Super Real notes

I'm going to try something different...
I've had the blog since April, but I was really just warming up for once Super Real was actually released, and had a chance at grabbing some eyes.
Well the book came out late November, but a combination of the holidays, and work (as in besides this wonderful comic book project) has left me with very little time to update TSL, the Super Real blog.
Well, the holidays have gone, and my seasonal job (lets never speak of it again) has ended, so I'm going to try and spend a little more time here.

I thought I'd start by including a new "behind the scenes" feature, with notes about production of the book (a peek behind the curtain). We'll see how well it's received. I know a lot of people read TSL, so I'd just like to implore you to go ahead and leave some feedback, to let me know if you're interested in what I'm saying.

That said, here's a little taste of where Super Real's at right now, it's a very crucial, and exciting time for the book.

I'm currently wrangling ads and ad swaps for issue two, which should go to press in the next week. It's due out in February, but prints overseas, so we'll see if we can get it turned around in time to hit our release schedule.
Issue one made it out in time, via the same overseas printer, so we're off to a good start, but I'm a tad late getting issue two underway, so the clock is ticking rather loudly.

Speaking of issue two, the numbers, or rather PO from Diamond, just came in. I'd like to share the numbers with you, but I'm looking to firm up some details with the distributor first, so stay tuned on that.
I can tell you, that even though we shipped number one after solicitation of number two, and did a promotion for an extra 1000 copies to shops, the numbers on number two still took the standard 40% drop in sales. I'd hoped to avoid that one folks, but it's unfortunately a reality of the current biz. It's cut-throat/do-or-die in the independent trenches. Mind you, this is a new product from an unknown, and even though I love our variant cover for issue two, Edward Pun is an unknown too, not a "name" like the super-cool Josh Howard that did our number one cover. So at least all the efforts made issue two succeed at the level it did. There's some silver lining here.
Not to mention the online support with some interviews, and reviews of number one.
Which was a bit of a catch-22, as I mostly did advance reviews on number one, leaving the online review community mostly tapped out for the actual release. I'm looking to change that with issue two.

Aside from that, things don't let up a bit. This is crunch time. Issue three solicitation must be set up with Diamond by next Thursday, and any promotions through them to tie into the May release/March Previews must be set up and timed. I'm looking at doing free posters to all shops, versus the half page Previews ads I'd been running. Mix things up a bit and try a different tactic to get the book in front of retailers. Especially since issue three is our breakthrough issue!

Yeah, you heard it here first, issue three will set the comic world on fire! I mean, it's when we get our characters in nano-costume, enhanced, and start to reveal all the crazy ideas and secrets for the book. It's gonna be nuts! Not to mention, the artwork's been developing over the first two issues and should start to kick more ass as we go along (if that's possible - please note: this last statement was a bit of hyperbole, I am in fact always striving to improve the ass-blasting ability of my artwork).

Oh yeah, which brings me to the other thing I've got to get really focused on, conventions!
It's already only one month away from my first ever WONDERCON!!
That's right, convention season '06 kicks off on February 10th, with COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL's San Francisco show, WONDERCON.
Super Real will be in the artist alley for that one, and hopefully featured in the program too.
The wife, and even dog, and I are making a weekend getaway out of it, driving down from Portland (about a 10 hour trek). Should be fun!

At this point I have several shows planned:
2/10-2/12 San Francisco WONDERCON
3/05 Portland Comic Book Show
3/17-3/19 WIZARD WORLD Los Angeles - tenative
4/01-4/02 Seattle EMERALD CITY COMIC CON
7/20-7/23 San Diego COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL
A whole west coast tour!
I'm still deciding if I'll venture out further and add any other dates...


Exciting times!

STAY TUNED
jason