Pimping ain't easy. Week three is upon us!
about 4 years ago – Mon, Apr 25, 2022 at 04:06:06 PM

What's up, Micronauts?

I got back from a convention in Vermont over the weekend and, much like the last time I appeared at a show, I'm a little sick now. Unlike the last show, this time I've officially got Covid. Obviously, I must have picked it up the week before the show or symptoms wouldn't have shown up so quickly. It's not too bad, don't lose any sleep worrying over me. This update will just be a little less verbose so I can go lay down.

We're just about hitting WEEK THREE of the campaign and things are a little slower than I'd hoped.  Due to some cancels, which happens in every campaign, we haven't made any real progress towards our first stretch goal, the first chapter of my next project with Raffaele Forte, TOMORROW.  If you guys aren't too tired of helping us pimp yet, we'd love it if you could spread the word a little more.

New Pain did a small test run of the Micro t-shirts and here I am in my hotel room in Vermont modeling this swanky little number. Clearly, I won't quit my day job as a comic book monkey any time soon... 

The shirts are available as add-ons if anyone wants to...errr...add one on.  I think they're pretty sharp looking, hopefully you do too! 

I also wanted to remind you guys that New Pain and Joe St Pierre are running a cross promotional effort throughout both of their respective campaigns. If you choose to back both of them, you'll receive this exclusive, 11x17  poster that Joe and I, with Rich Stahnke coloring, produced. 

All you have to do, if you choose to back Joe's campaign too, is leave the code word "HOROSCOPIC" on his campaign page after backing  NEW ZODIAX AQUARIUS. When the campaigns are finished, we'll compare notes and make sure you get the print. 

Here's  THAT LINK AGAIN if you want to join the fun.

Finally, while my pimp hand is strong, I wanted to direct your attention to another campaign that I think is worth your time:  RIOT EARP! (great name for a comic, isn't it?)

MICHAEL KATZ, the creator and writer of Riot Earp, came into my professional sphere about 8 months ago when he hired me to do some work on another project and we've gotten to be friends. Great guy, great project and I want to try to help him get it funded, mainly because I'm  one of the people that convinced him to Kickstarter it instead of pursuing the traditional publishing route. IT'S MY FAULT!!

I've been lucky to read EARP already and I wouldn't recommend it if it wasn't good, with great art by FRED BENES (brother of DC artist Ed Benes, who drew some Superman I wrote. It's all connected!) RIOT is a tiny bit risque, sexy ladies and the such, so maybe don't give it to your 10-year old. Keep it for yourself!

The Kickstarter page will do a much better job filling you in on how fun and original this project is so by all means, please check out  RIOT EARP HERE. It's what I call a GREAT VALUE CAMPAIGN, a lot of bang for the buck,  and if it seems like your cup of tea, maybe we can help push it towards the funding goal.

Gonna go collapse now. Thanks for everything, guys.

Your favorite microphallus,

Keith Champagne

The eve of Week 2
about 4 years ago – Mon, Apr 18, 2022 at 02:36:02 PM

Micronauts!

Hard to believe the first week of the campaign for Microscopic #1 has flown by so quickly. New Pain, Raffaele and myself all thank you so much for supporting this campaign and pushing us over the initial funding goal so quickly. Working to hit the stretch goals is what I like to call, "A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE."

But even a good problem is still a problem and if New Pain is gonna unlock some of these stretch goals, we're gonna need your help to do it. So...it's time to introduce our first raffle/reward. 

Anyone that shares out the link to this campaign (please use the shorter bit.ly/microcomic link) on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram will automatically be entered into a raffle to win one of these beautiful, brand new-in-the-shrink wrap STRANGER THINGS LIBRARY EDITION volume one hardcovers! Just use the hashtag #microcomic, we'll keep track on our end and one backer, chosen at random the day after the campaign ends, will have this beast included in their package.

 I've been super fortunate to be a part of the Stranger Things family the last few years (make sure to check out the special I wrote, coming this summer) and we've put together some really great stories set in the world of Hawkins.  Can't wait to share some of them with you.

But it sucks that only one person can win, right? So we have a consolation prize. Five of them, to be exact!

Five more of you that share out the campaign between now and its final day will win a copy of CUDA #1, by myself, A Christopher Smith and Rich Stahnke. If you like hard hitting police action set in 70's NYC with a dash of WTF sci-fi, this is the book for you. However, CUDA is a very rated "R" book, adults only so please be aware of that going in. 

So, again, please use the bit.ly/microcomic link and hashtag #microcomic. Every new set of eyeballs that learns of our project may get us one step closer to some free stuff for all of you. We're in this together, guys. Thanks for helping us get there.

Bring on WEEK TWO!

Your fave microphallus,

Keith Champagne

New Reward: Signature Series!
about 4 years ago – Fri, Apr 15, 2022 at 05:17:19 PM

Hey, Micronauts. Hope everyone is having a GOOD Friday!

