The top two books are the sketchbooks that contain The Legend of Jamie Roberts’ script. The bottom sketchbook contains the majority of the world-building notes. Not ~all~ of them (because many notes are scattered across other sketchbooks). But this one has the majority of the notes, from initial concept to current day. Many of the notes in that one are held in place by paperclips and tape, so it doesn’t leave the studio.
But what do the scripts look like? Well, in the top two books, the pages look a lot like this…
They’re rough on purpose! I like doodling around to get the layouts right. As I work on pages, they go from script to a more refined sketch…
…Up to the finished page.
But it all starts with those rough sketches in the sketchbooks. I’m not going for “perfect” (whatever that is), I’m going for “out of my head.”
Believe it or not, this has worked for me since 2018. Now, I’m going to need a THIRD sketchbook soon, because The Legend is still going, but I’m approaching the end of that second sketchbook. I’m excited to draw what comes next!
Speaking of which, The Legend of Jamie Roberts, volume 3 is coming to KickStarter on October 14. Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter to be the first to know!
The Traitor & The Wretch is an illustrated novel for adults, written by Jasmine Walls and illustrated by Rowan MacColl (with cover art by Amy Phillips). Usually, illustrated novels are reserved for younger audiences. But as it was pitched to me, “Why should middle-grade readers have all the fun?” And I fully agree!
I got an advance reader’s copy from Jasmine shortly before the KickStarter launched. Yes, this book ran on KickStarter, and it met its goal! So the book will be available for the general public very soon. (Also, apologies for getting this review out a little late).
But what IS The Traitor & The Wretch?
The short version: it’s an illustrated novel about a former cultist and a hero’s minion turned traitor, who are trying to escape a kingdom that wants both of them dead. And during the journey they grow feelings for each other.
The long version:
This is a slow-burn of a gay romance. The wretch, Knell, and the traitor, Percy, don’t get along that well at the beginning. It’s not until the halfway point that Percy has a rude awakening as to his own feelings. He’s a stubborn man, so it takes him a while to fully admit to anything.
The story actually begins during the climax of a prophecy. The prophecy proclaims that an Eldritch god of horrors beyond reckoning will emerge, only to be struck down by a hero who will save the kingdom. Knell, a cultist, gets blown back by an explosion that slays the Great One, and he ends up in a ditch. When he comes to, he finds Percy, a former ally to the prophesied hero with his hand cut off and bleeding. To his surprise, Knell uses his powers to save Percy’s life. (I say “to his surprise” because Knell’s powers up to this point were used to make flesh golems and other monstrosities. He never knew of any other cultist who could heal.)
Well, the magic worked, and Percy is saved. Shortly after he wakes up, he tries to escape, because he doesn’t want anything to do with a “flesh mage.” Unfortunately, the aftermath of the prophesied battle has a lot of soldiers crawling around, looking for him. And Knell certainly doesn’t want to stick around. So the two find a cave and venture into the tunnels, through the mountain, and towards escape.
Just So You Know…
Right off the bat, I have to give content warnings. There are: creepy bugs and monsters; caves; descriptions of darkness, disassociation, and panic attacks; and some instances of eating raw meat (Knell is guilty of this, as Percy is vegetarian). There are also passages where Knell recalls memories of torture, though the actual tortures are not elaborated on in depth. I knew this going in, but wanted to give new readers a heads up, just in case.
The narrative goes back and forth between the perspectives of Percy and Knell, both of whom have distinctive mannerisms and voices. The illustrations don’t happen very often, but when they do, they add to the atmosphere of the narrative. I do appreciate the writing’s tongue-in-cheek humor in two specific instances. First, the fact that a flesh golem is never illustrated, instead using descriptions that emphasize how horrific the sight is. Second, passages like, “Percy had one hand and a man who might be carried off by a strong enough breeze. The less said about their trip down the cliff face, the better,” and then the story moves on.
It’s also an utterly absorbing book! I would pick it up, start reading, and then look up and realize I should be getting ready for bed more times than I want to admit.
Now, because I had an ARC, I did notice the odd typo or misspelling on occasion. I trust the team at Bone Dust Press to have caught them before the book went to print. Still, even these didn’t detract from the reading experience for me because they were so infrequent.
So, I know I have the ARC…but I’m going to get my hands on an honest-to-goodness physical copy of this book ASAP. It’s THAT good. Y’all need to read it!
You can pre-order a copy of the book through the official site of Bone Dust Press. Unfortunately right now it’s USA only, as they’re figuring out international orders. Still, pre-orders are available until October 10.
We might technically be in fall, but it sure doesn’t feel like it outside where I’m at. Especially up by Lake Erie, which does, in fact, have beaches. So have some Thomas at the Beach!
I had been sitting on this sketch ever since I worked an office job… over a year and a half ago. (He got doodled when no one was looking.) What inspired it? Well, Thomas is a pirate, and what do pirates do in their downtime? They’re often by the shore. The modern take on that would be spending time surfing at the beach. At the time, I was also watching Lilo & Stitch again, so I got inspired. (Man, what a great movie that I’m so glad Disney DID NOT make a live adaptation of. REALLY glad they didn’t do that).
