Tuesday, August 29, 2006

SUPER REAL NOTES - 8/29/06

ISSUE 3

Okay folks, it's official!! Issue 3 is off to the printer as of this past weekend, and no one could be happier than me.
Also, things have been secured with Diamond, and so now the only thing between you and the books, is time.

Keep reading...
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PRINTER

This time around I went with a new printer.
Having already deciding I needed to switch from my previous international/overseas printer for issues 1 and 2, in the effort of decreasing leadtime (the previous printer took 8 to 10 weeks leadtime, standard for an overseas setup), I was willing to bite the bullet and have the book printed domestically, regardless of cost, because I couldn't afford more than the 2 weeks they could offer in turning around jobs, since the book was so behind schedule.
Well, one of the great things about comic conventions is there are a myriad of benefits, outside of publicly promoting and selling your book directly to the fans (my favorite aspect by the way), in this case, finding out about and making contact with a lead on a new printer. This is what happened at this year's San Diego Comic Con, and is also how I came to be with my previous printer.
Turned out a good friend had just received full color books from this new arrangement, and not only were they affordable, but also domestic (with short leadtimes).
A great prospect indeed.
Hopefully making the switch will be fairly invisible to you all, other than getting books in a more timely fashion that is.

So what are the details for issue 3?
What's the schedule?

Read on...
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ISSUE 3 SCHEDULE

Having the books at the printer, the next step is getting the proofs approved, and that's where we're currently at. In this case they're digital, so it should be only a short time before we clear that hurdle. At that point, the books are ready to roll, and this printer has a quoted leadtime of 2 weeks (from delivery of files, a clock that is already ticking).
So, the books should finish up with them by 9/11 or (hopefully) sooner.
At that point they must be delivered to Diamond, and Diamond must process them as well.
That makes the soonest the books would be in shops as 9/13 (if things go ahead of schedule...), or more likely the Wednesday of 9/20.
Fairly late in terms of what I'd most recently communicated, and I'm sorry. I can tell you though, that the book has benefited from this extra time, and I'm very excited to have it out at long last!

I will of course keep you updated as things move forward.

So, in light of things being officially on schedule and on target for release, here are the details for our third issue, and then the schedule beyond that...
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ISSUE 3 DETAILS

Originally solicited as two covers, a regular cover by myself, and a 1 in 4 variant cover (same as with issue 2), the final offering has changed slightly. Now instead of just having the 1 in 4 variant cover by HECTOR SEVILLA (ALIAS COMICS' LULLABY), we've added a third variant by FELIPE SMITH (TOKYOPOP's MBQ)!
The new cover is a 1 for every 5 incentive that was set up as a promotion through Diamond, with retailers who order 5 or more copies receiving the new incentive cover for free. In recent months, I've had the great fortune of picking up some great cover art and Felipe's cover fit perfect with issue 3, so we worked out this promotion to not only get that cover on the book, but to also generate some more visibility with retailers.

Anyone who would like to get the third cover, should first check with your retailer. Find out if they've ordered enough copies to receive one, or let them know they can/will (if they don't keep up with Diamond's many updates on products).

Here are the ordering codes for issue number 3:

COVER A and B (regular covers) - MAR063379
COVER C (free 1 for 5 incentive) - MAR068320


32 pages, full color, mature readers

If all else fails, you will be able to buy every cover directly from SuperRealGraphics.com, but as always we appreciate you sourcing things from your retailers first. In the past, we've offered website exclusive covers for each issue, so issue 3 will be slightly different in that regard, but still with 3 covers total.
(Let me just add, I absolutely love our variant covers, and couldn't be more proud of the creators and artwork they've provided for every cover to date! I feel very fortunate to have worked with such great artists!!)

As always, the variant cover (COVER B) will be included as a center page poster, with an interview of the artist. The book also contains the print version of TSL, as well as some letters, and fan art. Additionally, this time we have our first ever PIN-UP-AND-COMING contest winner/s (Russ Platt, and Jukka Issakainen) featured in a full page pin up on the back side of the poster! There is also one last surprise new addition to what I hope will be another recurring feature of the book!

