Faction - And one more with feeling!

Back in February 2009, I was emailing back and forth with Ian, asking him questions about Small Press Idol, trying to figure out if any of my ideas would be a good fit for Small Press Idol. Eventually, I settled on Faction and the journey began! If you can believe that, it has been just over seven months since that time! Since then, our experience and confidence has grown by leaps and bounds.

Guess what, though? It was officially announced today on the DimeStoreProductions web site ~ http://www.dimestoreproductions.com/site/news/view/kick_start_235.htm?filter=1 ~ That Faction won the contest!

I just want to say that Faction couldn't have made it this far in the journey without the support of the 3 F's ~ Family, Friends, and Fans... Our families helped us with their love and support, our friends help with their votes, and our fans picked up copies of the book.

We received confirmation that Faction issue 0 has been sent to the printers, so it will be shipping to everyone who pre-ordered in the next couple of weeks.

If, by some chance, you haven't picked up a copy yet, come check out what all the fuss is about. Read more about Faction at the web site ~ http://www.beardedladyonline.com/faction ~ and then go pick up a copy of the book.

Printed copy - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-2274.html
PDF copy - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-dl-2275.html

Yet again, I have to thank Arnie for the great artwork and Mike for the spectacular colors... The book wouldn't be the same without your help!

Thanks,
Erik Hendrix
Writer - Faction
Erik@BeardedLadyOnline.com
http://www.beardedladyonline.com
http://thelastbardsblog.blogspot.com

Shall we pontificate for a moment?

I got word yesterday... or maybe the day before... heck maybe the day before that... that Faction probably won Small Press Idol. I haven't posted about it in fairness to the other competitors since it's not "officially" official yet, just looking pretty good. I'm happy things turned out the way they did, certainly!

I received a few messages late last week from people who assumed Faction had already lost, that there was no hope to catch up. I didn't argue because that would be revealing my hand. I'm not intentionally sneaky, but I knew some things would take until the last day or two to come in. I was patient, I was hopeful, but I was quiet. Those close to the fold, on the Faction team, friends, and family, knew I was still confident in the end... well, confident, but also biting my nails a tad, I can't argue there. No matter how well you plan for something, someone is always around to throw some wrenches in your spokes, to which you must react or get tossed on your face, sucking dirt. Worries appear to have been unfounded. I hope I didn't worry the Faction supporters out there too much!

So, what to do now? Well, for right now, we're patient, we wait for the official word and then we can celebrate some. I will say this to the other contestants in Small Press Idol. I appreciate the well wishes and I wish you luck moving forward. Hopefully you will land on your feet and find a home for your books, whether it be at another publisher, or self publishing.

The audiences are out there for small press books, it's just a matter of honing in on them and leading them to the trough to dig in and read up... Six months ago or so when we signed Faction up for Small Press Idol, I didn't know much about small presses, self publishing, or the industry in general, but I've learned a lot, met some great people, and done tons and tons of carpet bomb promoting to the point where I'm even tired of seeing my name on emails (sorry about that). Did they work? Some yes, some no.... If a person picked up Faction, I'd have been a happy camper because that would mean someone believed enough in the quality of the product to purchase it with their hard earned money. It turns out that a lot of people believed in it, which I'm humbled by.... Despite my confidence in the book, despite the feedback I've received, you never know until the book gets in front of the readers how well it will be received.

Hopefully in the coming months, you'll stick with Faction on its journey. We'll keep updating things, show you some images here and there to prepare you for the inevitable issue 1, which Arnie is already drawing... I think you will be VERY happy with what's to come. Faction is a tale I've been excited to tell since I started the first page of the script many months ago and it keeps getting better.... Four issues will just be the beginning of the series, a chance for you to meet the characters and get a feel for the world just long enough for the entire thing to be rocked to its core.

Thank you again to everyone who picked up a copy of Faction, to the retailers who are going to carry the book in your stores, and to DimeStoreProductions.com (Ian) for putting the contest on in the first place.

To anyone who has dreamed of making comic books and never knew how, I challenge you to join in Small Press Idol 2010.... We're not too long away for that to start up!

I've enjoyed the ride so far, hope you have to, and stick around for a lot more!!!

Thanks,
Erik Hendrix
Writer - Faction
http://www.beardedladyonline.com
http://thelastbardsblog.blogspot.com

BTW ~ Image on this post is Michael Nelsen's interpretation of Acker Kinney from before he joined the Faction team.... How's that!

Image Crazy and Faction's last call!

