I legit got a bit emotional inking pages of Adamsville 3 this week. It hit me that this will be the last time I draw these characters in a story like this. That ideas I first came up with 9 years ago, are finally coming to an end and becoming a reality for people to read. And it made me thankful. So I hope you’ll allow this sappy creator to say this, two months before Book 3 premieres on Webtoons in October.
Not much of how I thought all of this would pan out has come to pass. I didn’t get a publishing deal the way I hoped in the beginning. I pitched it to every major publisher I could get it out to TWICE! Each time they declined. After the first round of rejections it took me three years to finally get up the courage and determination to make it anyways. I had to work hard to make a book with no pay (like so many of my fellow creators), print it myself, and pound the pavement with it, slowly hoping it would find its audience.
And it did! I’ve visited schools numerous times where I receive letters and emails long after I’ve left, telling me just how much Adamsville has encouraged their students. Or parents who said their kids have read the books more times than they can count. And a few adults too 😉 I love that when kids are given a chance to read this series, they seem to love it. It’s why I started doing this in the first place, to create something I would loved read as a kid, and I couldn’t ask for more.
But then I got more. Last year, Webtoons offered me a featured comic spot on their platform and it began reaching a larger audience than I ever had before. Having the support of my editor, Emily Jae Young Han, David Shinok Lee and everyone else at Webtoons was certainly unexpected and so awesome. They’re doing awesome things in comics and I’m so glad I get to be a part of it. Thank you for the opportunity and believing in my comics. I hope I give you an awesome finale over the next year.
And just a final thank you to all of you guys, my friends and family who supported me in following this crazy dream I’ve had since I was in 3rd grade. When I was a kid, I dreamed of signing my own books, tabling at conventions, creating my own universes… All of that awesomeness. And it’s happened… And I couldn’t be more grateful.
And with that I’ll close. I have a page to finish inking and a story to finish writing… I’m so ready to give all you an awesome finale and can’t wait for you to see what I have coming next.
Discovering the Adamsville books this past June, I cannot believe that you have been working on them for nine years! However, the work is of such a high caliber it must have taken time to compose the artwork and the story. How anxious I am to own the final book of the trilogy. I squealed on the inside seeing the cover of the third book. Please tell me when I can purchase it. Do you think It’ll be ready by Christmas? Can I pre-order a copy? It’ll be a great present to myself.
I’m really enjoying your stuff, Michael! I appreciated you following me on Twitter. And I can’t wait to see the end of Adamsville. It’s exciting to see a creator finish a project that they’ve poured love into for so long. I look forward to seeing you pop into Jason’s live stream again soon!
Hey Jay! The book won’t be for sale until spring 2017, but it will be running online on Webtoons starting October 1st! So check it out online! So glad you’re excited for it. 🙂
You’re welcome, Nick! I’ll pop in again soon! 🙂