Hedrick Substack Newsletter #23
Sitrep on my current projects!
Hello Everyone and Welcome Any New Subscribers! 👋🏼
In this newsletter I want to give a rundown on as many projects I have in the works in order to keep you all up-to-date.
So here’s the sitrep (situation report) on a variety of my different projects. If I left something out that you were wondering about, please put it in the comments (paid subscribers only).
Issue 6 was successfully funded last month. Funds were received from Kickstarter and the order was placed to the printer, Comix Well Spring. CWS will fulfill the physical rewards once all copies are printed. Digital rewards were already sent out by me.
The plan for Issue 7 is to launch a “Make 100” project in January 2025 on Kickstarter. If you’re not familiar, Make 100 is an annual event that Kickstarter runs which encourages creators to make just a hundred of something. That “something” will be the main cover for Capable #7. Digital copies will also be available and I’ll do a separate cover exclusively for retailers. But only 100 copies will be printed for Issue 7’s Cover A, the final issue!
I think this is a good way to close out the series. The Make 100 campaigns get more promotion from Kickstarter too. Additionally, with the expected decline in sales from each issue after the first (standard with most comic books), I believe keeping the print count low is a smart idea. I’m also considering having them individually numbered to make it even more special.
The previous issues will also be available as add-ons in physical and digital forms. It’s my opinion that making the final issue more exclusive will help when launching a campaign for the trade paperback (TPB), which I would like to do myself in 2025.
Advent’s involvement with Capable remains a mystery to me.
You may or may not have heard about the discourse regarding Scout Comics earlier this year. Regardless, I’m not going into it here. But, what came out of that was an update on Quicksand from Scout that they sent to me in an email back in March. Issues 1-5 have already been published last year and the only thing that’s pending is a TPB.
In that update from Scout, they mentioned the following for Quicksand:
COMPLETE SETS - This would be a specially packaged set of all five issues (in bags and boards) solicited through Diamond and Lunar. They quoted “late summer 2024” as the anticipated release date.
SCOUT LEGACY EDITION - The Recount got one of these over the summer. Maybe you saw it. Hopefully you bought it! Their plan is to also do one or two WhatNot Select exclusive variant covers along side this (which they did for The Recount). They would “also approach retailers again about them doing their very own cover.” The anticipated release date for Quicksand’s Legacy Edition is Fall 2025.
SCOUT LEGACY EDITION COLLECTOR'S PACK - This is intended to be a specially packaged mystery first issue (random selection of covers) with the TPB. The TPB has to exist for this to happen and they quoted me as late Fall 2025 for this collector’s pack.
TPB - This is where they explained to me that they want to do “themed” Kickstarter campaigns for trades and to also print them “manga sized.” That email was sent to me six months ago and I have yet to see them launch one campaign for any of their TPB’s during that time. They stated late Fall 2024 or Winter 2025 (drastic difference in time) for the Kickstarter campaign for Quicksand. Then, a bookstore and direct market release would be in Fall 2025. A “Fall 2025” DM release would not correspond well to a “Winter 2025” Kickstarter so I’m not sure what to believe.
As for another volume of Quicksand, I’d love to do it and I have the story in my head. But until I get out of the red from my personal financial investment on Volume One, it will have to wait.
The first issue of Brackish was successfully funded back in May! That campaign was run by and is being fulfilled by Metal Ninja Studios (MNS). At the time of drafting this newsletter, I know they have sent out digital rewards to their backers. I have also sent out digital copies to those who added on Brackish #1 to their Capable #1-6 rewards. I believe the print files have been sent to their printer and fulfillment of physical rewards should start soon after that.
Issue 2 will hopefully launch early 2025 (also run and fulfilled by MNS). It has been complete for a long time now (with the exception of lettering). Pencils, inks and a cover are complete for Issue 3. I’m hoping my cut from the Kickstarter campaign for Issue 1 will be enough to pay for colors on Issue 3. I’m in the process of writing Issue 4.
I’m afraid this series will have a slow release across the crowdfunding market. That was never the intention but it is what it is. I want this to be more than just a five issue run so I hope the campaigns come out at a steady pace.
