Some people juggle geese...

Just another quick update to see what Jac's been up to! It's not all champagne and caviar for Jean & myself. We also spend time cracking the whip over our Canadian wünderkind. (There's an ümläüt in that wörd, rïght?)

Jac's been hard at work on a whole passel of projects. It seems the world noticed what we've known for a long time, JAC TAYLOR IS FREAKIN' AWESOME. She's juggling work these days like a court jester trying to impress a wicked evil king who is only impressed by people who can juggle goslings. 

But really, we both know which of her projects you care about, so here's a sneak peak of what's in store in ADA #2.

Ouch. That's gotta hurt. Luckily Brody's got a hard head.

Hey Kids, Talkies!

It's like ghosts screaming from inside a little box...

You've read our words, now hear people talk about us! Like, actual talky words for your ears!

Jean's deep gravelly tones creep up your back like a dead hand in this interview from our pals at ComicBooked.com!
http://podcasts.comicbooked.com/cbp-13-interview-with-jean-michel/
True story, Jean told me he was nervous during the whole thing because he was talking to a girl.

And a chance encounter at a greasy fast food joint turned fortuitous as Megabrain collided with Gavin from KGBCast!
It's all good, but skip to 0:32 minutes to hear the lads talk about me being a weirdo.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/kgbcast/KGBcast43.mp3

Be cool and follow both of these podcasts after you give them a listen.

Fan Letters!

Did you love Issue #1? I knew it! So why not share some of that love and show off what a big fan you are by writing a letter to the editor! I'm looking for love letters, fan mail, illicit propositions, fan art, cosplay pics, dirty pics, or pretty much anything you want to send our way and have printed. 

Just shoot me an email at mike@megabraincomic.com and mark it "OK TO PRINT" in the subject line. 
While you're at it, do you have a great idea for a title for the letters page? We've got a couple of great submissions for that one already, but I want a few more to widen the field. Get them in by midnight on Friday, and this weekend we'll pick our favorites for you guys to vote on. 

Kickstart My Heart

Whoa... yeah! So there's 10 hours to go on our Kickstarter to fund printing of issue #2. This one has been a quiet rollercoaster for us. With issue #1, we publicized the hell out of it, we were at NYCC to celebrate, we begged, pleaded, tweeted, Facebooked (pretty sure that's not a verb), and yelled it from the rooftops.

This time around, not so loud, at least not til the end. I mean, it's issue #2, so there's less of a launch party vibe. But that doesn't mean that for us it hasn't been as nerve wracking and exciting. You know what? More so.

We were worried about a sophomore slump. We were worried about keeping the momentum. We were worried about looking unsuccessful if we were asking for pledges again. We were worried that we'd have less time to raise the cash. We were worried that we were going to have to only distribute digitally instead of print. We've been just a ball of nerves with all these things to think about.

But you... oh you... C'mere you! Give us a hug!

With just about 10 hours to go, we've exceeded our goal and are so close to $3500. And that means we're alive to deliver to you another pulse pounding, tear jerking, head scratching tale of Katherine Brody in the post-Blackout world. I can't wait til you read it.

No, screw that. You'll be able to read it online. I really can't wait til you smell it. Til you feel it in your hands, til you slide it into a board and bag and add it to the library of all the legendary comics and creators that keep you dreaming. Because that's what this is about.

It's about making comics.


Go see what the hell I'm talking about on our Kickstarter page. You've got 10 hours left to get in on the ground second floor

ADA #1, Kickstarter and NYCC!

Whoa.

It's been a busy summer for Megabrain. We've been so busy, it's been a little hard to find time to update the Blah too much, so here's a recap!

American Dark Age Issue #1 is all done, and it's off to the printers. We had a super successful Kickstarter Campaign and so those who backed the project should already have their own exclusive PDF copy of the comic in their inbox. In fact, we've already had a few responses! Here's a couple that'll make it into Issue #2's letter page:

Hi!


I loved the first issue! I hadn't heard of American Dark Age before backing the project so I didn't know what to expect... I was blown away by the story and the art! I really liked how you broke the chronology of the story to go back to how it all started. Now I HAVE to read issue #2, you created such a good cliffhanger with those last panels!


Also, I wanted to contribute a suggestion for your "letters page". I immediately thought of "Blackout box". Merging black box (from airplanes) with the blackout of the story and with mail box. Just a thought... good luck with the next issue!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Ashley R.

 Thanks Ashley! I love the idea for the letters page name. I can not wait to read what you think of issue #2...

This next one is from a US Navy officer currently serving overseas:

Megabrain,


Congratulations on ADA issue #1! I just finished reading my copy and have to say WELL DONE! When you put your lobes together, great things happen. Looking forward to issue #2!


Mark Y.
Norfolk, VA by way of Ridgewood, NY


P.S. Some ideas for your letters page, listed in order of personal appeal:


1. “Reality Bombs” – the tribute is self explanatory. In the context of the name of the letters page, “reality” implies those outside of the story; i.e. readers. And “bombs” are typically dropped, much like mail into a mailbox.
2a. “The Renaissance” – the end of the real life Dark Ages, and the letter page is, well… at the end. To many people the dark ages were a time of little scientific or cultural advancement and even less literary creativity. As letters can be a form of creative writing, the name seems to fit.
2b. “Age of Enlightenment” or “Enlightenment” – another name for the end of the Dark Ages. Same reason as above.
3. “Dear Dan…” – the guitar is a big part of Kat’s life, the name involves good old alliteration, and it’s a familiar format for Q&A.
4. “Broodings” or “Broodyngs” – as a play on Kat’s last name.

Mark, I'm loving these ideas. Everyone else who's read it yet, send in those letters and fan art to mike@megabraincomics.com and make sure you make the subject "OK TO PRINT".

Now, in other news....

We've got our booth for New York Comic Con! We'll be at booth #1915, so make sure to come and see us. That'll also be the first place to pick up a print copy of American Dark Age Issue #1 (if you haven't already ordered it via our Kickstarter Campaign. The whole crew will be on hand, so you can get yours signed at the booth by artist Jac Taylor and writer Jean Michel (and your bitchin' EIC too!)

We're working on a web store so you can order our comic through our site, as well as other places where you'll be able to buy Megabrain Comics. So keep your eyes on this space for more news in the coming days!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

Excelsi- no, wait, that's taken.

I'll have to think of something cool to say at the end of these things...

-Mike Vuolo
Editor in Chief

Welcome, Megafan!

I know, I know. I've been a horrible friend. Haven't been keeping you abreast of anything going on in the lobes of the Megabrain.


Well, fret not. From here on out, it's you an me, chum. You will be the first to know what's going on at Mega-HQ and to show you that I'm on the level, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Yeah.


That first issue of American Dark Age. You ain't gonna get to read the rest of it till MoCCA Fest 2011 (April 9th-10th) where the Megabrain will be in attendance selling pre-releases to the masses. 


After that, you'll have to wait till the full print run in October when you can get a copy from us at NY Comic Con from the 13th-16th. 


Yeah, yeah, don't gimme no lip. If you were the type of person who'd be happy with a mediocre book with mediocre art, then sure we'd kick it all out for you in the next day or two, but I know you. 
You want a book that will make your nipples hard and your toenails sweat and that my friend is why we are takin' no shortcuts.


It's all for you. 


Till the next time, keep that grey matter flexin'
THE BENJ