Author: webmaster

Sheldonista Noah A. sent me in a kind little review blurb from the folks at Blue Line Pro (the company that makes all the page templates for comic books). Here’s Robert Hickey from Blue Line:

“There’s a new book out that everyone that is or wants to publish a comic or strip online needs to read and keep by their computer for reference. HOW TO MAKE WEBCOMICS by Brad Guigar, Dave Kellett, Scott Kurtz and Kris Straub.
I got it on Wednesday and I’m 2/3 finished and it’s amazing. I’m going back and rethinking every step of publishing on the web. The information rolls off the pages and every chapter is well planned and delivers a punch without intimidating you.”

…coming from a company that traditionally deals with comic book supplies for print, that’s kind words indeed!

Here’s a quick question for Mac users out there:

Has anyone had luck with a Mac-based or web-based faxing program? I *never* use my studio fax machine, and would love to give it to charity. But there is one darn book distributor in the U.S. (*cough* Baker & Tayler *cough*) that only orders their Sheldon books via fax. And only by fax! No web-based system, no e-mail system…only faxes. Awesome. Welcome to 1988, Baker & Tayler.

So here’s what I’m hoping exists: Some system that will allow me to give Baker & Tayler a permanent fax number to send to…but which comes to me in email or PDF form. Does such a magical system exist? Surely someone else has faced this problem of having to deal with businesses stuck in the Reagan era.

If you know a good solution, please post below…and THANKS!

I almost forgot! There’s just a day left for the Sheldon original art two-fer offering…

Not sure what Arthur’s talking about in today’s strip? Well, for readers unfamiliar with Flaco’s past adventures, check it out:

1.) Here’s the storyline where he runs a TV show:

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2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10, and
11.

2.) Here’s the storyline where he goes to space:

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2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13, and
14.

3.) And specifically, where he fights a bear:

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2

4.) And here’s where he pilots his own plane:

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2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12, and
13.

…are there any Flaco adventures I left out, on that list?

Great news! Copies of How To Make Webcomics have arrived from the publisher, and the Sheldon Store is startin’ to ship them out!

For those who might like it, here is a translation of Arthur’s “dialogue”:

– Hello, madame. How are you?

– My God! It’s the most handsome man in the world!

– Yes, madame. I am the most handsome man in the world.

– And you have muscles of steel, and eyes like the blue sky.

– Yes, madame. It is true.

– But…sir? Why do you have five lettuce?

– It’s not a mystery, madame. I love lettuce.

——–

So here’s the question of the day: Did Arthur not lose his ability to speak Spanish in the below storyline? …or is it maybe coming back? Read it and be the judge:

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2,

3,

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9.

Click the numbers open in new tabs to read the storyline

There are a ton of new readers joining us from the weekend, so here are two quick introductions to the strip:

1.)
The Welcome Page

2.) The Audio Tour (mp3 file)

Thanks for readin’ Sheldon! The comic strip with 28% more concentrated awesomeness than the leading brand.

— Dave

Quick Reminder: Come on out to the Wizard World show, running this Friday through Sunday at the huge LA Convention Center.

I’ll be signin’ and sellin’ and chattin’ and high-fivin’. I’ll be putting free, awesome sketches in books, and parting with Sheldon Original Strip Art for $25 off the normal price! And don’t forget to ask for your 2008 Commemorative Wizard World High-Five: I’m only bringing 98!

I’ll be at table 2820 all three days. Come on out!

(Oh, and if you want a specific original strip, e-mail me to make sure I bring it along. Thanks! See you there!)

Today, Image Comics FedEx’d me a copy of “How To Make Webcomics,” and I’m so, so happy with how it came out. It looks beautiful. And man, talk about hefty! This book weighs in at a pound, and is a half-inch thick! This book could take care of itself in a bar brawl. It’s a solid piece o’ work!

Look at the size of this puppy next to the Sheldon books:

Here’s a list of chapter headings for the book, and a breakdown of the author who steered each:

Introduction (Scott Kurtz)

Chapter 1: Your Webcomic (Dave Kellett)

Chapter 2: Your Characters (Scott Kurtz)

Chapter 3: Formatting (Kris Straub)

Chapter 4: Image Preparation (Brad Guigar)

Chapter 5: Writing (Scott Kurtz)

Chapter 6: Website Design (Kris Straub)

Chapter 7: Branding & Building (Scott Kurtz)

Chapter 8: Interacting with your Audience (Dave Kellett)

Chapter 9: Monetizing your Webcomic (Dave Kellett)

Chapter 10: Books (Brad Guigar)

Chapter 11: Conventions (Brad Guigar)

Chapter 12: Next Steps (Kris Straub)

Chapter 13: A Final Thought (Dave Kellett)

You’ll notice, as soon as you start reading the book, that all four of us are heard from throughout the book — even in chapters we didn’t author — by piping in via sidebars, or voice-bubble “chime-ins” to the topic at hand. It makes for a more interesting read, to see where four artists agree and disagree.

Here are some shots of sample pages:

But here is the bad news: I just found out that the book distributor’s delivery to the Sheldon store won’t be here until Saturday! Three days late, the bums!

Know though, that we’re going to work double-time to get all pre-orders shipped out to you ASAP, as soon as we get ’em! Your support means the world to me, and I am personally going to make sure these ship as fast as humanly possible.

Quick heads up for Sheldon art lovers! After a year or so of having these much-loved pieces next to my drawing desk, I’ve decided to part with two of my favorite Sheldon drawings.

You may remember them from the first pages of “62% More Awesome,” the third Sheldon collection. They feature Flaco, Arthur, Oso and Sheldon…stacked up in all their awesomeness, then shocked in their splashdown. Both drawings are on 11″ x 14″ Bristol Vellum cardstock, drawn with Faber Castell Pitt and Micron Pigma pens. Get both in one throw: They really make for a cool one-two when both of them are framed or displayed next to one another. I really think you’ll dig them.

Here are two closeup shots…

If you’re interested, go ahead and
throw your name into the hat. I started the bid at the lowest possible ebay price, which is something like .99 cents.