July through August tend to be known for some of the conferences and cons for writers and comic fans all over. This year, with COVID-19, we've been taking creative steps to get together virtually. There were two events that we virtually attended that we wanted to highlight, Comic-Con@Home and the first ever [margins.] conference.
If you're not following us on Twitter, you might have missed some of the conversations we've been having about these events. No worries though, we brought some highlights for you to see here along with some of our notes. [margins.]
[margins.] is a new conference that took place August 1-2 for writers and those in the creative publishing spaces who are in marginalized communities. The Word put this event together to talk about topics in BIPOC, LGBT+, and Disability communities relating to comics, but also poetry, screenwriting, novels, non-fiction work, children's literature, and so much more. This event highlighted the awareness, activism, and authenticity in these spaces and highlighted how we all can work together to let our voices be heard. They, much like us soon, had a Kickstarter to fund this project and get it off the ground.
One of the greatest takeaways from the conference was how many of the authors who spoke worked to be the content they were looking for on the bookshelves. Many times I know I've wished there were more stories being representative of people like me and unfortunately we can't wait for someone else to tell our story. We need to write what we are looking to see represented from our communities. And if you choose to represent someone else's community, do the work to make sure your representing them right. [margins.] had tons of live panels, but I know they are still in the process of getting the recordings downloaded so we can go back and watch. Keep an eye on their page for those videos to release. You can also keep an eye on their Twitter too:
Comic-Con@Home
Comic-Con@Home was a great event, mostly because of their response to COVID-19. During a normal year, Comic-Con is from Wednesday to Sunday in July (this year was July 22-26) in San Diego, California and the event usually draws a giant crowd. To social distance, this year theyopened up their panels to be free for the public and you can still go back and watch all of the content that happened. From Afro-Futurism to First Nation stories to Writing for Video Games to Finding an Agent, this event had so much for you to absorb and really get into.
One of the biggest takeaways from this event was how, even in the midst of this pandemic, we still need to keep pushing, keep writing, and keep telling stories. We may not have all the answers but you never know what might come out of this, so continue to create, collaborate, and coordinate efforts to make something you've never made before. There were a ton of panels that were worth seeing, with many more we tweeted about but here are just a couple that you should take a look at:
What else is going on?
What's next involves a few different things. Here's a couple:
I know we've been in pre-launch for a bit, with good reason, but the goal is to launch some time next month. I know, crazy! We're hoping with your support, we can get the project launched and get Book 1 out to you.
Outside of slightly falling off the face of the Earth in social media terms, we are posting more regularly-ish. We hope you check out our channels. Also we don't share all the same content on each, so make sure you follow us on all. As always, stay safe, be kind and stay tuned. We'll have more updates as always.
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There's a lot going on right now. The world is fighting COVID-19, fighting for justice, and we're trying not to fight each other (trying being the operative word). We're trying to do a lot at the same time.
But we still have to try, don't we? This post will be less about the current status of the world, but more what we're doing. What we're trying to do right now in the midst of all of this. Our first and main priority is to get the first book of The Shadow Agency complete. We know that the Kickstarter is approved and waiting, but now still isn't the best time to launch it. That being said, everyday we see signs that where today might not be ideal, soon might be. We'll keep you informed when we have a more specific date. But what can we do now? This is the question I keep asking and where I don't always have a perfect answer, it's what we've been focused on. Yes, now is not ideal, but there's always something that we can do. For right now, what that involves here is getting more of the art done. I would have waited for the Kickstarter to finish, but I can always adjust that. We need to keep taking steps forward, even if they weren't how we were expecting. You should be seeing more art previews soon. Also I have been writing up a storm. I'm working on the next books for The Shadow Agency, I'm working on a prequel for Elle and Liam, and I'm working on a new story (of which I'll keep to myself for now...) which is all keeping me ahead when it comes to writing. These will eventually be books in the future, but the more that can get done in advance, the easier it will be to publish in the future. So for now, we're all functioning the best we can given the circumstances. Maybe we can't do everything, but we can do something. And until we can all do everything, together we'll keep doing what we can today. Geroge Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery.
