I finished drawing page one of Roeke in June of 2012. I would’ve started working on the concept and story before that, probably late 2011 or early 2012. I published the last page in November of 2015. That’s somewhere around three and half to four years, start to finish, to produce 104 pages of comic. While it was my first major undertaking and I am certainly proud of it (or, at least, proud of me for making it), I made it at a snail’s pace. Then I did next to nothing to follow it up in 2016. For something I dream of making my career some day, I sure don’t treat it like one. Any supervisor would fire an employee that unproductive.

So, for S.H.A.G., my aim is to produce a 100 page graphic novel (well, a five part mini-series, 20 pages per chapter) in time for comic-con in September. Since I started with the preview around August of last year, that gives me one whole year to produce the same amount of work I’d previously done over four. Of course, since I slacked off through the end of 2016, I really only have 6 months to produce the remaining 95 pages. Plus five covers, assuming I don’t commission Amanda or someone to do those. I have officially dared myself to be eight times as productive for my sophomore effort at being a comics creator. Sitting down and looking at my proposed schedule, while daunting, is also invigorating- because I feel like I can do this. I will do this.

I have a whiteboard in my “office” (also known as Jenny’s sewing room and Anna’s bedroom). It has a column on the left containing my to-do list for the current month. The remaining two-thirds of the board hold the breakdown of each part of the job, which I’ve pseudo-arbitrarily assigned percentages, that they might then fill the giant progress bar I’ve drawn above them. Right now, I’ve made the plot, written the outline and character backgrounds, as well as the script to the first chapter- all of which puts me at 6% complete. Only 94% to go!

My goal for this, the month of February, is to finish scripting the entire series. I basically need to write four pages a day to make that happen. Then, each following month will be dedicated to drawing and lettering a chapter. Then August will be all about coloring, though I may, once again, lean on my sister’s talents for that (which, if that’s the case, I will deliver each page to her as it’s drawn so she’ll have as much time as possible to work on them).
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Needless to say, I have my work cut out for me. But that’s not even all! I also want to do a monthly fanart piece, so I have things to entice people to our booth at comic-con, because people don’t care about a comic and its creator that they’ve never heard of, but Final Fantasy or Spider-Man might draw them in (no pun intended). I also want to get some scripts going for Satellite Dust to give to James to draw. It may well be that my ambition is much greater than my capability, but there’s only one way to find out...

This is my origin story, just you wait and see.

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Y'all ready to get your DEMOCRACY on? Well, here we go!

Step 1. Read the Fred Gets It SAMPLER PLATTER.
Step 2. Pick your favorite story.
Step 3. In the comments of THIS VERY POST, tell us which concept you want to see turned into a full-length comic!

(Sure, we wanna do all three, but we only got the time/resources to do one at a time!)

What's that you say? Voting once just doesn't cut it for you?

WELL, I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU.

How to get bonus votes!
1. Instead of a plain old text comment, post a selfie with your purchase from our table at Rose City Comic Con last weekend.
2. Now take that selfie and post about it on Facebook, tagging @Fred Gets It Comics.

Your extra votes will go to your choice of project. Pile them on the best, or split them between the rest!

But Jhustoe, we're broke and/or won't be at comic con, how can we vote?
Worry not, I just posted the previews on this very website! Check 'em out here

Poles will close at the end of the day Sunday (9/18/2016) and we'll announce the winner on Monday the 19th, so get your votes in soon!!​

TL;DR
Read Sampler Platter
Vote for your fav in the comments.
DO IT.

Be excellent to each other, and see ya in the poles!

--Justin "Jhustoe" TN.S.C.B.D. Pearson

This might be, aesthetically, my favorite page. The drawing is solid, and my coloring didn't suck for once. It's moody and atmospheric, and a nice conceptual tease for next issue. Sorry there isn't anything going on really plot or character wise, but I still like it.


The plan is to throw up Stage 04's cover next week, then jump in to page one on MONDAY, the 18th. You heard me, Monday! You know why? Because I'm saving Wednesday for PAGE TWO! We're stepping up to two pages a week, y'all! May God have mercy on my soul.

I still haven't "officially" started coloring #4, so uh, I guess I better get crackin' ;P


See ya next week!


--Jhustoe, of the 9 realms and the 4 paths, or something.

So, the first caption is referencing back to the first issue, when Roeke seemed to actually be missing Nyant. Of course, that started seeming problematic once I'd gotten through the flash back. Well, no retcons and no take-backsies, so instead I voiced my own concern and possible reader concern by having Roeke herself bring it up. By getting mad at herself, perhaps that will ease any concerns you all might have. I also think it adds an interesting layer to her character-- Yes, Nyant really did some terrible things and betrayed Roeke in a most heinous fashion, but that doesn't erase however many years before that when they were happy. Those feelings, at that moment, had really stirred up in Roeke, who, was pretty lonely. Now, as of this page, she's focusing on the bad, on the catalyst that got her to leave in the first place- and she's letting her anger drive her forward.
Tell me you never missed an ex, even if it ended poorly? S'all I'm sayin'.


The bottom half of this page, and next weeks page are all going to set up next issue. Smog Zone!

Slightly damaged, Guardian tucks tail and retreats. Roeke gets a new upgrade and also begins to get real mad, understandably.


I like how that fist turned out in the last panel, and the smoking rocket-launcher panel above it ain't bad, either.


Well, I'm still a bit behind on Roeke 04, so I'm gonna keep this short and get back to work on them thar inks. Well, "inks," as I'm doing it digitally this time.


Be excellent to each other,


--Jhustoe!

Guardian is back to finish what he began with Roeke's ear... I mean, back!
Good thing laser cannons don't seem too bothered by water damage, she should probably still put that in a bowl of rice or something, to be sure.


Anywho, I've gotta get going to my day job, so I'll see y'all next week!


--Jhustoe!

Well, that's that, then. Maybe, just maybe, if he'd fussed over her instead of The Guardian? Yeah, probably not.


I wish I'd colored Nyant's mouth in that first panel... maybe I'll go back to it someday.
We're closing in on the end of Stage 03, just four more pages! I better hurry up and finish Stage 04 :P


--Jhustoe