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on June 19, 2011
Jon Munger
Posted project update #14Map--Nearly Finished
All I have to do is finish coming up with a couple dozen place names, set the scale, and send it off to the printers.
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on June 18, 2011
Jon Munger
Posted project update #13Serial Fiction Update
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on June 16, 2011
Jon Munger
Posted project update #12Here's what's been going on
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on January 14, 2011
Jon Munger
Posted project update #11Lessons Learned
The past two months have taught me an important fact about self publishing a comic: expect delays. After a month of back and forth with the patient people at Ka-Blam Printing, I finally have comics in my hand. Actually, they're sitting in a box underneath my desk, and I'm printing out shipping labels post haste. Speaking of haste, the first draft of Book One, the little add-on that made the comic all the more crunchy, is a thing of true literary hideousness. I forgot, when I set up the rewards, that my first drafts are the inane ramblings of a RedBull buzzing ten year old. Most of the time its just snippets of dialog and arrows promising "insert cool stuff here". So you've been warned.
The pendants that Improbable Cog made for me came back all funky the first time-- 3d printing is still tricky with certain shapes, and the pendant was made mostly of those shapes. So its back to the printer with them, and another 4-6 week turnaround time. Huzzah.
Krista is sending me the signed prints, but its international postage, so who knows when those will get here. As soon as they're on my desk I'll turn them right back around and shoot them out the door.
The map-- oh, that map has been a source of grief for me all month. I put together the first one, sent it to the printers, and summarily decided that it was no good pulling some Lord of the Rings stuff off on you fine people. So back to the drawing board, and this time I'm leaning more towards Master and Commander chic, and less towards "I've been playing D&D since I was twelve, does it show?" The new map is looking splendid, and reminds me that the action in the series is taking place in a 2-inch by 2-inch section of this 17-inch map.
And last but not least, the website. I got extraordinarily lucky and found someone with the chops to set up the website. We transferred over everything, got the domain set up-- and then I went and got a job. You combine living in Seattle during the winter with an office job during crunch time, and you have a recipe for never seeing anyone ever again.
In happier news, the script on Book One is looking great. If you thought the Prologue looked neat, wait 'til you see what we have in store for you next.
Last but surely not least, let me thank each of you for your patience-- Virtuoso is a two-person team with six jobs between us, and that isn't counting the actual real life jobs we have. We haven't forgotten you all.
Cheers,
Jon Munger3 of 4View Previous Comments-
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Steve Cowling on June 11, 2011
Still waiting to hear from you.
Your update in January was welcome but now it's June.
not even A full color, 11"x17" map of the Mahanake Empire to encourage us,
so what's happening?
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on November 19, 2010
Jon Munger
commented on a projectHey everybody-- Sorry for being out of touch, but I was hunting for the best printer I could find. The books are at the printer right now, and should be shipping out on the 16th of December.
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on October 28, 2010
Jon Munger
Posted project update #10VirtuosoComic.com In transition
In the next few days, Virtuoso will be transferring to a new domain to facilitate the Virtuoso Compendium wiki. I'll let you all know when it is up and ready to go.
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on October 20, 2010
Jon Munger
Posted project update #9A status Update
I've been out of touch for a little while. I ended up losing a week of my life to dental work, which is among the worst ways to lose a week, second only to alien abduction.
So here's the big news: Krista and I were interviewed by Ay-leen the Peacemaker over at Beyond Victoriana, which you can read here.
I go on about the history of Virtuoso at length, and only touch on the open source nature of the of it. Which is me putting the cart before the horse, as usual. Speaking of the Open Source part, I'm meeting with someone this week to set up the Virtuoso wiki-- with any luck, I'll have it up an running by Halloween.Before my mouth exploded in terrible pain, I was hard at work finalizing the poster Map-- I'm sending it to the printers this weekend. Here's a tiny subsection of it. Its 17" wide, and I realized the entire story takes place in less than 2" of map space.
There's more to come, of course-- I'll keep everyone abreast of the latest developments.Take care all,
Jon Mungerp.s. Don't forget to fill out the address forms I've sent you-- otherwise I can't mail you your rewards!
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Ben McFarland on October 20, 2010
I'm not finding any address forms...where were they sent to? A message here or email? And what address would have sent them?
thanks,
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Michael Taffe on October 21, 2010
Hi Jon,
I have filled out the address form but as I live in Australia I assume we need to work out some postage charges. Please let me know what this will be and how best to pay you for it.Cheers,
Mick -
Carapace on October 22, 2010
I followed the link to the address forms, but get only the main page for this site. I can't find any personal contact info either. I don't want you thinking I've forgotten about the Empire! I just can't find where to enter my address.
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on October 1, 2010
Jon Munger
Posted project update #8Thank you all-- and what's to come
Post CommentSo we did it. Or, more accurately, you did it. I just stood and waved my pom-poms until people bribed me into stopping. This is obviously an enormous success for Krista and I. Before the past month, the status of Virtuoso was very tenuous. We'd had a publisher express interest early on and then summarily lose interest, and we were a bit in the dark as to what to do. We had a game plan from the early days of Virtuoso- setting up a wiki compendium, getting together with other artists, the whole pitch, but in the freneticism of getting the book written and drawn and published, we had too much on our plate for all of that.
We're a little older and wiser now, a touch more battle-hardened, and most importantly, we know lots of talented people, and we've seen how enthusiastic people are about this project. In the month of October, we have lots to do and you'll get to watch us do it.
First off, we're finally opening the Virtuoso Compendium, the wiki site for the world of Virtuoso. We've gotten a lot of questions about the setting-- my personal favorite is how the raptors survived the KT extinction-- and now's the chance for you to come up with the answers. The Compendium should debut within a week and a half.
For everyone who got a reward-- the comics are being revised, a new cover design is being worked up, and they will be sent off to the printers in a week. The turnaround time is between two and four weeks, and as soon as we get them, we'll send them out to you. Krista's art prints are going to come from Australia, so the delivery time will vary significantly. But don't fret, they're worth the wait.
I'm hard at work making the map and writing up the Guide to the Empire, which will be the first thing to ship. I'm also looking forward to making the scroll and scrollcase. Over on the Virtuoso site I'll be documenting the creation of it. It's gonna be pretty cool.
Oh, I also have to write the next issue in the next few weeks. So I'm going offline for a week or two and putting my nose to the grindstone.
And before I forget, Krista and I have an interview with Ay-leen that will be posted over at Beyond Victoriana , which should be up on October 17th.
Once again, thank you all.
Sincerely,
Jon Munger -
on October 1, 2010Funded!
Virtuoso - Book One by Jon Munger
Virtuoso is a comic book set in an Africa that never existed, an Open Source world powered by springs and intrigue.
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106% funded $3,095 pledged
- 67 backers
- Funded Sep 30, 2010
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on September 22, 2010
Jon Munger
Posted project update #7Amazing!
Post CommentIn the past few days you've talked, cajoled, and threatened your friends into donating, putting us into the game! But time waits for no one, and we have a long way to go. Thank you all!
Jon Munger
Jon Munger joined Kickstarter on August 22, 2010
Any news? It's been almost a year since the last update and still nothing. Anything would be good really. Even if you're not able to send any of the rewards and the project is completely dead, that news would be better than none.
Any update? What's the current status?
Any word? Anything?