To be honest, I think I’m going to draw Daniel and Jamie at the beach, too, doing their chill thing. I have an idea for a Daniel mini-print I’ve been sitting on for a while…
Now, I drew Thomas here as a patron reward for The Legend of Jamie Roberts… and soon he’s going to be part of a mini-print bundle. The mini-print bundle will be available as part of a KickStarter I’m running on October 14, for The Legend of Jamie Roberts, volume 3.
Keep an eye on this blog as I share some behind-the-scenes sketches and photos showing the making of this book!
It’s not every day I get contacted by a sticker company. So imagine my surprise when I got an email from somebody at AllStickerPrinting which said, “We would like to collaborate with you.”
(I’m wondering if they came across my post talking about Stickerapp and that’s why they reached out to me? But hey, I appreciate them reaching out!)
So we emailed back and forth, and AllStickerPrinting agreed to send me complimentary stickers in exchange for a review. And that’s why we’re here today!
First, they gave me three options for stickers to print: Individual cut stickers, roll stickers, and custom decals. I opted for the individual cut stickers, specifically in vinyl, to stick (heh) as close as possible in texture and quality to the Robot Pride stickers I have on hand. (The Robot Pride stickers were printed by Vograce as part of the Universal Flaws of Robotics KickStarter campaign.)
Which design did I send AllStickerPrinting?
Hint: it’s a pun…
Get it? It’s PIE-rates!
Anyway, getting the request in was pretty easy, if based on email rather than going through the website. I was already used to working with printers by email with Vograce and (not sticker-related) PrintNinja, so this didn’t bother me.
We actually got everything handled just in time for the stickers to arrive at my apartment RIGHT before I left for a show! So I got to open the package at the show to see what arrived.
I’m used to this design as die-cut, but I don’t mind it being square. I also *really* like the texture of the vinyl! It’s a nicer feel than Vograce or Stickermule. (I haven’t tried regular vinyl from StickerApp yet, just the holographic, so we’ll see how they compare eventually).
When the stickers arrived, they were bound, shrink-wrapped, and then wrapped in bubble wrap, so it’s safe to say these were not scuffed or damaged in transit. The packaging impressed me with its security!
Also, for the budget-minded independent artist, I got these 100 stickers, which AllStickerPrinting values at $50. Which – I gotta’ say – is REALLY DANG GOOD. It’s better pricing than I expected!
They also sent me a sample pack of the kinds of stickers (and business card) they can print. For stickers, they have a variety of choices, from vinyl to foil to holographic – which they call hologram – to even Kraft sticker. You can even choose your level of adhesiveness, from removable to normal to strong. They also have transparent stickers, which is great! I’ve been looking for folks who could do transparent stickers so I could do a reprint of this beauty:
I actually have some ideas for cards and stickers, so I will definitely be reaching out to AllStickerPrinting again!
If you would like to try them out, check out their official website. The staff are very communicative and great to work with! I highly recommend them.
I first found out about Home By the Rotting Sea as a member of the Cartoonist Co-op, when buzz started happening around the Ignatz Award nominations. One of the comics nominated was Home By the Rotting Sea by Octava Heikkilä, a comic originally released during ShortBox Comics Fair 2024. I asked for a copy of the comic to review, which Octava Heikkilä graciously provided (thank you!).
If you have never heard of this comic before, here’s the listing from the itch.io page:
“The Väki are giants, and much loathed and feared by us humans. When territorial tensions threaten to break out, the Human King sends an envoy of riches, and two members of his harem, Ilta and Laulu, as gifts for the Väki.
Stranded from their kin and home, the two human brides must find a new way of living among the scarred strangers.”
What follows is 96 pages of stunningly drawn comics. From an art standpoint, I adore the dynamic page layouts. The brush textures that make the colors feel somewhere between colored pencil and dry-brushed acrylics are also fantastic.
The art works seamlessly with the narration and story, which follows the point of view of Ilta, one of the brides sent as a “peace offering” to the Väki. I didn’t know what tone the story would take at first, but it does open with tension as these women are sent to a people they have only heard terrible things about.
The pacing features carefully-paced panels depicting Ilta and Laulu’s slow integration into the community of the Väki. And it is slow. Especially since at the start, the Väki tell the brides (and the audience) that they have no concept of “wives.” Instead they are referred to and treated as “gifts.” Something new but fragile.
As a reader, I appreciated the slow pace of it all. There is time to be absorbed in the textures of the art, the world it depicted, and the characters walking (and eventually dancing and marching) through it. There is also plenty of exploration of gender in this story, from the genderqueer depictions of the giants to the brides confronting their expectations of their roles.
A Word of Warning
That said, there is an instance of sexual assault (that’s not depicted any further than initial contact). The thought-provoking material was how the Väki handled the retribution. Because there are consequences wrought on the one who committed the assault. This narrative explores the consequences as well as the aftermath.
I will not spoil the ending (it’s only 96 pages). But I will say that it fits the tone of the story. An ambiguous story needed an ambiguous ending, which Home By the Rotting Sea achieved. This story is still sitting with me even a week after I’ve finished reading it.
If you would like to give it a read, you can get the comic from the artist at Small Press Expo this weekend! Or you can get it on the creator’s itch.io page.