This is it, folks... last call for copies of Faction... Tonight (Aug 31st) at Midnight EST is the last time to place orders for Faction issue 0 and have them count towards our win in Small Press Idol. Please help us pull this off!

a. PRINT COPY - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-2274.html
b. PDF DOWNLOAD - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-dl-2275.html

Faction - Need a hail mary pass from the fans, what it means, reviews, & check us out online

Well, this is it! Just 2 days left in Small Press Idol 2009 - Last time to order Faction and have it count towards the results is midnight EST on Monday August 31st. If you haven't already picked up a copy, please go get one. A print version is $3.50 plus shipping and a PDF download is just $2.00. You can click on the image above to get into the store to buy one.

I have to say it has been challenging, fun, funny, frustrating, rewarding, and just about every other emotion under the sun the last six months (yes, the contest has been going on that long), but absolutely worth it. I started the competition with a notion that I was going to make it in comics one way or another. I've walked away with more ideas than I could have dreamed, somewhere over 30 now on my handy-dandy pen drive. Why and how so many? When you're focused so much on the creative side of things, more ideas just keep flowing to you! In a world like Faction's, it's completely possible to throw more and more in there, but at some point you have to stop adding to the idea. Faction as a world is robust enough without me pouring every new idea into it.

While I'm rambling (yes I know, I know)... Winning Small Press Idol is something I've been dreaming of since joining the competition. I've had my moments where I wasn't even sure I was going to make it through rounds, but not because of the quality of the book, but because other contestants managed to get more voters and support for their projects. My "friend-base" may not be as large as others', but I hope by now my fan base is equally as large as the other contestants'.

I went from starting Small Press Idol and thinking Faction was a pretty cool idea and a story worth telling. As I wrote it, the idea grew and became more and more of a dream to write. Adding in Arnie for art and then Mike for colors just put the book in a place where I can imagine it sitting on the shelf next to new copies of New Avengers, BatMan, and Invincible. Why, you ask? Well, look at the cover and the pages! Despite everything, a high majority of the reviews and feedback of Faction have been nothing but encouraging to that fact. Showing pages to comic book shops and fans have helped to cement that as well. No one to my knowledge has walked away saying, "darn it, I just wasted X money on that book."

There's so much more to tell, though... Faction is something that I can write for dozens of issues, the plot is already outlined, the details written, just waiting to be put into script format. Things will happen to challenge the characters in the series and the world on a fundamental level... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

This isn't just another action book, though there is action.

This isn't just another "tough as nails" character in Acker... he's all about economy of words and action, but he has been through so much, he can't help but have a harder exterior. Inside, though, is someone who just wants to help.

This isn't just another cast of archetypical characters... each has their own unique identity despite the destinies that push them.

This isn't just another battle of good versus evil... Evil has many faces and good has just as much of a reason to destroy as evil. War makes strange bedfellows and Faction makes for complex alliances. Just because you think they're "evil" doesn't mean you don't have to work with them for a common goal. Just because they're "good" doesn't mean they won't kill you for their ideals.

Just some food for thought...

Faction needs your help to continue it's epic journey... Please pick up a copy today...

a. PRINT COPY - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-2274.html
b. PDF DOWNLOAD - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-dl-2275.html

Reviews:
Geek Syndicate
FBomb Cast
Comic Related
Interesting Fodder
HeroSpy
Project Fanboy

Thank you! If you have ANY problems placing orders, please email me... If you want to tell us what you think of the book, email me that, too! As always, you can join up online and follow what we're up to... see below for links....

Bearded Lady Online
Bearded Lady on Twitter
Bearded Lady on FaceBook
Faction
Faction on FaceBook

Erik Hendrix
erik@beardedladyonline.com

Faction - Evolution of a Page from Rounds 3 - 4, pencil to final final

I always find this kind of stuff entertaining.... How do we get from a script to the final product. For Faction, I thought we could take a look at page seven, how it turned out in Round 3 of Small Press Idol and then how it turned out in Round 4 with Arnie taking another look at my script and Mike adding in greyscale tones.

So... take a look at the script and we'll keep talking...

PAGE SEVEN (Five Panels)

Panel 1. View from the center of the room looking towards the bed where Acker has laid out Elam. Acker is starting to get up, twisting to look towards Gabriel. Acker’s face is stern, alert, ALIVE for the first time since waking up in the hospital, a glimmer, a threat of vengeance in his eyes. Gabriel is walking towards them, leading with his sword, but it’s pointed down towards Elam. Based on the angle, Abigail isn’t visible.

ACKER:
I don’t know who the hell you guys are, but it’s time to start explaining.

