Impure Blood, Volume 1-4

They're real! They exist!
about 4 years ago – Tue, Mar 15, 2022 at 10:47:13 AM

Heya!

Just wanted to bop in this morning to let everyone know that the Impure Blood Vol.4 books officially exist!

Now, their great trek from the other side of the planet begins! There have of course been some delays, because literally everything is delayed right now, but my publisher tells me that they ought to be going out on this weeks ship! Seems like my estimate of sending them out in June might actually be accurate! Now it all comes down to how long they wind up sitting off the coast of California. That's cool, though. I still have my snorkel and fins from the last one.

 Funny things, expectations...

Have a good week, and be good!

But not too good

-Nathan

4 Days left on Mind Astray!
about 4 years ago – Tue, Feb 08, 2022 at 02:20:59 PM

There are just 4 days left in the Mind Astray Kickstarter campaign and, overall, this has been the most chill I've ever felt doing a Kickstarter. With the Impure Blood campaigns there was this overwhelming pressure to post on social media everyday, send out email blasts and updates 3 times a week, and hit refresh on my KS dashboard every other hour.

With this one, there has been a delightful confident calm about the endeavor. I felt like everything was on track and going according to plan. Every campaign is a little bit different, but I really hope I get to take some of this one with me going forward.

That said, with just 4 days left, I'm really hoping we can get to 100 backers. Which is why, in addition to the 12 bonus process pages of my Tolkien Vs. Lovecraft short story for Cthulhu is Hard to Spell 3, I will be including a free random sketch card from Mind Astray with all physical rewards!

Maybe you'll get this sweet Harley Quinn?

Or perhaps this bitchin' Steampunk Tinkerbell?

Or maybe everyone's favorite witch, Hermione?

I've heard it said that she has resting witch face, but I don't think that's fair.

At any rate, I really hope we get to 100 backers cause, let's be honest, I just like mailing lots of stuff.

In the meantime however, I have a super recommendation for you.

Super Best Friend by Jason Inman.

Mattie Moore loves superheroes. Unfortunately, one of his livestreams wrecked the life of his best friend, the superhero, Captain Terrific. Now, Mattie must enter the fantastic world of heroes and villains to repair his friendship. BUT WATCH OUT! A bitter arch enemy demands revenge!  The Kickstarter also features a variant cover by Dan-Freaking-Jurgens, so if you're a fan of classic superhero tales (y'know, in which superheroes are actually good guys) then Super Best Friends is for you. CLICK HERE to give it a gander.

And, if a deep dive into the fictional and real-world history of your favorite comic character seems like something you'd be interested in, you should check out his and his cohort Ashley's podcast, Geek History Lesson. I'm a regular listener and the knowledge I've gained has allowed me to convince even the most discerning gatekeeper that I am a dyed in the wool nerd-boy! Highly recommend!

And of course, here's that link to Mind Astray again. Just in case.

CLICK HERE!

Midnight Central Time on Saturday is when this whole thing wraps. I honestly cannot wait to dig in to some of these commissions. This has been a great couple of weeks. I truly do have an awesome audience.

More soon.

Till then, be good!

But not too good 😉

- Nathan

Mind Astray is officially launched!
about 4 years ago – Sat, Jan 22, 2022 at 01:18:04 PM

That's right, we are off to the races!

 My first ever sketchbook collection, Mind Astray, is officially launched!

CLICK HERE TO GO THERE

And we're off to a strong start, too! If you've enjoyed my free bonus comics bundles from past Kickstarters, you might want to get in there quick because they are going fast!

But I won't play with you. I've got plenty of other bonuses in store. But if you want, like, maximum bonuses... this is your time.

And away we go! What's going to happen? I have no idea! I'm here for the ride!

More soon.

Be good!

But not too good 😉

- Nathan

This is weird for me.
about 4 years ago – Wed, Jan 19, 2022 at 08:38:10 AM

 So... True confessions time. It took me a looonnngg time to become OK with launching a sketchbook project like Mind Astray.

Part of it was that it just didn't make rational sense to me. People like my finished art and that's great! I've put a lot of time and effort into refining my work and getting good at creating a finished piece quickly. But I always thought it was weird that people enjoyed seeing the sketches. In my mind it was kind of like walking into a cool house and then asking to see the blueprints, or if there are any pictures of just the frame, pre-dry wall.

The other thing I'll cop to is some good ol' fashioned artist self-deprecation with a side of imposter syndrome.

"Ugh. Nobody's going to want to see that!"

"That's nothing! You just pooped that out in half an hour!"

"People will think you're a cheater if they find out how much photo reference you use."

But then, as I shared process pages in the Impure Blood books, and started doing Daily Drawing Drawings as part of the Kickstarter campaign, I slowly began to accept that people do want to see the rough drawings and they do like the things I can just do in 15 minutes.

And then the answer came to me: It's all about vulnerability.

When it comes to our work, creatives are just like anyone else. Presenting our best finished product and hiding the parts that we think people won't like or accept. Having the good stuff out front is easy (although some are even shy about that). It takes an act of faith, trust, or confidence to show people the rough stuff underneath. Some of us aren't even wiling to show our soft underbellies even to the people closest to us. The irony is, that only by showing others the totality of ourselves can we gain the acceptance we desire.

So Mind Astray is an act of vulnerability for me, but not just because I'm sharing how the sausage is made. I'm also sharing some of the things that come out when I let my thoughts wander, hence the title. Those random collisions of ideas that come in quiet moments before sleep, or in the car, or the bathroom. I have collected the ones that I have managed to capture and pin down and I'm putting them out there for you.

So, I would be flattered if you would CLICK HERE and hit the "Notify Me on Launch" button.

The campaign goes live this weekend. Pledging early helps insure the strongest possible launch, and helps to boost a project in those ever important Kickstarter algorithms.

And if you can't back, no problem. I get it. Sharing the campaign with your friends or on social media is also a great way to help.

Thanks so much for backing my projects. It means the world to me. I could not do what I do without you.

More soon.

Be good!

But not too good 😉

- Nathan

Fulfillment update! AND what's next!?
about 4 years ago – Sun, Jan 09, 2022 at 09:23:47 AM

Happy Friday!

I hope the first week of the new year has treated you well!

I wanted to pop in and let you know where things are fulfillment-wise and I have good news to report! All digital rewards ( the bonus comic bundles, the desktops and backgrounds, the PDFs of Impure Blood Volumes) have been distributed! Also, as per our first stretch goal, all hardcopies of Impure Blood, Volumes 1-3 have also shipped out! (Domestic only, that is. Apologies to backers abroad.) If you have not received those by the end of next week, please reach out to me and let me know what's up! Lastly, the order has been placed with the printer and Vol. 4 has been sent to production! Based on how long it took to get the books in from the Volume 3 campaign, I'm estimating that those will arrive in June. So, for the time being, there's not much to do but sit back and wait.

But, I've never been one to rest on my laurels...

Pree-senting...

50 of my favorite drawings, doodles, comics and more from 2021, all compiled into a handsome sketchbook that you can get personalized with your very own original art!

This will be a much smaller and more intimate project than I typically run, but nonetheless enjoyable. I've got a local printer lined up to avoid those nasty shipping/supply chain delays that are causing so many issues. In fact, if all goes accordingly I'll have this one fulfilled before Impure Blood Vol. 4 even arrives stateside!

CLICK HERE to follow the project and then click "Notify Me" to know exactly when I launch!

Thanks so much to everyone who pledged and made this project possible. You rock! I literally couldn't have done it without you!

Happy New Year!

-Nathan