That's just three. There are so many more. It's hard to put into words what frustration these brutal deaths cause. It's mostly hard because what is there to say that hasn't already been said? Endurance Comics was founded on the principles that stories of diverse characters need to be told. That Black characters need to be in the forefront, not just a token character. If you boil that down, it's really this: Black Lives Matter. We can't speak for fictional characters who are Black without caring about the real people who no longer have the air in their lungs to speak for themselves. We had planned on posting something different this month, but it wouldn't make any sense right now. We'd miss this moment to speak out. Our message to you is to not miss this moment either. You can march. You can protest. You can donate. You can speak out. You can make a difference, no matter who you are or what color your skin is. We need everyone to do something if we don't want to continue this. On a personal note, it has been really hard for me to talk to people about this, as a Black man. And I know for many people like me, the stress, anxiousness, and despair are real, already in COVID-19 but even more with this. My message is to get help when you need it. Take care of yourself, because you're the only you you've got. Just make sure you find something and know there's no shame in talking to a counselor. Still on a personal note, I can't speak to anything that I haven't experienced. What I have experienced in my community is peaceful protests. I've gone to one, I found it really moving in every aspect. Areas where I would have never expected a protest like this to happen, let alone for people to be supportive, have been demonstrating what they think about Black Lives. People aren't missing this moment. Are you? My challenge to you is this. Say their names. Say them in your marches and rallies; say them in your protests and vigils. Say them to your friends and loved ones. Say them to those who try to test you. So long as you have air to breathe and no change is made, speak for those who can't speak their own names. If you're anything like us, the last month has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Staying home and staying safe has not come without sacrifice and pain. This is hard and understandably so since this virus is so vicious. There's a lot that people can't do, but there's still some things that people can do. That goes for us too. We've put some things on hold, but there's actions you can do, actions we're doing, and things for you to look out for soon. Sign up for notifications for the Kickstarter If you haven't already, you can sign up to receive an alert when the Kickstarter begins for The Shadow Agency #1. We've delayed running the Kickstarter for the obvious reason, but we still want you to be informed. As soon as the campaign launches, Kickstarter will email you so you can review the campaign and become a backer. We hope you sign up. Producing more When the going gets tough, we get going. We still have opportunities to use this time to write more scripts, design more characters, and make more art for the comics to come. It's hard out there but we want to be able to hit the ground running once it's time. This will help us do that. Creating a Covid-19 Zine Series We were inspired by the people who have turned their video conference calls into TV shows, news casts, Broadway plays and so much more to keep people informed and entertained. We thought, how would The Shadow Agency handle this epidemic? This is what led us to do a mini zine project, much like a video conference call, with the agents dealing with how this has impacted their lives. Look out for this to come in the coming days. We all can't be together right now. But we aren't alone in this. We're doing this together and with your help and ours, we can help each other make it one day at a time.
Again, I'd like to thank all of the essential workers who tirelessly have been serving us with caution and care. Without you, we couldn't make it. Stay home and stay safe, but most importantly stay hopeful. Click here to go to the Kickstarter Pre-Launch Page There is a lot going on in the world and we would be completely off the mark if we didn't first recognize that. COVID19 has impacted almost everything that is going on in your life and the same goes with us too. We want to thank those of you who are risking illness to care for others as essential workers right now. Nurses, doctors, pharmacists, child care workers, caretakers, grocery store workers, delivery drivers, and so many more. What you are doing means so much more than you can ever know. Thank you. That being said, we do have what would otherwise be incredible news. The Shadow Agency #1 Kickstarter has been approved! This means Kickstarter has accepted the campaign and once we press the button, the Kickstarter will launch. Right now, we are officially in Pre-Launch phase. This means we are going to keep pumping up the message of the story, all before we launch. You can click the "Notify me on launch" button to be notified from Kickstarter when we launch the campaign. These two paragraphs in any other time would be completely unrelated, but in this pandemic, everything intertwines with COVID19. Our Kickstarter may be ready to launch, but we are not rushing into it, given the circumstances. People should, need, and have to focus on caring for those they love, sheltering in place, and keeping calm. Our communities are being hit hard, but we can fight back together. What does that mean for you? It means you might wait a bit longer than we hoped for this story. That being said, we're working on some creative solutions on what we can do in the meantime. For starters, we've already started on art for #2 of The Shadow Agency. Here's a glimpse into the art world as the pencil/ink artist Charles passes notes to the colorist Ramon for the initial colors for the cover. We're really excited for the launch of this Kickstarter. This has been a long time coming and we can't wait for a final product. That being said, we do also have to be aware of what is going on in the world. As things progress, we'll keep you informed as to what's going on with us. We hope you and your family stay safe.
