THE LAST DAY
over 6 years ago – Tue, Feb 04, 2020 at 11:26:44 AM

You probably already know that I'm running a Kickstarter for SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES Trading Cards. But you'd be surprised how many people who get these updates don't know that. So please bear with me one last time…

The following is an Update I sent to people already supporting the Trading Cards KS. I thought you might find it interesting, too…

We're Fully Funded. Thanks to you.

We've Unlocked the first Stretch Goal, and the SAM HELL Preview is now 9 pages long. Thanks to you.

This project will happen, and is much bigger and cooler than I originally planned. Thanks to you.

Stretch Goal #2— making the SAM HELL Preview 10 pages long— is within sight. And if by hook or by crook we hit $9,200, Stretch Goal #3 will be:

1 NEW TRADING CARD for SECTION ZERO and for IMPOSSIBLE JONES!

These would be great added to the sets, and the only reason they didn't make the first cut is because each card has a quote from the character, and A) Crust doesn't speak, and B) Zee-Bro hasn't spoken yet! But these cards sum up each character pretty well, you ask me.

The thing is: these cards won't happen unless we hit $9,200 by 7 PM PST, Tuesday, February 4— TONIGHT!

We can do this— with your help. All you have to do is share news about this campaign. Tell your friends. Tell your friends to tell their friends. And do it NOW.

People can only support this campaign if they know about it. And you know people I don't. People who like the same things you do. People who will thank you for telling them about this. Otherwise you'll have to listen to them moan on and on about how "I didn't know!"

Let's avoid that.

Any of these URL's will take you (and everyone else) straight to the Kickstarter page:

• sectionzerokickstarter.com
• impossiblekickstarter.com
• samhellcomic.com

Put any of those into your Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or whatever, and we're set.

This is important. This is our last chance to push this campaign a little farther, make it a little better. For all of us.

As always: I can't thank you enough.

Okay, then. LET'S FINISH STRONG!

And now a few words about MONTY NERO

I've gotten to know quite a few creators making comics through Kickstarter, and have been continually impressed by their dedication, talent, and generosity. A perfect example of that is MONTY NERO, the writer behind such genius books as DEATH SENTENCE (about an STD that gives you super-powers… before it kills you) and FRENEMIES (Star Wars meets Indiana Jones— an idea that could have so easily been so bad, but in Monty's hands is great!).

The thing is: Monty is also an artist! An excellent artist! Something most people overlook— including me! But no longer, because Monty's Kickstarting a book of his art:

This is on Kickstarter right now. Click the image, or CLICK HERE. You'll be impressed. Guaranteed.

HELL Yeah!
over 6 years ago – Sat, Feb 01, 2020 at 01:19:02 PM

YOU get SECTION ZERO Trading Cards!

And YOU get IMPOSSIBLE JONES Trading Cards!

And YOU get the SAM HELL 8-Page Preview!

Well, you COULD get any or all of those— because the SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES Trading Cards Kickstarter is now FULLY FUNDED! So if you've supported that project, you will get all the fun and cool things listed for whichever Reward you chose!

And if you haven't supported it yet, this is the perfect time! Because your support now helps make the rewards even better and cooler!

FOR INSTANCE: I've already written the SAM HELL Preview, and it' s a very nice 8-page story, if I do say so myself. But, y'know, it'd be even better at 9 pages— give the story a little more room to breath— and I wouldn't say "no" to 10 pages, either. So:

We're in the last leg of this race, but it isn't over yet. If you're already in it with me: THANK YOU! Never could have done this without you, always glad for the company. If you'd like to join us— would love to have you.

Because this is the only race where the more people around you, the faster you run.

Allow Me to Annoy You for a Few Minutes
over 6 years ago – Wed, Jan 29, 2020 at 01:04:33 PM

Heading into the Home Stretch!

I'm talking about the SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES Trading Card Campaign here. If you've already supported it: Thank you. If you haven't: please take a few minutes to read this. Especially if you enjoy the sort of comics I create.

I started this campaign as a bit of a lark. Trading Cards are cool, and I loved the idea of SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES having them. Plus, KS was running their MAKE 100 promotion, which the cards fit so well and easily into. It was just a fun, small campaign.

Then SAM HELL happened.

All I wanted was to put out a few SAM HELL Trading Cards to get a solid, legal claim on the character. But the reaction to him was instant, strong, and extremely positive. Proven by the fact that, outside of Day One, my biggest bump in support came when I announced the SAM HELL 8-Page Preview that I'd produce once we were fully funded.

This will be the first comic story I've written and drawn— solo— in a decade. And once it was on the table, I was surprised by how much I wanted to do it. Needed to do it.

But at the rate we're going, that's not going to happen.

So I'm going all-in. Pulling out all the stops. Doing whatever it takes. Starting with:

I rarely part with my creator-owned comic art, and almost never let go of anything I pencil and ink myself. Yet that's what I'm going to do with the SAM HELL art— that's how much I want this to happen! And you can help by choosing one of the following:

• ORIGINAL ART HELL— 1 page of Original Art from the 8-Page SAM HELL Preview. This story won't be drawn until the project funds, but I've already written the script and can assure you: SAM HELL appears on every page, along with a Demon and/or his girlfriend, Harper. First Backer gets first choice of page, Second Backer gets second, etc.— to the best of my abilities.
• ORIGINAL ART (Print) HELL— The Original Art to the SAM HELL Limited Edition Print. This won't be drawn until the project funds, but will be a single, striking image on 11x17 paper— basically the first SAM HELL "cover."
• ORIGINAL ART (Trading Cards) HELL— The Original Art to all 3 SAM HELL Trading Cards. This art already exists, all 3 images are on one piece of 11x17 paper, and are the very first time I drew any final, finished images of SAM HELL.

These all include my original PENCILS and the blue-line print-outs I do my FINAL INKS on. Get one of these and you get a small piece of my soul.

There's also this:

I've been around the block a few times. Worked on almost every major character for every major company. Wrote comics, inked comics, penciled comics.

And now all that knowledge can be YOURS!

With the KESEL COMIC CONSULT I will look over your artwork, story or finished comic and give you advice to help take that work to the Next Level— via Skype (or while sitting in a coffee shop if you're in the Portland, Oregon area). Might even tell you about the time Adam Hughes and I—

Well, you'll hear about that when we talk.

If you're interested in any of these:

Please pledge to the SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES Trading Cards Kickstarter, or upgrade your pledge. If you know someone who would be interested in this— please tell them. If you could share anything about this project or these perks— it would mean the world to me.

Getting the word out is essential to any crowdfunding campaign. People can't support something they don't know about. I've told all the people I know, but you know people I don't. People who like the same things you do. People who will thank you for telling them about this.

I really want to do this SAM HELL story, and the idea that maybe it won't happen— I tell you, I'm going through Hell.

Won't you join me?

A FEW (Important) THINGS
over 6 years ago – Sun, Jan 26, 2020 at 04:40:38 PM

FIRST

The day I write this— January 26th— is my sister's birthday! And while you may not know my sister, you do know of her, indirectly, if you read the HAWK & DOVE series I co-wrote back in the late 80s, because we named Dove's alter-ego (Dawn) after her!

It's been great fun to see the character named after my sister take her place in the DC pantheon, stand the test of time, and even appear in live-action TV— and to know some small part of my sister's soul is now owned by DC Comics! (Lord knows they've got a large part of mine!) Happy Birthday, Dawn!

SECOND

Work continues on SECTION ZERO 1959! Here's a shot of the page that I'm inking right now:

THIRD

We're heading into the final full week of the SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES Trading Cards Kickstarter! And as fun and cool as the cards are, more and more I'm excited about the prospect of writing and drawing an 8-Page SAM HELL preview story— the first comics story I'll have done SOLO in 10 years!

I am so looking forward to doing this SAM HELL story that I've just tweaked the Reward Levels so I can GIVE HELL TO MORE PEOPLE! Now:

• Anyone getting the trimmed ZERO *and* JONES CARD SETS will get a PDF of the SAM HELL story— FREE!
  
• Anyone getting either of the SECTION ZERO or IMPOSSIBLE JONES UNCUT SHEETS (which are signed by their respective creators) will get a PFD and printed copy of the SAM HELL story— FREE!
  
• Anyone getting both the SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES UNCUT SHEETS will get a PDF and printed copy of the SAM HELL story— PLUS a Kickstarter Exclusive, signed SAM HELL PRINT (image to be determined)— FREE!
  

But none of this happens if we don't get the Trading Cards funded. So if you've been thinking of getting the cards— or are intrigued by SAM HELL— or simply want to support my continued work on creator-owned comics— now is the time to do it.

Your support makes a world of difference. It really does.

LASTLY

JUPITER JET AND THE FORGOTTEN RADIO is one of the best things on Kickstarter right now. In my opinion. That the first volume was nominated for a Ringo Award, however, is a fact.

Jason Inman, Ashley Victoria Robinson and their extremely talented collaborators have put together a flat-out fun, unforgettable book. If you can only support 1 Kickstarter—

Well— please support (or upgrade your support) for the SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES Trading Cards.

But if you can support 2 Kickstarters— give JUPITER JET a look.

Won't be sorry.

AND THEN THE CAMPAIGN WENT TO HELL!
over 6 years ago – Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 02:29:47 PM

SAM HELL, That is.

FIRST: If you're getting this Update more than once, it means you supported SECTION ZERO, SECTION ZERO 1959 and/or IMPOSSIBLE JONES. So: thank you for that. And: sorry for the repetition.

SECOND: If you're just getting back from a well-deserved vacation in Tahiti (and you do look very well-rested and tanned!) here's a quick catch-up of what's going on:

SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES Trading Cards on Kickstarter NOW!

There are wonderful, trimmed sets of the cards, but these are the SIGNED, UNCUT SHEETS— extremely suitable for framing. But another reason they're so great is because on the back there's NEW ART…

FYI: You're one of the first to see this piece in full color! Ain't it grand?

And because I never tire of it, here's the IMPOSSIBLE JONES piece...

And Then the Campaign Went to HELL…

SAM HELL, that is. Like I said earlier.

Originally just a few "Bonus" cards, my supernatural noir SAM HELL proved so popular that I hereby declare WHEN WE HIT THE INITIAL $8000 GOAL, anyone getting SIGNED, UNCUT SHEETS will also get:

An 8-Page SAM HELL Preview!

• Digital Download to everyone getting a SECTION ZERO or IMPOSSIBLE JONES UNCUT SHEET— at no extra cost!
•  Printed, signed copy— and Digital Download— to everyone getting the SECTION ZERO and IMPOSSIBLE JONES UNCUT SHEETS— at no extra cost!

This will be first comic story I've written and drawn— SOLO— in a decade! I'm very excited about making this happen.

But I can't do it without YOU.

Please support the project, share the link, spread the word. Whatever you're comfortable and capable of doing will be greatly appreciated— and will make a difference.

Thank you.

And When You're Not Helping ME…

I strongly suggest you support Ron Randall's TREKKER: THE COMPLETE JOURNEY, Vol 1. it's 450+ pages of comics gold! Every out-of-print story featuring Ron's 23rd century bounty hunter— no longer out of print! And many in color for the first time!

This book is Ron's labor of love, his mission in life. And it shows on every single page.

Know how I just thanked you? Check this out, and you'll be thanking me!