Here's to another new year.
No retrospective here, folks - Ricky the Schlaack is all about the future. Nobody likes those "Year in Review" things, despite what the news outlets seem to think. I've never tuned in. They're just space filler. Here's an idea: instead of filling up the space with junk like that, why doesn't the news just to off the air? "Well folks, there's nothing to report...we'll switch back on when news happens! Happy New Year!" Kkkkchhhhht. Static snow. Or! Even better: one of those "slow entertainment shows" from Norway, like the eighteen-hour train ride? Soothing to the nerves. Neither demands nor seduces your attention, it just is. You can tune in or tune out. I'm really looking forward to getting my own "slow entertainment" channel.
Where was I...?
Oh yes! The future. Well, things may be going to hell in a handbasket (as usual), but I'm actually feeling pretty chipper. Blind Alley Comics is chugging away, especially with our just-released title, Die Kätze #1 (I may have mentioned it before...) We've got the comic book signing, lots of new internet activity, posters and buttons on the way. Things are sort of snapping into place, like puzzle pieces. Granted, we aren't about to make our first cool million; but the foundation is being set.
One of the reasons I'm so optimistic is because I've just discovered (the same way the Dutch "discovered" Manhattan) something called Patreon. It's an online patronage/donation site for artists. Think of it like an infinite Kickstarter: instead of one-and-done projects, you get to list as many projects as you want, and set up a sort of "tipping service" whereby your patrons can subscribe to your art pieces. I'm a little excited, and of course trepidatious, as I still have to do my research and see if it's all it's cracked up to be; but the fact that it exists is very heartening for a pair of artists who've struggled in the wilderness for umpteen years. I'm hoping to make a living off my art within the next five years or so, or at least make it a large part of my income.
As far as projects are going, we've got Bone Boy #3 off to the printers, and we're awaiting proofs on that. The Human Cannonball #6 is in inks, and probably won't be out until March or so. The Human Cannonball Collection 1 is also in the works, but it'll be a while, since I've got to freshen up 108 pages before I can feel right about printing it. Who knows when it'll be out? There's also the Bone Boy Compendium in the (re-)works; it was printed once, but ended up something of a misfire, so we're doing it again by gum! That's the thing about being severely independent: you can do pretty much whatever the hell you want.
There's the problem of distribution I've been working on, of course. So far Diamond Distributing is still the only game in town. The more I learn about the business of comic book retail, the grimmer the picture appears. It's pretty much sign up with the big boys, or stick to your little stuff. We'll figure something out; obviously, there's the interwebs, on which the gentlefolk will soon be able to purchase our wares (I'm looking to set up an Etsy account, pending approval from the BAC President-for-Life).
Website! Website website website...still looking into that. We haven't contacted our contact in that department recently, seeing as we're nearly broke. Hopefully we can get that straightened out once we get the financial situation stabilized. We're also looking at a possible animator for our Patreon video - as in, we might be making an animation for it - but I'm keeping my hopes down to a damp smolder. The problem is that we've had incredibly bad luck in the "finding a guy to do things for cheap/free" department around these parts. Kids these days! Don't they know it will look good in their portfolio...?
Aside from that, we're pretty much rolling around like usual. Here's looking forward to a better year than the previous one; as far as Blind Alley Comics goes, I think we're starting to get some traction, and I couldn't ask for a better start to 2016.
Rick Out!
No retrospective here, folks - Ricky the Schlaack is all about the future. Nobody likes those "Year in Review" things, despite what the news outlets seem to think. I've never tuned in. They're just space filler. Here's an idea: instead of filling up the space with junk like that, why doesn't the news just to off the air? "Well folks, there's nothing to report...we'll switch back on when news happens! Happy New Year!" Kkkkchhhhht. Static snow. Or! Even better: one of those "slow entertainment shows" from Norway, like the eighteen-hour train ride? Soothing to the nerves. Neither demands nor seduces your attention, it just is. You can tune in or tune out. I'm really looking forward to getting my own "slow entertainment" channel.
Where was I...?
Oh yes! The future. Well, things may be going to hell in a handbasket (as usual), but I'm actually feeling pretty chipper. Blind Alley Comics is chugging away, especially with our just-released title, Die Kätze #1 (I may have mentioned it before...) We've got the comic book signing, lots of new internet activity, posters and buttons on the way. Things are sort of snapping into place, like puzzle pieces. Granted, we aren't about to make our first cool million; but the foundation is being set.
One of the reasons I'm so optimistic is because I've just discovered (the same way the Dutch "discovered" Manhattan) something called Patreon. It's an online patronage/donation site for artists. Think of it like an infinite Kickstarter: instead of one-and-done projects, you get to list as many projects as you want, and set up a sort of "tipping service" whereby your patrons can subscribe to your art pieces. I'm a little excited, and of course trepidatious, as I still have to do my research and see if it's all it's cracked up to be; but the fact that it exists is very heartening for a pair of artists who've struggled in the wilderness for umpteen years. I'm hoping to make a living off my art within the next five years or so, or at least make it a large part of my income.
As far as projects are going, we've got Bone Boy #3 off to the printers, and we're awaiting proofs on that. The Human Cannonball #6 is in inks, and probably won't be out until March or so. The Human Cannonball Collection 1 is also in the works, but it'll be a while, since I've got to freshen up 108 pages before I can feel right about printing it. Who knows when it'll be out? There's also the Bone Boy Compendium in the (re-)works; it was printed once, but ended up something of a misfire, so we're doing it again by gum! That's the thing about being severely independent: you can do pretty much whatever the hell you want.
There's the problem of distribution I've been working on, of course. So far Diamond Distributing is still the only game in town. The more I learn about the business of comic book retail, the grimmer the picture appears. It's pretty much sign up with the big boys, or stick to your little stuff. We'll figure something out; obviously, there's the interwebs, on which the gentlefolk will soon be able to purchase our wares (I'm looking to set up an Etsy account, pending approval from the BAC President-for-Life).
Website! Website website website...still looking into that. We haven't contacted our contact in that department recently, seeing as we're nearly broke. Hopefully we can get that straightened out once we get the financial situation stabilized. We're also looking at a possible animator for our Patreon video - as in, we might be making an animation for it - but I'm keeping my hopes down to a damp smolder. The problem is that we've had incredibly bad luck in the "finding a guy to do things for cheap/free" department around these parts. Kids these days! Don't they know it will look good in their portfolio...?
Aside from that, we're pretty much rolling around like usual. Here's looking forward to a better year than the previous one; as far as Blind Alley Comics goes, I think we're starting to get some traction, and I couldn't ask for a better start to 2016.
Rick Out!
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