We have been working hard and we know you've been waiting patiently. Here's what we've done and where we are in getting ready for our Kickstarter campaign for The Shadow Agency #1. Launch Date: End of March We are planning, fingers crossed, to have everything together for a Kickstarter launch at the end of the month. We're not giving any hard dates yet, mostly because we still have several steps that need to be made in order to be ready by then, but that's the plan. Once we get to the pre-launch phase, we will update the site with a link to the Kickstarter on our Kickstarter page. Rewards: In Progress Rewards right now are being built out and priced on the site, which we are really excited about. We're hoping that you are just as excited, as there should be plenty to get. We will have digital and physical options as far as the book is concerned, along with other items to go with them. Book: 36 pages of awesome The book itself will be 36 pages in color of Chapters 1-3 of The Shadow Agency. This was a big choice for us, because originally we planned to do a large graphic novel of this, but we thought this might be the be a better option. We already have Chapters 1-9 written and we've already started writing for 10+, so don't be concerned about this story dropping off. What you can do
We're returning to one of our favorite things to show, taking a deep dive into the art process. This time we're looking at the page development, from a loose sketch to an inked page. Take a look at the new page below. This sketch starts off as the initial concept for approval, to make sure the art is following what was written in the script. Also this sketch lays out the panel sizes and give shapes for side characters that will get added later. Next is the outlining shapes for the pencil version. You can see that trees, background characters, and clothing are more detailed in this version. This is also where you first see hair and facial features, depending on the character. Look at how the surrounding crowd was added in detail in this version. Also note the requested change in the helicopter blades, which you can also see in this. Part of the process is reviewing at each state, confirming that the look is what would be expected based on the script. Additionally, panels get outlined with level borders. Finally, we move into the inks. Notice how shadows and black colors are filled in by this version. Smaller details, such as falling leaves or clothing folds also are added in this round. Grey shading in the uniforms and the gusts of wind also help to give a sense of depth. You may have noticed this page introduces a new character! You will learn who this is all in good time, but as you can tell, she means business.
