Aftermath
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 7:15 AM
[Update by Brian]
So...there's that. Making comics ends up taking you in weird places, and it's amazing how much I found myself caring about characters that I created. These last three weeks were easily some of the most emotionally intense comics I've ever made. To lose a character was more emotionally taxing than I realized it would be.
On the plus side, the day is won, and that giant spider was defeated. Kind of a bittersweet victory.
It's not ever yet! We'll see you again next week. Until then, take care, and thanks for reading.
Grand Finale
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 12:00 AM
[Update by Brian]
What better way to celebrate comic number 300 than with a giant explosion...?
...That a beloved character is trapped in?
Maybe we'll get some answers next week?
Do What You've Gotta Do
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 - 10:34 PM
[Update by Brian]
"Do what you've gotta do" means several things to me. Sometimes it means doing something that I know is right, but makes me uncomfortable. Sometimes it means doing something I don't want to do to get to a place in life where I want to be. Sometimes it means doing something because I won't feel like a complete person if I don't do it. I'm not exactly certain what Evil Bad Guy Ninja means by it here when he says it to Stu, but based on how much he's grown in the last volume, I have a pretty good idea. Stu's interpretation of it is probably not too far off.
From a mental standpoint, this was probably the hardest comic I've ever had to draw. But it's not the last. See you next week.
2-Minute Warning
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 - 12:00 AM
[Update by Brian]
Man. This is gettin' tense.
I don't have a whole lot else to say at the moment. I'll just let that tension set in. Meanwhile, I'm just glad to actually have the time to post the comic on schedule.
Also, if you missed it, the news post below features info on how you can buy Mike and the Ninja Volume 3 from Amazon! Can you believe it? A book I made on Amazon?! I really feel like I'm moving up in the world! Pretty soon my book will be selling as well as third-rate, 2-star cookware and bulk wiring. Those will be good days.
I'm outta here. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading!
Mike and the Ninja Volume 3 Now Available on Amazon!
Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 1:11 PM
[Update by Brian]
In case you missed Cape Comic Con last weekend, and if you're not local and won't be seeing me anytime soon to get a copy personally from me, Mike and the Ninja Volume 3: Return of the Ninja is now available for purchase online via Amazon.com. For just $10, you can get the completed story a couple of months ahead of the online schedule, plus all of the extras in the back, plus a great addition to your bookshelf or coffee table to be plucked and inspected by curious guests or family members! (Hopefully not thieves, though. They're not allowed to read it.)
If you're feeling generous with your time and words and would like to leave some positive reviews for Volume 3, they would be very much appreciated! I'm sure many of you already have Amazon accounts, so get to it!
Volumes 1 and 2 will also be available on Amazon in the near future. I just have to get them moved over from my old publisher to the new one.
That's all for now! See you Tuesday!
Help Me Help You
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 - 9:21 AM
[Update by Brian]
So Stu and Evil Bad Guy Ninja fight a lot. Like, a lot. Really, they fight all the time. This fight, though...this is different. Usually EBGN is dropping in on Stu to settle some beef from their younger years, while cashing in on a bounty laid out by some villain at the same time. This time, it's not EBGN's choice to fight, and I feel like that makes it kind of heartbreaking. He finally reforms after enduring the role of reluctant good guy in a couple of scuffles against the Hypergoon Elite and Bob in volumes one and two, respectively. Now, despite that, here he is fighting Stu again. It's hard to take.
I'd like to extend the biggest, most heartfelt thank you possible to everybody at Cape Comic Con this past weekend. Whether you are a show organizer, a vendor, another artist, or somebody who stopped by the booth, you helped make the show possible, and it was a blast. It was the most successful Cape Con to date for Mike and the Ninja, and despite the physical exhaustion involved with the show, I left on Sunday full of energy and excitement, ready to crank out more stories and more drawings. Even though Mike and the Ninja is ending, if there was any doubt at all in my mind about moving on to a new creative endeavor, it's gone now. After every Cape Con, I feel so much camaraderie and fulfillment in what I do that I couldn't possibly ignore that creative itch. Every last stroke of the pen and every last written word is worth it.
I'll be back next week with a new comic. Until then, take care, and as always, thanks for reading.
Cape Comic Con
Thursday, April 18, 2013 - 11:15 AM
[Update by Brian]
A reminder to residents of the Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area! Your weekend needs for entertainment and self-fulfillment can be met by following these simple instructions:
1. Come to Cape Comic Con at the A.C. Brase Arena Building 4pm-10pm Friday, 10am-6pm Saturday, or 11am-5pm Sunday. (Or just be there all three days. Really, who's stopping you?)
2. Visit the Mike and the Ninja booth. We'll visit, laugh, maybe shake hands, and generally have a good time.
3. Purchase humorous, quality Mike and the Ninja books. Don't forget: Volume 3: Return of the Ninja debuts at Cape Con!
4. Spend more time (and possibly money) perusing the rest of Cape Comic Con and support your local artists and comics community.
Come if you can, don't if you must, but have a great weekend either way!
Reluctance
Tuesday, April 16, 2013 - 7:22 AM
[Update by Brian]
Today's comic is the first of the final ten pages of Mike and the Ninja ever! I hope the suspense is killing you! (If not, then sorry.)
I'll be back on Thursday to bug you again about making sure to come to Cape Comic Con to support Mike and the Ninja and the local comics community. Until then, take care, and thanks for reading!
