Hey gang!
Earlier this weekend, I realized that I hadn’t written an update in over a month. I’m not sure how many people read these updates, but — for those who do — I felt bad that I hadn’t posted a single thing since mid-April. Sorry ‘bout that.
With COVID-19 still spreading rampantly among the people, most of us are still staying home to keep safe. I’ve spent much of this week catching up on a fairly large backlog of comics that I’ve amassed over the last four years.
I got behind on my reading about three years, thanks to an insane work schedule that left me with no free time for about five months. Once I had time, I was too far behind. I always told myself I’d catch up, so I continued collecting. Every month, I’d pick up my comics and they’d stack up. Slowly, month by month, those stacks grew into paper towers. They got so large, that they decorated my hallways.
Occasionally, I’d read a couple here and there. The stack still stood tall. Until a couple of weeks ago when I realized that, well, if I didn’t want to read them now — a time where I have very little else to do — when would I? So, I dove into the backlog.
I must admit that I’m glad I did. The arcs that I’ve missed over the last few years have been amazing. Over the last three years, some amazing stories have been told and I’ve missed many of them. This weekend alone, I caught up on:
Lazarus
Saga
Rag Queens
Spider Gwen/Ghost Spider
Paper Girls
Thor
Hellcat
Doctor Aphra
Reborn
It’s been the break that I didn’t even realize I needed! Those stories have revitalized a lot of creativity, which has been starving during this whole quarantine. It’s hard to feel inspired when you can’t connect. These stories are a way for me to reconnect with their creators.
I’ve always felt that comics, in a way similar to books, feels like a very intimate medium. The stories are very personal. You can feel the authors and the artists in each page, trying to tell you what they’re thinking — how they’re feeling.
At the end of many of the comics — especially the indie comics — there’s a letter area. They’re a way for the creator to communicate with the fans. That’s sort of what I’d hoped this blog would be. It’d help if I wrote more here. Let’s see if I can commit to that. At least once a month. Maybe twice! Such ambition!
Definitely more than I have been. For sure.
No Cons For You!
As many of you have have read last week, GenCon has been cancelled for this year. That was the last con that we’d officially planned to go to this year. With that, Protagonist Industries is officially not going to be at any physical cons this year. That’s a good thing. Let’s be safe, gang!
We may end up doing some virtual things during 2020, such as virtual cons or some other things of the sort. To be determined!
Sneak Peak from Mistfit Tales!
Misfit Tales News
I wish I had more news about the upcoming Misfit Tales book! It’s taking a little longer than expected to get all of the last bits of art wrangled together. Until then, I do have a small tidbit to show from our new playset care of our original book’s artist, Maxx Marshall!
I hope to have more news soon. You’ll all be the first to know when I do!
Let’s Chat!
Between then and now, let’s chat! What are your favorite comics? Got any good suggestions? What is keeping you company during our times of quarantine and social distancing? How does a Stranger Things viewing party sound? Ping me on Twitter!