We're making slow and steady progress towards our first stretch goal, the free digital chapter of Raffaele's and my other new sci-fi series, TOMORROW. In order to help push us closer (because we really want to get this book out into the world too!), New Pain has added a new reward to the campaign: 

THE SIGNATURE SERIES.

New backers can just grab the reward tier as is, no fuss no muss. If any existing backers would like to "upgrade" to Signature Series, all you need to do is adjust your pledge upwards by $5.00 and leave the comment, "SIGNATURE" afterwards. They'll keep track on their end and I'll be the one signing the books (Raffaele lives in Italy, which is tricky. Bookplates are logistically easier but I hate them. As a fan, I'd rather have a signed book than a bookplate), and also adding a quick remarque sketch on the cover. Tardigrades are fun to draw!

So if that appeals to anyone, it's a win/win for all of us. A little closer to the stretch goal, a little extra for you guys. 

NEW ZODIAX AQUARIUS

If you didn't read the update the other day, a quick reminder that if backers choose to support both Microscopic and Joe St Pierre's campaign for New Zodiax Aquarius, those that do will receive this 11x17 campaign-crossover print ABSOLUTELY FREE in their packages. The art is by Joe, myself and colored by comics' oldest rookie, Rich Stahnke, who recently retired and is now living out his dream of working in this crazy industry. That's pretty cool, right? Never give up on your dreams!

Anyway, just leave the SUPERSECRETPASSWORD "HOROSCOPIC" on BOTH pages so Joe and New Pain can compare notes and this will be hanging on your wall in no time!

Here's the link to Joe's campaign:  NEW ZODIAX AQUARIUS  

AND FINALLY... 

I'm a fan of Rich Young's publishing house, ABLAZE. their book The Cimmerian is all kinds of awesome and they have a really cool line of projects across the board. So when Ablaze contacted New Pain about cross-promoting, I said I'd be happy to plug their current project, MYTHSPACE IGNITION to you guys. Have a look!

Mythspace: Ignition is a graphic novel collection of six stories exploring a universe where the old tales of monsters and folklore creatures from the Philippines – Tikbalangs, Kapres, Manananggals – were inspired by actual alien civilizations. From a young man’s journey into myth, to a Kapre war, to a Manananggal coming of age, these stories (now depicted in full-color) will take readers on an unforgettable journey both strange and familiar.

I don't know what any of that means BUT I love stuff based on mythologies and I'm not at all familiar with Philippine mythology (hence my ignorance) so to me, this stuff is a good primer into a whole new world of tales. If you're a nerd like me, go ahead and check out their page right here:  IGNITION AND...LAUNCH! 

That's all for today, guys. Thankfully, right? I do ramble. Catch up to you next week, everyone have a great holiday weekend!

Your fave microphallus,

Keith Champagne

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
about 4 years ago – Wed, Apr 13, 2022 at 03:32:28 PM

Good morning, Micronauts (I always like to give backers of a campaign a nickname but this one might get us sued. Anyone got any better ideas?)!

A funny thing happened to this Kickstarter campaign yesterday: IT FUNDED! Thank you all so much for supporting MICROSCOPIC #1 and trusting New Pain Productions to deliver it to you promptly.  I know the New Pain crew are really excited to see many of the backers from their previous campaign also choose to support this project. Earning your trust is really the most integral piece of the puzzle that is Kickstarter and we hope we're on the right path.

But wait! There's more. Something else happened yesterday too!

That's right, Microscopic #1 got the hat tip from the overlords of Kickstarter themselves. It seems they've fallen in love with us and you know what? We'll take all the love we can get.

We're hoping to have a lot of fun with you guys over the next 27 days through these updates. There will be raffles and giveaways and exclusive content only available through these notes. The first stretch goal we're hoping to reach will allow Raffaele Forte and I to get you all the first chapter of our other project together, a sci-fi adventure comic called TOMORROW.

It's got a talking Chimpanzee so, you know, we got that going for us.

You guys can help us unlock this first stretch goal by sharing the campaign to your social media and just helping to spread the word.  Your efforts always go an incredibly long way towards helping these projects come alive.

And speaking of projects come alive, I wanted to direct your attention to "FRIEND OF NEW PAIN (and artist of a future New Pain project)," JOE ST. PIERRE'S current campaign for his awesome comic,  NEW ZODIAX: AQUARIUS #1. 

When Joe and I realized we were going to have campaigns overlapping, we came up with the idea of an incentive for backers that choose to support BOTH campaigns and decided to team up and create A FREE, 11x17 PRINT as a special reward. Penciled by Joe, inked by me.

To receive one of these beautiful prints, all you have to do is back both campaigns, leave a comment on each page so Joe and I can keep track (use the codeword "horoscopic," a combination of "horoscope" and "microscopic"), and it'll be included in your package when Microscopic #1 fulfills in a couple of month. No fuss, no muss!

If you choose to play,  here's the link to Joe's campaign again:  CLICK ME! 

I've kept you guys long enough this morning but thank you again for all your support! Back soon with more news about very tiny things.

Your favorite microphallus,

Keith Champagne