It’s been a little more than a week since the first copies of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS were packaged and taken to the Post Office for shipping to their intended recipient. And while that was going on, more orders started to roll in, people began receiving their copies, and the emails started arriving at my In-box full of compliments and plenty of questions regarding what’s next.
People even began sharing pictures of the contents of the packages they received, resulting in more inquiries sent my way. When’s the LARA-SU APP coming out, many wondered. (NOTE TO EVERYONE: it’s being worked on with a release date to be announced for sometime later this year.)
It’s taken me a long time to get here, but one only gets one chance to make a great first impression, and I was determined to get this right. And by all accounts, I succeeded. So much so, this one book is about to be the catalyst for more than a few future releases under the FLOATING ISLAND PRODUCTIONS MOBIAN LINE banner.
It’s necessary to take stock at this moment, because THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES could’ve fallen flat out of the gate. I could’ve misread a number of items. In the end, though, everyone who supported this project confirmed what I believed deep down.
Contrary to the naysayers, there was an audience for this project. More than that, the audience showed they could get behind a good story even if it didn’t feature Sonic and /or Knuckles. The audience also showed a genuine affection for the characters who weren’t Sonic and Knuckles.
Going further, the audience didn’t care that neither Archie, SEGA or IDW were releasing this project. This was support for the creator, and believe me, I can’t begin to tell you how many notes were written on the orders or the emails sent that expressed congratulations, support, and what I and my stories meant to so many of you while you were growing up. And yeah, I did get choked up reading all your kind words.
When I initially expressed my ambition to aim for a global audience instead of just restricting myself to the USA and Canada, again I was told I was aiming too high. But it turns out you guys are everywhere and that my audience really is global. Packages were sent to Canada, the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, France, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Ireland with now Austria about to come online shortly.
And when I marketed patches, T-shirts, prints and assorted other items, I was again told it was too soon, that I should instead wait until the book was released. But yet again, you guys were there to support my efforts, and sales are now so brisk I may either have to re-order more T-shirts or come up with a new design. Maybe both.
My goal initially was to get the LARA-SU APP released this summer at Comic-Con, but when a printing representative met with me at Comic-Con 2023, that set the ball rolling for the release of BEGINNINGS to take priority. No matter how many escape hatches I left for myself to pull the plug on this thing, it was you guys who made it clear you wanted this.
Now that the book is here, everyone’s asking “What’s next?”
For the past week or so, I’d been bouncing ideas off the wall while packaging up everyone’s order. The item highest on the priority list at this time is THE LARA-SU APP, which I’m moving forward with full steam ahead once I get past Comic-Con. The app will be key to releasing future segments of SHATTERED TOMORROWS until the story is complete. Then the entire story will be collected and released as a hardcover edition similar to BEGINNINGS.
But while I’m working on that, I have other people assisting with the assembly of (tentatively titled) SCOTT SHAW!’S SONIC TALES (although I’m leaning towards SCOTT SHAW!’S SONIC DAZE), a volume collecting all of Scott’s published work along with a few surprises. In addition, work is proceeding similarly on KEN PENDERS’ KNUCKLES OMNIBUS Vol. 1. I have a few ideas for the extra features, but I’d like to talk with the printer first to see what’s feasible without sending the price into the stratosphere at the same time.
All of the aforementioned projects will fall under what I call the FLOATING ISLAND PRODUCTIONS MOBIAN LINE. With the exception of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES, the projects I’ve just mentioned will collect and republish only previously published stories and art. There will be no new material beyond any special features that go into the creation of these stories originally. So whatever storylines featuring Sonic and Knuckles that were not resolved while under the Archie banner, those will stay unresolved. The only way possible moving forward on that front is if IDW wanted to come to some arrangement. But I’m not counting on it and I doubt it will ever happen.
Regarding seeing the material in other formats, that’s off the table for the foreseeable future. For one, I don’t have a staff at this time beyond those few individuals assisting me. For another, I don’t want to flood the market for a quick cash grab. I want the FIP MOBIAN LINE to represent a quality product which has stood the test of time.
Another front in which FIP will go beyond Archie, IDW and others who don’t pay creators any royalties for any work reprinted, FIP actually offers an advance against royalties before the material is even published. It may not be as much as I’d like to offer, but I hope to do better as FIP establishes itself in the marketplace.
Just to be clear, my goal remains nothing less than the complete restoration of the entire SONIC line of books published from 1992 through 2017, with the intent to make it a vehicle as something that provides for the creators who contributed by keeping the material perpetually in print.
At this time, I’m working with a number of those creators in order to get this effort off the ground. I’ll inform everyone what’s happening and who’s involved at the proper time. All I ask is patience and to not think I’m rude by not responding to any questions concerning FIP’s plans at this time. There’s still a lot to work out and I really don’t want to get ahead of myself.
Sales of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS have been brisk, if not consistent to say the least. Beyond selling the amount I expect to @Comic_Con, just the daily sales put me on track for a complete sellout of my initial order of copies by late August or early September at the absolute latest. At that time, I’ll probably resort to pre-orders once again to determine interest in figuring out how big the next print run should be.
In fact, pre-orders will be conducted for every FIP release to determine which projects see the light of day or not.
I’ve been currently working long hours to catch up so I’m no more than a day or two behind in sending out the orders as opposed to being a week or so behind. As it is, I’ve been popping into the Post Office just minutes before they close in order to carry in as many orders as I can.
Another item I’ve been getting a lot of questions concerns the subject of commissioned art. I’m currently wrapping up work on one with three people already waiting in line. To be honest, I’m not looking for the extra work as I have more than enough on my plate to keep me busy for the next year and beyond. I’d rather spend what free time I do have with my friends and family.
One item I won’t be engaging in public discussions concerns the copyrights of the material FIP plans on featuring in the new collections. The vast majority of people commenting clearly have never tried a case in court, think they know copyright law from what they see on Google or have my years of experience dealing with the subject. There is only one way any legal action will be resolved: with a settlement that benefits all parties involved. I have great representation and they would be the ones dealing with matters should they arise.
While racing to get everyone’s packages out, I’m also focusing on attending @Comic-Con. I’ll be situated at Table II-24 in Artists Alley during the entire event. Bernie will be out there assisting me throughout the event, with various friends and family stopping by as they usually do. I’ll have more to say about that later, but for now…
Thanks, everyone! You made all the effort I put into THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS very much worthwhile. It wouldn’t have been possible without your support.
