The Mysterious Not-a-Sword (DD4, Chapter Two, pages 49-53*)

In which Alexandra discovers an ornate weapon, which her father assures her is—despite its appearance as a sword—not a sword. This is the second time we have seen it. What is its significance? And what could ever make Alexandra forgive her mother for what she did with her swords?

Tying into the themes of family stuff going on here, that last page includes an homage to a photograph my father took while he and my mother were honeymooning in Greece. It hung on a hallway wall in my childhood home and I passed it several times each day. Every now and then I'd stare into it and wonder where the alley went and what was on the other side of that wall and why did dad shoot down this alley and so many other questions. After putting myself there for the length of time it took to draw and colour the panel, I don't have any answers, but I do feel like I put a little of my blood into the comic. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

(* Don't worry, there aren't any missing pages. There is just no page 51. I mean, there is, but also, in a different sense, there is not. )

(Remember! Read all the finished pages using the DD4 tag!)

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Readers, riddle me this:

As I continue to put PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY (i.e. DD4) out into the world, who should I be telling about it? I need to reach out, but in which direction?

When Chapter Two goes out publicly, I will be continuing with the usual Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr/Webtoon thing to the best of my ability, hashtagging up a storm.

Who else should I be trying to reach out to? Where?

For example, would "regency" circles be into it? I always worry it's not regency enough to be regency, but maybe I'm wrong.

On the Talk Show podcast, I heard Craig Mod suggest the idea that these days, all any project needs to keep it alive is 1000 dedicated "fans." That idea feels true. Certainly, if this Patreon campaign had 1000 patrons, we'd be off to the races. I could even hire someone to help with the colour! <Swoon.>

I know there are at least 1000 people who either already love DD or would love it, if they knew about it. I'm so happy that so many of you are already here, and I love being able to make this book for you. How do I find everyone else?

If any thoughts spring immediately to mind, please share them in the comments (or message me). And thank you in advance!

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The next time you see this graph, that "coloured" bar is going to be at 100%.

It's only at 88% because I took the screenshot early in the week. All my work days this week happen towards Saturday.

This is gonna be me

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As always, thank you dear readers for helping to make this ambitious project possible.

TC