Please excuse the tongue-in-cheek title--I couldn't resist. haha. What an amazing year! It has exceeded all my expectations and things just keep getting better.
This time last year, I was a bit lost. Morning Glories was on the shelf--Image/Shadowline were wanting to wait to release it in the late summer, right around San Diego Comic Con. I had plenty of projects offered to me, but I had to turn them down because I didn't want to mess up this opportunity. The start time kept getting shuffled around.
I kept plugging away at commissions and game art, and then the Existence 3.0 gig dropped on my lap. First, I was just assisting series artist Ron Salas on layouts to get the book back on schedule, and then halfway through the third issue, I had to take over the book. The deadlines were pretty insane, but I had fun drawing it. I really do wish Ron could have finished the book, but that's the way things go in this business.
Finally, around March I started on the double-sized first issue of Morning Glories, and have been plugging away ever since! It's been a rollercoaster ride, to be sure--I've been through computer meltdowns, learning to ink on a deadline, dental issues and health scares (I'm all good, though!). Handling a monthly gig has been a major learning experience. I've learned what my limits are and how far I can push them. I had hoped to do a number of small projects once my side project, Notorious, wrapped up, but I was just too wiped out. So, apologies to any writers out there, Morning Glories will be my only gig for the forseeable future (outside the occasional cover or pinup, if asked).
Through it all, colorist Alex Sollazzo and I have kept a real good pace, and I think we're getting better and better with each issue. We just wrapped issue 6, and I think it's our best work. This issue is an epilogue of sorts--I'm anxious to see what people think of this one. It's not like any of the previous issues.
In the coming year, I hope we can continue to ride this wave that Morning Glories seems to be on. We're dropping the price with issue 7 to $2.99, which I hope will entice new readers to give us a shot. And the trade is out in February, featuring issues 1-6, 192 pages, for $9.99! We'll continue to get into the mystery of the school and its faculty, and you may be seeing a bit more of fan-fave Pamela, the psycho Resident Advisor. I should note Zoe fans in particular will want to check out issue 7, as it focuses on her.
Now that the year's starting to wrap up, lots of comic sites are putting up their 'Best of 2010' lists. Check out the accolades we've gotten recently:
Best New Series, MTV Splashpage
Best New Series, Multiversity Comics
#3 Series of the Year, MTV Geek
Really though, the whole team and I owe everything to you guys, the readers! Without you, none of this would be possible. I cannot thank you enough for supporting the book and continuing to tune in month in and month out! I also want to take a moment to thank all the retailers out there that supported us--we owe you so much! This was the little book that could--it surprised EVERYONE with its success, most of all its creators. You've all made my year--definitely the best one I've had since I started working in comics five years ago.
Happy Holidays to everyone here--I hope they're awesome and you get all you've asked for and more. I know I have!
