Good afternoon, you.
Brian here, hoping you also had a great weekend. Mine was filled with such diverse delights as blockbuster sandwiches from Galco’s, Yoga with Adriene, and the Guardians clinching the American League Central title.
But while I was just farting around, Spectators co-creator Niko Henrichon was hard at work hand-painting today’s lavishly water-colored new pages, which you might have caught a glimpse of over on his Instagram.
Niko and inimitable letterer Fonografiks really went to town on today’s installment, which contains some of our spiciest imagery yet, so if graphic depictions of consenting adults enthusiastically making love isn’t your jam, please turn back now.
For the rest of you allegedly mature readers, we rejoin restless spirits Val and Sam, still unable to take their eyes off the living world they’ve left behind…
Uh-oh, what might that breaking news be? And have we seen the last of those full-color flashbacks from Val and Sam? Just where the holy fuck is their story going from here…?
No spoilers, other than to say that I’m ridiculously excited about our next 100 pages, and endlessly grateful to you paid subscribers for continuing to help make this epic graphic novel a reality.
Speaking of you generous giraffes in The Tower, this past weekend’s members-only chat was our busiest yet—mostly because everyone was hoping to win some original art from Niko, I realize—but still, it was a genuinely fascinating discussion about whether or not any of us are feeling optimistic about the future.
Reader Chris Tonick accurately captured a lot of folks’ feelings when he wrote:
I vacillate on my future optimism day to day. Taking a long view of history, I think humanity is pretty good about adapting and overcoming seemingly existential crises. People for thousands of years have felt that the end is alway nigh, and yet we keep on trucking. That being said; it’s hard to look at the butcher’s bill of things we’re facing and not feel like the Duke boys may not be able to make it out of this one.
Too true, Chris, and yet I’m happy to share that YOU were randomly selected as the winner of one of the last remaining Exploding Giraffe Founders’ Prize Packages, so maybe things are looking up?
Congrats, and our semi-fictional intern Genesis the Giraffe will be in touch with you (and ALL of our Founders who haven’t yet received their beautiful Niko sketches) for your current mailing address sometime this week.
My kids and I have been busy stuffing envelopes with signed scripts and comics, so all of your swag will finally be headed out soon, thanks so much again.
Looking for more comics to read today? My dear friends at the pay-what-you-want digital comics site Panel Syndicate have always got you covered.
Visionary founder and cranky malcontent Marcos Martín gives us an update about Panel Syndicate’s latest “release,” and what you can expect from the site next:
THE BRANDENBURG SCHOOL FOR BOYS Issue 3 is back from holidays!
Yes, summer’s gone and our favourite school opens its doors again, courtesy of the mischievous minds of spymasters Alex de Campi, Tony Parker & Blond.
Jack’s misgvings about his mission mount, but it’s too late for second thoughts as he is dragged further into the Red Brigade’s violent plans in an isolated West German barn… while Felix gets tangled up in his own problems with Petra. Meanwhile, Uwe becomes suspicious… and increasingly unstable.
ALSO...
Ed Brubaker, Muntsa Vicente and I are putting the finishing touches on the sixth and final chapter of FRIDAY’s second act. But first, the conclusion to David López’s BLACKHAND IRONHEAD will be coming your way really soon...
Awesome to hear, thanks, Marcos, and I hope everybody will swing by to check out the hundreds and hundreds of pages of comics (all for any price you think is fair, including nothing!) available right now from Panel Syndicate.
I was hopeful I might be able to pull off a small, in-person Exploding Giraffe get-together sometime around the upcoming New York Comic-Con, but sadly, new work commitments will prevent me from pulling that off this year.
Very sorry to miss those of you who’ll be in NYC, but I definitely hope to emerge from hiding again when Saga returns with Chapter 61 in a few short months, and I’ll let you know details here first. Even if we can’t meet face to face, Tower members will have another upcoming opportunity to mail in their comics to be signed, so stay tuned.
For now, a question for today’s chat (open to everyone, even you lovely free subscribers; come by and introduce yourself if you just joined!):
Where did you purchase your first comic book/graphic novel (with your own funds), and what was it?
If you can remember, please let us know in the comments, and have a killer rest of your week.
Thanks for reading,
BKV
from zia records i got a used copy of preacher vol 1. it was only like 10 years ago. it’s a long story dealing with a ton of childhood trauma, but i like to think coming back to comics after so many years of my nerd denial was what put me on a DARKER path that led here.
My first floppy comic(s) came from a pawn or collector shop (unsure) in Colorado. I grabbed a few Spider-Man books, including the to be super valuable (wrong) #1 ‘90 polybagged issue. I didn’t buy another comic, due to music obsession, until Sandman in HS because pro-wrestler Raven loved it...bought that from a booksamillion & crept my way in a few years after that to owning far too many.