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All together, backers unlocked 11 eComics that will be delivered as a bonus to backers along with all their other digital rewards!

So…? Now what?

⚔ First I’m going to enjoy a bit of chill. Doing a Kickstarter requires a high degree of sustained sales-y-ness over the course of a month, so I’m going to take a week to relax and get reacquainted with the things I like about social media. Yeah... there are things I like about social media… sometimes.

⚔️ Place orders with vendors for the physical rewards (bookmarks, mini prints, etc.)

⚔️ I will also be reaching out to backers with errored payment methods. No big deal. It happens. Usually just an expired credit card that needs updating.

⚔️ After that, it’s Backerkit time! So backers keep your eye on your email for surveys in about two weeks.

Nextly…

It’s way past time I followed up on an issue I brought up way back in March:

The people have spoken. By popular vote, Raphael is the sexiest Ninja Turtle, with a pretty even three way tie for second.

Because I felt you needed to know that.

Last-wise, my Kickstarter might be over, but there’s still loads of unique and wonderful stuff on the platform!

Check out my pal Anthony’s latest project:

Welcome to Ekratoria, a world born of Dreams and Imagination, where powerful mages ally with and vie for control of the Dream Gods that embody the realm. Join Farm boy Thrakos’ journey as he makes new friends and faces the secrets hidden in his family’s past. Get ready for action and adventure, mystery and magic as we watch Thrakos come of age in an era when Evil is threatening to defeat Good. And all our dreams might just rest in the hands of a young teen … who fears he’s becoming a monster...

Check it out!

Thanks again to all who contribute to making this enterprise possible. I can’t do what I do without you.

Coming at you with another page of Impure Blood on Friday.

Till then, be good.

But not too good 😉

Heya!

One of the strange things about being a self-employed creative is realizing that a lot of what feels routine to me is completely foreign to folks outside this world. All you people with your “real” jobs, employer-provided health insurance, and paid time off…

So today, I thought I’d take you behind the scenes of something that’s pretty unique to my line of work: running a Kickstarter.

If I’ve been doing my job right, you already know that the Kickstarter for The Canon of Vangel, Chapter 6 is currently live.

What you might not realize is that this whole thing started months ago.

The Pre-Launch Page

Ever since the Chapter 5 campaign wrapped, I’ve been directing people to the pre-launch page for Chapter 6. This is one of my favorite Kickstarter tools. It lets creators gather interested backers ahead of time so they get notified the moment the campaign goes live.

That early momentum? It matters. A lot.

The Story Page

This is where the project really lives. It’s where I show off what I’m making, highlight the rewards, and (hopefully) get people excited enough to jump in.

It’s also where I remind everyone that I am, in fact, a real human person and not just a drawing machine.

The Assets

Kickstarters are image-heavy. Between reward mockups, banners, graphics, and promo material, I usually end up creating 50–60 images per campaign.

It’s important though. People need to see what they’re getting.

Which means: if your file organization system isn’t solid, you will suffer.

The Rewards

This is where things get real.

Planning reward tiers takes a surprising amount of math and foresight. You have to account for production costs, packaging, shipping, Kickstarter fees, everything, while still making the campaign appealing to backers.

Most tiers bundle multiple items together, so every decision has a ripple effect across the entire campaign.

I run a pretty tight ship. And yes, there is a budget involved.

See? Artists can do math!

The Campaign Itself

Once you hit “launch,” there’s no easing into it. You’re on the ride.

Kickstarters tend to follow a pretty consistent emotional arc:

• A big surge at the beginning

• A long, quiet middle stretch

• A frantic push at the end

That middle stretch? That’s where we are right now with Chapter 6. It’s the doldrums. The part where creators start refreshing dashboards a little too often.

And that’s where you come in.

Projects like The Canon of Vangel only exist because of readers like you. If you’ve been enjoying the story, now’s the time to help carry it across the finish line.

BACK IT

We’ve already unlocked 8 bonus ecomics and there’s more waiting if we can push a little further.

And while you’re there, be sure to check out my pal Brock’s project:

If a rocking superhero saga set in San Diego sounds like your jam, then check it out!

CHECK IT OUT!

With two weeks left, The Canon of Vangel, Chapter 6 is still pushing forward. We can absolutely make this happen.

But will we? That part’s up to you!

Till next time, good!

But not too good 😉

I was selling my books at the Rewind Book Fair this past weekend, and I had the very great pleasure of meeting my childhood favorite author, Bruce Coville.

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Pictured here with my much-loved copy of Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher. It was my favorite book of his, but I owned them all. My Teacher is an Alien, The Monster’s Ring, The Ghost in the Big Brass Bed, and Bruce Coville’s Book of Monsters. That last one being my first experience with anthologies and no small influence on Concrete Arcanum.

