Some folks here may remember my online comic, Hereville, which was on hiatus for a few years. This past October I restarted Hereville, which is the main reason I haven’t been as involved on discussions on “Alas” recently (and that’s the way it’ll be from now on, alas).
Anyhow, I want to let folks know that the first Hereville story, entitled “How Mirka Got Her Sword,” is complete — written, drawn, colored, and, earlier today, sent to the printer. Although of course there are some things about it I don’t like — some of the drawing on the early pages makes me wince — on the whole I’m very proud of this comic. I think it’s a significant step forward for me as a cartoonist.
It’s being serialized online at hereville.com, where a page appears every Wednesday. Right now it’s on page 17; the full comic is 57 pages long, so it’ll take until December 2008 to complete serialization. (The second Hereville story will begin being serialized in January 2009.)
For those of you who don’t want to wait, I’ll also be selling “Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword,” as a PDF file, as a CBR file, and as a printed, full-color comic book. The electronic downloads will cost $4 $5 each, and will be available quite soon — maybe later this week, maybe next week. I’ll post an announcement.
The paper version, which will cost $11.95, will premiere at my table at the Stumptown Comics Fest at the end of April. In May I’ll begin selling copies by mail. I plan to accept pre-orders for the printed comic beginning next week in order to help defray the printing costs. I know $12 is pricey for a 57-page comic book, but: (Full-color) + (small print run) = (expensive!).
I’m sorry that I can’t spend the time on “Alas,” or in the blogosphere, that I used to. But after a three-year period of “cartoonist’s block,” when I drew only rarely, it’s almost organismic-ly wonderous to feel driven to spend nearly all my free time creating comics.
Fantastic! Congratulations! Put me down for a preorder for a paper copy. (I get comics AND I get to kill a tree…bonus!)
Yes! finally Amp, I’ve missed Hereville.
Hey, that’s REALLY good!
UuuaaahhhaAAawsome! Put me down for a preorder for Robert’s paper copy. (I get comics AND I get to kill a tree AND I get to cheese off Bobby-boy…could life get any better?)
So now may I spill my pent-up speculations and hyperventilations about the end of the book, and how the old witch was actually Mirka’s father who had been changed by Voldemort, but who was still good at heart (the witch/father, not Voldy), whereas the bullies were actually agents of the Rabbi who is on a rival quest to beat the knowledge of the sword out of the witch and find it for themselves, thereby gaining magical powers to make the whole world Jewish and sepia-toned, but just when Mirka finds the place where the sword should be, she merely finds a locket bearing a note that says, “Sword broken. Forging anew. Then putting into museum. (signed) Indiana J.” …
Or should I hold off on that?
Mazeltov! Really glad to hear that the work is flowing.
Please add me to your preorder list.
oh awesome. I stopped checking for updates somewhere around 12 or so I think, as I just remember there being a huge lull in updates. but you have the excuse of actually doing other things, so it’s not to worry.
I might actually have to spend real cash monies on this, which I haven’t done on comics since my FLCBS closed and filled me with sadness.
Speaking of positive role models for girls in an unusually framed fantasy comic, have you by chance read Thieves and Kings, Amp? great series, I’ve been a fan for a couple years now, ever since I ran across The Walking Mage spinoff graphic novel.
Oh, and put me down for a preorder of a paper copy. If I have it digital, I know I’d just be tempted to make copies to give to people, and for a small print run like this, that would be genuinely unethical, as opposed to ripping off Marvel by reading a CBR of the latest issue to keep me up to date on why I hate Joe Q so much.