Greetings, readers! I had to post Monday’s comic (originally scheduled to run 2/8) on Tuesday due to a technical issue. The technical issue wasn’t with this site, but with GoComics, which mirrors the comics posted here. I’m hoping that everything can be worked out and Wednesday’s comic can run as regularly scheduled. I’ll keep you updated!
Another update on Archie Comics! I’ve written the lead story for the upcoming Jughead and Archie Comics Double Digest #19. The book is scheduled to release March 2, 2016. Here’s the summary:
JUGHEAD & ARCHIE COMICS DOUBLE DIGEST #19
When Mr. Lodge needs some assistance fixing up Lodge Manor, Archie and Jughead offer to help make some repairs. Mr. Lodge isn’t sure he trusts them, but with the power of “how-to” videos on MyTube, Archie promises that they can fix anything—and for free! Will Archie and Jughead be regular fixer-uppers, or will Mr. Lodge end up getting exactly what he paid for? Find out in “Fixit Friends,” the hilarious lead story to this comics double digest!
Script: Francis Bonnet
Art: Fernando Ruiz
Cover: Dan Parent, Bob Smith, Rosario “Tito” Peña
On Sale Date: 3/2
160-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.
What’s special about this issue is that not only did I write the story, but I also wrote the cover gag, which Dan Parent, Bob Smith, and Rosario “Tito” Peña did an awesome job of recreating. I’ve also seen the interior pencils and inks and the art looks amazing.
So mark your calendars for March 2nd and be sure to pick up a copy at your local newsstand, bookstore, or comics shop! More information can be found on the Archie Comics website.
I will be at New York Comic Con this week promoting Suburban Fairy Tales. The convention runs October 8 through October 11 at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York. If you’re attending, stop by the Suburban Fairy Tales booth in the Small Press section and say hello. Booth #1147!
A few months back I announced that I had written a story for an upcoming issue of an Archie Comics Digest. I recently learned that the story I wrote has been delayed into next year. When I know the exact release date I’ll update it here, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, Archie Comics has been
keeping me busy with writing cover scripts for their other digests. For those who don’t know, a cover script writer is similar to that of a ghostwriter — I come up with the initial idea or gag for a cover and submit it to Archie’s editors. Once the idea is approved it’s then handed off to a penciler, inker, and colorist who take that idea and bring it to life. So while I do get paid for my idea, I don’t actually get credit for it in the book.
The first two cover scripts I wrote, Archie’s Funhouse #19 and Betty & Veronica Digest #238, will ship in October. More cover ideas I wrote will appear in following months.
For more information check out Archie’s solicitations for October.
Longtime readers of Suburban Fairy Tales may have noticed how the strip has changed to be more pig-centric in recent months. While there was never an official announcement or storyline that acknowledged this change, the fact is that Suburban Fairy Tales has become a different strip.
The change in Suburban Fairy Tales happened around January of this year. I wanted to intentionally change things up after shopping the series around to different editors and listening to their comments. While most editors loved the humor and writing, the one consistent comment between them was that the cast was too big — and after reading through my samples, I realized that they were right. The cast of Suburban Fairy Tales had grown exponentially since its debut in 2005, and this ever-increasing number could make it difficult for some readers to connect. I decided I needed to do something about that.
I thought long and hard about which characters were important to the series; which ones were not only fun to draw, but were likable, funny, and would bring about the most interesting and humorous stories. The brotherly relationship between the Three Little Pigs felt the strongest, so I made them the new stars of Suburban Fairy Tales. Red Riding Hood, Wolf, and sometimes Rumpelstiltskin help to round out the supporting cast. Looking back at the last 7-8 months of Suburban Fairy Tales, I feel that the strip has never been stronger, and I’ve never had more fun doing it.
So what happened to the other characters like Pinocchio, Frog Prince, Rapunzel, and Goldilocks? While they are no longer in the spotlight, I like to think they are in the background somewhere, living their lives in the Suburban Fairy Tales world. And who knows… I wouldn’t be surprised if occasionally one of them made a guest appearance in a future strip or story some day. But for now, it’s all about the Pigs.
