Legend Of Bill

Hello, my dear Billbarians,

Your ever-faithful (and in recent months very, VERY quiet Dungeon Master) David here. I know many of you have wondered what’s shakin’ here at LoB HQ, and why there’s been such a delay on strips, on the storyline by Jason and Steve (to complete the very long storyline I began and that Steve was wrapping up), and also, why I’ve been so silent, and mostly, what’s to come… and some other news. So I want to update you, tell you that I’m here, we’re all here, and give you some answers, as friends.

Delay on strips, and why: Friends, it’s been a tough past 8 months or so, on the personal front for me. And I mean… tough. Bad. Horrible.  I don’t want to depress you. But I am continuing to work through it, and all is going to be fine. And then, in the midst of my very bad months… a very, very wonderful project took flight, and has taken a LOT of my time, and you are going to love it, and I want you to be a part of it, PLEASE.

BIG NEWS: I have a new syndicated comic strip, by King Features Syndicate, called “Intelligent Life,” all about the GEEK life… MY life! You can see it here, as it’s only on day 3 of newspaper syndication. Please join me there and make yourselves known! The comic is DAILY, as in SEVEN days a week! www.IntelligentLifeComics.com

Between my very, VERY bad past several months, and my new wonderful syndicated-daily-comic-strip that saved me from said bad months, and the need to take on a ton of commissions, plus day job, plus kids, it’s all been very time-consuming (and some things very wonderful), but my time had stretched thin, and for a good while there I couldn’t even think straight (due to the the personal stuff, not the new daily comic). But I have a good group of guys here at LoB. And GREAT fans of LoB. A real team. You’re all keeping it real. And we are moving forward and getting things moving properly, albeit SLOWLY. And YOU are still here. YOU care. And I value each of you so very much.

Storyline wrap-up: The storyline I’m referring to is the very loooong one I began a few years back, and that, in my absence, Steve Ogden and I (I only provided plot points, Steve wrote and drew it, beautifully) was carrying on and bringing to a close… I promised you a wrap of it with Steve writing, and Jason drawing, and I’m to blame for its delay… I hope you can forgive… this is, as it has always been, a labor of love, sort of like a big public Friday night of a super-fun role-playing gaming where EVERYONE is invited… and I am only one cartoonist (with some GREAT friends, might I add… Ringo was right, “I get by with a little help from my friends.”), and I do a LOT of stuff… but LoB is NEVER forgotten… anyway… I’ve got plot points here. Don is working on some writing as well. We’re working on these. In 10-20 strips I want to wrap the storyline as it’s sooooo close to what I want it to be. And then? Back to basics. I want Bill… Frank… WANDERING around and being Bill and Frank. And Gina… and the Dark Queen… being Gina and the Dark Queen. And what of Sir Lance? Or Kruul? Or that NARCOLEPTIC HORSE that has no name? We need to know. *I* need to know. Let’s journey together and find out. But I beg for your patience. And I ask you to join me at my daily comic strip. For LoB’s storyline wrap-up, it’ll entail someone else drawing (likely me writing, or Steve, or Don, or all… and possibly Jason Williams of past Barwench Tales fame, drawing). I might draw some. It may be a team effort. Not sure yet. YOU are part of this team.

At the moment, it is impossible for me to keep a regular schedule on LoB, because I have to survive on things that pay the bills and demand a lot of time. I need clones. But I love what i do. Deeply. I hope you understand, and check in, and help us continue the journey.

Other news:

- Legend of Bill continues to run in Renaissance Magazine and occasionally in Knights of the Dinner Table magazine. Check ‘em out!

- I’m updating some single strips with Bill and Frank… not part of the storyline that was running, but fun stuff for me, that I want to share with you. Next week will even see a commissioned LoB, where I drew the most excellent  John Glynn, the President of Universal Uclick into the strip. (Thanks, John!)

- I have been told that LoB has been approved for inclusion into Comixology. We are planning a 3-volume “book” set there. I just need to draw the covers. Ideas for covers? I’d love to hear ‘em. I need to do these. Time is thin, but tell me what you’d like to see.

- www.IntelligentLifeComics.com. Please join me there. Every day. Please support my new comic as you support LoB. YOU are integral to its “life.” BOOKMARK. SHARE. RSS Feed it. Be PART of it, please! I need your support more than ever.

BIG thanks to Don, Jim, Kevin and Steve for keeping the ship afloat. And to Jason Williams for still being part of the family and supporting us here, always. Check out Jason’s Gallimore comic! You’ll love it.

More to come. I genuinely CARE about your readership, and your being here. Each of us here do. I’m sorry LoB has been in stasis… I promise you I’m doing the best I can, always.

Yours Faithful Cartoonist and Friend,

David