The final, final update--FINALLY!
almost 2 years ago – Sat, May 28, 2022 at 07:46:05 AM

Hey all! Quick final update! 

The remaining books in custom mailers are finally in my garage! FINALLY! YES!

What a damn journey! Of course, finalized with super expensive truck freight to Chicago. Were you aware that gas is, uh, painfully 'spensive now? A handful of you are waiting for replacement books--I can finally send those out myself, so watch your mailboxes.

And, as always, if you don't have a book, or you got a damaged book, message me through this Kickstarter and I'll get your settled. And uh, there's still like 40 of you that didn't fill out surveys, soooooo…

ALSO! The "world-class"  Beer Hates Astronauts is out today from Half Acre Brewing Co--going to distro on Friday in the Chicagoland area plus some other parts of the country. I wish I could sell it to you directly, but, yeahhh. Maybe it'll be on Tavour or some other beer ordering app? Here's the new art!

Also Also Also Olso, it's the finalish day to get the new Murder By Death record on Kickstarter PLUS their new graphic novel with pages by me, PLUS their poster art book that uses my art on the cover! HOT DAMNG!

Here's a page from my adaptation of the song Spring Break 1899 (colors by Nick Filardi).

And the artbook that uses my poster on the cover!

Okay! Thank you all for making this book happen! You are why I can spend the time and brain power on making these very VERY good comics. Your support (and extreme patience) is very VERY much appreciated.  

I hope to see you for the next one of these--whenever that may be. Hope you are enjoying Eight Billion Genies--I have signed variants on my webstore if you are inclined--and you can sign up for my newsletter there if you are into that. 

OKAY! Let me know if you need anything and I'll see you down the line! 

Your fan, 

Ryan!

That's a wrap?
almost 2 years ago – Tue, May 03, 2022 at 11:03:37 AM

Okay! All the books are out, and replacements to those few that got damages just went out/going out today.

So! I guess this is done, or almost done. Still a handful of unfilled out surveys and folks that I'm having trouble getting answers from. PLEASE, if you haven't gotten your book, let me know--or if you need a replacement, send me a message through this Kickstarter.

This is by far the smoothest shipping has ever gone for me on a Kickstarter (knock on every wooden thing ever)--which followed the bumpiest and most frustrating printing delays for you and me. All in all, I guess it ended well and hopefully you dig that massive hardcover. So heavy and colorful!

More Kickstarter on the horizon? JOIN THE MAILING LIST! 

As I said before, I'm going to try and shift focus to smaller projects on Kickstarter--single issues that I can self-print or print domestically. Obviously the world of printing has changed quite a bit, so the next project will be for a single new issue of God Hates Astronauts that I've already completed. The goal is to make a weird ass comic that I know I can print and get out to folks in a more reasonable timeline. Probably tie in more new Blast Furnace limited zines as well. Gonna be great and I hope you all join me.

I've setup this mailing list so if you want to jump on new Kickstarters and other self releases before everyone else, just click this link to join the mailing list. As you probably know, Instagrain/Facebonk are no longer a reliable way to get the word out. So if y'all wanna know, here's how to know!

New Murder By Death kickstarter featuring me!

Some of you are hip to the fact that my very good old friends have a band called Murder By Death! In fact, they once wrote the theme song for God Hates Astronauts. Well they have a new album on Kickstarter that comes with a comic book (which I made some page for) as well as reprint of their poster art book which I did the cover for! So good! Get it whilst thou canst!

That's it for now! 

My new monthly Image book with Charles Soule, EIGHT BILLION GENIES, comes out next Wednesday! Hope you like what we are doing this eight issue epic. We both think it's pretty special, and we hope you do as well.

Message me with any issues on receiving or replacing your book. I'm here to help until every last book has a home. 

I MASSIVELY appreciate your support and patience with this project and all of my weird ass ideas. I still can't believe this gets to be my job and you are the ones that make it happen!

See you in da funny pages!

Ryan

Shipping is in the final stages. Those boxes work!
almost 2 years ago – Wed, Apr 20, 2022 at 07:48:49 AM

Hey gang! Here's what I hope is the penultimate update. About 95% of the books have gone out! It's been amazing to see them out in the world--thank you all for the flood of photos on twitter, etc. AMAZINGLY GRATIFYING! 

IF! You haven't gotten your book or tracking number, I will be sending out the final batch this week. Make sure to check whatever email you used to sign up for Kickstarter because that's where the Backerkit tracking number is sent. 

