Nonplayer #1 by Image

[Hawkman]

Nate,

 

You might consider offering a code for a free digital download of #1 together with a purchase of #2. Or just make sure that it's offered for free on Comixology for a couple of weeks before #2 comes out.

 

 

 

this would be great too!

[Hekla]

I have #1, but single issues get lost in my collection easily; I'd spring for a reprint with a different cover & more content.

[Stormsurge]

Nate,

 

I know nothing about the comic business but I would suggest thinking about maybe even having work done on the 3rd or 4th issue before you even consider putting the second one out. From a business perspective I would think you would have better sales numbers if they came out on a more regular schedule.

 

Loved issue 1 Nate and can't wait to see more! I'm also excited about the last page splash, pls let us know here when its available in your store as I'd love to order one!

[DTJ]

Hey Nate,

 

Just to say how super stoked I am to hear abt #2, been really looking forward!

Love your meticulous artwork, the story is fantastic, I cannot wait to see how it will unfold. Especially hoping that 'they' are will do a good job of the movie, if it really goes that way.

 

 

Also Its super cool that you are interacting with your readers, my previous interactions with you also tell me that you are humble and authentic, which is a very rare quality considering how talented you are. You definitely have my support! As they say in the land down under, "You're a bloody legend mate!"

 

Just needed to get that out there!

 

 

[Nate Simpson-migration]

Especially hoping that 'they' are will do a good job of the movie, if it really goes that way.

 

Thanks for all the kind words, James!

 

The movie stuff has been hot, then gone cold, then has become hot again. I'm hoping there's something exciting to announce about that sometime soon. I can't pin too much hope on the process (though it is really the only conceivable way that my situation could change enough that the comic becomes a full-time thing again). If something happens with the film, that's all gravy. But there's plenty for me to chew on with comic stuff, so I don't think about the movie too much.

 

I look at it this way: the longer it takes to get made, the more source material there is for them to work from. And if it never gets made, well, I'll just watch Spirited Away again and realize there's no way we'd have done better than that anyway.

 

Much obliged for your support, James. I hope you like the second issue.

[Nate Simpson-migration]

I would suggest thinking about maybe even having work done on the 3rd or 4th issue before you even consider putting the second one out.

 

This has been suggested to me from time to time -- even before the first issue came out, there were people telling me to wait until the seven-issue run was complete before releasing it. It probably does make the most financial sense, and had I done it that way, I would have avoided quite a bit of embarrassment.

 

There are a couple of reasons why I'm doing it this way:

 

First, the chance that Nonplayer could "catch fire" in some way -- for example, be adapted to film -- increases with every issue release. Now, assuming I continue to do the next five issues part-time, we're looking at, like, a decade to finish the thing. At this cadence, I will spend my entire 40s working on this project. If some magical money comes in the door, however, I may be able to go back to working on the book full-time. That could halve the time it takes to get it done.

 

Doing the book in a vacuum for ten years would also probably not be emotionally sustainable. It is a lot of fun, but it's also massively exhausting (remember, this is being drawn from 3am to 7am before work, with breaks to take care of an infant). Getting feedback, getting to go to conventions and meet the people who are reading the book -- that's really what keeps me going. I'm just not tough enough to get through this alone.

 

I guess I would turn the question back at you guys. Would you rather not see anything about Nonplayer until 2024 and then get the whole thing at once, or do you like getting a little visit from Old Man Nate every couple of years? Is this a journey you want to take with me, or would you like me to climb that mountain alone?

 

Thanks for your comment, Stormsurge!

[Balham's Finest]

Nate, it's incredibly difficult to sustain interest in any book with really long wait periods between issues. A couple of months - sure. Any longer than that, and outside of a hardcore following, your sales are likely to suffer if that happens as people lose patience. One issue every couple of years is unlikely to do you many favours.

 

Look at Planetary - as a coherent whole it reads amazingly, but I don't believe that many people stuck with it buying each of the 27 individual issues over the 8 years or whatever it took. And that was for a series where the story lent itself very well to self-contained issues.

 

On the other hand, I appreciate that it's not feasible for you, emotionally or in particular financially, to draw one arc at a time and then release. And I'm probably not alone in saying that I'd rather have some Nonplayer than none.

 

This is such an obvious question that you must have thought of it already - but have you considered a Kickstarter? You could set a target amount of funding that would be enough for you to take a sabbatical from work and get 2-3 issues done. Could really help you build up the buzz you need.

[troydivision1]

Nate,

 

I want to say that I truly enjoyed Nonplayer, so much so that I purchased copies for two friends to read / enjoy.

 

My thoughts for future releases are:

 

For #2 regular issues, as others have stated, I think a free download via Comixology & $1 reprint will work best.

