RED LIGHT BYTES: Updates Dossier (7-29-2024)
Poll Results & The Month Ahead!
With Kevin hammering away on art and myself hammering away at stories (and marketing and side-gigs), the Dossiers are probably going to be super streamlined from here on out. I have quite a bit to get caught up on to make our September release window, and while I’d love to hire some marketing whiz-kid (said the 23-year-old) to keep the energy up and our socials cooking, we are not in that position just yet. If there’s not a lot to say, I don’t wish to waste time.
The Ride for 2025 launches next week, Monday, August 5th! You will see us lay out our road map for the future, what makes our expanded range so special, and of course, how YOU can help us cruise to that bright future in the next year.
The poll results have indeed helped shape what stretch goals we’ll be rolling out (there seems to be a hankering for comics…), and based on the results, our current golden quartet of heroes of the dark gray General Knox, the black Captain “Grim” Herrera, red wolven warrior Marcus, and the gray Agent Roger Steele! Particularly humbled by the love for Marcus. Him and Sabina are one of my favorite couples to write for (randy as they are!), and big-hearted lads like him are sorely lacking in a lot of modern entertainment. Thanks to all who voted, your feedback is truly invaluable, and given me some perspective on things going forward.
Last thing I wish to say is to my silent audience, and I’m at the point where I consider it a term of endearment. If this was being done through a proper book publisher, back when that could be an equitable arrangement, I would be little more than a mid-market penname. I would write these stories, send them to editing, layout & illustration, they’d make it to the store shelves and spinner racks where readers would give them a thumb-thru, and if they so chose, would put down their hard-earned money to bring it home. It would be like this across the United States, and indeed the world at-large.
I would not personally get to know any of you, unless those so persuaded wrote in letters or visited us at conventions and expos. And trust me, I would be making public appearances right now if I could, with hookers, blackjack, and Frank Bullitt’s ‘68 Mustang Fastback. The social media age has conditioned people for instant gratification, and the joys of independent work are often sandbagged by the lack of press and public engagement. Not to mention the simple fact sensationalism sells, so it’s now “only good business” to fling shit at your neighbors rather than prop them up as I do here with the Roundup.
While it was a bitch to deal with at first, me being so eager for feedback and critique, I subscribe to the belief that if I’m not hearing about it at this stage, then I’m doing alright by you, the readers. I’m enough of a perfectionist to bust my ass on this series, but I’m human enough to know that I make mistakes, but that there’s no point in stressing over feedback I’m not receiving. We spot a problem, we fix it, and we move on. I consider myself fortunate enough that most of you move on with me.
I only ask, to those out there who read these stories, who love this world, these characters, that if you can, please support our Kickstarter in August. I’m hoping our campaign will remind you of why you started reading our stories in the first place, and will show the newbies all the fun we’ve been having here for the past two-or-so years. You guys are here on the cutting edge of something special. No one does character magazines. No one thinks laterally in terms of exploring their worlds through other media quite like we do. If you can help get us funded for another year, you will not believe the magic we can make. As always:
May God Bless You & This Force. Be Seeing You!