There were a few things I didn’t anticipate when I wrote the first book for The Shaolin Nun. The biggest thing was how long it has taken to get six issues created.
My buddy, Doug Wagner (of “Plastic” and “I Was A Fashion School Serial Killer” fame), kept telling me “art takes a long time", but I didn’t want to believe him. Seven years later, I finally believe him.
Because it’s not just the pencils. It’s the finishing (what we call “inks”) and the coloring for each issue. It’s a lot of work, even full-time artists, and I’m not able to pay them enough for full-time work, which means they work on it when they’re not at their day jobs. But the final look for each issue** has been worth all the time.
Most importantly it’s the climax and resolution that has been built upon since issue #1. Can Mei Yin remain a bhikshuni, or will she be forced to break her vows? For a bhikshuni —particularly a warrior bhikshuni like Mei Yin— those vows aren’t the usual vows we associate with monastics.
The First Precept of Buddhism is not killing or allowing someone to kill. For a warrior, this can be a hard choice and it’s a choice Mei Yin will have to make.
Then what follows is the dénouement of the fallout from that decision. And yes, I took a page from Tolkien and gave everyone a resolution.
Don’t worry there’s still plenty of action and drama, like this page:
I love a good action sequence. No banter, just a solid beatdown. It also demonstrates how to take down an opponent bigger than you. Hit his vulnerable spot. In this case, the throat.
Speaking of martial arts, I also explain how Mei Yin can just knock someone out by poking them in the neck. It’s part of a system called Dim Mai or, more commonly from the Cantonese, Dim Mak.
We’ve got a lot of great stuff, and a twist at the end that will hopefully make you either smile or shudder. Or both.
If you’ve already picked up issues 1-5, I don’t know why you’re sitting on your hands. Jump in and lend your support. Your bank account or credit card won’t be billed until March 4.
For those who haven’t picked up 1-5, you can get a complete set of books for $50. That includes the digital copies. Normally that would cost you $60, so you’re getting $10 off. And if you’re “trade waiting” and are just getting the digitals until then, the digital set is $25, which is $5 off.
We’ve also got an exclusive t-shirt for those who collect the Shaolin Nun t-shirts.
It’s funny, this t-shirt has already gotten more orders in three days than the last campaign’s t-shirt. My wife says it’s because the last t-shirt was red. I don’t know. I just know that when I made this design, I smiled.
And for those who want more more more, we have add-ons (including the t-shirt). A treasure box with a Mei Yin figure***, full poster set, all 6 issues (including digitals) and a meditation beads bracelet like Yu Yan and Heather were making in issue 4.
And now that we’re partnered with a publisher, you can also get the Laguna Studios Library, with over 1000 pages of content, along with issues 1-6 of The Shaolin Nun
Next up is the Life, The Universe, and Everything symposium on February 12-14, where I’m lecturing on what I’ve learned about building a comic book —”building” is an important term there.
I will also be on a couple of Theatre panels, which is interesting considering Utah has very few professional theater companies.
For my trade-waiters, there will be a trade for The Shaolin Nun: The First Precept. We’ll launch a Kickstarter for it sometime this year.
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*It’s just the end of the first story. Book Two: Samudaya has been written, I’m just waiting us to get distributed to stores before I push for the artwork. I’ve also started outlining Book Three: Hungry Ghosts [working title]. So there will be more Shaolin Nun in the future, so long as you keep buying it.
**Tiah has expressed a desire to re-draw issue #4. Now I get to decide if I want to pay for the artwork all over again.
***It’s actually an acrylic “standee” so more of a decoration than an action figure. Though I do want an action figure in the future.
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