Q & Ages 25 & Up #7

A message from HISStank.com member Monkeywrench:

"It's time for the July Q & A!

For this months Q & A, I’ve decided to go back to the roots of our monthly session. The reason for this is simple. There has been a popular topic among many of your readers in the last few months. I thought it would be for your readers best interest to get the questions answered concerning this topic. The topic I’m referring to is the Ages 25th & Up Trade Paperback!"

Monkeywrench:
There have been talks in the last few months about a possible TPB of “Ages 25th & Up”. Is a TPB in the works?

1337W422102:
You guys asked for one, and I'd love to offer you one. The thing is, I don't want to make it half-assed. If you guys are going to pay for one, I want to make it worth your while. I mean, I want to make it something more than just a stack of print-outs stapled together, you know?

I'd like it to feature double-sized pages bound like a book, but if that's not possible due to costs, it might have to be single-sided pages spiral-bound... I hope that would be suitable for you guys. I want to offer you the best I can at a price that doesn't make it seem like I'm trying to rip you off.

Another thing to keep in mind is that I don't want it to just be a printed version of the comic. Any ol' sap with an inkjet could do that. The comics each need to be cut up and resized to be able to be printed well. Just look at something like the Plastic Gear comics [File PGS-107 holds the record of being the longest comic to date]. They're very long; no way in hell that would fit on a page!

I would have to go back to my original Photoshop documents and split up the comics into printable sizes. Depending on the comic, this might involve moving stuff around. Wouldn't want to cut off some panels or talk-bubbles!

On top of that, I want the book to have more than just the comics. I'd like if each comic could be prefaced by its entry from the upcoming Comic Archive Browser page [I'm still working on it!] with a short blurb and a list of characters in the issue. As well as stuff like an introduction, special thanks, and other stuff I'll mention later.


Monkeywrench:
If a TPB is made, how will it be set up? For example, would the 1st edition be the first 20 or 30 comics? Or would it be a collection of arcs like Breaker’s, Willow’s and PGS? Or would it be a “Best Of”?

1337W422102:
I'd like to do them chronologically, starting with the first comic and going until the end of an arc. I don't know the exact length yet, as that will be determined by the cost of printing the pages.


Monkeywrench:
If a TPB is made, will there be special features, such as the awesome sig posters that you have made for some of the story arcs? The Beard Force and Army of Plastic ones come to mind right away.

I think it would be awesome to have full page “advertisements” using your old sigs.

1337W422102:
I agree. Just the comics wouldn't be fun enough! I'd include things like the sigs, the posters for Army of Plastic and Beard Force. And after you guys see what I'm planning for the August 1st comic, you might want that stuff too!


Monkeywrench:
If a TPB is made, will the Q & As be included? I think it would be a cool edition to the TPB.

1337W422102:
Absolutely! The Q&As are one of my favourite parts of doing the comic. I love being able to interact with readers. Once I put up the Comic Archive Browser on the A25U blog, I'm going to make a Q&A Archive Browser, too. So yes, they'd find their way into the book.


Monkeywrench:
What can us readers do to help you get this project going?

1337W422102:
Right now, all I can ask you guys to do is stay interested and please, please be patient. I need to find out about the costs before I can promise anything. Then, I'll have to format all of the content to be printed, and make the new stuff for the book. After that, I'll have to work out how much it would cost to have the books made, how many of you want them, and how I'd go about shipping them to you and receiving your payments.

This will require a lot of work and time, but I will do what I can. I'd love to offer you guys a hardcover trade of the first year's worth of comics, printed double-sided on glossy photo paper, each book shipping with an exclusive figure, but unfortunately, I can't. If the best I can do is 20 comics printed single-sided and spiral-bound, I hope you guys can understand.

Thanks again for all the support and interest you've shown!

Monkeywrench closed the Q&A session with a threat, or a promise: "Next month I ask the long time readers to contribute again." Bring 'em on!

The new comic will be up by Saturday. See ya then.