I always get reflective around this time of year… especially the week between Christmas and New Years Day. I guess it’s natural to look back at what you’ve done, what you wish you could have done, and what you might do different if you could.
Back when I started making comics, this was a rough, rough time of year for me. Every website out there puts together a “Best of…” list, every publisher teases their big plans, and it was easy to feel like it was all passing me by. And to tell the truth, it’s STILL easy to feel that way. But I’ve found that taking a look back at the year really helps - the work I did, the things I accomplished - every year has its ups and downs, but it’s easy to slip into a place where all you dwell upon is the downs, and that’s not a good place to be.
So in the spirit of that, I’d love to talk a little bit about my 2021, because it was my most successful year yet as far as comics go - thanks in large part to folks like you supporting my work in the past, and continuing to.
We kicked off 2021 with SEA OF SORROWS, after having been delayed for most of 2020 thanks to the COVID shutdown. The first 2 issues came out in 2020, but these three brought the tense story we were building to a gruesome and heart-pounding conclusion.
Next up, in partnership with Comixtribe, we had a massively successful Kickstarter for the hardcover edition of WAILING BLADE - an oversized hardcover, with a die cut, foil embossed cover that is probably the most beautifully put together single edition of anything I’ve done so far.
I had big news in May and June, when I had short stories published in RAZORBLADES magazine, and the SUPERMAN: RED AND BLUE anthology. Both were major milestones for me - Superman was the first story I published with DC, and Razorblades is a showcase of some of the finest horror talent in comics, and will be seeing print through Image comics next year.
When Fall rolled around, it was back to Kickstarter, with my new series with Joe Mulvey, HAPPY HILL, and contributing to NIGHTMARE THEATER, another horror anthology full of great people. Both of them did amazingly well, and will be hitting wider audiences next year when they come to comic shops.
And finally, there’s WASTELANDERS: STAR LORD, which means a lot to me for a couple of reasons - it’s my first Marvel work, yeah, which is huge - but it’s also a book I almost didn’t see come out, thanks to my health issues back in October.
Luckily, I’m doing great as far as my heart and health is concerned, and I’m really happy about that, too!
So, that’s all the stuff you’ve actually seen… but it’s not all I was doing. I was also getting things ready to head into 2022 strong!
I can’t get too specific about a lot of this, but here’s some of the things you can expect to see:
Starting in January, HAPPY HILL will be hitting stands monthly - Joe and I have a twisted tale to spin for you guys, and I can’t wait to show off more as the issues come out.
In February, I have a story in DC’s WEIRD LOVE TALES, featuring The Flash, and Gorilla Grodd. I can honestly say it’s the most fun I’ve had writing a story in a long time, maybe ever. The ask was for some crazy, silver-age style madness, and I took that ball and ran with it hard.
Also, Sea of Sorrows will finally be coming out in a collected paperback edition. I would have loved to see it out this year, but the printing and shipping delays affecting the industry unfortunately pushed things back. That being said, it’s still a killer story, and I’ll be thrilled to have it out there when it comes.
Aaand here’s where we get necessarily vague - but keep your eyes out for announcements of 2 new original series, one with a new publisher that’s been amazing to work with. In addition, I have about 4-5 stories I’m pitching around with an eye towards publishing in 2022 or 2023, and you can count on me being back on Kickstarter (or another crowdfunding platform) at some point.
Believe me, there’s a LOT to look forward to - and I hope that if you’re reading this, you’ll come along for the ride.
Happy New Year to you all, and here’s hoping 2022 is an amazing year for all of us!
- Rich