Weekend Update 11/2/19 (Patreon)

One aspect of the Patreon is to update folks on what projects I'm working on (or we're working on, if Sarah's involved). I realized it feels as if the only thing I'm involved with these days is the Patreon itself, at least that's what it's felt like this past month. Anyway, here's what's going on:

BLACKWOOD: THE MOURNING AFTER

Veronica and Andy Fish have completed the interior art for the first issue of the new Blackwood arc, with Andy handing over the lettering work to our new letterer, Greg McKenna. The art for the second issue is underway, and I'm finishing up the fourth (and final) script this week. If things hold we'll be moving forward with a third mini-series before too long (and the Blackwood fall semester can officially begin, finally).  The first issue is scheduled for February, 2020, from Dark Horse Comics. Sarah and I are doing a variant cover for the series.  Actually, it's done. Hope to show it off here soon.

BEASTS OF BURDEN: OCCUPIED TERRITORY

Sarah and I wrote a new Wise Dogs mini-series for Dark Horse Comics, which Benjamin Dewey is illustrating and Nate Piekos is lettering. It's a flashback story about Emrys and his human companion investigating a series of soldier deaths at a U.S. base in post-war Japan. The mystery takes Emrys and a guide dog into the mountains, where they encounter guardian dogs, numerous yokai and a very nasty curse. The interiors for the first issue are done and look beautiful. Ben has switched to digital coloring because of the toll watercolor painting was taking, but the look is still as lush and evocative as his work on Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men and The Presence of Others # 2.  We don't have a release schedule for the series yet, but it should be out next year. And we don't have anything set for new Beasts of Burden stories after that, but I've pitched a new mini-series of one-shots following up on recent events concerning the characters and the Wise Dogs. One issue would be about a cat wake for poor Muggsy (R.I.P.).  Another is a murder mystery at The Green Thumb farm, with Red and Holstein acting as Burden Hill's Nero Wolf and Archie Goodwin. 

SECRET UNANNOUNCED COMIC BOOK PROJECT

It's a secret. And it's unannounced.  Something we're writing. Shhh.

VARIANT COVERS

Since ending my embargo with a cover for Grumble #5, I've done three more variant covers, all of them colored by Sarah. We just finished one up for a very popular series, it was probably my favorite of the bunch. I really enjoyed doing them -- the drawing isn't the problem, it's the forced collectible aspect, and the way variants manipulate the direct market. But all my boycott did was to cost my family a few thousand bucks while I spat in the wind, and I can't afford to die on that hill of unsold comics. If you can't beat 'em, invoice 'em.  

MISCELLANEOUS

I was asked to pitch a plot for an upcoming comic book project, and I'm waiting to hear if that goes anywhere. I might be doing a series of covers, as well. I'm still slowly getting through some personal commissions, and I've started a few one-page comics and Fun Strips for the Patreon. We have had a few new international publishers translating Beasts of Burden and our first international edition of Blackwood is going to print soon. I think that's everything that I can discuss or hint at.  

Over and out of it.