Your One-Stop Shop for the IMPOSSIBLE!
(IMPOSSIBLE JONES, that is— the thief-pretending-to-be-a-hero created by KARL KESEL and DAVID HAHN.)
Latest Updates from Our Project:
"July Jones" Update
25 days ago
– Tue, Jul 02, 2024 at 09:17:23 AM
But First, A Quick Message From Our printer…
These are pages printed from a desktop printer— untrimmed and far from the quality they'll be in the book— assembled to show how the Arthur Adams Fold-Out will be placed and work in the book.
I originally thought the Fold-Out would be glued in at the end— that's how they did it in the ART OF ARTHUR ADAMS book!— but our printer opted to have it actually sewn into the book as part of an interior spread. (Meaning we don't lose half an inch of possible image area in the gutter where the glue would be applied.) Pay attention and you'll see the Fold-Out is actually on the same paper as the very first page shown here! Fascinating! (To me, at least.)
And, Yes, the Book is AT THE PRINTER!
Although there were some delays getting in the queue.
From the start, I had asked for specifications for the Fold-Out from the printer, but never received any. So I proceeded assuming our Fold-Out would be produced and placed same as in the ART OF ARTHUR ADAMS book— knowing full well I'd probably have to re-do it later on. Then I was told the Fold-Out would be sewn into the book, was finally given the correct specs, and had to re-do it. Like a prophesy fulfilled!
ADDED WRINKLE: since the Fold-Out was now part of the actual page count of the book, it added 2 interior pages— but books need to have page counts divisible by 4, which meant I had to add or subtract 2 pages! And I certainly couldn't get rid of anything!
This was a blessing in disguise since I'd already been thinking it would have been nice to recap IMP's origin. I put together a spread explaining what had happened Previously, In IMPOSSIBLE JONES… but that really needed to go in the book before the main story, meaning I had to renumber every page and make a new file for the printer of the entire book!
This all happening just when I was scheduled to go to Metropolis, Illinois for their SUPERMAN CELEBRATION, followed by a week-long visit from my sister. I couldn't respond to things as quickly as I normally would, delaying the book by a couple weeks.
I do not have a confirmed delivery date on IMPOSSIBLE JONES Vol 2 yet, but I am guestimating it will arrive on my doorstep sometime in the second half of August. Possibly early September. Otherwise…
I'm Ready To Send Out Books Soon As They Arrive!
Thanks to the always-fantastic Phil and Lori at Colorhaus, I already have all the stickers and assorted swag that's going out with this ULTRA-COOL edition…
OK— almost ready to send out! Those bookplates still need to be signed by David and myself, and I ordered some classy envelopes to go with the SECRET VALENTINE. But both of those will be in-hand before the book is.
You've already seen the CAPTAIN LIGHTNING and POLECATENAMEL PINS, right? To tell you the truth, I forgot myself in all the excitement. So what the Hell, here they are again…
Meanwhile, David is working on the SKETCHES, while I'm hammering away at the script for our next IMP Outing— a self-contained romance/noir we're calling IMPOSSIBLE TO LOVE. Which is also a prologue to the long promised and much-anticipated ALIAS SMITH AND JONES story arc!
I'm not a fan of Eldritch Gods— Cthulhu kinda bores me— but what I am a fan of is excellent comics made with personal passion— and Gerald Vonstoddard's IMMORTAL COIL is ALL that! Beautifully drawn, the story is about Viking Gods fighting Eldritch Gods. Which I'm sure will be incrediblycool in Gerald's hands!
Check it out HERE— and check it out SOON. The KS ends WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 6:53 AM PDT!
IMPOSSIBLE— But True! It's JUNE!
about 2 months ago
– Sat, Jun 01, 2024 at 07:09:52 AM
Lots and lots of GOOD NEWS! For instance:
It took a little while, but ARTHUR ADAMS finished his fold-out— and it's pretty damn magnificent. Of course. And then RYAN CODY'S colors made it even cooler! Can you imagine unfolding this from the book and seeing it in all it's double-page pageantry? Well, soon you won't have to imagine it because…
IMP TEAM-UP is at the Printer!
I sent it in last Wednesday. After proof-reading it about a zillion times (so there are probably only a couple hundred typos I missed), fixing small coloring errors (there were 2 pages in the IMP-ANGEL chapter where Polecat's outfit had been mis-colored… and it got printed that way! Fixed for the ULTRA-COOL Edition), and fine-tuning layouts and designs. In fact, the final cover looks like this:
(With strategically placed spot-gloss, of course.)
My thinking for this last-minute design change is that we still have the strong, striking, graphic image of IMP that will catch people's attention from across the room, and then they'll come closer and see all the other cool characters. At which point not getting it would be, well… IMPOSSIBLE!
I'm still waiting to hear from Sam at PrintLore that the files are correct (which I believe they are). Once we all know that they'll work, we're looking at 8 to 9 weeks for the printed books to be at my doorstep. So: end of July, probably more like early August because delays always happen.
Right now I'm expecting AUGUST FULFILLMENT.
Everything else is already in the works.
T-SHIRTS: Re-ordered (since we sold out the first batch). In fact, just yesterday I was told they'd been printed and are waiting to be shipped out!
