Current Events
Okay, it’s now several months later, and I’m just now getting around to updating all you Claypool enthusiasts as to the goings-on this past season. Once again, I pledge to do better at keeping up the editor’s log. I still don’t know whether or not I’m any good at the tone of these things, but I figure that–at this point–any attempt at keeping current is better than none.
For those of you who’ve been wondering what happened to that deal (of which I made mention quite some time back) of putting the Claypool back issues–sans “Elvira,” of course–on a webcomic format somewhere, and available for download. As you may remember, those of you with lengthy memories, that plan also included an option for restarting the “Soulsearchers and Company” series with new stories. Well, the bottom sort of fell out of those discussions, when the other company involved didn’t maintain their financial model and other creators reported that they were being paid late, and/or on a sporadic basis, and/or that their phone calls went unanswered, their requests unresolved. Those were all bad signs, so currently we’re still in a holding pattern as regards both “Soulsearchers” in particular and back-issue web postings in general.
In the meantime, though, I can attest that the “Deadbeats Online” creative team and I are working as hard as we ever have on making the sole surviving “Fear City” series as exciting and fulfilling as ever. Ricardo Villagran continues to deliver high-quality embellishment on a regular basis, Thom Zahler is our own company miracle worker, both in terms of solving problem after problem with the website, and also in handling the copious copy that is such a vital component of each and every “Deadbeats” episode. Speaking for myself, I’m constantly challenging myself to make the strip more involving, more satisfying, and more exciting. Even now, seventeen years after beginning the “Deadbeats” feature, I approach every sequence with as much commitment to my craft–and to my audience–as I ever have mustered.
I’m liking the current storylines quite a bit, too. For the first, hugely Kirby-centric year of the Online strip, it was necessary to center every event around the presence of Mystic Grove’s stalwart young hero. Consequently, Kirby Collier was front and center during the clashes with the band of vampire mutates that once were the Deadbeats, the Zombie Master, and the tag-team of Silverbelle and Deyfus. Once Kirby was transported to the dimensional venue once known as the “World of Vampires” and discovered his old comrades still quite un-destroyed, the focus of the narrative broadened out somewhat to include those “fallen heroes.” Then, another chapter to address the loss of Brittany (and reversing it in the process), and finally…well, Fear City feels fully like Fear City again, with all the layers of character interaction and intrigue. I’m really digging working the cast again, with surprise connections popping up out of what seems like nowhere (although some of them were set up years ago) and giving “Deadbeats” fans what they’ve come to expect with this feature.
Once the Brittany/Bentley arc concludes (very soon), a new epic story cycle debuts, as the aura of the chronal realignment reaches Dracula, and involves him in the plight of the Deadbeats. Also, a familiar face re-enters the town limits, with an offer for Dakota Kane and the rest of the Mystic Grove’s crusaders, Manny Martinez gets some good news, and Christine decides that Fear CIty’s endless summer deserves some serious classroom time. It’s going to be serious…serious fun, that is, so keep reading.
Thom and I are working (well…mainly him) on making some improvements to the website, including installing some place-holders at the beginnings of each story arc, so readers won’t have to progress through the episodes one by one. We’ll have a fuller description of this next time. Also, for those of you who’ve written in about the “missing” episode #299, Thom’s investigated the matter and found that the installment in question was accidentally mis-formatted, so some operating systems couldn’t see it. He’s corrected the problem now, so anyone who wants to experience the entire story sequence can do so. Thanks to everyone who contacted us about the problem.
For anyone who might be interested, the show of my artwork that was on view during April at the Leonia Library went swimmingly, with much interest and a good deal of increased foot traffic in the main reading room. There’s talk of mounting a sequel, and if it materializes, you’ll read about it here.
That’s it for now, but I’ll be back with more news soon, I promise. Meanwhile, keep reading, and write in whenever you feel the urge. Remember, here at Claypool the amount of time that we spend making our comics as good as they can be is…downright scary.