They say “don’t meet your heroes”, but I couldn’t have had a better experience. Mr. Coville was gracious in the face of my gushing, seemed pleased to know that I follow in his footsteps, that I was vending at the event, and even treated me to a wave and a big grin as he walked by my table later that day.

We creatives often take for granted the effect we have on others. So focused on the grind of production, we forget that we are someone’s favorite, that we might play a formative part in the life of someone we’ve never met, or won’t meet for decades to come. It’s a weird responsibility that not many stop to consider.

My copy Jeremy Thatcher (complete with 90’s-tastic cover), now signed, has taken its rightful place as a treasured artifact on my trophy shelf, alongside all the others that have inspired me over the years.

I had to buy a new copy for my daughters, of course. The old one is now off limits. I hope they get as much lasting enjoyment out of the story as I have.

To ensure that my stories continue to inspire readers for generations, consider backing The Canon of Vangel, Chapter 6 on Kickstarter!

BACK IT

8 bonus ecomics have already been unlocked! Won’t you help us unlock the next one?

And while you’re there, be sure to check out my pal Rob’s project:

Cirilla (Cirray) MacKinlay is a strong-willed farm girl, born and raised in the Scottish Highlands during the 19th century, who dreams about a life of adventure. Upon discovering her Pureblood Monoki werewolf lineage, Cirray’s eyes are opened for the first time to the existence of Supernatural beings and creatures of Fantasy. With the aid of Silver Mane, a fellow Pureblood Monoki, Cirray must find her place in the world while training to master her lycanthropy in order to battle the Dark Covenant of the European region, led by the malevolent Mongrel Monoki, Grim Fang.

Check it out!

Can’t say all my heroes have lived up to my expectations, but at least one has.

May you be so fortunate, as well.

Till next time, good!

But not too good 😉

Yesterday was my birthday. Putting me squarely in the Ares camp for those that keep track of such things.

When one has a lifetime to reflect upon and recognize the patterns in oneself and others, one realizes he might actually be developing (gasp) wisdom!

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Yeah. Wisdom. This guy right here.

So, in honor of me being all wise and stuff, in what is becoming a tradition, I wanted to share with you a few of the axioms by which I live my life.

I call them Lueth Truths™️

I hope they are as useful to you as they have been to me.

🦉 I’d rather be disliked honestly than liked dishonestly.

The desire to be liked can lead to dishonesty and tailoring oneself to the needs of others. Only by being one’s true self can we attract the people we genuinely click with and filter out those we don’t.

🦉 Nothing and no one is for everyone.

Pokémon is the most popular, best selling franchise of all time. And yet, not everyone likes Pokémon. Focus on the people who like you and what you do, not the people who don’t.

🦉 Weird is just a normal you’re not used to.

It’s amazing what one can adapt to. Do something you’re not used to for long enough and it will become mundane before you know it.

🦉 Treat others the way you want to be treated. Don’t tolerate anyone who doesn’t treat you the way they want to be treated.

The first half get’s a lot of attention, but don’t forget about the second half.

🦉 Never let whether something is “good enough” get in the way of the joy of making it.

For years I held off on making The Canon of Vangel happen because it was never as good on paper as it was in my head. Eventually I realized that the choice was making an imperfect version of my vision, or never making it at all. Now here I am, Kickstarting the final chapter in the first arc of my magnum opus!

Is it perfect? No. But I couldn’t be more proud of it if it was.

BACK IT

5 bonus ecomics have already been unlocked! Won’t you help us unlock the next one?

And while you’re there, be sure to check out my pal Chris’s project:

Supernatural Hijinks tells the story of Bianca Bordeaux, Vampire Queen of Bridgeport, and Lexi, a quirky witch, two friends looking to have some fun. The short story is a bit of silliness with a PG setting as it is a story that everyone can enjoy.

I will be at Rewind Book Festival at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds this weekend. Come find me at Table 65 against the back wall. If you’ve backed The Canon of Vangel 6 Kickstarter, I’ll even hook you up with a free sketch card!

Bruce Coville is going to be there and I’m super psyched to get my copy of Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher signed!

It’s often said that youth is wasted on the young. I think it’s also true that wisdom is wasted on the old. Here’s hoping I helped pass a little bit of wisdom on.

Happy Birthday to you, whenever that happens to be.

Be good this year!

But not too good 😉

As is my tradition, these aren’t necessarily things that came out in 2025, merely things that I read in 2025. Let’s get it started.

Hellboy

Long time followers know that I was on a Hellboy kick in 2025, finally having binged the first ten volumes of the comic. I’m here to tell you that it was very worth it. Mike Mignola’s storytelling and distinct art style make Hellboy one of those unique books in which everything is just firing on all cylinders. Hellboy is one of the brightest stars in American creator-owned comics for a reason.

