows. Winnipeg? Quebec City? Montreal? Vancouver? Calgary?

All possible - though only those first 3 are still doable in 2024. Maybe next year I’ll try some more Canadian locales. I’ve visited all of those cities to watch hockey (except Quebec City, obviously, but hopefully the NHL comes to their senses in that market). I’d love to see their comics scene! Plans to be made, for sure.

Are you coming to any of these shows? Let me know!

If that con schedule wasn’t crowded enough, I’m also bought tickets to some shows this year…

Find Me Walking Around as a Fan

If Big Smoke Pulp didn’t give it away — I’ve been looking to dip my toe back in the literary side of things. This conference should really get that motor running.

Just one week before TCAF, the Toronto Indie Author’s Conference (TIAC) is a newer, smaller conference focused on indie publishing for fiction and non-fiction authors. I think I’ll be bringing something different, being more comics focused, but I’m looking to be a sponge and learn as much as I can from these great creators.

I’ve been going to Fan Expo Canada for what feels like forever. It was barely a 1/3 of what it is today when I first went - similar to the size of March’s Toronto Comicon.

This is the show in Canada - and it’s always a blast. Not to many comic book guests have made the trip in the past two years, but here’s hoping it recaptures some of that former glory this time out.

The big one. I’ve never been to SDCC before and this was a big bucket-list item for me. I managed to get the less popular tickets this time out, Thursday and Sunday, and had a hotel until they cancelled it on me once prices started to skyrocket.

Nonetheless, I’m very excited to take in everything this year - and meet a lot more people that I’ve been chatting with online.

A Lot to Take In This Year

I don’t like to paint myself as an introvert or extrovert. I change depending on the scenario. It depends on the crowd and how I’m feeling that particular day.

Getting into comics, I found a whole bunch of like-minded, friendly people that have made it so easy to put myself out there. I have a good amount of friends…but I could always use more!

If you find yourself at one of the many shows I’ve listed here - come find me at the table or track me down wondering a show floor. I can’t wait to meet you!

What’s Next?

May 15

Have Yourself a Crazy Latte

Launching Crazy Latte Thing Called Love on Kickstarter(Plus: Reviewing two cons - in two weeks?!)

June 1

How Lucky Am I?

Highlighting the amazing artists I’ve worked with so far(Plus: A ‘Crazy Latte’ Mid-Campaign Update)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pestocomics.substack.com

First, Some News

We have a launch date!

Crazy Latte Thing Called Love will be launching on Kickstarter Wednesday May 15th at 8am EDT.

If you haven’t followed the campaign yet, please do! We’ll have early bird deals for both digital and physical copies until the end of Friday May 17th (ending at 11:59pm EDT).

How a Kickstarter launches really makes a difference for the algorithm, so your early support is vital to the project’s success. More importantly, getting in early will save you some money and get us closer to funding and even getting you more for your dollar by hitting some great stretch goals!

Follow if you haven’t already, but if you already have - share it with your friends!

This Ship Travels Overseas

And in some international news, I’ll be exhibiting at Thought Bubble in Harrogate, UK in November. I’ve met a few really cool folks online from ‘round those parts, so it'll be a lot of fun to meet them all in person. Plus we'll have a couple new projects ready for that time (see the “release calendar” at the end of this post for some clues!)

Lost and Found

A quick update from last week: I found my Expo pass.

They say it's in the last place you look, but it was actually in the last place I left it: the bag that I took to Fan Expo.

It's a shame I didn't get to go, but it definitely saved me some money going through those back issues. More for my friends on Kickstarter.

Now let's get into it. 

Who Chose Who?

Launching on April 17th, TO Comix Press has a new anthology called The City We Chose.

I’ve been a fan of the Toronto Comics anthologies since the first edition in 2014. Seeing stories told in my city - and not in the Marvel way with the odd panel or nod - but actually about the city was something I hadn’t really seen before this. Getting accepted to be a part of this anthology has meant a lot to me.

For my entry, I submitted a personal story called Il Pescatore. It translates to the fisherman. The story is about my grandparents. At least, kind of about them. It's not a true-to-life account. It's dramatized and condensed quite a bit, but the main idea is there, though even their names are different.

Who is Il Pescatore?

My grandfather, Fausto, came as an immigrant from Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy in the ‘60s. He was the last of his family to come over, doing so by plane rather than by boat, along with his wife, Splendora, and his five children (one of which, being my mother).

Though I never heard the story direct from him, I heard through my mother, aunts and uncles that he was told of a better life in Canada. Leaving the beaches of the Adriatic for the cold streets of Caledonia and St. Clair in Toronto.

