Kickstart Newsletter #315

Kickstart Newsletter #315 Sept. 12th 2011 by Ian Shires

I QUIT Hi folks. This is going to be that hardest thing I have ever done. It is in part inspired by my daughter, so let me tell you a story. She plays soccer. She LOVES soccer. When she was 4 years old, we were walking out of a swimming lesson at the YMCA, and she saw a flier that

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Honestly, I find this post to be one of the most sensible and hopeful I've read by you in a long time. I've never doubted your passion for comics, and I'm glad to see you return to MAKING them. Doing the things that you enjoy, that are fulfilling and that make you happy are the best medicine. And it bears saying that whatever improves your feelings, health and outlook in turn benefits your family. All in all, I think you're doing the right thing at the right time for the right reasons.

Who knows? The things you'll learn by re-immersing yourself in the self-publishing "revolution" taking place just might lead to a new, improved version of Dimestore down the road. After all, if (as I believe) the mainstream comic book industry implodes sometime within the next 3 to 5 years, it'll be the grassroots organizations, like SPA, that keep the medium alive.

Sorry to learn about the extent of your recent illness and those of your extended family. Since May, our family has lost two great-grandmothers and an uncle, and each loss hurt deeply. I'll keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Good luck! See you in the funnybooks!

Thanks Ed. And...let me add that things you have said in the past, really did weigh into this. I was listening.

Kevin Collier, Tim Corrigan, Tom Fellrath, Jim Pack, Floyd Sumner, and me (and Edd, Jeff, and Hal) - those who've dove off the deep end into being some sort of small press comics news/review central gathering area have taken breaks to re-group or whatever for a variety of reasons.  You have too in the past.  We'll see what happens.  You've got my prayers and support for you in whatever transpires.  Relax for a bit, my friend.

I'll follow through with my commitment to enter reviews.  I just gotta plow through a few of these TPBs before I evaluate them.

You deserve a break, Ian. Sounds like you've got a lot on your plate right now.  I hope your health improves, and thanks for all your hard work!  

Wade, you will always remain one of my best friends, in comics and in real life. I'll never forget singing Karaoke with you at SPACE that one year. That was the best. And, as soon as I can get some things straight, I fully intend to say, dammit, lets do this SP! thing right.

I was just looking down the barrel of saying, OK, we're going to start printing issues at the end of this month, giving free ads just so people will try us out, climbing the biggest hill we could possibly lay in front of us…and it stopped making sense. I think we will be better taking a step back, regrouping, and coming back with a real plan of attack.

Maybe contact Cary, Roger, and Erik and eventually try and get them back on board in their areas of expertise along the way.

Well said, sir.
We all have to take a step back at times and evaluate where we are headed.  Sometimes we stick our nose so firmly to the grindstone, that we lack the perspective necessary to see where we are going.  Those who inspire the most, I think, are those who are truly doing what makes them happy.  And doing it well.
I'm sure your efforts thus far have not been in vain.  And I'm sure this is not the end.  If you believe so…well…you couldn't be more wrong.
Good luck.

Thanks Paul, that really means a lot! I'm debating in my head about leaving the SP! Magazine site in an active state, and just NOT putting together printed issues for now. That would let us do those news releases and new reviews, and keep a hold on some active things.

I dont know if shutting it all the way down makes any more sense than going full out into magazine production issues did. I am leaning at keeping posting news and reviews.

I would say keep the site active.  Just keep in mind what the purpose is.  It can and should be a cool place for creators of all sorts to 'meet', discuss what they're doing, and give/receive feedback.
If the time comes that the site can be more, then so be it.  If it's shut down though, it will only make it that much harder to build up steam again, and build your credibility.  This was intended to be a place built by the community for the community.  No need to change that concept, just got to get back to the roots.  Back to square one.  DC's doin' it.  Why not Dimestore!

Ian, I can't help but believe the vision you had for the SPA and Dimestore were truly valid and solid. If not for your ongoing health issues, which I'm sorry to hear about, I'm certain it would have succeeded. And, as others above have said, there's no telling but that something better will come of all this in it's time. But certainly, you have to be happy and you have to put your family first.

I hope to stay associated with what there is left of the SPA and in SP! Magazine and see what develops there online. That just could become THE premiere way of indies soliciting their new materials; getting reviews and making connections and such. I think it still has legs.

And don't forget, what has been accomplished so far, what with Idol and all, has been phenomenal in it's way. Thanks for the YEARS of hard work.

May your new endeavors shine with your success.

Wade, I take it you were referring to my 1997 release of "Graven Images Redeemed"? Or jsut self-publishing in general?

Wait a sec, Hal were you one of the "seattle four" that put out Comics F/X? I know there was a Hal involved, but now I'm like…whoa, did I not make the connection all these years? Damn old age memory.

As for those interested: I went in for a follow up CT scan today to see how this "massive sinus infection" I have had for, well, at least all of this year, is doing after a month of being on antibiotics. I am still having headaches and sleeping WAY too much….If they can just give me the rest of my head back, I'd be sooooo  "Lets get all this stuff ROCKING" - but the ongoing "dont know what is going on with me" part of it, is why I have officially put the hold on things.

Hell, I can deal with the headaches, it's the falling asleep while typing that really pisses me off.

And on another topic all together: Paul mentioned re-boots.

I havent read a single bit of DC's new start. The only one that interests me is Swamp Thing. I personally have ALWAYS hated doing a new #1 of a title. I am thinking, as I get some publishing things done, that I am going to go the opposite direction with some things.

I am currently working on the finishing touches of the pages of Mysterious Visions Anthology #27 - the ORIGINAL minicomic series numbering. This minicomic has sat, un-inked, for close to 20 years now. I'm going to release it basically as-is, using photoshop to "finish" the art from it's penciled state. I have no idea if I'll be able to track down the artist, but I think I owe it to him to finally let people see the work he did.

If I move on with the MVA full size comics, I am giving serious consideration to ADDING UP all the issue numbers of all the different series, and making the next issue, like #56 or whatever it is.

Dungar is going to come back with #50, keeping the minicomic numbering

And WHEN (not if) we do get back to printed issues of Self Publisher! Magazine…I'm gonna start with whatever total number has been done before of all versions.

History is important. I understand wanting to make the characters new and fresh, but it can be done with STORY, not re-numbering. There is a reason Alan Moore's first issue of Swamp Thing remains it's most expensive back issue. Or When Walt Simonson took over Thor. Etc. Etc. Making something worth reading and seeking out is much more important than a #1 on the cover. I think.

Oh sorry... I meant Hal Hargit, real name Buddy James Smith.  We all did COMICS F/X from 1988-mid 1991.  Toivo Rovainen took over after that.  All of us lost touch with Hal.

Oh! ANOTHER "Hal".