Dave's Oct '24 newsletter: Big Apple, 3 AM
Dave's Oct '24 newsletter: Big Apple, 3 AM
Lots of new stuff for you as spooky season draws to a close
Happy Friday, friends. I hope you’ve all had a great week so far. This edition of my newsletter is rammed full of new releases, big news and updates on a few projects.
As always, before I jump in, you can also follow me on your social media platform of choice - but let’s be honest they’re all a bit shit now aren’t they?
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Let’s jam!
1. New York Comic Con + Killtopia: Complete Edition launch
Last weekend, I was at New York Comic Con to network, meet editors and show my next projects to publishers. It was a seriously great time, and it was just nice to meet a lot of comic pros I speak with online in person - including a lot of Killtopia: Nano Jams contributors. I also managed to get into the Marvel after party and I met Twin Peaks legend Kyle MacLachlan and DMC from Run DMC, so I can now die a happy man!
Some potentially exciting things are now in motion off the back of the con, and I’ll share more about that if and when I’m able. Overall, if you’ve never been to the show I’d really recommend it, whether you’re a self-published creator looking to network or just a fan wanting a fun time. Check it out in 2025!
Now I’m back in Scotland and promoting the heck out of Killtopia: The Complete Collection, which is out NOW in comic stores across the UK and US courtesy of publisher Titan Comics.
It’ll then go on general sale in book shops and other retailers on Tuesday, September 29th. See where else it’ll be available here.
The 288 page hardback omnibus features all five books of our award-winning cyberpunk saga, including remastered editions of books #1 and #2, bonus content, a foreword and more.
I was in the Edinburgh branch of Forbidden Planet yesterday signing copies. So if you’re in my home city, go grab one while they last!
Also:
Titan Comics has posted a wee video that dives inside the book
SciFi Now interviewed artist Clark Bint and I about the designs of Killtopia’s cast members in this great article
Thanks to everyone who picks up a copy, and to anyone who has ever backed our Kickstarters or supported us in any way since the series started in 2018. There’s lots more Neo Tokyo fun to come :)
2. Two new series: Satanic Panic + Yuta
This month, I announced two new comic series that I’m currently pitching around publishers. If no publishers take a bite, we’ll take them to Kickstarter.
Here are our elevator pitches:
Satanic Panic: set during the satanic panic hysteria of 1986, the singer of a failing metal band makes a deal with a fate-altering demon to make her a rockstar. Check out our first three completed pages here.
Yuta: to save the island of Okinawa from Japanese invaders in 1609, a spirit medium teams up with an ancient entity to kill the warlord who has taken their home. Check out our first three completed pages here.
These are just small tasters of what’s in store with these series. The Satanic Panic crew consists of David Cousens on art and JP Jordan on colour, while the Yuta artist has asked to stay anonymous while they wrap on a few other projects. I’m excited to do a big reveal with them soon! Both series are lettered by Killtopia’s Micah Myers.
Stay tuned for more information on both comics soon!
3. Killtopia: Nano Jams update
Production of our first Killtopia anthology is now completed. Our graphic designer Andriy Lukin is in the process of creating our internals (credits page, page numbers, endpapers etc.) and then we’ll be doing final checks to make sure everything is perfect.
Here’s our work-in-progress cover. We’re just waiting on some testimonial quotes:
Once the print file is ready, I’ll be mailing our digital edition out to our Kickstarter backers, then we’ll go to print. It does look likely we’ll have it out ahead of our initial February launch window - which is awesome!
Stay tuned for more!
4. Con appearances + bonus bits
2024’s last conventions:
My last two shows are Thought Bubble in Harrogate (Nov 16/17), and the Edinburgh Comic Art Fair in Leith’s Out of the Blue Drill Hall (Nov 23). Come along and say hi if you’re at either show. I’ll have copies of Killtopia: The Complete Collection and much more!
Wish Upon a Star - funded!
Myself and artist Matt Garbutt have a short story in Wish Upon a Star, a new anthology from Limit Break Comics that features sci-fi spins on fairytales. Our story is STRINGS, a mash-up of Pinocchio and Predator (trust me on this one!) The project just got funded on Kickstarter so will be out at some point in 2025.
Run ‘n’ Gun aims high:
My second video game history book, Run ‘n’ Gun: A History of On-Foot Shooters is flying off the shelves (thank you if you picked up a copy!) There are still copies of the first printing available, so be sure to check it out over on the Bitmap Books site, where you’ll find the full list of over 300 featured games and much more.
Until next time, thank you everyone. Stay well and have a great weekend :)
-Dave