He could be both stern and loving, like most men of his generation. I was fortunate for getting the most time with him out of the extended family of grandchildren, as he and my grandmother helped raise my brothers and I - along with my mother. Being older now, I can see how I took that for granted - but there was always a language barrier as he never learned English.

Though that didn’t stop him from making friends with all of our neighbours.

He was a healthy man right up until he was 80 when pancreatic cancer struck - and struck fast. My grandmother, having already passed, had health scares throughout her senior years, but my grandfather could keep up with the teenagers in the family. Needless to say, it was a shock.

I didn’t handle that time well. I let my feelings about silly things get in the way of what should have been meaningful moments. It’s one of the last lessons he taught me; even if it was indirectly.

This entry into the anthology is just a comic at the end of the day, but I hope it serves as an appreciation for what he, and the entire family, sacrificed so we could have a better life in Canada.

We’re All In This Together

Working in this anthology was something new for me. Crowdfunding my own comics, I’m used to picking my collaborators. I have my hands on every aspect of the project from beginning to end. I know what the end goal is - and though the artists I work with put their own spin on things - I can see it all come together.

This was different.

I was paired with an editor, Kavita, and was able to pick Marzia Migliori as the artist. Marzia has a Disney-esque style that I felt was perfect for this story. Her samples showed that she could really get the emotion to come through in every panel, even without the dialogue.

Steven Andrews and Emily Stewart have been steering this big ship and I’m looking forward to seeing it all come together.

But I had more help from an unexpected, and very reliable, source.

The Assist from a Legend

Once my pitch got accepted by TO Comix Press, I was quick to write the script, but I knew something was missing. Fortunately, I'm a part of the Black Jackett Club. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s Scott Snyder’s writing class which he runs through his Substack: Our Best Jackett.

With the Black Jackett Club level, you do get 5 minutes with Scott whenever he's available, which is rarely, but those 5 minutes were huge in making this story what it is. A few moments talking it through with Scott managed to really get to the heart of the story and make it something special. Something worthy of a tribute and this anthology.

Growing as a Creator

I have a day job, but comics is where I want to be. Crowdfunding can be a challenge in its own right, but it's not going to teach me everything. It's good to see how other creators are operating and learning from them. My path clearly isn’t the only one - or even the most direct one.

I’m glad to have the opportunity to be part of such a cool project. It’s not the last time I’ll be stretching beyond my comfort zone. In fact, I have a project that falls outside of what you might expect from me entirely - something that was inspired by this whole endeavor.

But we’ll chat more about that next entry.

Until then, be sure to check out The City We Chose on Kickstarter in just a couple days. Let me know if you do. I’d love to know what you think.

And thanks to all the collaborators on this project for teaching me and helping me grow.

What’s Next?

May 1

Welcome to Convention Season

A story of getting in the side-door of a favourite con(Plus: News about “BSP #1”)

May 15

Have Yourself a Crazy Latte

Launching Crazy Latte Thing Called Love on Kickstarter(Plus: Two cons in two weeks?!)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pestocomics.substack.com

A Fool and His Expo Pass

aka The Plan and The Pivot

What’s Next?

April 15

A Personal Story - Il Pescatore

My entry in "The City We Chose" by TO Comix

May 1

In Through the Side Door

How I found myself at [redacted] after being [redacted]

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pestocomics.substack.com

Before we begin, some big news to share…

Stay Cool: Sequential Magazine Award Nominee!

Stay Cool has been nominated for two awards by the entertaining and informative Sequential Magazine:

Be sure to vote! Voting ends March 31.

I appreciate everyone who takes the time to go to this page and help put Stay Cool on the map.

With that in mind, let’s talk about how…

“Networking” Feels Gross

In my day-to-day life, I’m a regular corporate schill. Some would argue that I excel at it. Though, that has probably changed a bit working from home. It’s a lot harder to smooth things over with a smile and a laugh over the phone. Things just tend to come in a smidge more phoney.

But the truth is that if your intentions are pure, it works. Networking only feels gross when someone is just trying to sell you something or get something from you.

The trick to it all is to take a genuine interest in the people you’re trying to network with.

It’s not about what either of you can do for each other up front. You know why you’re there. It’s a secret to no one, so when people act like they might be able to get something without having to put themselves into it - it shows.

Be yourself. Be generous. Be a friend.

The rest comes later.

