Issue 9: On The Move
Going, going, going, going, going, still going...
Hi! How are you?
Hey yourself! Oh my gosh… You’re back! We’ve missed you!
Aw, that’s super kind. I appreciate that.
Oh, wait. I thought you were someone else.
I’m going to ignore that comment.
It’s been a minute since we spoke and so much has happened! Let’s get into it, shall we?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
In this issue:
- Going Analog
- Comic Corner
HOLD UP! WHAT HAPPENED LAST ISSUE?
In issue 8, I talked about my love of notebooks and recommended a whole bunch of different brands for our writers, journalers, and scribblers in the house. For me it was fun. For you... Maybe it was torture. If you missed it, hit the button below to check it out!
GOING ANALOG
I’ve spent the better part of the past three weeks traveling around like a gypsy. My wife and daughter and I set out in the first days of June for a summer respite on Emerald Isle in North Carolina. There, we spent a week enjoying the seafood, the sand, and the surf and soaking up the sun. And while we intended to stay there much longer, we soaked up too much sun to the point where it felt like our insides were baking. It was beautiful, but it was hot.
Opting to relocate, but not ready to go home, we ventured north to Raleigh, NC, where I was able to drop in on a coworker and get a walking tour of the city.
From there, we left the city lights behind and ventured into the New Hampshire wilderness to spend a few days with my brother-in-law. The weather was cool and I had only packed beach clothes. On five acres of forest I had no cellular service at all. Despite the fact that I was still working my day job for the majority of the trip, it was nice that my phone remained relatively quiet for the back half. And I have to admit… I liked my phone being quiet. Being out in the wilderness made me realize how much my phone commands so much of my attention day-to-day. It was nice to turn off, to be silent, to go analog for a few days.
Whilst sitting on my brother-in-law’s porch one morning, overlooking a forest, all I heard was the nascent chirping of birds. Off to one side, something shuffled through the forest. I hoped it wasn’t Bigfoot (because that’s totally where they would live).
Enveloping myself in the temporary silence, I grabbed a notebook and scrawled a few things for various projects and to-do’s.
This was among the words I scribbled down on the page:
In a world of distractions, I am no longer distracted. No notifications vie for my attention. Those chirps, pings, and pongs of everyday life as a member of a society fervently engaged in a never-ending technological arms race simply cease to exist. I am focused. I am centered. Most importantly, I am productive. The flow state I’ve entered conjures both a past that induces pangs of nostalgia, and a possible future where life is once more simpler; the fat trimmed, the voices dulled, the digital switch set to off. For now, the world is quiet, and I am listening.
Despite hitting three different locations in two weeks, the adventure wasn’t over yet.
My wife, still wanting to explore, set a course back to North Carolina where we ventured into the valley of Asheville. There, I dropped in on yet another coworker, saw the city, and we spent days driving around the surrounding area, hitting places such as the charming city of Black Mountain and Brevard, which claims to be “the city of 200 waterfalls.”
Following three days of exploration across a multitude of altitudes, we decided to head back home, somehow both exhausted and energized.
The original plan was just to hang out at the beach. Instead, we adventured. We made decisions on the fly and traveled with no sort of itinerary. After years of predictability brought on by a global pandemic, it was refreshing to have a trio of weeks that were anything but.
Feeling stuck in your daily schedule? Go somewhere you’ve never been. Be spontaneous. Live a little, and find your flow.
COMIC CORNER
The Obsoletes
I’m thrilled to report that The Obsoletes made its funding goal on Kickstarter! 114 generous backers chipped in to bring the first issue of The Obsoletes, Beyond the Stars, and Krey to life from Silverline Comics. Books are currently being sent to the printer, so if you preordered, it’ll be headed your way in the not-to-distant future. For everyone else, you’ll be able to score a copy of the issue in the coming months!
Artist Aaron Humphres is already drawing the second issue, and I’m scribing issue 3 as time permits. Issue 1 provides a fun and action-packed romp through the sci-fi world we’ve created, and the remaining three issues will blast you with a ton of heart. I hope you’re on board.
Unit 44
Unit 44 #5, which was funded as part of the Alterna Comics Spring Preorder campaign is currently at the printer! Our first issue in more than three years will soon be in your hands (provided you preordered). If you haven’t, you can still score your copy of the issue for just $2 at the link below, and you’ll have it in your hands by the end of June.
If that wasn’t enough… Issue #6 is currently available for preorder!
Check out this cover by new series artist Aleks Jovic, colors by Andrew Pate, and design by Alterna Comics publisher Peter Simeti.
Bumbling Area 51 agents Gibson and Hatch accidentally activate a dangerous, top-secret device that sends them hurtling through the multiverse. Now, if they hope to see home again, they’ll have to survive a torrent of hazardous new worlds—and each other.
That’s right—we’re sending Agents Gibson and Hatch into the multiverse (because that’s where everyone is going). This is quite possibly my favorite issue of a comic I’ve written to date (writers always think their newest stuff is the best). So I hope you’ll snag a copy of this one! I’ll be sending out a special edition newsletter this week with more information and a sneak peek!
If you’d like to go ahead and support the series now, hit that button below!
PREPARE FOR DEPARTURE
I truly hope your summer is going well, and that your trash cans aren’t melting (this is a real thing that happens). Get out there and enjoy the lack of snow.
I’m Wes Locher. I’ve been writing professionally for a decade. I write comic books, video games, fiction, and nonfiction. I write whatever seems fun, cool, and inspiring. I also love helping other writers to demystify the process of making a living through words. This is my newsletter.
I enjoy hearing about your adventures! Keep 'em coming. I'd love to hear more about how you get these comics ready from start to finish, My cousin is a comic book artist (who is amazing) and I wonder how I can best help him make his dream come true. Have you thought of sharing how to get comics going from the ground up? Or have you already shared that somewhere else??