Locke &Keye

Another book series that has been on my list for a while and I finally got around to this year. I always love and appreciate it when a writer knows how their story is going to end before it starts, and Joe Hill definitely knew what he was steering towards (insert joke about his dad here). I got the whole series used for X-Mas 2024 and the deluxe box set was on my X-Mas list for 2025.

Warbears

Margaret Atwood just keeps getting cooler the more I learn about her, and the fact that she has written several graphic novels doesn’t hurt. Warbears is a historical fiction about the comics industry in Canada during World War II, a time and place that I knew very little about. It was both heartening and disappointing to learn that a lot of the issues facing my industry today are perennial. Like The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, this is a great read for anyone interested in the comics history of North America.

A Constitution for the Living

I read things other than comics you know…

I was commissioned to to create a graphic novelization of the U.S. Constitution early in my career, and early U.S. History has been an interest of mine ever since. A Constitution for the Living imagines an alternate history in which the United States holds a constitutional convention once a generation in order to revisit, revise, and update the document in an attempt to meet the needs of the day. I’m not an connoisseur of the genre, but to my knowledge historical fiction has never been applied so proactively.

Dragonball

Some series find their footing over a period of time and some come right out of the gate fully formed. Dragonball is one of the latter. I’ve seen Dragonball Z a couple of times, I wanted to back to beginning to see where it all started, and I was struck by how much of the sensibility, humor and aesthetic were there from the get go. Toriyama weaves a world that by all accounts shouldn’t work (more on that here) and gives us a main character that is unreasonably charming and guileless from the get go. Check out the roots of the undisputed king of shounen manga!

Lore Olympus

Nothing on this list surprised me more than Lore Olympus. Romance comics and will-they-won’t-they stories aren’t typically my thing. However, I had a lot of fun dipping back into Greek mythology, picking up on all of the political intrigue, teasing apart the way this world works, and really appreciating the emotionally intelligent way Smythe handles some really heavy topics. To say nothing of a plot twist worthy of any epic fantasy. The series is coming to an end later this year, so this is the perfect time to binge it!

Hope you enjoyed this peak at my 2025 reading list! I hope you found some good stuff to add to yours in 2026.

More comic goodness coming your way soon!

Till then, be good.

But not too good 😉

Like many of my generation, Dragonball Z was a formative series for me, and one of my first introductions to Japanese animation (that I was aware of). There are plenty of think pieces out there on the legacy of the Dragonball franchise, it’s creator Akira Toriyama, the influence it’s had on anime and pop-culture around the world, and it’s themes of improving and thriving in the face of obstacles.

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All of which are well deserved, but today I want to take a minute to shine a spotlight on the world building that takes place throughout the Dragonball saga, which I can only describe as being simultaneously brilliant and bananas. We are, after all, talking about a world in which there are…

Hover cars

Regular cars

Dinosaurs

Shapeshifters

Capsules that can expand into anything you need

Magic/Dragons

Time Machines

Anthro-people

Gods

Spaceships

Aliens

Futuristic Cities

Chinese mountainscapes

And every different flavor of human you can name

And the brilliance of it all is that at no point does one stop to question what the hell is going on here. Dragonball has such a charm to it that it just kind of sweeps the reader up and carries them along with the story and, if we meet some weird kind of frog person along the way, well, they’re just another guy. and their weirdness is all perfectly normal.

Most other speculative fiction worlds I’ve read are built around a central conceit (ei. in Lord of the Rings takes place in a proto-historical world in which magic is still around, in Star Trek space explorers have discovered how to generate infinite energy, etc.). Dragonball seems to exist in a kind of compressed omni historical world in which all peoples, all creatures, all cultures, and all technologies exist alongside each other simultaneously. It brilliantly renders anachronism impossible. Nothing is out of place when everything is commonplace.

I’m not sure whether Toriyama started out with the intent of making an omni-world (it’s all there is there from the very first volume of the Dragonball manga) or if he just wanted to avoid putting limits on himself, but it fits perfectly into the central theme of his great saga. After all, he gave us a hero who can overcome any limit, it makes sense to not put any on the world he lives in.

If you’d like to check out my world building, the Kickstarter for the latest chapter of my ongoing graphic novel series is launching on Kickstarter April 4th.

CLICK HERE to get notified when we launch.

The conceit of my world is that it’s been revealed to the world that magic and monsters are real, always have been, and the separation between magic and technology are quickly becoming academic.

CLICK HERE to read the whole story from the beginning.

I hope you like it a fraction as much as you like Dragonball.

Till next time, be good.

But not too good 😉