What's Next?!

DO NOT FORGET THAT THERE WILL BE A DRAMATIC PRICE CHANGE - think double -  ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 1st... (BUT DON'T WORRY, THE TIER THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN WON'T GO UP IN PRICE - I'LL CREATE NEW TIERS)

#1 - My NUMBER ONE PRIORITY right now is to get this comic converted into a print-format. And that isn't exactly easy when you have such a long, vertical, stretched-out webcomic, but hey, this is my skill as a graphic designer. I could easily send my files to a publisher and they could put a team of designers to work on this process, but... really? This is my baby. Also, I'm pretty confident that you would rather have "Joe's Version" than, let's say, a corporate-handling of my content produced by Random House Publishing. And you never know, that still may happen later. But you Patrons are going to get MY VERSION.

I quit my job just to do this and was able to practice this "reformatting" while producing the final 10 chapters (see above image) and now that the chapters are finished I can spend ALL my energy on this. I'm hoping I can bang it out in the next 3 months. I fully understand that many people have been waiting for YEARS to hold this book in their hand. Please know that I'm completely dedicated to making that a reality ASAP!!!

#2 - Expect the final "Epilogue" installment in October. And guess what, you guys can help me write it! Let me know (in this comment section):

• Some of the characters you are interested in hearing a final word about. I probably won't be able to do every suggestion, but I'm already contacting many of them as we speak and I'll do my best to give some (consensual) life updates.
• Any loose ends, even random ones, that you are interested in. I kind of wrote this thing in a "stream of consciousness" state so I'm sure I left a lot of things open, unexplained, or maybe just forgot to close the loop. For example, I read a comment where someone mentioned that I kind of glossed over the few times that I came back to the US during adulthood and stayed with my parents. They wanted to know more about the relationship we had during those times. Again, I won't be able to address every question/comment (even the good ones!) but I'll do my best to answer everything I can fit into the Epilogue.
• Any parts of the actual PROCESS you are interested in: my process for putting the chapters together, the programs I used to make the art, how I got myself emotionally ready to write chapters, stuff like that.

#3 - This is a BIG ONE. So yeah, I know I've said a few times that when this is over I'm not going to write anything else because... I'm didn't really see myself as a writer, more of an artistic REMEMBER-ER. I thought that finishing Chapter 100 would be some kind of "finish line" moment and that I'd be so happy this was over. But... when I got there I realized that I had found this amazing, for-lack-of-a-better-word: faucet, and that my love for the process of making chapters was still just as strong as ever. So why turn off that faucet if the water is still easily and freely pouring out? So yeah, here's what I'm thinking:

• I've got a handful of travel stories that never made it into the chapters for whatever reason. Like the time I randomly ended up as a judge at the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam. Or the time I wandered into the wrong bar in Istanbul and almost got my organs harvested. I definitely want to share them and they can exist as "satellite" chapters that are self-contained.
• I've got a couple stories that are so unbelievable, and sound so made-up, that I thought adding them would be counter-productive. And I'm sure you know that based on what I did add, that those must be fucking mental. They are.
• Okay so hear me out on this one: Elan was a weird fucking place and I heard plenty of weird stories from older residents (even Ron) and also personally witnessed some paranormal things that I still have no explanation for. Like the last point, I didn't really want to muddy my story by adding "ghost stories" to it. But things that made no sense DID HAPPEN, and the Elan campus had a very long and shady history of bad energy in the walls. I think there are people who are open-minded enough to want to hear a few of these stories.
• I'm in touch with various ex-Elan residents who were there in the 1970's - 80's, essentially when Elan was at its wildest and had ZERO regulation. I think it is important for some of those stories to be told and I can collaborate with these old heads and create some chapters based on their accounts. When I first made Chapter 18: Back in the Day, I actually thought about having "flashbacks" to these older times throughout the Elan chapters. That didn't happen obviously, but the thought never left my mind. I'd also love to go back to that "sketchy" style and explore it again as an artist.

So long story short: I have more chapters in me (could be 5 more, could be 30 more). I could also compile these into something like "Joe vs Elan School: The Lost Chapters". My plan is to post each one as I create it and make them only available for current (or maybe even former) Patreon subscribers. So yeah... and this isn't some kind of scheme to keep you guys here, it's more like I genuinely would love to keep going because why stop when the water is still flowing?

#4 - Money. I've said many times that it only takes being in a tier for 1 month to get the benefit. So yes, if you signed up for the book tier - payed it - and then immediately cancelled your Patreon account, no worries, you're getting a book, that's how I wanted it!

But that being said, it certainly isn't fair to give the same thing to a person who subscribed for 1 month versus someone who stayed in the same tier for 10 months. So also understand that the longer you stay (as a Patron - in any tier), the more you are going to get. So for example, if you've just signed up for the book tier this month - you get a book. If you stick around in that tier for another month, you're also going to get some cool stickers, magnets, etc... Stick around for another couple months and you will probably see a SIGNED book when it arrives. I also have a ton of premium stuff for the people who were here for a LONG TIME (even at a low tier), and some SUPER premium stuff for the people who rank at the top of the giving spectrum. At some point, maybe when I'm a month away from sending out your books/packages, I'm going to let everyone know that their totals are being added up. After that cut-off point, I will rewrite the tiers with new cool benefits and everyone will get a heads-up so they can decide if they want to upgrade/downgrade/leave.

Please understand that nobody has any obligation to keep giving me money!!! I will never think less of a person for downgrading or leaving. Quite the opposite, every dollar I've been given I am so incredibly thankful for!!!

#5 - One last thing. So... I've been contacted by quite a few movie and television producers/studios. To be honest, I've ignored them as much as I've ignored everyone else (not because I'm rude but just because I've been so busy getting to Chapter 100). My wife (Sofi) thinks I am crazy to ignore these people and she started compiling those emails and sending out a generic "Joe is interested and will message you when he's finished Chapter 100" email. Hahahaha.

You know, I don't trust Hollywood or that industry AT ALL, and since my goal for this was never money, I really feel no need to rush into anything. The way I see it: if they decide to blatantly rip-off my story that will only drive my traffic to the website. I also know that there is a huge writer's strike and I plan to honor that because I see writers the same way I see artists, we are all EXPRESSIONIST. So I certainly have no plans to do anything until my fellow expressionists are given a fair shake.

But that certainly doesn't mean I'm not super excited about helping THE RIGHT PEOPLE turn this webcomic into something bigger that can reach even more people. Because THAT was always the goal: exposing these "Troubled Teen Industry" vampires to the light. And thanks to you Patrons and every single dollar you supported me with, that goal has already become a reality in ways I could have never dreamed of. Anyways, expect more updates soon, my goal is have you all with me throughout this process and hopefully you can also help me out, and live it - through me- as I go down the next part of this crazy rollercoaster.

So let me finish how I started:
THANK YOU with ALL my heart and with ALL the blessings of The Great Energy!

- Joe