Steampunk comic: Monster Commute a Traffic Novel

Driving along

by Daniel on July 11, 2011 at 9:35 pm

Things are going fine round the factory of late. We’ve been exceptionally busy preparing for SDCC, boxing products, ordering supplies, checking out products that are messed up, and stuff like that.

I’ve also been going to the Doctors on a regular basis. Basically labs for blood work, my Doctor, an arthritis Doctor, and today, a neurologist. It’s been fairly uneventful, and I don’t feel like I’m much closer to what’s causing my foot pain. It’s frustrating, but I’m not so sure what else to do right now. Just waiting for more test results, I guess, and debating what new pain pill to take. (Something that I’ve been trying to avoid… more pills.)

I’ve missed you guys, and I’ve missed blogging too. The trouble is that I don’t have much new to report. Every day, we just try to get more SDCC stuff done… it’s rather the same to talk about. I’d rather tell you something interesting. (Like that I might have spent a week on SkyLab!)

I have been spouting off some more nonsense on Twitter, Facebook, and the new Google+ from time to time. Feel free to follow me in any of those places, if you want.

I’ll be back here before long.

- Daniel

1 Comment

Burn it up!

by Daniel on June 30, 2011 at 9:52 am

So, a couple of you have noticed that maybe I’ve been a little burnt-out lately.

I’ll admit… it’s a little true.

I’m not burnt on Beastio, Monstru, Chad, or Kip. I love those guys, I love the place called “Monstru.”

I’m not burnt on making art. I’ve got some new stuff that I’ve been working on.

I’m not burnt by you Patriots. You guys are why I made the thing in the first place. (And for me.)

I’m not sick anymore, and I’m starting to get my energy back, a little bit every day.

But I am a little charred on making new comics right now.

Travel, the Convention Season, and getting sickly has made all kinds of things fall apart, and made things tougher to keep up with. And yeah, Monster Commute is one of those things.

Every time I sit down to make another comic, I get frustrated, tired, and well… energy depleted. A creative brown-out. Burnt. Toasted. Crispy.

It sucks my energy to even think about it…

I’ve completed about 711 strips now. I’ve been wondering what to do with the comic. Wondering how to re-invent it. Knowing that it could be a lot better…

…Wondering if it will be dramatically better in 700 more strips… or just more of the same.

I could start hand-drawing it, but that won’t help my writing so much. (Though it would help my drawing a lot.) I don’t have time to spend like that currently.
I could bring in a writing partner… but that’s pretty complicated. (How to share revenue when we can’t afford to do it?)
I could stop doing it.
I could take a break, and make comics when I feel like it.
I could explore Monstru in an entirely new way, in a new medium.

Anyway that’s what I’m thinking about these days.

I’m not looking for you to provide me with the answers… I just wanted to let you know what’s going on. I’ve always been an open-book with you Patriots, so I might as well tell you how I’ve been feeling.

Here’s the not-so-funny thing; I know exactly how I got burnt out.

It’s super simple:

I got behind.

- Daniel

5 Comments

I Lovecraft You t-shirt

by Daniel on June 21, 2011 at 3:50 pm

I Lovecraft You t-shirt is a GO!

Pre-order now to get some freebies including buttons, a new Steam Crow sticker, and other odds and ends. (We’ll treat you right.)

We didn’t want to do another t-shirt, but folks really seem to love our “I Lovecraft You” miniprint, so we’re doing it again!

This distressed little Cthulhu is super-cute, and limited edition (like pretty much everything else that we do.) He “Lovecrafts you” before he sucks out your insane little brain. Oh well, at least he cares.

All pre-orders ship with lots of goodies… a matching button, new Steam Crow sticker, and other kooky stuff that we’ve got hidden around here. If you know us, we treat you right.

Details, details!

This is a pre-order; t-shirts will ship the week of July 15th. (Maybe sooner.)
Order the t-shirt size that you want now to get what you want up to 3XL.
Pre-orders will end Sunday June 26th at midnight.
These won’t show up at many of our shows; ordering online is the way to get them.
Pre-orders will come with some extra goodies!
Makes a great gift. Yep. If you’re not down with the “Cthulhu Lovin” then spread the love.

Pre-order now, Patriot! (Before Cthulhu gets your sanity!)

- Daniel

Comments Off

Would you buy this Steam Crow shirt?

by Daniel on June 3, 2011 at 10:42 am

Hey Patriots!

Many of you have been asking for more t-shirts from us for years. However, our business model (flying to shows, packing products in luggage) has made it difficult to sell them very well.

We recently had an idea (based on our apparent hit Lovecraft You miniprint) that got us interested in doing a shirt again.

Some details:

It would cost $20 + shipping (Probably $24 all said and done)
It would be printed on a Gilden unisex shirt, Military Green
We’d do a pre-order… to make sure that you got the size that you wanted
We wouldn’t drag these to many shows at all… so you’d need to order it on our store.

So, the real question:
Would you buy this shirt?

Let us know in a comment!

Thanks!

7 Comments

Phoenix Comicon 2011

by Daniel on May 13, 2011 at 8:21 am

Steam Crow is going BIG at this year’s Phoenix Comicon (phxcc).

We’re camping out at booths 607 & 706 all Convention long! Double booth power!

Show Exclusives

We’re doing TWO collectable 12×18 exclusive convention prints! Each is limited to no more than 150 pieces (ever), and they’re printed on 50 year archival film. Each will be hand signed and numbered and are priced at $20 each (or both for $30!) Great for your collection, these are some of our rarest prints.

PHXCC Panels

Be sure to catch Daniel at his 4 panels!

TINY ARMY – If you’re a local creative you should come to this meetup – Friday 1:30-2:30
Webcomics – A how-to talk with local webcomic makers – Saturday 10:30-11:30
Steampunk – Learn more about this Victorian fantasy genre – Sunday 12:00-1:00
Monster Abduction is REAL – the one you’ve got to see for yourself: with DUKE DAVIS – Sunday 1:30-2:30

New Steam Stuff

We’re bringing a whole new host of products… new prints, new wooden pins, new buttons, pint glasses – all kinds of new stuff for our hometown show. I’m certain that we’ve never rolled into a show with more new products than at this year’s PHXCC.

New 12×18 prints – $20 each

Here are just a few new prints that we’ve designed since last Phoenix Comicon. There are bunches more you’ll have to see in person.