My work for hire (WFH) project with Blackbox Comics, Dream Master, should return to the direct market in 2025 with Issues 6 through 10. I’ve seen artwork up to Issue 9 so a good chunk of it is already done which makes me believe 2025 would make sense for a DM release.
As for writing, I’m in the middle of Volume 3 (Issues 11 - 15) and can’t write it fast enough for Blackbox! 😅 It’s a good problem to have and I’m happy that they continue to want me to work on this amazing title. Even though Dream Master is not my IP, I treat it with the same care and passion as I do for my own.
Time Served
Time Served is another WFH project that I script for Brad Scott Studios. Issue 1 was successfully funded and fulfilled earlier this year! Backers of Capable #1-6 received a free digital copy as well. Issue 2 of Time Served will launch soon on Kickstarter. The prelaunch page is live now so sign up to be notified when the project goes live at the link here.
The artwork for Issue 2 is complete minus an editing review. I anticipate getting the greenlight to start drafting Issue 3’s script soon.
Abracadabra
Last year in Newsletter #14, I shared my eight-page story called Abracadabra in its entirety. Paid Subscribers can still read it in the archives. This was rejected by a short comic competition that year which is why I posted to my Substack instead. I also added it to my GlobalComix account for people to read digitally.
Well, good news! Abracadabra will finally be in print because it’s going to be included in Archetypes Zine 2 from Joey Galvez of the Geek Collective!
The Kickstarter campaign will launch soon and the prelaunch page is up now. You can follow along by click the “Notify me on launch” button at the link here!
Operation Gatto
No public announcement yet for Operation Gatto (first mentioned in Newsletter #21) so it still remains a secret. My script is done and I’ve seen about 13 pages of artwork of the 48-page script. The publisher has always given us (Francesca and I) the impression that they want this out really soon but I have no idea what the actual target release date is. Additionally, this is a unique project and I’m not sure if it will get a typical distribution like most comics (i.e. through Diamond or crowdfunding).
There is also talk of a follow-up to this volume next year but no greenlight for a script has been given.
Operation Memento
I’m almost done with this script which looks like it will be 96 pages when complete! I first mentioned this project in Newsletter #22 and I explained that I’m following another author who wrote the two previous volumes.
I don’t know how much I can say about this project but I was told the anticipated release date (on Kickstarter) is 2026. That would make sense because the first volume is currently crowdfunding at the time of drafting this post.
Operation Fortunato
Jesus Christ! Another secret project?! Sorry, not sorry. LOL
I can tell you this is a new title coming from Brad Scott Studios (Time Served). They recently hired me to do an 8-page preview/ashcan/prologue for this project with the intention to include it with Time Served #3 as bonus content. I’ll add that this is not in the same world as Time Served, but a new series with another high-level concept that I enjoy writing!
Other Projects
There’s a few other WFH projects that I completed at the beginning of this year for independent, creator-owned publishers. I haven’t given them clever code names yet. One is supposed to be getting a direct market release in 2025. I’ve seen a few pages of artwork. It’s a one-shot set in a larger world of other titles that have already been published.
Another WFH project should be coming to Kickstarter really soon. This was pretty fun and is much different from what I’m used to writing. What was really interesting is the artist has always wrote the previous installments to this series but brought me on for the new one. I was flattered to be entrusted with their baby! This title has a long history on the crowdfunding scene (and one DM release) so there’s already a following for it. I can’t wait until it’s announced!
In Newsletter #21, I posted a poll asking if anyone would be interested in receiving a personalized postcard from me here in Italy. Out of the 700+ subscribers, four responded, and half said “yes,” they would be interested.
If the two of you (or anyone else for that matter) want one of these postcards, please make a humble donation to my Ko-fi account at the link here. Only four are left! This funds raised from this will go to my convention travel budget.
Thanks again for subscribing and reading! Remember to like and restack! If you’re a paid subscriber, please leave a comment. And speaking of paid subscribers, behind the paywall below, you will find a link to your Dropbox folder. For this newsletter I added an eight-page inks-only preview of Brackish #2! Beware of spoilers if you haven’t read Issue 1 yet. Also, the 13-page preview of Spillbood from the last newsletter will still be there until the next one posts so check it out now before it’s gone!
Until next time,