For #2 website exclusives, I would recommend (especially for those on the CGC website) that a blank cover (for sketches / possible actor signatures at conventions) limited to 250 would well at a $20 price point. Shipping / packaging would be key as almost all would want these books to be graded.

 

As far as releases, I think a book a year is good. This is obviously a labor of love and should not be rushed. Perhaps having half of the next issue complete before the current one is released?

 

Question - Which friend directed you our way?

Many Image creators have been joining recently and their participation has really had an effect within the CGC community.

[Jackhartmann]

The story jumps around a little too much for me. The art is good.

[the authority]

Nate, it's incredibly difficult to sustain interest in any book with really long wait periods between issues. A couple of months - sure. Any longer than that, and outside of a hardcore following, your sales are likely to suffer if that happens as people lose patience. One issue every couple of years is unlikely to do you many favours.

 

Look at Planetary - as a coherent whole it reads amazingly, but I don't believe that many people stuck with it buying each of the 27 individual issues over the 8 years or whatever it took. And that was for a series where the story lent itself very well to self-contained issues.

 

On the other hand, I appreciate that it's not feasible for you, emotionally or in particular financially, to draw one arc at a time and then release. And I'm probably not alone in saying that I'd rather have some Nonplayer than none.

 

This is such an obvious question that you must have thought of it already - but have you considered a Kickstarter? You could set a target amount of funding that would be enough for you to take a sabbatical from work and get 2-3 issues done. Could really help you build up the buzz you need.

 

Wow. I bought Planetary whenever it came out and until just now I didn't realize it took 8 years. I must have been more patient back then

 

+1 on the Kickstarter deal. Balham's Finest and I were thinking the exact same thing. Good luck either way (thumbs u

[Jonesin4Comics]

I think a Kickstarter would work very well. Most books that have a large gap between issues I don't care to pick up again. But not this one. I've been waiting on news of its return and I'll be glad to even just get a #2.

 

I've even had a copy of #1 with a facilitator for years waiting on Nate to pop up at a show again. So

[Balham's Finest]

Wow. I bought Planetary whenever it came out and until just now I didn't realize it took 8 years. I must have been more patient back then

 

Just checked: issue 1 came out in September 1998. Issue 27 in October 2009.

 

11 years!

[DTJ]

Especially hoping that 'they' are will do a good job of the movie, if it really goes that way.

 

Thanks for all the kind words, James!

 

The movie stuff has been hot, then gone cold, then has become hot again. I'm hoping there's something exciting to announce about that sometime soon. I can't pin too much hope on the process (though it is really the only conceivable way that my situation could change enough that the comic becomes a full-time thing again). If something happens with the film, that's all gravy. But there's plenty for me to chew on with comic stuff, so I don't think about the movie too much.

 

I look at it this way: the longer it takes to get made, the more source material there is for them to work from. And if it never gets made, well, I'll just watch Spirited Away again and realize there's no way we'd have done better than that anyway.

 

Much obliged for your support, James. I hope you like the second issue.

 

Hey Nate, any updates on #2?

[Nate Simpson-migration]

Just finished first-pass color for everything, which was a big milestone. Now I'm shining everything up.

 

Still unwise for me to make any predictions at this point, but hopefully not too much longer now!

[SpaFon]

Really looking forward to seeing more work from you. Glad to hear!

[Pinky Lee Zepplin]

Glad to see there will be a #2!!!

[DTJ]

How's the project going Nate?

[Nate Simpson-migration]

Pretty good, thanks for asking!

 

It's far enough along that I'm starting to share it with some close friends to get feedback. And the feedback has been pretty positive so far, so that's heartening.

 

Really just a few more polish passes over the next few months, and I think we'll be there. And then off and running on #3.

 

Thanks again for pinging me. It's nice to know I'll be selling at least one copy.

 

Cheers,

 

Nate

[Pinky Lee Zepplin]

I'll buy a copy as well Nate, so there's at least two sales!!

[paperheart]

there's still hope

 

The first draft of War and Peace was completed in 1863. In 1865, the periodical Russkiy Vestnik published the first part of this early version under the title 1805. In the following year, it published more of the same early version. Tolstoy was dissatisfied with this version, although he allowed several parts of it to be published with a different ending in 1867, still under the same title "1805". He heavily rewrote the entire novel between 1866 and 1869.[5][9] Tolstoy's wife, Sophia Tolstaya, copied as many as seven separate complete manuscripts by hand before Tolstoy considered it again ready for publication.[9] The version that was published in Russkiy Vestnik had a very different ending from the version eventually published under the title War and Peace in 1869.