Issue #7 is off and running! Cover and title page this week and come back next Friday for the first pages! (I know this is a long blog post, but at least skim it because there’s some important stuff in here: a new Issue, Prints for Sale, a new Short Story, and a Store Signing!)
(Remember this guy?)
Thanks so much for being patient with me while I got the Graphic Novel together. I’m sure you’ll be glad you did, because the book is going to look beautiful! Not only will it have the new cover, but it will have contain all the original covers–both mine and Jenny’s. We’re also including a (funny) timeline of events from the Revolution leading up to what happens in Issue #1. If you’re not much of a history buff, this should help!
About this week: I absolutely love the new cover. I told Mike yesterday that I hope IDW decides to print more comics because I really want to see this one in print! I’ve been working on the first few pages of the issue, and so far I’m loving it. It’s nice to have a change of pace. :) And I think artistically, Issue #6 was a real turning point for me. These new pages are some of the best work I’ve ever done.
Other news, we have a few items for sale for your shopping pleasures! First, that color pinup that I posted last Friday is now for sale in my Etsy Shop! Go check it out now! Each one comes signed by me!
And secondly, if you’ll note in the side bar, the new Frederick Knowlton short story is now for sale! The way the short stories work is that when you click on the “Buy Now” button in the side bar, go through all the steps to buy the story and complete the transaction. Once the transaction is complete there will be a “Return to Merchant” option. Click on that link. The downloadable PDF will be there. I wish there was a simpler way to do it, but we haven’t found one yet. And this works better than me personally emailing the file to you, because you can read it right away.
What is the short story? It’s called Frederick Knowlton: First Impressions and it takes place in July, 1776, two months before the first issue of The Dreamer. Even though all the Rangers are in the story, it’s told from Freddy’s perspective. If you wanted to know more about the Rangers, ever wondered how Alan knew Bea was on Howe’s boat, or just want some great father/son moments with the Knowltons, this story is for you! It’s my fictitious rendering of a real attack Knowlton’s Rangers made on Staten Island, trying to dislodge Howe’s army from the fort before the British Navy arrived. (Oh, and it’s before Colonel Knowlton was Colonel Knowlton. So that “Major” Knowlton in the story might seem awfully familiar…)
I wrote a script for the story and the dialogue (so all the characters should sound like themselves!) but my friend Liz Hornbeck actually wrote the short story. And she did a wonderful job! The whole thing is told as if Frederick is writing his younger sister Sally a letter from the army camp. Don’t miss this!!
In last news, I’ll be signing at Comics 2 Games in Florence, KY, tomorrow, Saturday May 2nd for free comic book day. Stop by if you’re in the area! I’ll have books and prints for sale, as well as free Dreamer Sketch Cards!!!
VOTE this week to preview next week’s pages! SO CUTE! :)
Whoa! First one this week! I blame finals completely.
Well, it’s good to see Ben again, finally. And the Freddy story is great- this was EXACTLY what I needed as a break from my work. Thanks Lora!
Love the new cover! It’s nice to see Ben again :) Is that Alan in the vote incentive? Because I thought we left Bea in the “real” world….Anyways, just bought the short story, now I’m gonna go read it! So excited!
Aw I love the cover (and vote incentive that much more. GAH)
haha, Alan needs to shave. actually its kind of attractive with the stubble. hmm…
is that Bea’s hair in the corner?
I just ordered my pinup. A-maz-ing.
and I cant wait to read Frederick’s story! I love him!
I am so excited! >.< Now all I need to do is find my credit card and BAM! Off to the races I go. :D
Freddy’s story is so good!! So now we know Alan’s got a reputation…Love the part about the play the British put on,did you get that story from the book 1776?
Me thinks that Ben’s starting to look different but it could just be the angle of the image. So purdy. He gets an an issue cover all to himself. Can’t wait to see what happens.
Oh, just a thought, do you have plans on going international? And if you could, would you?
Ha! Nice quote on the title page there. XD
I shall be buying the short story soon. Probably very soon. I need quality reading material.
