Small Press Interview

Dec09
by on 9 December 2019

Ben Schwartz is the proprietor of a favorite local comic shop in Sacramento, Empire’s Comics Vault. What’s nice about Ben––and, to be fair, this is the case of all of the Sacramento comic shop owners I’ve met––is that not only does he love comics from the Big Two (Marvel, DC) and is enthusiastic about indie stuff from the likes of Image Comics and Dark Horse but he’s incredibly supportive of the local comicking scene.

It’s his shop whose annual Free Comic Book Day Mini-Con event I eagerly anticipate every year, mostly because he amasses such a large gathering of local comic artists for the show. We show up because he cares.

D. Bethel interviewed by Ben Schwartz back in 2017 for Free Comic Book Day.

What’s less known is that the shop also houses––in a secure compound underneath the shop, surely––his own publishing imprint called Continuum Comics. In 2007, Ben started creating an interconnected continuity of characters and stories that continues to this day.

So, with his interest and history in small press publishing, he’s starting up a podcast interviewing local creators about small press life, giving advice that is focused and fast so that the listener can get some good advice in under 10 minutes.

As a webcomicker, he asked me on to talk about getting an online comic started and what would be some advice to get someone over the hump from being nervous and uninformed to being slightly less nervous and more informed.

D. Bethel being interviewed by Tony Asaro (host of Empire’s Comics official comics culture podcast, Cracking the Vault) for Free Comic Book Day in 2018. Source: Facebook.com/EmpiresComics

So, check it out below! I’d love to hear your feedback or to start a conversation. If you want to talk about making comics at all––whether as an interview or as a creator getting started––feel free to email me at longjohncomic@gmail.com. I’ll gladly take a look!

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Happy Blarble Day

Nov29
by on 29 November 2019

For those living stateside, Thursday was Thanksgiving Day, a holiday that has hazy roots in history but for me, as a humanistic skeptic, I appreciate what the holiday has become––a celebration of togetherness and the joy of company.

And lots of food, of course.

I live on the eastern end of Sacramento, next to the American River and it is on the river’s shores and levees that I spend a lot of time. One thing I learned shortly after moving there was how many wild turkeys occupied the area––roving hordes wander over the levees and storm the neighborhoods like bored teenagers. So, I’ve unwittingly become quite familiar with these bizarre animals over the years. So common are turkeys that while walking with my dog on the levee one day he happened upon a shed turkey feather and decided to walk with it in his mouth all the way home:

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by D. Bethel (@dbethelcomics) on

So, when I happened upon the idea of this drawing, I’ll admit that I was most excited about drawing one of these goofy birds. However, at the end, I think the part of it I’m most proud of is the onomatopoeia I came up with for the turkey. “Blarble” is my new motto.

Happy Blarble Day.

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3-Book Bundle Restocked!

Nov20
by on 20 November 2019
Available for purchase now at the official Etsy store.

After a few months of being out of stock––and after the Reno Pop Culture Con––I am happy to announce that the $20 3-Book Bundle is back on the Etsy store for purchase.

Just to remind you what this includes, it’s the first three chapters (“Sunza”, “Bird’s Eye”, and “Making Smoke”) that make up the first story arc of Long John. So, even though Volume 4: “Dead Words” is right around the corner, this bundle does give you a beginning, middle, and end of a story while leaving a lot of questions open and, perhaps, even asking a few more.

Additionally, Volume 2: Bird’s Eye was out of stock for awhile but that, too, is available for purchase individually at $8 plus $3 shipping.

For $20 and $3 shipping, you get three books (signed) PLUS a custom Long John sketch AND a Long John coaster!

Just to remind you that every transaction through the Etsy store comes with a custom Long John sketch on a comic book backing board and a custom drink coaster, so there’s more value for the purchase than just the book, so it’s totally worth it if you have been wanting to support the comic and the upcoming fourth volume: “Dead Words”! Buy now to get caught up and thanks for your support!

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