Issue 31: Comic WIP Sneak Peek and NIF Events
A sneak look at my latest comic in progress, BURDEN, along with details about the Nib + Ink Fest 2025 events I'll be in!
Please note!! Today’s In Studio section contains illustrated labor and full nudity (plus some lambs being born), so if that’s not for you, you may want to skip that section!
Hello hello, friends and good folk!
I hope this newsletter finds you allergy-free and enjoying the sunshine as spring finally seems to be here in the Northern Hemisphere!
April has so far been a complete blur between final NIF preparations, critique groups, events, and working on my comic and my website, and I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way lol. I’m looking forward to weekends off again soon, but the trade off of working with such fun and spirited people is totally worth it!
2025 SURVEY
Final call for the 2025 Survey!! I’ll be closing the form at the beginning of May, so if you have any thoughts you’d like to share with me, now’s your chance! Filling out the survey helps me know what you’d like to see from this newsletter, as well as my work overall, and I appreciate you taking the time to let me know your thoughts!
Thanks in advance! 💖
IN THE STUDIO
I’ve been very happily working away at my comic Burden these last couple weeks. It’s been super motivating to be part of the critique groups and surrounded by my fellow cartoonists all working on their own pieces. It’s also very nice to have more time for art again after using the first quarter of 2025 to lay the foundation for so many Co-op plans.
If I haven’t shared it here yet, here’s the jacket copy (also a work in progress) I have for this 20-page mini comic:
“Villagers are shocked when a local woman gives birth to a lamb. Despite all their misgivings, they care for the lamb at all hours of the day and night. The unnaturally still and silent lamb’s gaze follows the humans’ every movement as their anger begins to simmer….
Is this unsettling creature a curse from the rumored devil in the woods? Or is something more sinister happening?"
Here are a couple of sneak peeks: the first one is a study of lambs and of sheep giving birth.
And the next one is the pencils for page one of a woman giving birth. The character design isn’t settled yet, but I was too eager to get started on the pencils before I set my mind about that 😂 I really enjoyed carrying the lettering of the yell all down and throughout the page! I’m looking forward to refining that in the inks stage.
I’ve been having a good time working on this lately— slowing down to enjoy the process and to more thoroughly explore the things I want to share in this world has been really fulfilling. One of the things I’ve especially appreciated is the feedback I’ve been getting from my critique groups, which has been super validating and encouraging.
Here are some things folks in my critique groups have said about my work in these groups so far:
“Gutted by this story, holy crap.“
“I fucking love this comic so much.“
“This story is so important. People need to read it.“
And now you know why I’m floating on cloud nine with this comic!! The subject matter is one that’s very close to my heart, and I truly can’t wait to present it in its final form to you all when I finish.
APRIL EVENTS + ONGOINGS
We’re wrapping up the final preparations for the first annual Nib + Ink Fest 2025 starting in just two weeks!!
As one of the organizers who has had the privilege of putting this together, I can tell you it’s gonna be a lot of fun! We’ve got some really cool events scheduled for all five weekends in May, comics that will be up in our Marketplace, a free Sampler of webcomics for folks to check out, and our fundraising zine called Oops All Comics!, full of new mini comics from our members just for this project!
I have the honor of being part of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies (May 1 and May 31, respectively), as well as contributing an event with four of my fellow Co-op members, all of whom are stellar cartoonists!
The event I’m moderating is called Beginning to End: A Creative Process Conversation, with panelists Ashanti Fortson, Jasmine Walls, Kody Okamoto, and Blue Delliquanti on May 24 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 5 PM GMT. I’m still tickled pink that all these wonderful panelists agreed to talk with me about the way they work— one of the coolest parts of being in the Co-op is talking with so many amazing creators!
Graphic Design by Toby | @astrovvitch
I’ll be sure to share reminders here as we get closer, and I hope you’ll come listen our conversation later in next month! Even if you don’t make or read a lot of comics, I can promise you there’s a really interesting conversation in store for you from four incredible artists.
SIGN UP FOR THE NIF MAILING LIST! —>
WEBSITE MAINTENANCE
The website redesign is coming along! I believe I’ll have it back up and running by the end of the month, and as much as I’m enjoying tinkering with all the settings to make it look juuuuust the way I want it, I’m ready to put that energy into my art once it’s done.
I’m very pleased with how it’s turning out so far, and I can’t wait to share the results with y’all!
RECENT READS + FAVORITES
I’m still putting together the website, including the Recent Reads posts, so for now, here are the two comics I read recently— both of them by Co-op members!
Keeping Time (content note: The screen includes flashing lights in the header of the website!)
And here are some of my favorite things from the past few weeks:
Watching: Night Raiders (2021) and Squid Game (2021-2025)
Reading: Co-op members’ critique pieces!
Doing: Setting up the final pieces of my studio space’s reorganization
How about you? What have been some of your favorite things lately?
Hope this week is kind to you 💖 Thanks for reading!