I LOVE THIS COVER! i want to see it in print too!!!! :)
Lol, I thought that title page quote was very… appropriate, lol, poor Bea! Can’t have two awesome men, now can she? =P
Love the cover!! But…who in the world is Ben?! ;D
Aw, now I’m even more excited to read the short story! I’ll have to get that later today XD
I just found your online comic and wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed it! As a lover of comics and the Revolutionary War I was excited to come across your work! I can’t wait to get your graphic novel in print! Keep up the good work!
Oh snap!! I have no idea why the cover took me by surprise, especially with the tease. Maybe its seeing him back on a cover. :P Really great looking cover. Any chance Ben plays ‘Iron Man?’ Playing offense (QB) and defense?
Time to check out that new story.
I hope FCBD is fun tomorrow, say Hi to my friend Scott Story. ;)
Voting Incentive is innnnnnnteresting. We get to see smooth-Alan Warren and present day Bea? I wonder if she’s dreaming again.
I’m glad you’re all liking the Frederick Story so far! Shout out to my friend Liz for doing an amazing job writing it! The parts Freddy narrates are SO cute, and all the stuff on Staten Island was *so* loose when I gave her the script. She totally came up with Alan & Freddy’s mini-adventure, and well, I think it makes the whole story work.
@Hannah: Yes, we now know Alan has a reputation for… being grumpy. XD And for being ridiculously obsessed with Bea. But we already knew that. :) Also, that story about Thom Knowlton & the Rangers (before they were the Rangers) is a lot of places. Is it in 1776? It’s such a wonderful story!!
@Deb: Ben probably does look different. I think my drawing style has evolved and we haven’t seen him since Issue #3. Anyway, he looks hot, so I don’t care. XD As for going international…? Do you mean the book? I checked with my editors and yes, the graphic novel should be easily available overseas! As for travel, well, HECK YES I’d go overseas if I could!
@BJ: Welcome!
@Albone: We’ll learn more about Ben’s game this issue, actually. Which… shouldn’t be a surprise with a cover like that, lol. And yeah, with a cover like that who thought we’d ever see Alan again. ;) Come back Friday to have all your mysteries revealed…! ;)
Wow, the new cover is absolutely gorgeous! That Ben is such a stud! ;)
Yup, i agree, i really think your art is really blossoming, this latest issue was beautiful!
:D
…Wow. My jaw literally dropped when I saw the new cover. Unbelievable work. Honestly just jaw droppingly beautiful cover.
On a side note, I love the proverb on the second page. Very clever allusion to what to expect with the Bea/Alan/Cato love triangle.
But again – that cover is incredible. I want to stare at it for hours. Any chance we could get a print of it (and maybe other covers) to act as posters in our rooms? lol
Looking forward to the new chapter!
Kim
oh! I’m so excited. I’m glad we’ll still see Alan. But Ben’s looking quite pretty himself. One of the reasons I lovwe this comic..
Last weekend I went to the Johnathon Trumble house, his youngest son John Trumbull (not to be confused with his brother Johnathon Trumble Jr.) Painted the Death of Warren. I did not know the artist was blind in one eye, he had a childhood accisent. I got to tuch the stairs that he fell down and even go in his room! It was so exciting, maybe you can ask them if they want a copy of the graphic novel for their gift shop?
You have no idea how much the proverb on the title page made me laugh. Bea needs to make up her mind. :P
@ Voting Incentive – Bea falls back asleep /already/? Well, I guess they’ll be more real world now anyways, since she refuses to drug herself again. xD
haha! Looks great! I love those friday night lights!
Can’t wait to see Nathan!
Wow, it looks so good! I’m so excited for Issue 7 :). Being Dreamer-deprived for two weeks has been torture! haha.
BBBBBEEEEEENNNNNN!!!! :D
I’m so confused by the voting incentive! My sister thinks that maybe Bea will still be asleep and we’ll get the story from Alan’s perspective for a while. I’m thinking . . . . ahhh, I don’t know! So, I’m super excited for the new chapter, obviously!
Ben’s looking cute in his jersey. I’m not really one for football guys but he seems to have more to him than the boys on my school’s team. Can’t wait to see what happens!
Yes! I can’t wait to see what’s in this issue! ;)
I love how you set up the stadium. And the proverb was perfect! Haha!
I loved the short story. Wow, I mean, we knew that Alan has a temper, but wow. And was that supposed to be Alexander Hamilton by the river? If it is he’s never going to get any love in the dreamer is he?