The super expensive boxes have been doing their job very well. Only 4 reports of damage from the 1000 or so that have been sent out. For a four and a half pound book that's phenomenal! I think we lost about 300 Curse Words Omni due to that nightmarish fulfillment company and their hellish loose boxing. If you have damage to your book, please send me a message and I'll get you a replacement. 

Also, as a note, those boxes are designed to crush on the corners which is why so many are showing up crushed but with a safe book. They have that built in crush zone--think of it as the front end of the car that your book is driving and your book is NOT a very good driver--but your book walks away from the 12 car pile up they created without a scratch on them. Your book is going to jail!

As another note, I actually made a new oversized issue of God Hates Astronauts during the horrendous supply chain wait on this omnibus. It's the start of a brand new GHA series I was planning on self-releasing. Still haven't come up with a title, but it's something like GOD HATES ASTRONAUTS: RETURNS BACK AGAIN 2, JR. or something like that. It's really weird, and starts right where the omnibus ends. Omnibus two?

OR MAYBE

So! When the dust settles I think I'll do a new Kickstarter for this first new issue of GHA 2 and see how it goes. PRINTING DOMESTICALLY of course, and since it's done, it'll hopefully be a Kickstarter, then a month or so for printing, then shipped to you. I have this dream now of never doing a massive Kickstarter like this again--cuz I'm delicate and these last two aged my sensitive body and brain horribly.

Hope you join me again when the time comes, and I hope to see you all for EIGHT BILLION GENIES out this May from Image comics! 

Thank you all for your patience and support. Hopefully this brick of an ole' backbreaker of a book has been worth it! YOU GUYS MADE IT HAPPEN!

Ryan

US and Canada books are shipping nowish!
about 2 years ago – Fri, Apr 08, 2022 at 06:59:13 AM

Hello there, patient and wonderful Astronuts!

Tracking for MOST orders has just gone out. The first big, enormous chunk of books to US and Canada should be picked up by USPS (US) and UPS (Canada) today. They were supposed to come Friday (didn't show) and then Monday (didn't show) but I'm assured they are coming today.

So I sent out those tracking numbers. Let me know if you have any issues--I realize that if you have updated your address with me directly, backerkit tracking shows your old address--but don't worry, the labels have your right address. Addresses were updated in shipstation after backerkit outputted them. 

Okay! So books are almost out to everyone! As always, if you somehow get the wrong thing, or the superbox got blasted and your book is damaged, please message me through this Kickstarter and I'll make it right. No matter how you pack it, sending this many 4.5 pound books there will be some dings.

Okay! That's about it! Thanks for your patience and I'm super pumped to almost have these books in the right hands!

Ryan

Books are IN the warehouse. Shipping labels are IN the warehouse!!!!
about 2 years ago – Wed, Mar 30, 2022 at 05:02:58 PM

OKAY. So here we are! The books have been freighted from the port of L.A. to the warehouse (did you know that gas is extremely expensive now? OY!), unloaded, inspected, counted, smelled, rubbed with loving hands, used to build cool thrones, AND organized to be shipping labeled!

I printed out all 983 USA, USPS shipping labels and mailed them to the warehouse--which they counted and received. 

SO! NOW--RIGHT NOW--WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO DRIVE FORKLIFTS AND WHO PROBABLY WEAR HARDHATS ARE SHIPPING LABELING THOSE USA PACKAGES. For pick-up Friday by one very very strong postal worker! YES!

I have all your tracking numbers set, I just have to push send in Backerkit and you will get an email from them with your info. Hopefully. I really don't want to individually send them out. This better work, Backerkit!

CANADA! I am printing your UPS labels now and filling out all your customs forms. Taking a bit extra time because of those forms which needed to be paired with the labels and individually bagged. I'll send those to the warehouse ASAP.

AND SO! Will there be errors and damages here and there? Pretty much unavoidable with a campaign this size and a book this heavy. So! I shall be your customer service representative going forward--please message me through this Kickstarter for any replacements or lost items. 

ALRIGHT. THIS IS GOOD. 

Thanks you all for your patience and I hope to see reports of books in hands sometime next week!

RYAN

PS! Here's some fun! My new Image book with Charles Soule (Eight Billion Genies) is now available for preorder at comic shops! It has some different covers--like this amazing one by Jenny Frison and Steve Seeley! Plus we are doing a special variant for the stores that supported us way back when on the Curse Words van tour. Check it!