You should be seeing more of this character and all of the others soon as we lead into the Kickstarter. Thank you to those who signed up for updates, we will be reaching out to you soon to let you know when it launches. Keep your ears posted here as we will have more updates coming soon! We’re celebrating 2020 with a countdown of our own with the top 10 blog posts so far. We looked at content from 2019 and 2018 to give you what we thought were the best of the best. Take a look at some of our favorites! 10. Look back (2019)It’s kind of cheating, but the number 10 slot goes to our most recent blog post, looking back at the comics that inspired The Shadow Agency and how the characters originated. This post looked at the former comics, Origins and American Legends, and how the development has changed over the years. This was especially meaningful as the post was published about when that whole saga began, 8 years ago. 9. behind the Name change (2019)This post was really helpful for those sticking around from the American Legends days, as it explained why we changed the name from American Legends to The Shadow Agency. Those of you who don’t remember that time, it gives you a picture as to what kind of work went into this and the direction that the name helped to take the comic in. 8. Which shadow agent are You? (2018)This post is really fun as it gives you a nice Playbuzz quiz that helps you figure out which character of The Shadow Agency is most like you. This quiz, for those who haven’t taken it, uses really fun things like shoe brands and Faygo pop flavors to help you figure out your character twin. 7. New website (2019)We did a major overhaul on the website last May, which we hope you’ve been enjoying. This blog just talked about some of the things that changed. Fingers crossed, a new update will come soon to freshen it up again. 6. 6 month update (2019)Of course, number 6 has to go to the 6 month update. This post gave you an idea where we are after 6 months of blogging, which also goes to show you how far we’ve also come since then. By this post, we had just became an LLC and went to our first fair shortly beforehand. 5. Shadow agenTs’ playlist (2018)If you love music, we have playlists for The Shadow Agency characters based on their personalities. This post from 2018 still has a lot of good songs that will help you understand the personalities of the characters in the book. 4. Out and about (2019)This post goes into some of the things we are getting involved in to share the comic in the community! Hear about some of the events we’ve been at and how to connect with us. 3. Art process - Character Design (2018)One of the things that makes this story is the art behind it. The art process behind creating some of these characters gets highlighted in this post, showing the process from character outline to pencil sketch to color final. 2. Slow and steady (2018)Slow and Steady was the first blog post we posted on Endurance Comics, which makes it very special. This was the start of the posts where we laid out what kind of a blog we were doing and what to expect on our site. It’s shocking how much has changed since then and also exciting to look back now and imagine where we will be in the future. 1. Print preview (2019)The number one post of course is our print preview, when we announced we had a physical product for the first time. This was a very proud moment, as it had all lead to this, but we were also aware of what steps needed to come next. This print preview should set the tone for the books in the future and we wanted to make sure we delivered. You can still get yours today at the shop on the site! Just as an update, we are beginning to see comics in stores! If you are by the Comix Corner in Fraiser, MI, pick up our book on shelves now! Also if you are interested in selling our book, let us know and we can get in touch!
We hope your start to this year and decade is a pleasant one and we look forward to the updates that this year brings! This past November marks 8 years from the time the characters were created that now form The Shadow Agency. The characters were originally a part of a small zine project in 2011 that inspired a webcomic series in 2012. In this blog post, we're going to look back on the past as we continue to move forward to the future. The main focus of the original story, titled Origins and then leading to American Legends, was on Liam Parrish, Elle Symone, Konstantin Ambarnikov, and Clara Pointe with another character named Bud. The five of them banded together after a series of events, forming the American Legends, dedicated to fight evil and bring unity. There were also appearances by The Element and the character that would become Braxton Kain. Character designs also had been made for an earlier version of Raheem Falkoury. Time has only given more detail to these characters, both with character development and with the art becoming professional. Below is a slide show comparing the original characters in 2012, to some draft sketches in 2016, and then the character designs our team put together since. You can see how each character may change slightly, but each of their styles still honor their personalities. We've done a lot of work over the last 8 years. We turned a zine into a webcomic, pivoted the story and developed a script for the production of a graphic novel, worked with artists to make a preview, and sold copies in fairs. But we're not done yet.
If you haven't already, you can get your copy of The Shadow Agency preview as we continue to get ready for the Kickstarter. For those of you who've stuck by the last 8 years, we could not be more honored to call you fans. And for those of you just joining us, we've come a long way and we hope you stick around as we continue to go even further. The last few months have been fairly busy, selling the Shadow Agency Preview, but there have also been opportunities for you to interact with the creative brains behind it as well. Charles has had an opportunity to do some comic fairs, meeting some of you along the way! Many of you have even been interested in commissions for some of the Shadow Agency characters! Here’s one done recently for Elle Symone. Additionally Ramon has been hard at work getting colors done for the pages that are complete. No spoilers yet, but the colors really help to set the mood for the story.
Also I’ve been working to get more opportunities in person, online, and in store for people to find the preview. Fingers crossed, but I’m hoping we may get people as passionate about these characters as we are (and of course as passionate as you are!) Hang tight! We’ll be giving more updates as the excitement continues. |