The book is what I've been working on for the past year and a half. The
book is what's kept me from updating My Nemesis in God knows how
long. And now, this book is available at comic stores everywhere;
and it's release is slated for July.
IN STORES
THIS JULY
Discover the world of Colodin with
the collected graphic novel! After being
hired to solve a bizarre and violent
crime, private investigator Steven
Richards will discover a shocking
secret about the city, its people,
and the world in which he lives. 160 pages - Full
Color
Talk to your local comic book dealer
today for details!
Previews item code:
MAY091034
But I need your help.
In order to release the book, I have to
prove to my distributor that I can meet a mandatory minimum of orders.
My orders come from comic stores who believe there is demand for the
product. Unless comic retailers believe a particular item will sell,
they'll ignore it. And unknown artists like myself have it rough.
How do you convince a retailer to order a
product? Simple. You ask him for it. You, the consumer, walk into
the store, request "The Colodin Project," and walk out. You don't even
have to pay anything. It's the same when you ask the Gap to order a
sweater in your size. They'll order what you want, and let you know when
it will be in. Simple as that.
If I don't get the
orders, the books don't released.
Used to be, if your orders
were small, you'd still get to release your comic, but the reset of your
series was cancelled. Now, you don't even get that. Unless I can meet
$2500 in sales, The Colodin Project will get cut and the book
will never see the light of day.
I've sunk a lot into this project so far. A
lot of money. A lot of time and energy and effort. I would hate, hate,
for it to end like that.
So I'm asking you, I'm begging you, if
anybody's out there, if anybody still reads this website... please,
please, please talk to your local comic shop. Ask them to order
The Colodin Project, and give them the Diamond Previews Item
code: MAY091034. And in July, maybe you'll go back and buy it and
maybe you won't, but the important thing is... you ordered. And that
will make a world of difference.
Orders are due May
31st.
I know it seems like a long way off, but
it'll come sooner than you think. And too late is just too late.
You can't get the book from me directly. You
can't get it online. It has to be sold through stores for this to work,
and you have to be the ones to ask for it. It's better this way. Trust
me.
As for the book itself, I can tell you this:
It is, without a doubt, the coolest thing I have ever done. It was a
very difficult project, but I could not be happier with the result. (And
if I haven't said so already, a big thanks to the hundred or so people
who helped me make it.) If you like My Nemesis, then you'll love
The Colodin Project.
But you don't have to take my word for it.
Just visit the website.
You'll find a Flash trailer, wallpapers, sample galleries and all kinds
of goodies for your viewing pleasure. Take a minute. Peruse. Observe.
Then order.
Finally, If you're having trouble finding
your local retailer, click
here to find your nearest store. It's an easy, free service that
uses your zip code to locate every retailer in your area, providing you
with phone numbers, websites, and other contact information. Often a
simple phone call is enough to let a store know there is demand for a
product. It couldn't be easier.
Thanks.
03-27-08
I have been dreading this post.
I've been dreading it because after months of social negligence, I have to
pack all the cumulative information together into one massive by-the-by
update.
So let's get down to it:
1. I will be at the Motor City Comic Convention,
May 15-17, blah blah blah. My booth will kick ass this year. Nobody will
be able to tell that I'm using a spray-painted bedsheet in place of a
screen-printed tablecloth. If anybody says anything, I will act
incredulous and call them a fascist liar. Stop by or I will like you
less.
2. Book five is done! That's five chapters,
five issues, five installments of The Colodin Project. What's that, you
say? Where can you find this alluring artwork and suspenseful
storytelling available for purchase? Why, at the online store, of
course:
Of course, if I were you, I'd just wait for the trade... which brings me
to my next point:
3. THE COLODIN PROJECT WILL BE IN THE MAY ISSUE
OF DIAMOND PREVIEWS. It will be listed as a 160 page full
color graphic novel, a collection of the first five chapters. Retail
price will be $14.99, which is less than my suggested price of $329.99.
In a few weeks I'll have my item code number which I'll be plastering
onto all my promotional materials. "What kind of promotional materials,
Ken?" Why, I'm glad you asked, Roger.
Postcards! Lots of postcards. You see, unfortunately, just because the
book is listed doesn't mean stores will order it. They have to pick and
choose carefully which independents are worth taking chances on, and if
they've never heard of you, they'll ignore you entirely. It's like when
you're buying tickets at a movie theater. Your eyes are scanning all the
titles, but only the familiar ones really register. That's how retailers
look at products in Previews. Unless, of course, there's some known
demand for the product... which is where YOU people come in.