Have Something to Share

All that said, there will come a time when you get comfortable with someone and your opportunity arises to sell your wares. This shouldn’t be the only reason you’re talking to someone, especially early on, but if you get the chance you should be ready.

Do you have a portfolio? I don’t mean a literal one that you carry around and shove in peoples’ faces. There’s no quicker way to turn someone off.

But it’s good to have something to show that you’re serious about what you’re trying to do. For example, are you a writer? Do you have a Substack or short stories on your website? An Amazon or Kobo author page?

Keeping it simple and easy to remember helps. For me, you can find everything "@pestocomics” on nearly every social out there or at pestocomics.com

The easier it is to remember, and the higher it comes up on a Google search, the more likely it is that people will take the time to look at what you have when they’re ready.

If you have something a little more time sensitive, like say a Kickstarter launching this Spring, have your elevator pitch on lock. Do you have an over-caffeinated romantic thriller? A story of boy meets girl, girl happens to be into some sketchy stuff that gets guy in heaps of trouble he wasn’t ready for?

Good. Have that in your back pocket for when it’s appropriate. Usually, you’re asked “what are you working on now?” or “anything I might have seen?” You don’t need to awkwardly bring it up or derail a conversation.

Just be a human and let the conversation flow naturally.

Splash Some Cash

Money is always a touchy subject. Not everyone has it. Some people have too much of it. Definitions of who fall into each bucket vary wildly from person to person. Best not to mention it…unless you want to exploit the best networking hack there is.

Hire people.

That’s right. If you want to make some truly fruitful and lasting connections, actually working with other creatives on a project and ensuring they’re fairly compensated has no equal - especially in creative fields.

You’ll have some work to do to get there. Money alone won’t motivate every artist. They’ll want to see that you’re serious. Not just that you have a clear creative vision, but that you have a decent business acumen that will get their work seen by others.

If you’re not there yet, that’s okay. Maybe you can’t launch a successful Kickstarter with just your mom and cat as potential backers. You can still work with them on something. Perhaps a lead magnet? (BTW, have you picked up your free copy of Brad(s) yet?!)

That’s how I got started. I wrote a four-page story based on a flash fiction piece I had written. I went on Twitter, seeing that amazing Lane Lloyd was open for commissions and shot my shot. That became my showpiece to work with Valentin on Unlimited Udo…which connected me to Rafael Chrestani and Riccardo Faccini…with whom I worked with on, the Sequential Magazine Best Comic nominee, Stay Cool…which connected me to Brian Azcurra and Mattia Monaco who is working away on Crazy Latte Thing Called Love.

You can see how quickly your network can expand. There’s a lasting connection that is made when you create together that’s hard to replicate otherwise.

“But what if I can’t afford to buy myself new friends?” you ask cynically.

I have an answer that might be a bit controversial.

Works Well with Others

Look for people who need help - and offer it.

What’s controversial about that? Nothing on the face of it, but what I’m recommending is you think about the money second.

It’s easy to say that when you have a swell corporate schill day-job, like I fortunately do for now, that covers the necessities and funds the aforementioned friend making scheme. I’m well aware of this.

But at the early stages of building your portfolio, what else do you have to trade but sweat equity?

I’m not saying not to get paid either. Doing things for free can actually create some enemies. If you’re planning on doing things for free, I don’t recommend advertising it. Not only will it devalue your work but it will devalue the work of those around you.

That said, if you see someone that could use your help - don’t be afraid to reach out directly. Work something out.

If you do get something together with them, there’s something critically important to do: treat it like you’re getting paid big bucks.

There’s no point in doing all this work for little to no pay, just to end up being flaky or half-hearted about it. The whole reason you’re doing this is to build up your reputation. You’d want that to be a good one, so don’t do anything to mess that up.

Once that’s done, you might have a friend and you might not. There’s no guarantees, but keep putting yourself out there until you build up your stable of folks that know they can turn to you for help - and you can to them in turn.

Surrender Some Time to the Time Suck

Speaking of putting yourself out there: social media.

Yes, it’s a cesspool at the best of times. The trick is to ignore it and find the good.

And there’s a ton of good out there if you know where to look.

Twitter / X, Bluesky, Threads

Without getting into the chaos that has come to Twitter, you’re looking at a fragmented environment for your text-based apps. Twitter is still where I find the most of the engagement with indie comics - even if some folks have sworn it off entirely. It helps that most APIs continue to work with this, so you’ll get a lot of the scheduled stuff along with actual engagement.

