Some Quick Updates
Crazy Latte is Successfully Funded!
Thanks to 189 backers from all over the globe, we’ve had a successful crowdfunding campaign for Crazy Latte Thing Called Love! This campaign broke records for Pesto Comics. Hopefully it’s the start of a trend with 72% of those that backed being completely new to our books. We had a pretty decent returning backer rate too, so if that holds the sky’s the limit.
I can’t wait to show you this book once it’s ready. Mattia is hard at work colouring the remaining pages. In the next post on July 1, we’ll have an in-depth review of the Kickstarter from top to bottom.
A Revamped PestoComics.com
Have you checked out pestocomics.com recently? It wasn’t the most thrilling site in it’s first iteration, so it’s had a complete overhaul. This is a full-on store experience. You can order copies of all of our back issues directly from here.
Plus it offers me the ability to do discounts, like this: NEWSTORE
Visit the store and enter that code at checkout. You’ll receive 10% off your order! This is only valid until the next newsletter comes on July 1. Enjoy!
Big Smoke Pulp - Last Chance
I’ve got stories to fill about 87% of the book. We’re very close to completing it. If you’ve been holding onto a story, giving it that last polish - just send it now! You’re running out of time!
Now, some exciting announcements:
The Next TWO Projects
You read that right! We have two new ongoing series coming this year. They’re actively being worked on right now. It’s still very early going in both, but I want to share the titles with you now so I don’t have to speak in riddles about them going forward:
First up is a 5-part story about a brotherly tag-team partnership that gets tested inside and outside of the ring. Pietro and Bruno are professional wrestlers brought into a remote town where not everything is what it seems. For a show that’s pretty popular, the locals reject it and everything it brings.
Once the brothers figure out who is pulling the strings, they’ll quickly find out it’s more than just a wrestling show - and getting out of town won’t be so easy.
Art duties on this project are being masterfully handled by the talented Daniel Caval. This story of high-flying antics needed art with a kinetic energy and Daniel’s work fit the bill. He embodies that spirit as he’s already inked the entire first issue!
This series will be comprised of five 24-page, full colour issues. With the pace that Daniel is able to draw, we should be able to get the full story in your hands within a matter of months. Each issue is built to leave you wanting more, while still telling a complete story per issue. You can binge it all at the end or read it and build the anticipation for the next issue. True serialized storytelling here.
You’ll start seeing more information about this Kickstarter campaign as soon as Crazy Latte Thing Called Love is fulfilled.
Next is Pesto Comics’ first foray into the NSFW space with another 5-part series. We’re not going for anything gratuitous here, but a fun concept that has a lot to say about the world we live in today and how we value women.
If you’ve read any of my work, you know I love writing strong female protagonists. In Naked Kaiju Woman, our lead, Claire, might be the strongest — physically — of all of them, but the role she’s taken on as defender of the city begins to take a toll on her mental health as the prudes down below begin to turn on her.
This story was written with, a now frequent, collaborator in mind: Rafael Chrestani. If you enjoyed the art in Stay Cool, wait until you see what he’s putting together here! I knew he could draw women very well, but the kaiju he’s creating are some of the most inventive I’ve ever seen!
I’m very excited to show you what he’s been sending me - and this time, we’ll be doing it all in full colour The first issue is about 1/3 inked so far, so expect to see more about this in the Fall.
NKW is a little different than From Parts Unknown as each story is entirely it’s own. Less serialized storytelling and more a story, followed by sequels that get richer if you know what came before.
These are just two stories. Check out the '2024-2025 Progress & Release Calendar’ at the end of this post to get some hints at what might be coming next. That’s only some of it as there are other things being worked on outside of Pesto Comics that are very exciting! I’ll definitely be sharing that as it comes closer to reality.
And now, looking back on the weekend that was…
Niagara Falls Comic Con!
Niagara Falls (and Hamilton) are my homes away from home. I spent a good two years working all over that part of Ontario, repairing Tim Hortons menu boards and Petro Canada gas station computers, so any time I get to return, it feels like a homecoming.
Not just that, but when anyone comes to visit Toronto from abroad, there’s three things they’re nearly guaranteed to do: go to (or up!) the CN Tower, go to a restaurant that makes the same food they have at home (we have it all) and visit Niagara Falls. It’s…not close to Toronto, but it’s always part of the trip.
Same goes for when Torontonians need a mini-vacation that doesn’t involve going up north to cottage country. Needless to say, I’ve spent a lot of time in this city for both work and play. I was thrilled to have this be the first comic con I’ve tabled at.
The weekend started pretty slow. Friday presented us with some torrential level rains throughout the evening and it seems like that kept most attendees away — except for the cosplayers. Though I saw cosplayers of all kinds all weekend, Friday was probably 80% cosplayers to 20% in civies. It was really impressive.
The person who made my day was actually dressed as Chainsaw Man. (I regret not getting a photo with her.) She was so very patient while I struggled to get my Square Reader to connect on the non-existent network coverage and she even ran to an ATM so she could grab her copy of Unlimited Udo. After a very slow evening, this absolutely made my day.
Go support this friendly, young artist on Instagram and pre-order her plushies from her Etsy store!
Saturday was a lot better as things picked up with the weekend traffic. That said, it wasn’t nearly as busy as I had hoped. I met a few cool folks, handed out a lot of bookmarks, but had an overwhelming amount of people saying they don’t read comics at all. It was discouraging to say the least.
To make the most of the weekend on Sunday, I decided to focus on networking instead. I met some great people around artist alley including Carmen Peters of Waterlight Studios, Alex of Alchemist Elite Comics and Surjit Chana, the1surge — along with getting to hang out with my (now often mentioned) friend,
and long-time film school buddy and table-mate, .
The weekend had its positives and negatives, for sure, but I had a good time nonetheless. I’m looking forward to do it again very soon! Next show, I’ll be just another attendee, but it’s a big one: San Diego Comic-Con!
As far as where you can find me tabling next, I’ll be at Vaughan Con August 10! (More details at the end of this post.)
I’m very much looking forward to doing it all again.
What’s Next?
July 1
Post-Mortem: Crazy Latte Thing Called Love
An in-depth look at the third Pesto Comics campaign (plus: potential launch date announcements)
July 15
To The Letter
How I letter comics and why it’s so dang important (plus: prepping for San Diego Comic Con!)
Find Pesto Comics In-Person!
What’s Coming from Pesto Comics
A Home Away from Home