Alison Bechdel’s New Graphic Novel Focuses on Fitness Struggles
Fresh off the announcement of her MacArthur “genius grant” award, the first reveal of Alison Bechdel’s new work has arrived. The Secret to Superhuman Strength will, like her previous works, focus on auto-biography as Bechdel chronicles her decades-long obsession with various fitness fads and athletic hobbies through the years. Trying to keep fit and find that magical exercise that’s both fun and healthy is something lots of people struggle with, and I’m sure Bechdel will be tackling the subject with both her characteristic wit and darkness.
Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos Martin’s Digital-Only The Private Eye Brings in Six-Figure Sales, Profits
When The Private Eye debuted in 2012 with an DRM-free, pay-what-you-want production model, critics weren’t sure that the creators would be making enough profit to sustain the comic. Would comics fans actually pay for issues when they didn’t have to? Apparently they will and have done so in no small number. With the recent release of Private Eye #8, writer Brian K. Vaughn has announced that the series has brought in over 100,000 in both issues and dollars. With no publisher or middle-man to take a bite out of the sales, those profits are going directly to the creators, which is no small chunk of change. It’s great to see creators going out on a limb with a series like this and see readers not only getting the issues but actually paying for them.
Valiant Offers Awesome Humble Bundle Deal to Benefit Charity
In what may be the best deal in comics right now, Valiant Entertainment is offering a pay-what-you-want Humble Bundle that includes up to 120 issues of recent critically-acclaimed comics. The profits will go to three charities, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, the Hero Initiative dedicated to helping comic book creators in need, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF). You can know your money’s going to a good cause and get a boatload of comics to read, truly two great tastes that taste great together. The offer runs until October 1st.