Bluesky and Threads still feel nascent. A lot of bugs to work out and features that aren’t quite there yet, but they improve every day. If I have any pet peeves about these two, it’s that a lot of conversations tend to revolve around Twitter - how it’s changed or how “this” platform is better than current Twitter. They still need their own identity.

Instagram

Instagram is a tricky one. You never know who you’re speaking to - if anyone. Some hit, some don’t. The only surefire way to drive engagement is to open your wallet.

Still, if you have art to share, there’s not much better than here. Videos grow your audience more than anything though, so I’ve been experimenting with that a lot lately (and cross-posting on Tiktok and YouTube).

You need to please the algorithm to get that attention and you never feel that as much as you do on these platforms.

Discord

If anything feels like the glory days of social media, it’s Discord.

Nothing else will make you feel like it’s a small world like Discord either. Many of your new creator friends you’ve made in other Discord servers, on Instagram or Twitter - they’re all in servers here.

As for which ones to join, I’d recommend keeping an eye open for when Travis Gibb opens up invites to his servers.

Or joining the Two Headed Nerd - a server of comic fans of quite possibly my favourite, if not my most listened to, podcast. The conversations here are the closest I’ve had to replicating a crowded Wednesday in a good LCS.

Or start your own (and invite me!)

Substack

It’s me, hi. (Are people over Taylor Swift post Superbowl?)

This platform is one of my favourites. The engagement is truly impressive. With over 300 or so of you following along - and more than half actually reading the posts - nothing compares.

They’ve been experimenting more and more with social features like DMs, followers (rather than subscribers) and chat features. Outside of podcasting and the “Notes”, which is another Twitter offshoot, I haven’t used many of them.

I’m all for the experimentation anyway. This platform has been very promising and I will be on here for a long time. If you haven’t started your own Substack, I highly recommend it.

If you have, share it in the comments!

Meet Me at the Con

Conferences in the corporate world are usually a dull affair. Everyone in full icky “networking” mode, just doing it completely wrong left and right. It’s hard to leave a corporate conference without feeling drained in the worst way. A day (or more, if you’re unlucky) of big, fake smiles and hidden intentions.

Comic Conventions, on the other hand, are a celebration.

Yes, there’s still a lot of fake smiles and exhausted people, but most people are there because they truly want to be. They’re a fan of the medium. They wouldn’t be there if they weren’t. Every single person has staked something to get in - whether it’s the attendee who paid to get in or the folks in Artist Alley just trying to sell enough to pay off their table fees before the weekend is up.

Cons are a great opportunity to meet people at your level, above it and below. Be open and understanding. Tell people if you’re a fan of their work. Buy something!

Just try to remember not to crowd or block a creator’s table. As much as they may love talking to you, unless you’re clearing out their inventory - they have work to do.

The time and place for lingering is not on the show floor — or even in the building.

Informally, “BarCon” is the Con away from the Con. Don’t be shy to grab a drink or a burger with new friends you’ve made on the floor. Chat everyone up - or just sit back and listen. Just be a human and relax.

Don’t Overthink It

Making friends can be hard. Especially as you get older. It was easy when you were in school and the same people would be there every day. It would happen organically.

As people have lives to get back to after work, making and keeping friends takes effort.

But that doesn’t mean it has to be hard.

Put yourself out there when you find people with common interests. Take a real interest in those you meet. Extend an olive branch without being pushy.

Don’t overthink it. Just be a good friend to those around you and new, long-lasting friends will come.

Thanks, Friend

If you’ve read this far, consider me a friend.

I really appreciate the time you’ve taken. Feel free to let me know about you in the comments, this new-fangled Substack DM or email me at [email protected]

If you’re in Toronto, find me at one of the Cons and say “hi!”

Until next time, buddy….

What’s Next?

April 1

Recalculating Route

Why changing course and being able to pivot is critical

April 15

A Personal Story - Il Pescatore

My entry in "The City We Chose" by TO Comix

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pestocomics.substack.com

The Fallacy of “Comics Are Dying”

I don’t have my head in the sand about the state of the comics industry. It’s not going gangbusters, for sure. Times have been better. Times where we didn’t need Funko pops to keep stores afloat or 400 variant covers to boost sales.

But to say that comics are going to suddenly disappear from the face of the earth is a fallacy. There’s always going to be room for the medium. It’s too accessible of an artform to go away entirely.

That’s not to say that what we classify as a “comic” today won’t change in the near future. Perhaps the floppy may be dying. I talked about how, although I still collect floppies week to week, most of my reading is in two formats: digital or “premium” print versions.