Final Fight
Tuesday, April 9, 2013 - 9:00 PM
[Update by Brian]
Even with Stu and Evil Bad Guy Ninja getting along these days, it comes as no surprise that we see them battling each other once again, albeit this time with EBGN under the corrupting influence of The Six! What will come of this?!
Now, on to other important matters. Cape Comic Con is just 10 days away, and Mike and the Ninja will be there, as always! (And I guess I'll be there, too, if they let me tag along.) Here are the important event details:
When: Friday, April 19 from 4pm-10pm; Saturday, April 20 from 10am-6pm; and Sunday, April 21 from 11am-5pm
Where: A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau, Missouri (Note the venue change from last year! It will NOT be at the Osage Centre--a couple of additions to this year's convention have necessitated a change of venue.)
Why: Your feeble bodies require comics, games, toys, collectibles, cool costumes, art and creators, celebrity appearances, and more for both entertainment and survival.
Cost: $5 for a day, or $15 for the weekend.
But, this is the real reason you'll be attending Cape Comic Con: the premiere of the third and final volume of Mike and the Ninja: Return of the Ninja. Not only can you buy this book at Cape Con to complete your Mike and the Ninja trilogy, you can also buy it and see the end of the story before everybody reading it online! You'll know what happens two months ahead of schedule! Do with this information what you will: lord if over your friends, find great personal self-satisfaction, or spoil the ending for everyone on Facebook. (Please don't spoil the ending for everyone on Facebook.) Volume 3 is also packed with extras, including concept art, my personal look back on making Mike and the Ninja, as well as an "oddities checklist" that lists the in-jokes, pop culture references, background visual gags, and other little easter eggs that have appeared in the comic over the years. It's a good-looking book, I'm proud of how it turned out, and I'm very excited to offer it to you.
I recently switched to a new printer that does higher quality work at lower prices, which means you're in for some great deals at Cape Con. I'll be offering all three volumes of Mike and the Ninja for just $8 a book this year! That's $4 cheaper than in previous years. But that's not all--normally, I offer two books for $20. This year, it's not just two for $20, it's THREE for $20! That's right, you can get all three Mike and the Ninja books for just 20 space bucks! Only need two books? You can get TWO BOOKS for $15! Holy crap! You can't beat these deals, not even with a rusty 9-iron! Plus, I'll have all the usual freebies (stickers, bookmarks, and flyers) and my Eisner Award-winning personality.*
We're gonna have lots of fun at Cape Con this year. I can't wait to see you all there! And, I'll be back here next week with a new comic. Until then, take care, and thanks for reading!
*Personality has not actually won an Eisner Award.
Hostile Takeover
Tuesday, April 2, 2013 - 6:50 AM
[Update by Brian]
Uh oh. This is probably not gonna be good.
I must have had at least some free time this past week--the comic is on schedule, and I had time to archive a number of older, lingering blog posts. You know, the ones from last summer that were still here on the homepage, masquerading as current events. They're on the blogs page now.
Lastly, this arrived late last week:
I've looked over it one last time and made the final changes and corrections. We should get final approval from the printers today, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Details on it, and Mike and the Ninja's appearance at Cape Comic Con, will be revealed next week! Get excited!
Until then, take care, and thanks for reading!
Overload
Wednesday, March 27, 2013 - 6:40 AM
[Update by Brian]
I swear, you guys, these comics are all done and I still can't get them posted to the site on time. This is what I get for daring to take a trip out of town, then getting stuck halfway home on account of the snow and getting home a day later than expected.
Also, we're really starting to get close to the end here. I'm talking three or so months of comic to go. What's gonna happen next?!
Gotta take care of some work around the house before I go to the ol' day job. Take care, and thanks for reading!
Chaos Strive
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 - 10:38 PM
[Update by Brian]
A lot of times, I also endure incredible pain for a noble cause. Sometimes I go a whole day without eating any Cheetos so that someone else can enjoy them. It's tremendously difficult, but I know it's the right thing to do.
Amanda and I are going to Chicago to visit my brother and sister-in-law, see the sights, eat well, and attend the Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee. In the meantime, the website will be left in the care of several trained squirrels, assuming that they are not killed and eaten by our cats, in which case the service from which we rented the squirrels is not going to be happy. The cats, on the other hand....
I gotta go--it's way past my bedtime. Take care, and thanks for reading!
Four's a Crowd
Tuesday, March 12, 2013 - 5:40 PM
[Update by Brian]
Why do with two ninja what four ninja can do better?
Good news, Ninjamaniacs! The cover for the third book is finished! I'm working on compiling extras now, and should be able to order a proof by late tomorrow night or Thursday. The extras look to be pretty lengthy, too, so I hope you'll be getting a lot of bang out of this third volume.
Plenty of other stuff is keeping me busy in the meantime, as well, so I gotta get going. Take care, thanks for reading, and see you next week!
Sequential Art of War
Tuesday, March 5, 2013 - 12:00 AM
[Update by Brian]
Longtime readers may remember a similar fight between Stu, Evil Bad Guy Ninja, and these two particular Hypergoons from way back when. Old rivalries never die.
The cover for the third book is starting to take shape. All of the drawing and inking for it is done; coloring and assembly will follow. Meanwhile, I'm working on writing some of the content for the book's bonus features, which is taking me on another stroll down Memory Lane. Listen, this book? All about Memory Lane. Hey, it's the last one--whaddya expect?
I gotta get going. Amanda and I are hitting up a Lindsey Stirling concert tomorrow, and we still have a bunch of work we need to get done tonight. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading!