...Starting with this website.
With ongoing privacy concerns, the mass infringement of intellectual property by AI, and increasingly extreme and toxic politics, the social media era seems to have fallen off a cliff. Which is cool with me. I never liked much liked it to begin with. The only social media platform I've ever actually enjoyed using was Instagram, which people are currently running away from like it's a house on fire.
Still, it puts creative professionals like me in a bit of a quandary as to how to continue to promote our new and upcoming work as cheaply and effectively as possible. I'm going to stick with Instagram for as long as I can stand it, and am giving Bluesky another try even though I find the Twitter-style, scroll-and-complain type of platforms annoying and exhausting. I tried an inexpensive Patreon for several months, where I had intended to let subscribers watch behind the scenes as my new books take shape. But without being able to talk publicly yet about either of my current works in progress, I was at a bit of a loss for what to post there.
So what I'm doing instead is revamping my website, and adding a blog that double as a subscription newsletter. You know, exactly what we were all doing in 2005, before the social media era. It worked then, maybe it'll work now. And if your favourite platform collapses tomorrow, or suddenly becomes an online hangout for white supremacists or other unsavoury types, it'll be a place you can always find me, where we can reliably hang out and talk comics and be safe from said dirtbags. Cool? Cool.
THREE THIEVES ReRelease!
Speaking of old things that are coming back around, tomorrow (February 4, 2025) is the release date for the new edition of Three Thieves: Tower of Treasure, the first in a seven-book rerelease from my new pals at Papercutz. I'm thrilled to see the series getting a second life. The original versions were popular in libraries and schools, but got little traction outside of that market. Word of mouth has kept them alive since the last book was released in 2016, but they've been notoriously hard to find in retail stores, even when they were still in print. That changes now. Many, many people who have emailed me over the intervening years asking, "Where can I buy the Three Thieves books?" I'll finally have something to tell them.
Each book is going to have new cover art, new design, and a bunch of new extras, including sketches, original character designs, and an extensive interview between myself and my partner, comics editor/scholar/journalist Irene Velentzas, that will run through all seven volumes.
It's pretty exciting stuff. Don't believe me? Believe comics legend Jeff Lemire:
Birthday Sale in Online Store!
Yet another old thing: me.
I turn 53 on February 9th, which is this Sunday. And I badly need to clear out my online store to make room for newer stuff. So for my birthday, I'm giving you a present: 20% off everything in my online store. If there was ever a time to grab that piece of original art you've had your eye on, it's now. (As always, if the piece of art you had your eye on isn't it the store, shoot me an email or a DM on the platforms I still use, and I'll let you know if I still have it available.)
Use the promo code 53ISOKWITHME to get 20% off your entire order.
February appearances!
A new year and new/old books to promote means more places where you can find me in public. I've just added two new signings:
This Saturday, February 8, from 4-7pm at The Dragon in Guelph, Ontario. One of my old haunts, where we'll be launching the new editions of Three Thieves, alongside Stephanie Cooke and Alina Tysoe, who also have new books debuting.
And you can also catch me on Saturday, February 22 from 11am-4pm at one of my new favourite haunts, Wayside Comics & Cocktails in Newmarket, Ontario, a comfy and welcoming comics shop that's also a cocktail bar, combining my two favourite types of establishment into one unstoppable, Voltron-style mega-establishment. (Unfortunately, I don't have cool graphic for this one yet.)
Until next time!
I'm hoping to update this blog twice a month, but that -- as always -- will depend on how busy I am with the new projects (which I will eventually be able to talk about and show you, I swear.) If you're so inclined, sign up for email alerts so that you don't miss one.
Cheers!