DVP Quarterly

Newsletter #7 - April, 2023

Hello! Welcome subscribers new and old!

There’s been a nice jump in subscribers over the last week since I announced that I’ll be leaving Twitter, and that means that this newsletter is going to be more consistent and get a significant make over /relaunch at the end of May.

So this will be the last newsletter before the big glow up. Let’s go!

What can you expect?

This newsletter was originally created for updates on current projects, store discounts, access to exclusive preorders, and behind the scenes comic-making content. And all that remains but with the relaunch comes something much different as well. Something interesting and quite frankly, a bit scary.

This newsletter will move from a space where I tell you about creative things, to a space where I’m doing creating things. I won’t just be pulling the curtains back on comic making but tearing the curtains down completely, and inviting everyone on stage with me - giving you the opportunity to watch me do it all, in real time.

I don’t mean a few script pages here and there, or highlighting a few pages of art. I mean absolutely EVERYTHING!

You’ll be in the virtual room as I develop an idea, write, rewrite, and search for an artist, thumbnails, lose the artist, find a new artist, pencils, creative debates, lettering drafts, pitching to publishers, rejection emails, and so on. The highs and lows, the victories and defeats. You’ll see me fail, and flail, beat myself down and pick myself up again. You’ll be right there as I go through each stage of creating an indie comic book in the current publishing environment.

And eventually, by some miracle, a finished book will emerge from these efforts. A book that you watched grow from absolutely nothing. Oh, and it’s free. There’s no subscription fees involved.

Sounds exciting? Great, I’m fucking terrified. So let’s do it.

I’m sure you already have questions about this process. I have some too! But we’ll work through it together. So tell everyone who loves comics, or has ever wanted to make a comic to get over here, to subscribe! Watch an Eisner winning comic creator fumble his way through the process and come out the other end with…something.

It’ll be interesting, educational and probably just a whole lot of fun!

All The Work Things.

I’ve got my brain in quite a few things at the moment but below is a brief update on the next wave of creators owned books you’ll see from me…

PRECIOUS METAL the highly anticipated follow up to our Eisner Award Winning mini series LITTLE BIRD from Ian Bertram, Matt Hollingsworth and myself coming from Image Comics.

We’re getting very close to announcing a release date for this but I can’t get any more specific than that at the moment. All I can say is that it feels really damn good to see an ending in sight since we began working on this book back in 2019.

Also - there’s been a somewhat dormant LITTLE BIRD facebook page that was quite active when LB came out - I’ll be taking that over again and keeping it more active in my post-Twitter life so if you’re on FB, excited about PRECIOUS METAL, and future plans for the LBU - check that out.

Enjoy this stunning panel from the final issue of PM by artist, co-creator Ian Bertram.

Designer Chen by artist/co-creator Ian Bertram.

THE CUTTING GARDEN is a 100 page gothic, period-drama in the format of an original hardcover graphic novel from myself, artist Erin Connally, letterer Aditya Bidikar, with book design by Ben Didier. And we’re really pleased to finally share that this very special book is being published by our friends over at Image Comics!

Trust me when I say the oversized HC format we have planned is the only way to immerse yourself in this story and fully appreciate the stunning, hand crafted work that’s gone into this book by all involved. It’s going to make your hearts swell and become a cherished thing to revisit on rainy days, I guarantee it.

LOTUS LAND is a six issue mini series that will be announced later this year from one of your favourite publishers. I’ve been sort of secretly scripting this book over the last year and a half and I just turned in the final script early this month, just as we welcomed the artist onboard.

I have an amazing team of collaborators working on this and feel confident that LOTUS LAND is going to be something special. If I get permission from everyone involved, I’ll share some process stuff here as we go!

Shop Alert!

I’ve finally added the LITTLE BIRD Enamel Pins to my shop which a lot of people were asking about when I showed them off on Instagram earlier this year. But here’s the thing, if you’re subscribed to this newsletter and you purchase anything from my STORE between now and the end of the month, you get one for free. No code or anything needed, just make a purchase and it will magically show up in the package. Ends April 30th.

Writing Journal - Entry #4 - Bye, bye Twitter. Hello Seattle.

I’m leaving Twitter!

This has been on my mind for at least year now but I’m finally pulling the trigger on it for several reasons, which I mentioned…on Twitter.

I’d actually written a longer bit on why leaving Twitter is the right thing for me to do, but I’ve decided not to include it. I’m dedicated to keeping this a positive space that focuses on looking forward, not back. So in lieu of a deeper explanation, here’s the Tweet I sent out regarding my departure, and I’ll just leave it at that.

The one thing I’ll add is that I beleive this departure makes me a better storyteller and creates more space for deep, immersive inspiration that is better found in other places.

If you’re reading this and you liked, shared or commented on anything I’d ever posted on Twitter in the last 10 years - thank you. It probably meant a whole lot more than you think it did.

Below are a few images from a brief day trip to Seattle with my lovely sister, Christine. I discovered a Fantagraphics store in the Georgetown neighbourhood (where I purchased some Love and Rockets), and stopped in at Golden Age Collectibles where I discovered a huge selection of Critical Role books and promptly signed a stack of The Bright Queen trade paperbacks.

NEW newsletter coming end of May 2023. Be kind to yourself :) - DVP