BREAKING NEWS: Secret Project Reveal

I could not have asked for a greater miracle for Wanted Hero...and I wanted to tell you first!

Aug 22, 2023

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I debated for days over whether to share this information, even as I wrote this. I feel conflicted. Maybe I should be asking myself ‘Why share something with readers unless you’re completely sure and confident?’

But I already know the answer to that.

I’d never reveal anything.

You’d never have an article to read.

There would be no artwork to look at.

I’d never write a book or short story.

…because I’m never completely sure, and I’ve rarely been confident.

The truth of the matter is that I really don’t know what you want.

My process 93.76% of the time is allowing my heartfelt desire to make you smile and feel good to take over, and just follow that instinct. The remaining 8.4% is hoping that I made the right choice.

Yes, that does come out to 102.16%.

The extra 2.16% is ‘Buckley’, consistently talking in the background, injecting all the non-logical reasons why I should not give up.

(No matter how crazy he sounds — we need him — trust me.)

I Though All Was Lost

If you’re new around here, or haven’t looked through any of the Archives, I explained my personal history and what ‘broke’ me with ‘How to Succeed at Fiction By Failing: Part One’, and followed up with Part Two and Part Three. In these I give a detailed history of a life most wouldn’t believe, but you’ve watched the proof coming to fruition.

Part of that history is how Wanted Hero started as a comic book series.

So many amazing things happened with the creation of that version of the story — all geared for the younger crowd. What I didn’t share in those articles, was how many times I got hacked or had computer breakdowns. Most specifically the time after I discovered the indie publication platform, Lulu, was still selling my comics even after I’d deleted all my files and closed my account.

(Seriously.)

I wanted to take the two graphic novels I’d made and print them on what was then ‘Createspace’. It was the hottest platform with the best options and professional results on the market — snatched up by Amazon in 2005 as they were developing Amazon KDP. That’s when I realized the resulting horror of my desktop computer crashing…

I’d failed to back up all my original art files for the comic books.

For months I searched, like some bad dream, going through every file and folder, trying to find the printable files with no luck.

They were gone.

That was 2005…and the result was letting everything go, being grateful for the miracle run of success and just selling the digital versions.

The Miracle Of An Unorganized Mind

Roughly 10 days ago, I was looking for some old art files for today’s article. I wanted to continue writing about Wendell, and perhaps share thoughts and insights surrounding the characters of the main story. As I combed through these old folders looking for some original Wendell art, I found a strange, mis-labeled folder.

Care to guess what was in it?

Did you say 332 original comic book art files??

Wow. You’re good.

For the past 18 years, I’ve had the original and complete art files of the 13 comic books at my finger tips. Safe and sound, being transferred from each of my five computers since the comics were made.

Do you know what that means?!?

Official Announcement

After going through the files, I organized them. Making sure they printed crisp and clean here at home, I felt confident everything was publishable.

I’d Normally try to hide my inner giggling right now, but this is so much fun, I’m going to share my next hope with you. God willing, because I don’t always get what I want…I’d like to RE-publish all the original content.

There’s something special about this unique opportunity.

Wanted Hero was conceived in 1990. It was brought to life in stories and sketches on napkins for years, until its birth on paper in 2004. This was when the first comic book was completed and the initial series planned. Created specifically for the younger readers, to introduce them to Wendell, Chuck and Dax, and the concepts of how you could be a hero in today’s world.

Those comics were replaced by the novels. Book created for the older readers, young adults who could appreciate a deeper story, with more complex plots and themes. Books that were incomplete and now being rewritten.

So,…here is my hope and idea.

The comics are now being gathered and arranged in a single graphic novel. All continuous 332 pages of black and white artwork, which will be a "collectors" comic. After spending the last couple weeks going over the story, I noticed I had notes for scenes that never made it into the comics. Funny things. Wonderful things. Which got me thinking hard about what would be the most fun way to offer this to the public again.

In the end, I had three version ideas for the book.

Paperback Version

This was what I wanted all along. A way to give all the comics in a single bound volume. Each of these projects will take some time for the formatting, but this will be the common item for everyone to enjoy.

Hardback Version

Now that I have published a few books with my wife and have used IngramSpark as a resource, I’d like to have a hardback version. This will make the volume stronger and last a great deal longer on the bookshelf.

Signed, Limited Edition & Exclusive Hardback

This is where I would lie, just to have a little extra fun. As I mentioned, there are ideas and tidbits which were never included in the comics, which I’d like to add. I’ve also had some requests for special materials, and for this run, I was thinking of making a limited run ‘collectors’ version. To add to this, each of the books would be signed by myself, Wendell, Chuck and Dax, and then hand-numbered.

Something for those who want a one of a kind collectable.

Being Formatted Right NOW

So that’s my great news! I hope you’re even half as excited as I am, and that you’ll tell your friends about this as we get closer to the launch of the publication. It would be great if we could get a decent amount of exposure.

I will keep you all posted on the progress.

UPDATE: October 27, 2023

The WANTED:HERO Collector’s Edition — all 13 comic books in digital PDF or in print.

Over ONE MILLION DOWNLOADS since 2005.

Enjoy 378 pages of the comical adventures of the accidental hero. An original Indie eComic, it launched in 2005, entertaining kids in 6o countries within its first year online. This creation, sold as a ¢.97 PDF, had over 15,000 active members on their phpBB forums. The Pirate Bay even stole and distributed it in its second year. Now published in a single collector’s volume, you can laugh and enjoy the 13 epic comics in print for the first time in 17 years.