TEMPORARY TATTS: Ordered! Will be in my hands June 11th.
CHIBI STICKERS, SECRET VALENTINE CARD, 1ST 48 HOURS STICKER, IMP-TEAM-UP BOOKPLATE: All now in the capable hands of Colorhaus, my local printer of choice.
ENAMEL PINS: Done and Delivered! Did I show you a picture of them last time? Can't remember. So here they are (maybe) again:
Ain't they adorable?
So Now… ?
Now I start writing the nextIMP book. By the time I send out your ULTRA-COOL COLLECTORS EDITION, David and I should have a lot of it done. Maybe not all of it— but close. Tell you this much:
It's a love story. An IMPOSSIBLE love story!
TIME'S RUNNING OUT!
3 months ago
– Sat, May 04, 2024 at 07:16:20 AM
A Few Very Quick, Very Important things:
DEADLINE to get YOUR NAME on the IMP Vol 2 ULTRA-COOL COLLECTORS EDITION "THANK YOU" Page is MONDAY, MAY 6TH!
Please fill out and return your BackerKit Survey by then if you want to be listed on the page. Good news is: 91% of the surveys have already been completed! That's OUTSTANDING!
If you cannot find or did not receive your BackerKit Survey, please let me know. I will re-send it.
Sadly, I cannot guarantee your name will be on the THANK YOU page if you respond after MAY 6th. Time and tide and printers wait for no man, I'm afraid! The sooner I get this book in the PRINTER'S hands, the sooner I'll get the book in YOUR hands!
HEY! Today is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!
If you're in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA area, please stop by I LIKE COMICS between 11 and 1. I'll be there (along with RON RANDALL and RANDY EMBERLIN) with a special FREE POSTER for the FIRST 100!
And if you can't make it because you, say, live thousands of miles away— well, that was your choice, wasn't it? Ha ha! But seriously— I'll try to squirrel away a pile of these posters and make them available somehow, at some point. But the best way to guarantee you'll get your is to stop by I LIKE COMICS today! Besides— I'd really love to see you!
Which reminds me: I can't think of a segue into this next thing…
Yes, this is awesome ARTHUR ADAMS Fold-Out— fully pencilled and partially inked! Most likely, this will be the very last thing finished before I put the book to "bed" (as we say in the biz)— but I believe you'll agree that it will be WORTH THE WAIT!
RICHARD STARKINGS— Ace Lettering and Design Genius— has launched his first Kickstarter! It's a brand-new story featuring the ELEPHANTMEN— genetically altered animal warriors! Think JAMES CAMERON does KAMANDI set in BLADE RUNNER'S world.
There are plenty of ELEPHANTMEN comics out there— but this is a stand-alone story focusing on one of the book's breakout characters— YVETTE! A perfect starting point to get into the wild, wonderful world of Richard's ELEPHANTMEN!
(Plus, that poster by ERIC POWELL is pretty sweet, too, you ask me. And it's HUGE— as it should be!)
RELEASE THE HOUNDS! I mean—SURVEYS!
3 months ago
– Sat, Apr 20, 2024 at 07:14:10 PM
I JUST HIT THE "SEND ALL SURVEYS" BUTTON!
Meaning: probably slightly BEFORE this email is another email about the BackerKit Survey. Look for it right now. If you don't see it, look in your SPAM. It's there somewhere.
I strongly recommend filling out this survey ASAP. Otherwise in a few weeks you'll be "Didn't I have to do something for IMPOSSIBLE JONES?" and "Where is that email, anyway? I thought it was right here." It'll cause more stress in your life. Sleepless nights. Relentless, aching guilt.
I don't want any of that for you. Not when it's so easy to avoid! Simply fill out the survey.
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ANSWER THE SURVEY ASAP IF YOU WANT YOUR NAME ON THE "THANK YOU" PAGE(S).
If you want to see your name in lights— or at least in ink— then I need to know how you want your name listed by NO LATER THAN MAY 6th. Shortly after that the book will go to the printer, and once it's at the printer I won't be able to add anything to the book— not even the name of someone as wonderful as YOU!
(If you don't want your name listed, there's an opt-out choice, too. Nothing wrong with that. I'll assume you're doing so because you're a wanted fugitive— but your secret's safe with me.)
The survey is also where I collect your mailing address, postage costs, and give you a chance to get that IMPOSSIBLE JONES thing you really wanted during the Kickstarter, but decided not to get, but wish you had.
Because if IMPOSSIBLE JONES is about anything, it's about SECOND CHANCES.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Thank you, again, for supporting IMPOSSIBLE JONES.
KK
MAY 6TH to be on the THANK YOU Page!
3 months ago
– Sat, Apr 20, 2024 at 06:55:09 AM
The ever-vigilant Patrick Ditton pointed out I listed the WRONG DEADLINE for responding to the BackerKit Survey to get your name on the THANK YOU Page. I mistakenly said April 6, but since I haven't gotten my in-home time machine yet, I assume you haven't either, and the real deadline is MAY 6TH.
MAY 6th SURVEY DEADLINE to be on the THANK YOU PAGE!
(Cut me some slack. I've had pinkeye, dammit!)
If you haven't gotten the survey yet, it will probably be coming your way later today (April 20th).