1776 in issue #7? I wasn’t expecting that, I can’t wait!
I agree, the cover and the linework preview are gorgeous! (and I’m not just talking about the subject matter =P)
Hey Lora! [Thank God I looked at your name on the board or else I would have spelled it L-A-U-R-A.}
Hey, it's me, Melody. You know, that really cute, brenntte girl who everyone thought was fifteen but was only 12 at Comic2Games place, and we talked for about half-an-hour? Yeah, that's me! I told you that i would come and check out your site, and I did. I didn't read your blog {not yet, at least} but I just thought I would come and write to you.
Anyway, hope you can reply or something. i love talking to you! {When I was diving, I kept thinking, "Wow, I really want to talk to that Lora person..."}
Btw, you were really the nicest person there. Eric was nice, but he kind of scared me, well, until he said i was really intelligant for my age. {I am pretty smart...lol.} And when he gave me that five dollar comic book for free, I thought that was really nice for him to do that. But he made me really shy to be around him. Jackie was really nice to, she seemed really shy around me though, but she was a really sweet person. She said she loved your work. Also, that bald dude at the end kind of freaked me out. he seemed really tired and his "body language" told me he really didn't want to talk. So, after three minutes with him, I kind of said goodbye and went away. That dude who sat next to you and his wife were cool, I liked them.
So, anyway, I gtg. I'd really love, {if you want to read it}, if I could share with you some of my work. I'd love to see what you would have to say. Though, if your really not up to that idea, you can just tell me. I would understand.
Well, see ya!
Love and Lollipops! {That's what I put at the end of each and every one of my texts and stuff like that. Inside joke...}
-Melody {God, I write really long messages...]
Hey, Angie, that was *not* Alexander Hamilton at the river. Green Feathers? It was these guys: [link] The young subalterns from the New York Militia who are always giving Alan grief. ;)
Hamilton used to drill with the militia before college classes at like 4 AM, lol. He loved military routine and pomp & circumstance. I don’t think he would ever have goofed off on duty! It might’ve done him some good though, to unwind from time to time…. ;)
And hi, Melody! It was lovely meeting you, too! I’m glad you had such a good time at the event. Jackie & I got to swap art talk at the end of the day when things were unwinding. She’s a super cool chick. Feel free to send me some of your work via my email address in the sidebar. Warning, I’m really backed up on emails right now, but don’t worry, I will get back it just might take awhile. :)
But wait, Hamilton is the red-head who is with them, right? I didn’t just make that up? I had thought all three of them were wearing green feathers, that was why I asked.
No! That’s never been Hamilton. Hamilton at this point in history was Captain of the Artillery for a New York Company. During the Battle of Long Island he was stationed on Manhattan. He never saw fighting that day.
Our cute friends here are entirely fictional–all three of them. :)
The story in Issue #4 where the NY Militia fires on the Rangers is totally true. But these characters I use just to show some of the problems that the Americans faced: they were ununiformed, the officers were babyfaced and inexperienced (or elderly!), there were massive communication problems between the militia and the army…. You get it. :)
Ok, so I just went into a minor frenzy trying to figure out why on earth I would have thought that he was Hamilton, ’cause I thought that I KNEW it was him but didn’t know why. Then, figured it out. This kid
http://thedreamercomic.com/?page_id=79&px=%2FIssue_4%2F17_Issue_4.jpg
and this kid
http://comic-chic.deviantart.com/art/Young-Captain-Hamilton-67726913
really aren’t the same person? Cause I thought they were. And it says in the caption thing:
“When he shows up in the pages of my webcomic, The Dreamer, it’s as this young, ambitious Captain of the Artillery. He won’t appear in the next few issues…”
And I thought that was like, he won’t appear AGAIN. Then I thought it would be ironc that the kid that annoyed Alan ended up Washington’s aide de camp…yeah
I wish I could tell you that I’m not usually this crazy over analytical. But I’ve come to accept that I am… about everything. Sorry.
And surfing the web is better than studying for finals anyway… : )
Ha ha, they do look awfully similar. ^^; Nope, Hamilton hasn’t shown up yet. You won’t miss him when he does. ;)