So, look: If you're interested in getting a copy of The Colodin Project,
you HAVE to let your local comic book store retailer know it, or chances
are the book won't hit your shelves. I can only send out so many
postcards and posters, I can only attend so many bullshit conventions;
it's up to the customers, the fans, to help make this release happen. If
you want a postcard with all the order info, something to show the guy
behind the checkout at the comic store, just email me and I'll send one
over as soon as I god damn feel like it.
Every item listed in Diamond Previews has a minimum order quota to fill.
In the old days, if you didn't meet that quota, they'd let you fill the
orders you DID get, but they wouldn't carry your product in any future
issues of Previews. Now, they cut the product entirely. So if The
Colodin Project doesn't meet the minimum, it won't just get cut from the
catalog; it'll never see the light of day. And who will I blame if that
happens? I will blame all of you.
This would be a good time to mention that anyone who pre-orders a copy
of the book from their retailer will be personally rewarded with a
little slice of silent appreciation which I will carry around with me at
all times, yet will never admit to having if addressed.
4. In May, I graduate from college. That's
right; just nine brisk years after high school ended, and I'm already
heading out into the world. And I couldn't imagine a better economical
climate than this one! Finding work won't be a problem, because artists
are a crucial element to any corporate structure. Health care, finally!
My problems are over.
5. I recently came into some money; more
money than I've had in years. It would make sense to hold onto it, to
form a kind of nest-egg on which to survive during the coming weeks of
unemployment. But instead I'll be blowing it all on printing fees. I'm
adorable!
7. Lost is the greatest show ever. I will
hear no argument on this.
8. I am currently building a portfolio website for
my art. It's got rollovers! You probably don't know what this
because you're not technically inclined like me, but basically it means
that little elves do magic inside your computer to make things go
flash-flash! If you wanna check out the initial stages, feel free, but
bear (or bare?) in mind... it's a work in progress:
Thanks for reading, as always. I will send out a few more email
reminders between now and the release of Colodin Project. Remember...
order my book, or we're not friends.
2-04-08
T
10-31-08
The Colodin Project has officially launched
as of October 31st, Halloween, of 2008.
The site features information on the series, including a synopsis of the
plot, the methods in which it was produced, release updates, a blog,
convention news and more. There's also some downloadable content, like
wallpapers and a nifty Flash trailer I'm pretty fond of.
The Colodin Project is a murdery mystery told in 21 installments of full
color, 32 page issues. The first two issues are available now on
Indyplanet, and can be bought here:
http://www.thecolodinproject.com/purchase_order.htm
The third issue will be released on Christmas Day.
If you get a few minutes, stop by to take a look around. If you like
what you see, tell a friend. If you find any broken links, or if
something doesn't run correctly, let me know right away so I can take
care of it.
I guess that's about it. If you'd like to be a part of the Colodin
Project mailing list, which will keep you appraised of any upcoming
events regarding the comic, simply email my other address,
kenkrekeler@thecolodinproject.com with the words "MAILING LIST" in
the subject heading. I promise you won't be spammed; more likely you'll
receive a brief email every couple of months or so.
Oh, and if you know anybody who reads comics, or who might be interested
in the project, please forward this message along.
I'm starting a mailing list. Anyone on this
list will be sent a mass mail announcing the return of regular My
Nemesis updates. I have been away for a lot longer than I thought,
and so I feel guilty, because I have intense emotional guilt issues
which you may all thank my mother for.
If you are interested in being a part of the mailing list, please email
the following address with the words "MAILING LIST" in the subject line:
I am very tired. It is the middle of the afternoon and I am falling
asleep. This is bad. I work tonight. I close.
I have been drawing this other comic book for a few months. There are a
few sneak peek pages of the book hidden
somewhere on this website, but you'll never find them.
I miss this website.
06-30-08
Attention, Artist!
This is a friendly, supportive, message. I really enjoy your strip and
look forward to seeing what happens to Kal and all his friends, and
witness the very next high-spirited adventure filled with rollicking
hijinx they'll no doubt share in the coming panels.
As you can imagine, then, I'm irate that you have not suspended all your
social commitments, your academic career, your biological needs for
feeding and sleeping to fulfil your need for attention on a grand
literary scale.
Thus, I beg of you to either update My Nemesis, write two paragraphs of
snappy newspost explaining why you don't bow to the demands of readers,
or just... y'know, draw something.
