I haven’t updated this blog with a new post in a while. I appreciate everyone who reads this stuff and actually look forward to my ramblings.

Late 2013 and early 2014 have been keeping me VERY busy. Since writing is now my day job, I have multiple WFH (Work For Hire) projects I have to stay on top of every month. Next to that are my personal comic projects that are in various stages of being written, edited, drawn, and lettered. The biggest thing in that area is that we have started production of the Chaos Campus Act 2 issues (#21-40 plus EC #6-10). I’m a much different (hopefully better) writer than I was when I started the Chaos Campus experiment, so hopefully this section of the saga will improve the series (and make up for mistakes and missteps of the first Act).

As you may or may not have noticed from my Events & Signings page, I’m doing a lot of shows this year to promote and sell my current library of titles. That has been a fun, but draining experience (be sure to read the Bleeding Cool articles for more details).

The biggest thing throwing my usual schedule off is that I have started writing novel manuscripts. Writing prose takes a much different set of writing muscles than writing scripts, so it takes much longer and more out of me. I am determined to get at least 4 books written and published within the next five years, so wish me luck on that front! The first will be Corporeal (which you can find out more about with this link). Following that will be The Children of Mercury Heights series of books. More about those later.

Well, that will do it for this blog update. Please keep coming by to see me at the shows… I love talking to you guys in person!

LBCC2013_BAT

For everyone attending the Long Beach Comic-Con next week, stop by to see me at Booth #1304b!  I’ll be promoting a special limited edition LBCC only printing of Hass #1 (only 100 copies printed, so get yours before they’re all gone).  There will also be copies of Chaos Campus along with a few random surprises.

See you there!

CC TPBs 1-3

I know many of you have been asking about Chaos Campus TPBs.  Wait no longer because the first three are available and ready to order.  Click the links to order your print editions of Chaos Campus Volume One (collecting issues #1-4), Volume Two (collecting issues #5-8), and Volume Three (collecting issues #9-12)!

Don’t forget that the first full seven issues of Chaos Campus are up on www.ChaosCampus.com.  Updates continue every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!  If you haven’t already, show your support via our Chaos Campus FaceBook page!

Thanks, everyone!  Your support is greatly appreciated!  🙂

Ha… I pretty much explained everything in the first journal entry.  I guess I’ll copy and paste here, too:

“As some of you know, Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is a printed comic book series, but I’ve been considering bringing it over to web publication for a while now.  What better time than the day after the supposed Rapture to actually do it?!

This doesn’t mark the end of the print series.  Those of you who follow the traditionally published series will be rewarded with knowing more about the storyline far in advance than your web reading peers.  At the moment of this posting, most of the first Act has been published- this means 20 issues of main story and 5 issues of the Extra Credit supplementary issues.  By the time the web comic gets to this point, the printed issues should be at issue 40 (the end of Act 2) or possibly even the last issue (#60).  We’ll play it all by ear.

At this point I’m thinking that new pages will be uploaded three times a week- Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Depending on how things go that number can go down to twice a week or up to five times a week.  Again, we’ll play it all by ear.

So here it is… the first image for the site which also happens to be the cover art to the first issue.  Long time readers and new readers, feel free to sound off in the comments section.”

For everyone who said the pages on here were too small and too difficult to read, I had you guys in mind.  Enjoy the larger sized pages!  🙂

I will be attending, mostly floating around and attending meetings.  I’m not on the official Arcana schedule, but since I’m assured at least the first issue of my new mini series “Blood, Shells, & Roses” will be there I’ll probably be there sometime or another.  Keep checking in and asking my whereabouts!

If you’re attending, let me know if you’ll be walking around or at a booth (and the location and times).

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There was a previous Chaos Campus series to test the waters with the concept.  Those issues were collected within the Chaos Campus: Orientation TPB.  You can snag a copy of that physical 162 page book right here.

Interviews & Reviews!
Chaos Campus Interview via Revenant Magazine
Chaos Campus Interview via CosmicBookNews
Chaos Campus Interview via Broken Frontier
Chaos Campus #1 & 2 Reviews via Heroine Addict
Chaos Campus #1 Review via From The Tomb
Chaos Campus #1 Review via Broken Frontier
Chaos Campus Survival Guide Review via the Comic Book Bin
Behind the Scenes of Chaos Campus #6
Alex Thompson interview via ComicNews.info

I just got the e-mail that Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #11 has just been added to the online store!  This issue makes me happy on so many levels… it’s our second issue in the double digits (we’ve finally met and crossed that threshold!!!).  It’s the second time team Thompson, Baal, Baal, and Bedwell have collaborated on a Chaos Campus issue (the first time was the legendary Chaos Campus #6).

But the biggest factor?  The series crossing over into Dan Schaffer‘s Dogwitch universe!  What can I say about Dan and his works that haven’t already said by more focused and well-spoken individuals?!  The guy is a class act, talented, and one of the coolest guys you’ll ever meet.  And the Dogwitch series?  I had pretty much given up reading comics, but for a few years it was just Dogwitch and Strangers In Paradise that kept me coming to the comic store on a regular basis.

Though the Dogwitch series ended with #18, the characters live on and I wanted more!  I proposed the crossover idea to him, and he was game!  I did the script, he loved it.  Showed him the art as it progressed, and he dug those, too.  A great time had by all!  🙂

And now, here it is… all that love and work finally paid off!

I’m waiting for my printer contact to jump on IM. I just talked to my Diamond rep and though the pre-orders for Chaos Campus were good, they weren’t phenomenal to the point where we could do some other options. The Wowio thing really messed up the plan for the three one-shots. If my printer and I can’t come up with something we’ll just have to cancel the two issues solicited and re-solicit as a 96-page graphic novel. On one hand I’d hate to have to do that to the retailers and fans who took the time to pre-order. On the other hand, a majority will probably understand… plus I hate single comics and would rather have a nice graphic novel anyway. Getting pre-orders would be a bit tougher, though.

A definite bind, but not something that can’t be worked out. It seems I’m out of the apathetic mind state and ready to fight these impossible odds once again.