Making Comics Studios and OrthoComics Studio are proud to announce the release of Frater Mine #6 and the generic goddess comic #2, both available from IndyPlanet.com

In Frater Mine, Mark’s son Powers is missing and Matt is the main suspect. Colleen is interviewed by a less-than-sympathetic detective about her own daughter’s kidnapping. Telling the truth would be the best thing for all of them to do, but who would believe their children have literally disappeared? Called “genius…remarkable levels of professionalism and storytelling” by PinkKryptonite.com and “fabulous, edgy, outside the box” by Kathy Cronkite, Frater Mine pushes its characters to see how far they’ll go to help a loved one.

Order copies here!

In the goddess comic, ****** returns home on a mission – to apologize to a friend for abandoning her 30 years before. But a good night’s rest is interrupted by a violent confrontation. While this series has no official title, the story is bafflingly familiar. A 60-year-old woman with a dual identity champions Truth and Justice in a city beset with violence and apathy.

Order copies here!

As always, thanks for supporting indy comics!

Oh, Lord, was it ever!

As I write this at the end of an eight-hour shift of self- and other-promotion, I am mentally and physically drained. I teach for a living, so when I’m in front of a class, I’m “on” – engaging, friendly, funny, trying to make a point whatever way works best to make it – but STAPLE took a different set of mental muscles that I’m not used to flexing. Honestly, I don’t know how people in the PR business do it. But the trade was brink all day and I sold more of my comics than I think I ever have in a single sitting. Uhm, maybe just “ever” full stop. I know I ran out of issue #2 of Frater Mine. Take that as you will.

The real sadness of STAPLE for me was not being able to walk around more. I was tethered to my table because it was just me and my wares. The woman sharing my table, Cristina Benavides, was swell and all, but it wasn’t her responsibility to conduct business for me (though, Gods love her, she kept an eye on my stuff when I went to the loo). However, the people I met at the table more than made up for not checking out the other vendors. (Note: Anyone want to be my partner-in-geekdom next year?)

• The guys from Fanboy Video gave me a few of my fifteen minutes of fame early on at the expo. They hit everyone so that people who didn’t attend STAPLE could see what they were missing. I’ll post more when they go live. These guys are also highly involved in Heroes 4 Heroes, a non-profit designed to keep the soldiers overseas in-tune with what’s new and hip and happening stateside. No matter what your take on the Iraq Occupation, the soldiers need to feel that people back home remember them. They’d probably also like to know what the hell is gong on over here. Consider making a donation to the people who are far from home.
• Dave and Lauren, Kate, and James (with his friend Dan) all said hi. It’s nice when known faces swim up out of the crowd. I probably wasn’t as attentive as I could have been, but I’m sure they understood. I hope. Uh, if not, I hereby apologize.
• Brad of Outrageous Outfits (and AlphaGraphics) and his partner stopped by for a copy of Prism Comics: Your LGBT Guide to Comics 2007 and told me all about the fun costumes they make. They’re also planning to go to San Francisco for their anniversary if anyone wants to give them some touring hints!
• Alex of UT’s University Comics Enthusiasts talked with Cristina and I for a while and lamented he was the only one from his club at STAPLE. Apparently, enthusiasm for comics wanes after a Saturday night of hard partying. Those college scamps!
• I did manage to buy an Owli plush toy and a copy of “A Time to be Brave” (brain children of Andy Runton) for my nephew. Shh!!!! They’re a surprise!
• Because STAPLE celebrates all exhibitionists in all forms of media, some chick (caller? manager? audio editor?) from Dial-a-Stranger gave me her card and told me to call. I’m not sure I have problems big enough to garner public opinion on. Maybe that’s my problem.
• One of the guys from SpaceSquid told me to tell you that they are always looking for submissions of all kinds for their publication. He also gave me a copy of SpaceSquid’s Slacker Map of Austin which I’m hoping he’ll send me an image of; it was a hoot!
• Finally, Shane Patrick Boyle, whom I haven’t seen in ages, made a last minute appearance. He’s gained weight since last I saw him, which is a good thing. Before, if he stuck his tongue out, he’d look like a zipper.

Surprisingly, the eight hours passed quickly because of all the traffic, but even so, at 7, I packed up what was left and went home to fall asleep on the couch with the dog. No after-party for me. Assuming I’m still here next year (which is a stretch at this point), I’ll be back. STAPLE was an event not to be missed (even if I missed everything)!

On a related note: a guy from Monkey Wrench Books and I were talking about the sad state of comics and how they’re becoming more cookie-cutter and interchangeable than ever. For the most part, I think this is true, though there are obviously some exceptions to the rule. Then I caught myself in a contradiction: I lamented that writers take forever to get their issues out and “monthly” mags are.. well, what comes after “quad-monthly”? Like Joss Whedon’s Runaways; when was the last time a new issue came out? I even told my friend Brian, “Seriously, what can’t these guys pull their crap together?”

