Chapter 4: Page 28
One Vision: Page 28
NOTES FROM RANDY
Ooooooh shit, here we are. The antepenultimate page of Chapter 4. I obviously knew we’d get here eventually, but actually getting here hits a bit different. So I’m going to spend this time on my soapbox, megaphone in hand, talking about how this makes me feel.
Eww, feelings.
I know, right?
Jason and I started this comic in 2010. In case you forgot, it is now 2024 and that was 14 years ago. This story can almost drive a car here in the US. You have to expect that to make me feel something.
To take it back for a minute, I’ve over-explained a lot in my posts. I wrote you several novels of content, filled to the brim with where we got inspiration for many things including Colton’s job, the actual jacket, and even Fortescue Manor. And yet, so many of those things are in my rearview now. Because when we started this story, Jason and I were just out of high school by a few years, and just a bit away from graduating college. (Our high school by the way, inspired the LS numbering system for Lamsters. If you forget, go back to Chapter 2. The in-depth inspiration for that can be saved for another day.)
But we had completely different lives then. I coaxed Jason into making comics with me, both of us wishing for our big break. And yet, the first copy of The Jacket from 2011 SUCKED. Like, it was SO BAD. You’d know that too if you happened to be at Baltimore Comic-Con in 2011 and found our table.
I felt like I needed some Jean Ralphio to break this self-defecation party up, but seriously, it wasn’t great. I look at the art and lettering and CRINGE every time. Hell, when I look at our current Chapters 1-3, there’s plenty in there that makes me wince at the sight. I hope to eventually have the same feelings about this chapter, but right now I’m just damn proud.
Anyway, as I do (and just did) I lost sight of what we were trying to do. People who were a bit older than myself were really pushing into anthologies in comics. I wanted to edit an anthology, so I tried. I convinced Jason to make our little comics imprint, Keyhole Comics, into something more. Unfortunately, I found out something about myself at that time. Editing anthologies?
It crumbled, I hit a point of being the second most depressed I’ve ever been in my life. Then I got married, divorced, started to date again, found the person who would be my second wife, started up the new version of The Jacket while we dated, then we got married, kids, and blah blah blah. It just tumbled into place very quick. Then covid happened, I lost my job, I had just told Jason I’d start up doing The Jacket again, and I failed. You can read all about that on like page 1 of this chapter?
It took a lot of time and so much has happened in that time since we started this comic. Honestly, had we finished this a few years ago, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I had to go fail at a bunch of other comics before I felt ready to do this story again. But it feels great to finally be back, drawing Colton, Penny, Harker, and Avery.
I just turned 35 on the 19th. I was a child when I started this story with my friend. A guy I’ve known quite well since we were in the 7th grade. The one who inspired me to keep writing and drawing and reading. The guy that convinced me to read Harry Potter and Stephen King. Someone who has written some fantastic stories in his life. And I’m super proud of him and the work we’ve accomplished on this story that we started working on when WE. WERE. CHILDREN.
Tempus fugit, as is said. All of the shit that happened in our lives defined what you’re seeing and reading today. And after we hit our official 14 year mark in September, we should already be heading into Chapter 6.
You know, Chapter 6. Something I KNOW we’re going to get to eventually, but it’ll hit a bit harder and differently when we finally do.
Remember, tempus edax rerum, and it is always hungry for more.
-Randy