July 2024 Newsletter: Launch Week!
Hello Darkness, Run 'n' Gun + new things!
This one’s full of great stuff, as this week sees the launch of not one but two projects I’ve worked on - my Run ‘n’ Gun history book from Bitmap Books and Hello Darkness #1 from Boom! Studios (more on those below…)
But first, I want to say a big thanks to my new paid tier subscribers. You really are helping to keep the wheels on my comic work.
If you haven’t checked out my paid tier yet, for just $3.50 a month you’ll get access to all my premium posts, including my recent piece on whether it’s essential for comic creators to exhibit at comic cons. You can read a free sample through the link.
And as always, you can also follow me on Twitter, BlueSky and Instagram for regular updates, video game goodness and much more.
1. Hello Darkness #1 launch + preview
Tomorrow, Wednesday 24th marks the launch of Hello Darkness #1, the new monthly horror anthology from Boom! Studios. I’ve got a story in the first issue, featuring art by David Cousens, colour by Angel de Santiago, and letters by Nathan Kempf.
Our story is called Stay In Your Lane, and it’s a ten-pin bowling horror short about the lengths people will go to relive their glory days. With Boom!’s blessing, here are the first two pages. Please enjoy :)
2. Run ‘n’ Gun is out Monday July 29th
This coming Monday, publisher Bitmap Books will release my second video game history book, Run ‘n’ Gun: A History of On-Foot Shooters. It’s a 450+ page book that chronicles the genre, from its beginnings in 1978, right up to 2023.
It features making of stories, mind-blowing trivia, gameplay tips, impressions and screens from over 300 games. You can see the full game list here, which includes classics like Contra, Gunstar Heroes, Metal Slug, Ikari Warriors and Sunset Riders, as well as modern hits like Cuphead, Huntdown and Blazing Chrome.
The book also opens with forewords by Mega Man’s Keiji Inafune, and Cuphead developers, Chad and Brad Moldenhauer. It also includes write-ups from guest contributors, Chris Scullion, Sega Lord X, Kurt Kalata and Graeme Mason.
There are two versions launching on Monday July 29th: the regular edition and the special edition, which comes in a limited edition ammo case (only 1000 will ever be made!)
Hit the links to sign up for a launch alert as soon as orders open on Monday!
3. Killtopia: The Complete Collection pre-orders are open - out September 24th
Publisher Titan Comics has opened UK and US pre-orders for the Killtopia: Complete Collection. This 288 page hardback tome collections Killtopia #1-5, with remastered editions of the first two books, a foreword and plenty of bonus material.
Preorders won’t be open for too much longer ahead of its September 24th launch. Check out the official Killtopia site to see where you can preorder the book online.
You can also pre-order directly to your local comic shop. Just ask the staff and they’ll hook you up!
4. Killtopia: Nano Jams production update
I’ve just posted a new update on how production of our first Killtopia anthology is progressing. It’s marching onward nicely towards our intended February launch, with many of the stories now completed.
Recently, I started laying out the book’s flat plan and I managed to find space for some new one-page stories. This brings our total page count to almost 100 pages of cyberpunk goodness!
Here’s a list of all the new stories and their production teams:
Get Mek’d by Sky Hawkins
Eggz-Treme Dream-Vert by Shane Melisse
To the Death by David Lumsden + Jaime Huxtable
Fistical Media - Umar Ditta + Toria
Kaiju Castle by Gary Chudleigh + Matt Garbutt
Legend by Liam Kavanagh + Sean Northridge
?????? (I’m saving the reveal of this team until a later date, as it’s a doozy!)
Stay tuned on my socials for more updates and reveals soon!
4. Bonus bits!
Here’s a rapid fire list of smaller updates to close out this month’s newsletter:
- New York Comic Con (Oct 17-21)
I managed to secure a pro pass for the convention, which takes place October 17th-20th in Manhattan’s Javits Centre. I’m not exhibiting, but I’m meeting with some publishers out there and doing networking for my next run of new comic series.
If you’re going to be at the show, please do hit me up and we can grab a coffee - I’d love to chat!
- The Killtopia sequel is underway
The second arc of my cyberpunk comic series is now in production. Killtopia: Phantoms has its artist and colourist locked in, and issue #1’s script is complete. I’ve seen some early page art from the issue and it’s already looking like a trip.
The story is far darker than the original arc, and I’m still weighing up exactly how many issues it’ll run for. That’ll depend on whether any publishers bite once I start pitching it around later this year.
Stay tuned for more on this one. Fans of the original run are going to love it.
- Ninja Baseball Spirits #2 Kickstarter is coming!
There’s not much to share on this one yet, but I’ll be running a Kickstarter for the second issue of Ninja Baseball Spirits before the year is out. Keep it locked to my socials for more announcements soon.
- That’s a wrap!
Thanks again for your support everyone, it seriously is appreciated. If you want to chat comics, or if you need advice, please do contact me!
-Dave