After months of the novel flitting around publishing purgatory, I’ve decided I can’t let this little world of magicians languish any longer. The strip is back in production and by production I mean I’ve written up a weekly schedule for myself to keep it on track. So Savachia’s story will continue and new stories (in webcomic format) will begin. I’m also back to work on the novel because I want to tell the story regardless of what or where it ends up. And it could very well end up here as an ebook. Which is fine and great by me as truthfully, rarely do so many of my passions come together in one make believe world and it’s not one I’m willing to let slide into the abyss of  ”Oh I remember that idea”.

The next page, with all that said, will be up in the next few weeks. I’m working on three pages at a time which will also help keep me on track. And also on the long list of “hopes”, I’d love to bring other artists on board to explore the other storylines that lead up to and around the novel. First things first. Gotta get this little seedling sprouting again before worrying about how many flowers it will foster.

The good news is that talks for the novel are moving forward. Also at an intensely slow pace, however that’s due to what myself and my editor are trying to do. Which is something completely different. And when you try to do something completely different you don’t know exactly what it is you’re trying to do util you figure it out. And we’re close to figuring it out. And during the time away from producing pages for the webcomic, I’ve re-thought the art a bit and will take the upcoming pages in a slightly different direction. I’m enjoying the techniques I’m using, and I’ll keep using those. The changes will come in the form of a more realized style for the drawings. Which, if you flip back through the comic so far, you can tell the base layer of art (i.e. the pencils) wander a bit between comic book style and cartoony. I’m zeroing in on a set look.

Thanks to all who have come along this far and the comic will return soon.

And, again, the interiors of the shop are fairly close to the store I based it on, except of course for the secret door. In the real shop, there is a door in that location that opens into a mini parlor complete with a stage. Always loved that about the shop so I took some liberties with it in the strip. And I am certainly taking liberties with the things that room contains. You’ll just have to wait a bit for that.

Oh and a note on the “Blaine Package”. I personally don’t prescribe to that way of thinking, which is that David did tricks anyone could pick up at a shop and perform. Just borrowed that sentiment for Tenyo.

Won’t bore you with a magic lecture. Suffice it to say that the methods don’t matter. The reaction and effect it has on the spectator is what counts. Posting this now before I jog off into a rant.

There’s two other intriguing aspects to the real life magic store and both will play a roll in the comic. So, as you can guess, I’m not going to tell you now.

And yes, this shop is based on a real magic store. I used to live right down the street. And it’s a magician’s magic store. By that I mean, unless you’re a magician, you would never know it existed. Yet a parade of who’s who in the magic world parade through the closet sized store whenever they’re in town.

A little side story for my magician pals: One Saturday at the shop I got to spend the afternoon browsing through and trying out a box of spirit slates and such with Eugene Burger. Now that’s a real magic shop!

Would love to here what you think so far in the blank little comment section below, or on twitter, or facebook, or G+ or…right, too much socializing might be a bad thing. Please just drop a note below.

Oh, and how many magic/magician allusions have you picked up on?

Click here to read the Marely Fish Webcomic

Speaking of the art, I’ll take some pics of the process for the next page. Experimenting as I go, but I have a relatively simple process so far. It’s a messy process which is as I intended. And I need to fill out more of the site. Some pieces on magic and my research for the novel.

Any magicians reading? Bet you recognized one at least one of the names I’ve slipped in so far huh?

Oh, and see those to gents escorting Mac in the last panel? Look familiar? Have a browse back through the archives. I’ve posted some images of them before. They come up a lot in the novel. It’s a lot of fun building something that is interwoven from one end to the other. A bit like building a puzzle from the inside out. Won’t really get to piece together the edges until the first novel comes out.

In the meantime, if you want a complete story to read (or to read to someone), my new picture book came out last week. It’s dark too, so if you like this art I think you’ll love “The Prince’s New Pet“:

The Prince’s New Pet

And thanks to all the early readers and the word spreading on twitter and such. I’m holding off on any kind of marketing until I have a stable full of pages. So the fact that you’re reading this right now means a ton.

And, as this arc is obviously named “Savachia’s Tale”, this first chapter of comics will follow the young street magician right up to his journey to the Conjurian. Which is to say this first story leads right into the first prose novel.

Once a week is not much of an updating schedule, but between cranking out another daily strip and a couple other book projects, it’s about all I can swing…for now. Rest assured, this first arc is plotted and revised so I know where we’re going. And there will be twists. Not everything is as it appears. This is the world of magicians after all.