CAPTION:
For the first time since being injured, I was me again.

Panel 2. View from the bed looking towards Acker, Gabriel, and Abigail. Abigail is talking, but Gabriel is looking down at Elam, not visible from the angle, his sword pointed down towards her. Acker is shaking his head in disbelief. Beyond them, the black sword is still on the ground, smoking in the light.

ABIGAIL:
Monsieur, we are from the Society of the Enlightened. We were sent to watch over you.

Panel 3. Slightly different angle, same people on the panel, but Elam is visible on the ground, her body hasn’t moved, but her eyes are open, starting to turn colors again towards the fiery orange red they were when she was blackened by a spell. Acker is pointing towards the door with his left hand (of course), looking frustrated. Abigail and Gabriel are looking to Acker, not understanding why he’s arguing with them.

ACKER:
Just get out of here, both of you; I don’t need your Society. I don’t need anyone.

GABRIEL:
You saw that creature; it was just the first, Asa. More will come.

ACKER:
Asa?

ABIGAIL:
Come with us and all will be clear. You are one of us.

Panel 4. View from the center of the room looking towards the bed again. Elam is lunging at Acker’s back, black starting to coat her body again, starting at the fingers, now talons.

ELAM:
Maybe he’ll understand in his next life.

Panel 5. View from the side as Elam cuts across Acker’s back with her talons, ripping deep. Acker is arching his back from the blow, mouth opened to scream into the air.

ACKER (Yelling):
AHHHH!!!

CAPTION:
It felt like it cut me to my spine. A wound like that can paralyze you… if it doesn’t kill you.

You may notice first off that the script itself varies a little from the final product. Since I do my own lettering, I take that step as the final check on the script and sometimes move around dialog to match up better with how the artist draws the page. If you're a writer, I really recommend you learn how to letter. I'm not perfect... I'm still learning and will keep learning, but really it helps!

Now in round 3 of Small Press Idol, Arnie came in late in the game if you recall. KT had some difficulties on a personal level necessitating his departure from the team and Arnie graciously hopped in to fill his shoes. The drawback was we had a deadline looming and not a lot of time to get the pages finished... so, basically, he had to run through the pages and missed a few details. If you look at this page, though, you'll notice subtle differences only. Emlin's eyes (the den-spawn) are glowing, for example, and the characters all look a little bit different as Arnie had time to really explore their look and feel for himself. The very last page, though, is the kicker... when Mike added in 'tones.... wow... the pages really pop. Anyone who thinks coloring is easy, give it a try, it sucks! Mike did an expert job on all of the pages in Faction issue 0, adding a depth you just can't match with straight pen.

Anyway, that's it for now, I just wanted to let people take a looksie "behind the veil", so to speak...

If you have not picked up a copy of Faction... shame on you! Go get one! $3.50 plus shipping for the print version and $2.00 for a PDF download. The winner of Small Press Idol 2009 gets a publishing deal and a cash prize and Faction aims to be that winner, but we can't make it happen without your help!!!!

a. PRINT COPY - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-2274.html
b. PDF DOWNLOAD - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-dl-2275.html

If you haven't been keeping up on reviews... check these out and also be sure to check out the Faction web site at ~ http://www.beardedladyonline.com/faction.

IndiePulp (more coverage than anything else)
ComicsPriceGuide
Project Stylus
DaFixers Hideout
Cream of the Cup
Geek Syndicate
FBombCast
Major Spoilers (more coverage than anything else)
Liam Bradley's Blog
ComicRelated
ComiXtreme
Siskoid
Interesting Fodder
MakeItSoMarketing Pop Culture Blog
HeroSpy
ProjectFanboy

Faction and other projects... image crazy!

I thought it would be fun to do a posting where I stick a bunch of images from projects I'm working on currently... Besides that, I really need your help... Faction is currently in 2nd place in Small Press Idol. We really need a shot in the arm of sales of our zero issue to take this thing or the competition will run away with it. If we win, we get a publishing deal for the book and a cash prize. Please help!

a. PRINT COPY - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-2274.html
b. PDF DOWNLOAD - http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-dl-2275.html

Now for some images!!!!

FACTION 0 issue cover and pages 6-8 Art by Arnie Gordon / colors by Michael Nelsen
















The Evil Tree Mock Cover and some sample pages... Art by Denman Rooke















The Detective book... A Mock Cover and some rough pages... Art by Sachin Nagar















Unbeatables images.... Art by Michael Nelsen
















TLA (you'll have to figure that one out) - Art by Michael Nelsen.