Wait. Let’s look at that: I want monthly issues and fantastic writing? Is it even possible to get both?

So, let me qualify what I mean: I wish that writers were given humane deadlines to do their work in so that there could be more quality work out there. Many stories do seem interchangeable sometimes. I’m sure Marvel and DC give their writers a headstart on their runs, but, man, sometimes it seems like a superhuman effort to write three issues a year (well, aiming for three. more like 2 1/2), but then again, i have a full-time job, too. People like Neil Gaiman must never sleep, or are driven by their stories to get them on paper before they’re allowed to sleep. Maybe these guys who are late with their work are better writers.

Except Heinberg and his run on Wonder Woman. There was no excuse for that suckage.

Which is a GREAT segue into Justice League: A New Frontier. Did you see it? Wasn’t it AWESOME?!?!? It managed to capture the Silver Age/Golden Age characters and the emotions of their relationships with each other and still tell a good story; no angst, just saving-the-world fun. That scene between Iris and Barry towards the end? Broke my heart. I loved Barry and Iris. Why did they have to die? Why did iris have to be from the future? Why did impulse have to be killed? Really, people should be MAD about New Frontier. It’s like they said on the Daily Show about Bush being in Africa: they think he’s a hero for everything he does for them while we can only stare in wonder and think, “You mean you COULD do good, but just chose not to??? What the f—?!??!” (I paraphrase here, of course).

I digress, but am I wrong? Let me know.

Bed now.

Come see me and buy my and Brian Andersen’s books! Sadly, Brian himself will not be there, but I’ll try to be just as fun and entertaining all by myself. Brian also does reviews at Shotgun Reviews and Newsarama (under “Best Shots”). He’s a great, witty writer and always a hoot! I highly recommend his “So Super Duper!”

This was a bountiful week for new art! Fernando Melek who is the artist for the goddess comic book sent his completed pages for issue 2 along and the are gorgeous!! I’d show more, but since the issue is only 8 pages long, it’d give away too much. Suffice it to say that her first appearance is stunning!

And Juan Romera of Frater Mine has completed all but three pages of issue 6, so we can expect the next chapter to be available in March, after the talented Ed Brisson does the lettering.

Really, I’m stunned by how these talented guys can bring my stories to life. Send some love their way!

If “interstatual” is indeed a word.

Thanks to some encouragement (and an email address) from Brian Andersen, I got in touch with Rich from Whatever in San Francisco, and he decided to run Frater Mine and the generic goddess comics! Whatever is the place in Castro to “get your geek on”, as the slogan goes, and since Rich is a huge supporter of gay indy comics, it’s only fair that we show him some love back. Support local businesses!! Thanks Rich for selling my stuff!

Now that we’re “interstatual”, next year, we go international!

No, really, what is the word for “having business between the states”?

(pictures courtesy Brian’s cell phone)

François Peneaud of The Gay Comics List wrote a really GREAT review for Frater Mine #5 and the goddess comic #1, seen here:

He also wrote a thoughtful review for Frater Mine #1 – 4, which I quote often in blurbs. Wait ’til he sees what happens next (especially with the “love interest” thing!).

François’ own comic book Brother to Dragons is on sale from Class Comics and will be reviewed at Prism Comics shortly. I’ve read B2D, and what I like most about it is its strong beginning and fully-fleshed out world. François has obviously put a lot of heart (and other organs) into his work. Buy it!

Frater Mine #5 has been released under the Making Comics Studios and Orthocomics Studio banners. In this issue, Matt returns to his hometown to rest and recover after he beats the snot out of a student (allegedly!), but soon he, his brother and Colleen are caught in a parent’s worst nightmare. Frater Mine asks how far would you go to protect your family and friends? Are there limits to “unconditional love”? Matt, Colleen, Jake and Mark push the envelope and each other in this magical adventure story.

Written by Sean McGrath
Drawn and inked by Juan Romera
Lettered by Ed Brisson
Covered and edited by Scott McGrath
Buy it HERE at IndyPlanet.com

Also, Orthocomics announces the release of its goddess comic book. A woman who has spent the last 30 years in seclusion is called back into the world when a letter from an old friend arrives. While this series has no official title, the story is tantalizingly familiar. A 60 year-old woman with a dual identity champions Truth and Justice in a city beset with violence and apathy.

Written by Sean McGrath
Drawn and inked by Fernando Melek
Lettered by Ed Brisson
Covered and edited by Scott McGrath
Buy it HERE at IndyPlanet.com