Which brings me to...
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FUTURE PLANS FOR SUPER REAL

As you may have noticed, I have not solicited anything beyond issue 3. The reason being, not because I don't have big plans and exciting things to come, but that issue 2 ran a bit late, and issue 3 was way behind schedule. I didn't want to chance having any further product shipping past the scheduled and promoted release dates, so I've held the next issue until I've had a chance to get my production schedule back under control.

Believe me, I'd like nothing better than to ship you a book every other month! Every month is just not feasible for one person to accomplish when you do every aspect of the book, from artwork to coloring, lettering, and publishing (and also, while maintaining one's day job of sorts). However, my goal starting out was every 3rd month, and that was something that didn't materialize either. So, I've done two things to get back to that schedule:

1) The next issue will be a special: SUPER REAL SPECIAL - Super Real VS The Comic Book Industry
The special will be completely written by me, but features artwork from other exciting creators! Not only is it a ton of fun to watch other artists work from my scripts, with my characters, but the concept itself is just brimming with potential! However, having this next on the schedule, it also gives me extra time to get issue 4 underway, while still keeping the book out in shops.
Also, the book features the cast fully enhanced, in all out action throughout, two elements fans and myself have been dying to see! While also keeping the story in continuity, taking place between the events of issues 3 and 4!!

2) Not solicited future issues through Diamond, until issue 3 is done, while production of the special is already well underway.

At this point the special is planned for January of 2007, while that is 4 months following the release of issue 3, and while a break of that length isn't preferred, issue 3 took almost 6 months to come out, so it is definite improvement over the last gap between issues. I plan to then solicit and release issue 4 three months after the special, which gets me back to the original release format.

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So there you have it!
All the details on the book for the foreseeable future.
While we lost some battles, we won some too, like maintaining the full color format, and getting an exciting incentive cover promotion to the shops!
And while the schedule is still a bit off, we've got some exciting plans to get things back to the way they should be!!

Since I covered a lot this time out, I'll return with more details on specific items in the near future, but this should give the curious all the information they could be looking for.

So, to fill the gap until issue 3 hits shops, be sure and stop by the website and check out the recently created, and totally awesome, Super Real flash trailer, or the first five pages of issue 3 in the previews section!

SUPER REAL TRAILER

ISSUE 3 PREVIEW


Stay tuned,
jason

7 comments:

Jason Berek-Lewis said...

Well, I never cease to be amazed by how you have managed to pull this whole thing off yourself. Well done! You are a true indy inspiration!

I really love Super Real, it is the book that sealed the deal with regard to my recently found love of indy books.

Thanks for your awesome and inspiring work ...

Jason Martin said...

Jason,

Hey man, thanks a lot for the really kind words, I appreciate that!

Anonymous said...

Yes.. Jason along with the likes of myself and Frank are gonna start a new wave of indie comics that aren't crap or touchy feely personal BS and will kick the mainstream's ASS!!

Jason Martin said...

Joel!

Alright, yes, let's kick some ass!!
Woo hoo!

(I think that's a compliment, but who's Frank?) :O

Javier Hernandez said...

Jason, congrats! Wow! 3 books in less than how many months? MAN! You've beat my record and I've been at this since last century!!!

Um,....currently adding more pages to the Preview book I printed in April, so when I go to press THIS OCTOBER, the comic will be about 30-something pages...

You rock!!

Anonymous said...

Jason Berek-Lewis knows who Frank is. Check out the-wraith.com He just signed a deal with Shocker toys to produce action figures and aside from lettering his comics, I'm doing issue #4 of the Wraith which features a crossover with my Bluewing character.

Frank has 2 Wraith novels out and an indie movie that can be ordered off Amazon as a 2 disc set and I supply the voice (via answering machine) of one of the non-visible regular characters from the comic.

And YES!!.. that was a compliment cause SuperReal kicks some ass!!

Jason Martin said...

Jav Man!

Hey buddy, thanks for the words.

Wow, October? really?
Set a date for Muerto have ya?
cool.

Well keep goin, cuz I'm already hard at work on my next one!! :)