Reports Of My Death Are Greatly Exaggerated

aka Well, That Took A Minute

So. It’s been a while. I’ve missed you guys. I’m sorry I’ve been away. It was for a lot of reasons — some very legitimate, some less so. I could run each and everyone of them down for you and explain, but we’d be here a long time and I don’t know what it gets us? I will be talking about some of this stuff as we go along and as it’s releveant but in quick summary: there’s been some illness/health stuff (not just for me but for some of the other folks making things happen here/on Black Cloak); there have also been some life things going on; some depression (hi!); and just some practical downtime needed to catch up on things I was letting go while we finished out “Substack Year 1”; and also sending my first Image book to print has been… a steep and very stressful learning curve that I was NOT prepared for (even though everyone has been really helpful and generally terrific and I THOUGHT I was prepared. Reader, I was NOT).

I’ve also been really thinking a lot about what I want this space to be, as promised.

And sometimes that freezes me up. And then the longer I wait, the more things that I want to talk to you about pile up, and writing that “return” post starts to feel impossible.

So I’m going to do somehting different. We’re going to ease back in with itty bitty baby posts. They’re still going to be worth your while, I try not to jam myself into your inbox unless I’ve got something legit, but I’m going to do more short(er) posts, instead of a couple absolutely massive ones.

Tomorrow you’re going to get an exciting BLACK CLOAK post — updating you on all things Black Cloak (and I hope next week you’re getting the long awaited next chapter — I’m working on the second lettering pass now).

ACTUALLY. There’s SO much to share in that BLACK CLOAK post, I’m going to share at least one thing here. This is an awesome little trailer IMAGE COMICS made for BLACK CLOAK — please check it out and hit the like button if you enjoy it — comments welcome too! — it’s so hard in these last days to get the excitment going for an indie book — but our FOC is Monday 12/19/22 — so it’s our last chance to get our numbers up!

If you’re a reader that wants BLACK CLOAK in print — PLEASE tell your shops ASAP.

Whew. Okay, back to the “itty bitty post.”

Some of you may have missed it, but IT’S JEFF is finally getting his first ever print edition! It releases 3/29/23 in good comic shops everywhere.

I confess, nobody has showed it to me yet… so I don’t quite know what it looks like. But I do know it will be adorable and the main cover is by Gurihiru. I’m also not 100% positive it includes both seasons, but it makes sense to me that it does, so until I hear otherwise, I’m going to assume it collects both seasons. It also has an all new (1-page) short story by me and Gurihiru to kick it off and it has two variant covers listed in the announcement, though I haven’t seen them.

I’m not saying EVERYONE should pre-order this, but wouldn’t it be amazing if our little ol’ IT’S JEFF like, just DOMINATED the March sales chart? I mean, Jeff outselling BATMAN and SPIDER-MAN would truly be the greatest and most hilarious thing ever.

IT’S JEFF #1 Cover by Gurihiru

While we’re on Jeff I gotta show you these two sculpts that (VERY EXTREMELY TALENTED) fans did (I think at least one of them is a legit sculptor?):

杖ぃ @gaebolg2fly

#MAVEL グウェンプールより、ランドシャークのジェフ、完成しました。 いや何やねん陸ザメて。可愛すぎませんか。正直、ジェフが登場するエピソードを読んだがことないのですが（失礼…）グリヒル氏（ @Gurihiru )の可愛らしいアートに魅せられて、作ってみました。 #カスタムフィギュアが見れるタグ

Emily Victorious @emilyvictorious

WIP on #jeffthelandshark just a few more details left 🤘🦈

Spoilers are pretty heavily limiting what I can show on this CAPTAIN MARVEL arc but I’ll try my best!

These are gorgeous Gambit pencils by Sergio Davila, from CAPTAIN MARVEL #45:

Gambit, up to some shenanigans! - pencils by Sergio Davila

Issue 46 actually has a guest artist — which we knew we would need going in because it’s an extra long arc — and I know that’s usually a bad thing that readers don’t want — but in this case we got incredibly lucky — and JAVIER PINA came on to do CAPTAIN MARVEL 46 (you may remember him from my STAR mini-series — among many other things!) and he is turning in some of the best work of his career in my opinion. LOOK AT CAROL’S ARRRRMMMMMMS:

ARMS. Art by Javier Pina

Also, I frequently ask artists to draw Jessica upside down (because I just think it’s fun!) and they frequently ignore me (fair). Javi did not ignore me! Looooook!

Upside Down! Art by Javier Pina

And because I missed you guys so much and I feel extra bad for being so MIA, and because a lot of you have been dying to get a look at a non-Brood-Rogue in this arc — take a look at this gorgeous Rogue from CAPTAIN MARVEL #47. I don’t want to say Sergio was born to draw Rogue… but he obviously was! WOW.

Rogue! Pencils by Sergio Davila

Unfortunately, IT’S JEFF Season 2 is almost over — an episode is out TOMORROW 12/16 on MARVEL UNLIMITED I believe and then only two more — a single episode and a big two parter are all that’s left by my count!

I’m not sure which one is going up tomorrow for sure, but my guess is it’s CHORE WHEEL, which is one of my favs from this season. Here’s a peek… or two:

Art/Colors by Gurihiru

Art/colors by Gurihiru

Aw, Jeffy. I hate chores too. WE ALL DO.

Okay. Closing this up now. I’ll see you tomorrow for that big BLACK CLOAK update! And thanks for your patience!

Oh. We do need some cats. Of course. Here’s a fun picture of the boys from just BEFORE we adopted them. This is all of them in their original litter. My boy Monarch, very recognizable on the left of course. My boy Clive is the darker of the stripeys — the one sort of timidly peeking out. Their original names if I recall correctly (from left): Toffee (The Monarch), Frankie, Cadbury (Clive), Toast, River, and Cookie (their mama was called Kiwi).

The boys were initially fostered by the woman that also took this incredible photo — Sheila of Love2Foster. We’re constantly grateful to her for so much. And if you like following amazing foster accounts on Instagram I can’t recommend hers more highly.

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All right, back to work with me, and probably with you too. And if you want a print copy of BLACK CLOAK #1 please remember to tell your comic shops that you want it before Monday 12/19! Thank you! <3

~Kelly