A literary question...

[DocsMachine]

For those who occasionally visit The Tinker's Guild, one of the many projects I'm working on right now is the latest TWB book. This one's going to be the biggest one yet, professionally bound, etc.

One thing I'd like to do for so momentous an occasion, is find somebody semi-famous to write a Foreword for me.

Unfortunately, I am not exactly chummy with any other "known name" webcomic authors, and I don't know of anyone in the paintball industry that actually reads the strip. I'm sure some do- I hope some do- I just don't know any.

Anyone got any suggestions? ... anyone got Dave Barry's email?

Doc.

[Number six]

As niche as paintball is, you may be more apt to run across someone in the industry that reads it. Granted, content and humor abound for every palate, but if we can say that paintball, caffiene, and tinkering are the primary mainstays/schtick, would other writers' input by default be focused more on the artwork, rather than the content? Not that that's a bad thing, but if they don't get the humor or the story, they're truly missing out.
I think paintballers and closet nerds appreciate it more fully than others, just because it's relatable on more levels. Bear in mind (no pun intended), I only read yours, anything Tigerknight, and Middle Age anymore (I blame you for that last one), but I think that the Nine to Nine cast and Melvwyn and the Woeblade could definitely relate to the cast interactions and often outre approach to canonical challenges in TWB.
Again, I don't read as many webcomics as I used to, be it for lack of updates, ends of stories, or whatever, but aside from eleven-foot snowdrifts, excessive shedding, and the occasional breaking of reality, TWB is, for whatever reason(s), probably the most relatable thing this paintball playing, airplane fixing, ex-jarhead reads.
Just my .019.

[DocsMachine]

I appreciate that. Heck, maybe I should have you do the foreword... although people might ask "Number Six? Didn't Patrick McGoohan die, like, twenty years ago?"



Would have been kind of fun to get a foreword by, like, Bud Orr or Glenn Palmer... I remember Glenn acknowledging one of my early strips wishing him a happy birthday- literally like twenty years ago - but I kind of doubt he's followed the strip since.

Doc.

[Number six]

I'm certainly a household number, if not a name!

[Painthappy]

That's a great idea and I love that it is still going after all this time. Talk about dedication. Its like the sun rising every morning. No matter how many paintball companies have started and failed over the years, TWB will still be there for you to read.

[Reflex0283]

I just started reading it a couple weeks ago, I'm all the way up to 2011!

[un2xs]

Any chance Shatner reads it? Or maybe the Big Bang Theory group?

[DocsMachine]

While I suppose it's not impossible, I have no indications. It's hard to imagine a 'celebrity' reading webcomics in his or her spare time, y'know? I mean, it's not impossible, of course- Henry Cavill is into Warhammer, and Vin Diesel is still a D&D player, after all- but, like, try to imagine Clint Eastwood reading Girl Genius each week, or Harrison Ford reading Atomic Robo.

Doc.

[Painthappy]

While I suppose it's not impossible, I have no indications. It's hard to imagine a 'celebrity' reading webcomics in his or her spare time, y'know? I mean, it's not impossible, of course- Henry Cavill is into Warhammer, and Vin Diesel is still a D&D player, after all- but, like, try to imagine Clint Eastwood reading Girl Genius each week, or Harrison Ford reading Atomic Robo.

Doc.

Find someone on Cameo to do it... You'll put the text into the forward and link to the video on your website. Win win!

[DocsMachine]

In case there's any fans here, preordering for the new book is now live!

No one I contacted (which wasn't many, honestly) got back to me, but that's all right. I have lots of fun stuff in there for the reader. Among other things, almost a dozen all-new strips not in the archives, bringing the total up to over seven hundred.

Not bad for a comic I was writing by the seat of my pants.

Order your copy and help out an aspiring airsmith/author!

Doc.

[DocsMachine]

Seventeen Boxes O' Happiness have arrived! The Books are here!



I was still waiting on a tracking number, when my buddy calls me up and says he has seventeen boxes waiting for me!

The books look great! I kind of wish I'd gone for a glossier cover, but I'll keep that in mind for the next time. Interior looks great, layout looks great, I think you'll all be very happy with it.

Shipping starts today! Thanks to all of those that participated, and thanks too to all my readers, past, present and future!

Doc.

[Drunkscriblerian]

Hey Doc, congrats on the books! I remember when the first copies of my novel showed up; opening that box was like watching a kid get born.

Also just so you know; I found out that my SO (who had never really heard anything about paintball beyond that it existed) remembers following *TWB* as a kid and teen and really enjoying it despite her near-total ignorance of our sport. According to her, you have a way of making all the paintball humor funny and accessible to people who don't play, and that's quite a talent. She ended up drifting away from webcomics in general a few years back, but she has fond memories of reading yours.

Just thought you'd like to know you have fans outside the sport.