Comic-Con is...

Hey, there! Periodic reminder that I’m Clay Adams, writer of BLAZING BLADE OF FRANKENSTEIN and DREAMQUEST, co-writer of PRODIGAL SON (in stores now!) and CARMILLA UNBOUND, and co-editor of the NIGHTMARE THEATER horror anthology. You probably signed up for this newsletter on one of those Kickstarters… or maybe we met at a signing or con? In any event, glad you’re here. Pull up a seat, grab a beverage of your choice, and feast your eyes on the latest news…

Freshly back from SDCC and ready to sleep for a week, but before I get to the obligatory photo dump…

We are inching ever closer to the launch for BLOOD OF THE GRUNCH #2!

So close, in fact, that our prelaunch page is now live:

Standard cover by Ilaria Chiocca

If you haven’t already, please give us a follow at the link below so you can be ready to join the launch on Day 1:

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW ISSUE 2 ON KICKSTARTER

Photos or It Didn’t Happen

OK, as so many fantastic comic creators are posting their San Diego highlights, I am again reminded that I don’t take nearly enough pictures.

But anyway, wasn’t the real Comic-Con the friends we made along the way?

Like Suspiria Vilchez! With me and a Kenny Rogers cosplayer Devilish Dave Schrader

Believe it or not! I was walkin’ on air after meeting The Greatest American Hero, William Katt

But there were plenty of old friends, too!

Melting in Old Towne with OG Fried co-creator, Alexandre O. Philippe

Catching up with PREGNANT BITCHES OF WAR v1 artist, DJ Parnell

Who are these a-holes? From left to right: Steve Prince, Me, Charlie Stickney (back), Barbra Dillon (front; Not the a-hole), Mick Beyers, Conor Hughes, and a Kenny Rogers cosplayer Devilish Dave Schrader

But, look. If you think Comic-Con is all fun and games, I’m here to tell you otherwise.

Comic-Con is serious business.

We were there to sell comics, people.

And sell comics we did!

How many Gen Z-ers does it take to read a 3-D comic?

Sometimes selling comics makes you bleary-eyed. Or just blurry. (The public domain panel, featuring Phil Falco, Kat Calamia, Me, Nebula Award Winner (!) Jessica Maison, and Elliott Mondry

Signing in the Sails Pavilion with Andy Nordvall and some familiar faces

I’m not gonna lie. It’s a long week. It’s exhausting and overstimulating, and well…

Sometimes tempers flare.

Arguing with superstar cover artist Tehani Farr. “You got peanut butter in my chocolate!” “You got chocolate in my peanut butter!”

Just kidding. Tehani’s lovely. And a big Bloodline fan! Maybe we should get her to do a cover…?

Speaking of covers…Suspiria Vilchez signs a stack of A VERY CARMILLA CHRISTMAS CAROL. I recognize that other book, too! (Hint: It’s Titan’s RAFAEL GARCIA: HENCHMAN, lettered by yours truly.)

But Comic-Con isn’t just about making money…it’s also about spending money.

They tell me I “won” this at the CBLDF auction. But I thought if you won something, it was free…?

But I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Mostly…Comic-Con is about eating.

It wouldn’t be Comic-Con without meeting my old pals Dan and Jeff for a meal or five.

Apologies if I didn’t get a photo with you! Shout out to Simone Rochelle, Sanjay Sharma, George O'Connor, Rich Douek, Kelly Yates, Ryan Claytor, Steve Bryant, and noted playwright Mark Pracht. And how could I forget my neighbors in small press, Dave Dwonch & Jason Martin? Also Rylend “Carmilla Food” Grant, Madeleine Holly-Rosing, Richard Fairgray, Kickstarter’s Sean Edgar, Bryant Dillon, David Avallone, Jim Higgins and the Amp Comics crew—Don Handfield, Joshua Malkin, and David Byrne (I think that GAH book is gonna be a hit, boys). Plus Joel Rodriguez, Travis Webb, Ted Sikora, Don Nguyen, and my erstwhile meal companions Russell Nohelty, Francis Stokes and Andrea Dailey (we’ll get dinner next year!). Adriano Ariganello, I’m sorry my fellow Americans were so annoying (looking at you, Steve and Mick.) And to Frequent Friers and Bloodline fans who showed up to say hi—like Anthony Pennza and Mark Florio—thank you!

And if I’ve neglected to mention you here, please forgive me! I blame con brain. (It’s a medical thing, look it up.)

Upcoming Con Appearances!

What, you think con season is over?

Next weekend, @bloodlinecomicspictures will be at Midsummer Scream in fabulous Long Beach, CA. Come see us at booth #793...IF YOU DARE.

And then, just one week after that (seriously, is con season over yet?), Mick Beyers and I will be eating delicious Kansas City barbecue tabling at CRYPTICON KC at booth S125:

Come see us!

And finally…

Two projects to put on your radar:

Pioneers: Blood & Stars returns for its long-awaited, blood soaked and metal scored penultimate chapter.

I letter this book, which features beautiful artwork from Peter Taylor and Falk Hänsel. Issue #4 has just a couple of days left, and if “Vampires in Space” sounds like your jam, please give it a back!

CLICK HERE TO BACK PIONEERS

And next week, Daniel Caval and I join Ron Marz and a murderer’s row of great creators in Charlie McElvy’s anthology VAGABOND: NOWHERE MAN.

I’ve mentioned this book before, but if you haven’t followed already, now’s the time to do it:

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW VAGABOND: NOWHERE MAN

Phew!

Now back to my regularly-scheduled post-Comic-Con nap…

-Clay