Even then, I don’t think this shift is as close as it may seem. The emerging market of Kickstarter still seems to favour serialization. Even if it seems elsewhere. Ditto for Webtoons.

Kickstarter aside, it’s hard to argue that price point doesn’t cause a lot of the issues. Comparing the 90s boom to today is never fair, but a comic in 1994 (let’s pick Action Comics 698) would be $1.50 on the newsstand for 32 pages.

Accounting for inflation, that should be $3.10 today. Looking at Action Comics 1061, it’s $4.99.

It’s just a couple dollars more than it should be, sure, but with all the competition out there for entertainment - being more expensive than it was isn’t going to win you any new fans.

Price is just one factor. Competition from all kinds of new platforms definitely doesn’t help. Tiktok wasn’t an option in 1994.

It’s not like the younger generations aren’t reading sequential stories at all anymore either…

Manga Doesn’t Count

When you hear that “comics are doing better than ever”, that’s also not entirely true. Manga is bolstering a boom that isn’t necessarily translating to Western comics. Go into any bookstore and you’ll see the manga rack dwarfs that of those carrying big two books.

It was a very tiring debate on Twitter recently too.

A rising tide lifts all boats, for sure, but there’s a clear distinction between the two mediums right now. (And it’s not just how you read it.)

Not to harp on pricing, but manga is relatively cheap. The new generation isn’t reading shonen jump weekly (at least, not in stores). They’re picking up cheap, printed volumes that contain about a dozen issues per. When you factor that in, we’re getting closer to 1994 prices.

I’ve posted about DC is experimenting with that format this spring and I’m hoping this takes off as a shift in the industry. It’s a format I’ve tinkered with myself (and will be in the future too!)

The only problem with their approach is it’s missing what comics does best - long, uninterrupted runs.

Learning From What Works

New number one comics always sell. It’s a jumping on point for new and lapsed readers - but it’s also a great jumping off point.

The one thing that Western comics - and manga alike - do that no other medium can replicate is have stories that span for years. (Arguably, soap operas and professional wrestling do this too, but I digress).

We live in a binge culture.

TV shows that normally wouldn’t win awards or catch any special attention are getting huge boosts just for have a prolonged story for fans to get absorbed by. Being able to go back and follow a story that was years in the making in a weekend makes some creators cringe, but it’s actually a wonderful thing.

There’s an insatiable hunger for content like never before. Comics are in a wonderful position to leverage that with years of uninterrupted storytelling to provide readers.

It just needs to be made easily accessible.

Hunger for Nostalgia

To read the entire run of Action Comics would take forever - but it’s also impossible. Physical collections are expensive and only offer a spattering of random issues. Even DC Universe Infinite has large gaps - even with more modern runs.

Using back catalogs and giving folks a sense of what there is to dig into is a huge, untapped advantage waiting to be exploited.

This is what works in manga right now. I can go back and read every issue of Dragon Ball or One Piece with very few obstacles in my way. It’s all there for the taking.

Western comics have made it overly complicated with various versions of collections that have different issues within. Simplifying the reading orders, providing as much material as possible and adapting to the new market is what’s going to turn things around.

Rethink and Rebirth

I’ve made the case for serialization and for large collected volumes. Both can co-exist with some tinkering.

Serialization allows some room to see how a book is doing and adjust accordingly - rather than an all or nothing approach shifting to trades would be.

Arguably, as a fan, you’re getting the best of both worlds right now. You can trade-wait if that’s your preference, but it does feel like we’re holding onto something that won’t be here in this form 10 years from now.

There’s also a lot of books coming out right now. Given that the market is supposedly shrinking (though I don’t know that’s entirely true), we seem to be cutting up the pie into smaller and smaller pieces.

That’s why I think bigger companies with a lot in the catalog, like DC and Marvel, could try returning to their roots. Weekly “magazine” style books containing the serialized stories like Shonen Jump or 2000 A.D.

It allows for the long runs in books while still leaving the room for new works. Big names next to small emerging ones. Everyone is getting all the stories, so there’s always an opportunity to build new characters and tales to those that wouldn’t give it a chance on its own $4.99 book.

Then, much like what’s happening with digital-first books, these can still be collected in their own floppies or collected editions.

The point is, there’s lots of opportunity to experiment. Doing what we’re doing is proving to have diminishing returns, so I’m looking forward to some radical ideas.

Comics aren’t going anywhere, but they might be overdue for a shift.

What’s Next?

March 15

Sense of Community

Where to make friends in comics (and out)

April 1

FOMO, Part 1: Toronto Comicon

Just a fan - hopefully for the last time

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