
Join us as we countdown the Top 25 Campaign trailers from Fundmycomic.com We will be airing Wednesday night, 8pm Eastern time!
Join us as we countdown the Top 25 Campaign trailers from Fundmycomic.com We will be airing Wednesday night, 8pm Eastern time!
Our campaign maxed out at $1,191.00! Thank you backers! We are so excited to be sending you issue number five, and can’t wait to present you with issue number six!
We are getting very close to launching the Great Cyclopian #5 on Fundmycomic.com! We’ve elected to do a 21 day campaign this time as we experiment with the crowdfunding model. The book is 100% completed and now its time to sell some copies!
Hosted by the Athol Public Library and Hero Shack Press. The fall event was held on Saturday, October 1st at the Athol Town Hall. There was a steady flow of guests who came to see the many amazing independent creators as well as enjoy the kid friendly super hero themed activities.
Held from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, there was a creator panel and writer workshop in which you could interact with our guest artists. We also featured a hero training course, create your own hero gear, villian bowling and many more hands on activities for the young and old alike. Cosplayers and a cosplay parade were also featured along with a free raffle. Participants were given a raffle ticket upon entry to the comic book fest. Additional raffle tickets were awarded each time they visited a vendors booth. In turn, the guests were directed to put their raffle tickets into the selected can for amazing prizes.
Along with creator tables, super hero balloons and a photo booth were available to help everyone get in the comic con spirit! The Athol Library offered their used books sale located at the library. Our volunteers ranged from high schoolers to literacy volunteers from both Athol and Orange, Valuing our Children was there to help out as well.
It was a wonderful community event and with the terrific turn out we had, we hope to bring it back next year!
Saturday, June 4th arrived with the warm sun sitting against a baby blue sky, a slight breeze keeping the bugs at bay, it was a perfect day for an outdoor event. This was our first time particpating in this event and we were not sure what to expect. Our expectations were exceeded tenfold by the amazing people we met as well as the other independent comic book artists and creators who were there.
Offering a cosplay contest, games, special guests as well as hands on activities for young and old alike, Winchendon’s small town vibe turned out a big event! The family friendly environment and the fun loving attitude of all the volunteers made the day a worthwhile endeaver. All the money dontated is slated to the all new children’s room addition that is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2022.
Overall, Hero Shack Press was ecstatic to be a part of it and plan to participate the next time this event is offered.
One of my favorite past-times is to read independent books, either comics, novella’s or novels. Recently, I had the pleasure of reading a very cool novella by one of our frequent visitors to our weekly youtube stream. I did a short review of his work and wanted to share it with you. The book, entitled, “The Revenant and the Tomb”, by Herman P. Hunter can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
A Fantasy, Lord of the Ring Vibe!
Venture into the fantastical world in which magic, demons and a mysterious strange young man named Halsedric embark on an adventure led by a weathered old guide who just wants to get paid. The story begins in a squalid tavern as Halsedric convinces Drahm to take him to the Horn of Torgiv, a mystical mountain that Durham has led others before, only to find their demise. The old guide assumes that Halsedric is after the riches supposedly hidden in the depths of the cold, dark tomb. However, Halsedric is not who he seems to be and is after much more than prosperity. The agreement is made. The time is set. The journey begins. Other notable characters that join the two unlikely compadres is Tulvgir, a Wodeman whose muscular build and toughness makes him seemingly invincible. They are also joined by a young woman, Herodiani, an Elanni, she is an expert hunt and other mystical arts.. The four begin their expedition toward the dark and diabolical tomb.
The character interaction along with supernatural events kept my attention throughout this well written novella. Hunter uses a distinct eye dialect especially with Drahm and Tulvgir which helps to give the story a “Lord of the Rings”vibe. The story’s plot, pacing and overall tone demonstrates Hunter’s keen ability not only as a writer but a significant story teller. You will not be disappointed!
May, 2023 – Kids Con of NE, Concord, New Hampshire… what a show! I have to admit, I wasn’t necesarrily feeling ‘up” to a convention this weekend, but it was such a breath of fresh air I’m super happy we went! I didn’t realize just how much energy comes off the kids as they swarm a convention created specifically for them!
My favorite story of this convention was the young man who came up to our table and explained that he had a poster of the Great Cycilopian hanging on his wall and he was dying to get the boks. After they left the table, we thought back to how he must’ve gotten the poster?
It was our prize wheel! At previous shows we featured a prize wheel giving away everything from cards, to comics, to poster pronts. This young man had WON the poster, and he liked the Great Cyclopian so much, it became part of his everyday world!
This is where making comics is the most rewarding. We are so grateful for our younger readers! I can’t wait to see everyone at the next show!
Independent comic book creators continue to flood the comic book market. Which in my opinion is fantastic! Recently I picked up a book entitled, Melvin #1 created and written by Timothy Lee Olson. This is Tim’s first comic book and he put in a sincere effort in bringing his characters to the pages!
The positives.
The story is told in linear narration, the basic plot structure of a good guy sent to rescue a girl, is a familiar one, however there are a few surprising twists and not all is what it seems.
The main character, Melvin, is a cool warrior archetype who is given a mission by his Master. The mission is to rescue Princess Alice, a rebel archetype who goes against her father the King by sneaking around and winds up in trouble. As the story unfolds we learn that Melvin has incredible strength and Alice’s beauty does more than turn a head.
The pacing of this 37 page story is good, the layout of panels, and coloring were all interesting.The protagonist Melvin battles many beasts and cultists from another world while trying to rescue Alice and return to their world. Alice surprises Melvin by fighting her way out of captivity and battles monsters and cultists in her escape. The two meet up and plan their return. The story itself is interesting and has some dynamic elements to keep the reader engaged.
Areas that need work:
The most prominent area that should be addressed is the dialogue and the amount of information given during the narration. In both instances, an editor would have been able to help shape these areas by decreasing unnecessary words to make the statements stronger.. For example, when Melvin is assessing the situation he says, “I feel I must hurry”, take the words “I feel” out and say “I must hurry.” The dialogue continues with this “…I don’t think she has a lot of time left to live.” Again, take out “I do not think” and just state “She has no time left to live.” As a reader, I want to be able to get to the point of what is happening. It is a common mistake that amatour author’s make but something that is easily rectified by using an editor.
The overall story arc was good, there was a conflict that was addressed and the best part for me was a cliffhanger at the end. I will now have to get Melvin #2 to see what happens. This is an action packed comic book with a 1980 flair!