*hugs*
Failing that, I hope whatever has dragged you away from the internet
resolves itself peacefully.
Regards,
Brendan.
Thank you for the email, Brendan.
It occurs to me that I have been away for some time. Over a month. The
four of you who read this website on a regular basis are not
unaccustomed to my periodic absences, but not without my usual bullshit
excuses about work and school. I have severely procrastinated this
update. And here it is.
I am currently involved with another comic project. This project is
secret, and will not be discussed in any detail on this website (being,
thus far, a site reserved for My Nemesis and related
paraphernalia, and not, thankfully, a blog through which to vent about
Starbucks or President Bush). However, it can be stated openly that this
project is a vast and monumental undertaking, and has completely
consumed me in a way I do not entirely enjoy. It is nothing like My
Nemesis. It is aimed at realism, with a far darker, deeper
storyline.
The goal, for now, is to complete the first three chapters of this
project. After that, I will return to My Nemesis. I am not happy
with this arrangement, or for the long gaps in storytelling. But I
cannot afford to spread myself any thinner than I already have. The
secret project (you are enticed, yes?) has become my top priority, and
while I wish I had time for all my creative aspirations, I find that to
tackle them at once renders each a distraction from the other. I cannot
afford distractions. Not at this time.
I am aware how fickle internet users are. I am certain I will lose
readership, fans, page hits, and interest from the general public (if
your definition of public is six teenagers who listen to Slipknot) by
disappearing temporarily from the webcomic circuit. This cannot be
helped. I would have more trouble accepting these facts if I in any way
intended to move forward withMy Nemesis; but I don't. My
Nemesis will remain a webcomic, forever, exclusive to the internet
and the printed collections I pay to have made. There will never be
My Nemesis t-shirts, no television shows, no animated flash
cartoons, no keychains. That simply isn't what it's designed for,
despite what some of you may think. My Nemesis is, effectively,
nothing more than a diary. A journal containing exercises in sequential
art and witty dialogue. There aren't many people who would want their
diary published on a massive scale, and I'm no different. I'm no
different.
While I might be overlooking newcomers who want new and up-to-date comic
strips, there are those of you who will not mind this lull. Those of you
who have followed the comic from it's terribly-drawn beginnings and have
been on board with the characters since "Brainstorm." When the comic
resumes, without warning, it is even possible that you will pick up
right where you left off. And to those few, I say thank you. Thank you
for appreciating the many hours which have gone into My Nemesis.
Thank you for your patience and understanding with an
artist/student/retail employee/asshole who doesn't stick to deadlines
and refuses all consistency. Thank you for reading, for writing emails,
for coming to the comic conventions. Thank you for your support.
As for the rest of you-- Fuck off.
05-20-08
05-15-08
This is my last chance to update before the
Convention. My ride will be here any minute, so I'll keep it brief.
I'm
quite excited for the Con. I will be selling both My Nemesis
volumes, as well drawing on-demand character sketches for whoever might
want one. Immediately after the Convention I will be packing up and
moving to downtown Detroit. It's an industrial part of town, hidden away
from the general populace. It will probably take me a few days to set up
an internet connection and get back into full swing with the website.
I'm
sorry for the gaps in storytelling. I can only request your patience as
I get my life in order, and assure you that the conclusion to Modest
Warfare is coming, and that it will be spectacular.
05-09-08
I've really been having a rough time keeping
up with updates. I just finished up the semester at school, including a
year-end review in which I had to present all my work throughout the
course of the last year to the Illustration department. I'm also in the
process of choosing a new apartment, and getting all my crap together
for the move. And on top of all that, I have the Motor City Comiccon
next week.
Once
again, I will
be at the
Motor City Comic Convention May 16-18, signing copies of the new My
Nemesis comic and doing sketches for anybody that wants one. Please
come.
Sorry about the lag, folks. I will resume the strips as soon as I can.
04-14-08
My Nemesis: Fame and Fortune is now
available in print form. You can order it
here.
Or you can not, thereby hurting our economy.
Only you can decide what kind of person you are.
03-27-08
THE MOTOR CITY COMIC-CON!
OMGF OMGF LMAO LMFAO
LOROROPG;;LJAG;
;ALSDK;LKAJF!!!11!1!!!!!!
02-23-08
Black Wave Rising and all ./images/material related to Black
Wave Rising characters and story lines are ŠKen Krekeler, 2005.
Unauthorized use of Black Wave Rising materials, characters, images,
sounds, are strictly forbidden.
