Join the Toxic Army

Tart news is a little slow at the moment. Very little concrete I can tell you about, but I can keep you up to date with a few things. Ludo's working on issue 4 at the moment which we hope to have available at some point in October. As I've stated before in this blog we'd prefer to go slowly and keep the art at its highest possible quality, than to rush things.

On most comic books there is a separate artist for each of the following jobs: Penciler (the first drawings which actually are never seen by the reader), Inker (the dark, permanent lines which border the drawing and are seen in the final book), Colorist (I think even you comic newbies can get this one) and Letterer (the person who writes in all of the dialogue and narration). In our guerrilla style production all of those functions are performed by Ludo. And because an Indie Comic doesn't bring in a lot of money (we're not complaining, having a book out is a huge reward to us), he's been picking up as much freelance work as possible in order to do things like, say, eat.

To remind you, we're starting out with the goal of four issues per year at the beginning. Sort of a seasonal approach. So if we get 4 out in October for Fall, we'll shoot for a #5 coming out in January as a Winter issue, April will be #6 for Spring, and July rounds out the year with issue #7. The goal also being to have one Trade Paperback collecting the years work for SuperCon each and every year. Of course, if we go to publishing every other month, this would change.

Now one thing that is in the works could affect that. The people at What the Flux Comics have put together a packet to Diamond Distributors (the company that delivers books to most, if not all, of the Local Comic Shops in America) to have all of their books in the Diamond Catalog. This will make it much easier to get Tart into local shops around the country. If that happens, we'd work our butts off to create a snowball effect and get copies in every store willing to take a shot at us. And if the snowball grew, maybe we could bump up the speed of production, as more money came in, allowing Ludo to say no to some other work.

Two shops that have already said they'd carry Tart are CJ's Comics and Tate's Comics here in South Florida. We are in the midst of small changes to the Trade Paperbacks in order to smooth out the reading experience, and as soon as we're ready to print, we'll get books in both shops for all of our South Florida readers. I'll post here, on Twitter and on Facebook when, where and how to support these shops who are first out of the gates supporting us.

Readers from around the country (world actually, because of our friends in Europe* we've already sold 7 books across the pond) can always order at http://whatthefluxcomics.com/webstore.php .

I can foresee the question, "Where should we buy it to help out the most?" And the answer is yes. Except for stealing it, however you get your hands on our book is the best way. Buying it directly from our website is the best way. Buying it from your local comic shop is the best way (convincing your local comic shop to order it so you can buy it from them is TOTALLY THE BEST WAY). If we can get it into the library system, then borrowing it from them is the best way. If you get a copy and lend it to your friend to read, then they got it the best way.

Or buying it directly from us at conventions like http://www.geekfestflorida.com/ which is a brand new comic convention I am (work willing) planning to attend Sunday, November 18th on FAU's campus. That's the best way, too. But mostly so I can thank you in person for supporting us. EDIT: just saw that GeekFest has an awesome bio page up. Wow! Thanks, guys: http://www.geekfestflorida.com/index.php/guests?id=104

What we need now as creators is readers. We need readers who like what they read tell others. Or preferably to show others. We're not asking anyone to lie. But if you like what you see, please tell others. Write a review.

You know what, forget readers. We need soldiers. So this is a call to join the Toxic Fruit Organization.
To join in on the fun & amplify the message. I can say Tart is a good book all I want. And if I don't the books really in trouble, but people really shouldn't believe me. If you like what you see. Like what you read, please shout it to the rooftops. Tell anyone who shares common interests about Tart, and that they might like it.

You can also directly join in on the conversation by emailing me at tartacid@yahoo.com. Or visit our tartcomic.tumblr.com (very new, and so far I stink at it, but I'm trying to learn). Or hit either of us up on Twitter: I'm @bnokj (a long story) and Ludo is @Hellstrawberry.

Basically we're all at an awesome time in this endeavor. Where we don't have fans of Tart. We have friends of Tart. And there's no way in this life you can have too many friends.

By the way, the tartacid@yahoo.com mailbox currently only has two emails, one of which reads:

Attention: Email Owner,

We are pleased to notify you once again that your email
address have won the SOUTH AFRICA LOTTO JACKPOT 
Promotion program held this Year 2012, You have
therefore been approved to claim the sum of
R 9,000,000.00(Nine Million South African 
Rand) In US Dollars $1,100,648.15(USD)
We are yet to receive your file for Claims.For
Due remittance of funds.Contact Claims Agent for your
claims with Reference numbers and Batch numbers

So now you see why we aren't worried about how you get your hands on our books. We're just one email reply from rolling in the dough anyway.

Have a great week!

Kevin

* Before Tart was published, I'd had about 5 short stories published in a British fantasy magazine called Ethereal Tales. And had self-published "The Bargain I Made for her Heart" with the French artist Laurence Peguy. With nearly all copies of said books either in Britain or France, my wife and I began to joke, "You know, nobody in America knows who Kevin Joseph is, but he's HUUUUUGGGGEEE in Europe."