March Update
over 3 years ago – Tue, Mar 07, 2023 at 09:49:57 AM

Sorry I missed the February Update. There was no good reason for that, since Tom continued to produce his few pages per month, as usual.

One other thing that happened in February was that I wrote the SARINA USARI 8-page solo story! A WEIRD WAR sort of tale from her days as a member of the legendary Russian Bomber Unit know as the NIGHT WITCHES. I've wanted to do something with the NIGHT WITCHES for a long time, and have to say am very happy with how it came out.

Tom must agree, because by mid-February he finished penciling SZ59 Part 3! (Although I have a feeling that him being a guest at the Portland Fan Expo—where I was also a guest—might have prompted him along, too.) I really don't care why, as long as the book keeps moving forward.

This puts Tom well past the 3/4 mark on the book. (He's penciled 3 of the 4 parts, plus has already done a 6-page epilogue.) He's working on that WEIRD WAR story right now! Time to punch some Nazis!

On the writing front: I still have the last chapter of the main story to write— about 20 pages. This will be finished before Tom finishes Usari's story. I will make sure there isn't a moment he's waiting on script from me.

OH! When I saw Tom at the Expo, he gave me these:

The three 11x17 Commissions from the SZ59 campaign! Tom had penciled these eons ago, but never mailed them to me—mostly because the postage cost was so much. But now they are in my ink-stained hands. I plan to start inking them next week.

See you in April…

KK

New Year's Resolution
over 3 years ago – Tue, Jan 03, 2023 at 12:39:00 AM

Happy New Year! Hope your Holidays the last few months were wonderful ones, and that the coming year will be the best ever for all of us!

It almost certainly has to be for SECTION ZERO 1959.

No one has to remind me that 2023 marks 4 years since this book funded, and no one is more frustrated or disappointed by that fact than I am. But we do continue moving forward, strep by step.

I think it's safe to say the Holidays got the better of both Tom and myself— I never had time to put up the Christmas lights or get out a December update, and Tom's output slowed down even more. Since the last Update, Tom has only penciled 5 more pages— but I still say this is some of Tom's best work ever…

This puts our current totals at (approximately):

• 76% Written
• 71% Penciled
• 39% Inked
• 22% Colored and Lettered

Tom has promised me he'll be more productive now that the Holidays are over.

For my part: most of January will be a writing month for me, and SECTION ZERO 1959 is the top priority. I'm aiming to have very good news for you on that front in February.

(Jerry Ordway, still handling the lion's share of the inking, has been busy lately with work for DC.  And I, for one, am glad DC is doing that, given how much Jerry has given to the company and how damn talented he is!)

I realize I've let the Sketch Situation fall through the cracks, too.  Tom still hasn't mailed me the new Sketches he's done, and I haven't mailed out the ones I've finished. This, too, will change.

Please feel free to vent. I don't enjoy it, but I deserve it.

We continue to inch towards wrapping this project, and I deeply appreciate your patience and continued support. I know the wait will be worth it.

KK

November Update
almost 4 years ago – Wed, Nov 02, 2022 at 05:38:10 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

September Update
about 4 years ago – Fri, Sep 16, 2022 at 01:07:26 AM

Good News!

Since the last update, Tom has drawn 10 PAGES! 

Tom and I agreed he'd hand in 2 pages per week, and I have been constantly, annoyingly reminding him of that every single Tuesday and Thursday (and on a few other days, as well)— and it's working! In fact, after I send this out, I'll be giving Tom his Thursday Nudge. 

The Bad News is that we're getting into the meat of the story at this point, and showing art becomes a little spoiler-y. So here's about the best I can do:

Where We Stand Now…

The entire story is about 108 pages long. (The last chapter, which I still have to write, may end up being a few pages longer than originally planned.) So that means SECTION ZERO 1959 is:

• 76% Written
• 62% Penciled
• 39% Inked
• 22% Colored and Lettered

I'll get Tom's new pages in Jerry's hands today, and promise that not one day will go by when Tom does not have script in his hands to draw. 

One Backer recently described SZ59 as a train wreck— and I can't disagree. But I do think we're finally getting back on track.

Your patience and support has gone above and beyond. I'm doing everything in my power to prove that we've earned it— and I firmly believe you will love the book when it's done.

More next month…

KK

August Update
about 4 years ago – Fri, Aug 12, 2022 at 01:50:48 AM

I know this Update is very late. And there's one simple reason for that:

I kept expecting… hoping… Tom would send me more pages. Even this morning I thought "I'm sure there will be something waiting for me today!"

But the fact is, since the last Update— when Tom himself said he'd produce 3 pages per week— Tom has sent me only 1 page, drawn a second (which he couldn't scan and send me due to technical problems on his end), and has 2 more pages in the works.

I talked to him last week, and he apologized for the lack of progress, saying he had various family obligations that got in the way. If there's anything else going on— health problems, other jobs he's taken on— he didn't share them with me.

I told him that my new tact will be to expect 2 pages from him every week— one on Tuesday, one on Thursday. And I will phone him every week to keep him on track.  Since I didn't receive a page from him yesterday (Tuesday), I will call him today. If he needs someone breathing down his neck to get him to draw, I will be that someone. Gladly.

I will say, the work he's producing— when he does it— is outstanding. Here's Page 12 from the second part of the story:

No one is more frustrated by this slow progress than I am, believe me. But I am determined to see this through because I want this book in my hands! In many ways, this is the book I've wanted to work on my whole life. 

And I'm sure you'd like to have your copy, too. 

We'll get there. One step at a time.

Your patience and generosity is always, eternally appreciated.

KK