Storycomic Weekly Newsletter: July 25th
ALWAYS POSTED A WEEK EARLIER ON PATREON
🚨 Storycomic Patreon Update for Creators 🚨
If you're an author, indie comic creator, game designer, or storyteller looking for more visibility, the Storycomic Patreon is one of the easiest ways to get your work in front of a growing audience.
For just $5 a month (about the price of a cup of coffee), you get some real promotional benefits:
🎙 Front-of-the-Line Recording Access
I’m often booking podcast interviews three months in advance, but Patreon members jump to the front of the line. This is especially helpful if you have a time-sensitive launch, Kickstarter, or new release coming up.
🔗 Permanent Show Notes Promotion
Your website or project link will be included in the show notes of all interviews as long as you’re a member.
📣 Social Media Promotion
We’ll regularly help promote your projects across Storycomic’s social media channels.
And remember, the Storycomic podcast has over 30,000 downloads, so it’s a great way to get your work discovered by readers and fellow creators.
For the cost of a coffee each month, you get promotion, visibility, and priority booking.
If you’re a creative looking to grow your audience, it’s a pretty great deal.
👉 Join us on Patreon and let’s share your story with the world.
Founders Club patrons include amazing creators like:
Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, Simki Kuznick, John Holland, Maureen Devline, Benjamin Hunting, Samantha Kolber, Frank Walk, Mark Bell, Alexis E. Fajardo, and Matt & Therese.
Explore their work:
Diane Debrovner and Stacy Cervenka help readers see differently in Roxie in Color
In my newest interview, I’m joined by Diane Debrovner and Stacy Cervenka, co-authors of the middle-grade novel Roxie in Color, published by Candlewick Press.
The book follows Roxie, a seventh grader starting over at a new school. Roxie is an artist, an animal lover, and a caring friend, but too often people see only one thing: her parents are blind. At her new school, she decides not to tell anyone. She wants a chance to be known for herself before classmates reduce her to “the girl with the blind parents.”
But Roxie is also carrying another secret: she may have inherited the eye condition that caused her mother’s vision loss. As her omissions grow, the situation becomes more serious, eventually leading to a visit from Child Protective Services. Roxie must decide what it means to be honest with her friends, her parents, and herself.
In our conversation, Diane and Stacy talk about disability representation, blind parenting, guide dogs, middle-school identity, and designing a book with accessibility in mind. The novel is even typeset in Atkinson Hyperlegible, a font developed by Braille Institute for low-vision readers.
Project Update: A Little Further Every Week
Things are still slow going with Appliance, but every week I get a little bit further along. I’ve been continuing to work through the edits, revisit sections, and make small improvements wherever I can.
It may not be dramatic progress, but it’s steady—and those little steps keep adding up.
Graphic Novel Review: Spider-Man: The Other – Evolve or Die – Homework Worth Doing
After reading Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow with my daughter Jordan in preparation for the new Supergirl movie, we've apparently started a new family tradition: comic book homework before heading to the theater.
This time, our assignment was Spider-Man: The Other – Evolve or Die. With the upcoming Spider-Man movie reportedly drawing inspiration from this storyline, Jordan and I both sat down to read it before we see what makes it onto the big screen.
What I appreciated most about this graphic novel is that it isn't your typical Spider-Man story. Peter Parker is confronted with his own mortality as he learns that something is fundamentally wrong with him. Rather than simply battling another supervillain, he finds himself wrestling with questions about who he is, where his powers come from, and whether he is evolving into something entirely new.
The story takes some big swings. It leans more into mythology and transformation than most Spider-Man tales, and at times it feels almost like a science-fiction fantasy wrapped inside a superhero comic. Spider-Man literally undergoes death and rebirth during the course of the story, forcing him to emerge changed both physically and emotionally.
In many ways, it reminded me of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Both books use iconic superheroes to tell surprisingly thoughtful stories about identity, sacrifice, and personal transformation. They're less about punching bad guys and more about exploring who these characters are when they're pushed to their absolute limits.
It's also been a lot of fun sharing these stories with Jordan. She's become my comic book reading companion, and I love having an excuse to read some of the great graphic novels that have inspired upcoming films. There's something special about going into a movie already understanding the source material and then seeing what filmmakers choose to adapt.
Will the new Spider-Man movie closely follow The Other? I have no idea, and that's part of the fun. Regardless, I'm glad I gave myself this little bit of comic book homework. Spider-Man: The Other – Evolve or Die is an ambitious and entertaining Spider-Man story that isn't afraid to take Peter Parker in some unexpected directions.
Now all that's left is to grab some popcorn and see how much of it makes it to the big screen.
Personal Update: Small Wins and an Early Birthday Celebration
Besides the Canadian wildfire smoke giving us that eerie red haze in the sky this week, it was a good week filled with a lot of small wins.
On the business side, I had a nice consecutive series of little victories with client relationships for both the paper and the radio station. Sometimes it's not the big moments that keep you motivated, but rather the steady reminders that you're building something worthwhile and that people appreciate the work you're doing.
I also finally got the brakes fixed on my car, which is a very good thing considering I put about 200 miles a day on it. Having reliable transportation isn't exactly exciting, but it certainly makes life a lot easier when you're constantly on the road.
Around the house, I've continued the seemingly never-ending project of cleaning out the shed and the garage. It's one of those tasks that feels like it takes forever, but little by little, it's coming together.
The highlight of the week, though, was Saturday. Edith surprised me with an early birthday party back home in Groton. My actual birthday isn't for another couple of weeks, but it was such a wonderful surprise. Seeing so many familiar faces and spending time with people who have been a part of my life over the years was incredibly special.
Turning 50 feels like a pretty significant milestone, and while I'm not officially there just yet, this was a wonderful way to begin celebrating it. More than anything, it was a great reminder that I am loved, and that's something I certainly don't take for granted.
All in all, it was a week of small victories, meaningful moments, and plenty to be grateful for.
birthday cake!
Birthday party with friends, family and relatives