#The Bridgebuilders Creed

[thecomicon]

Review Round Up: This Week's Comic Book Reviews

Review Round Up: This Week’s Comic Book Reviews

Rounding up all the comic book reviews for new comics that came out this past week. Of course, you’ll catch a good few more reviews to come after the weekend, as well as the odd advance review too, but stick around now you’re here and check out what our reviewers thought about the most recent new releases. I got to review Future State: Wonder Woman #2 here and while I enjoyed it, it wasn’t as…

[shawn-daley]

Lots of people have told me to upload my chiptune music to Spotify, so here you go! I’ve uploaded 40 tracks divided into four albums, each based off one of the graphic novels I’ve written and/or drawn. Happy listening.

[torontocomicsanthology]

Shawn Daley on Nature, Music, and Comics

The Toronto Comics Anthology has always been an ongoing platform to showcase veteran as well as up-and-coming creators. In addition to featuring work from unpublished writers and artists in our fourth volume (now on Kickstarter), we conducted a series of short interviews to share helpful tips and insights with new creators.

What's the best piece of advice you ever got (comics-wise)?

Shawn: The best advice I've heard came from a book called Ignore Everybody by Hugh MacLeod, and it's essentially just that: ignore everybody. Not so much in the literal sense, of course, but rather focusing your creative energy through a pinhole lens, and simply telling the stories you want to tell and the way you want to tell them. Feedback and support can be an invaluable aspect of any creative process though, so like in all things, you've got to find a balance between the two. Learn where and when the feedback of others can contribute to your story, along with where and when it might do the opposite. But at the end of the day, tell the stories you want to read. If other people want to read them, that's just a bonus.

At the start of my career, it would have been helpful if I knew of Jack Hamm and his art books. Some of the best reading for beginners and experts.

What are you working on now?

Shawn: Along with Toronto Comics, I've got a new TerraQuill graphic novel in the works called The Bridgebuilder's Creed. It's a followup to TerraQuill Collected, and used the world (and maybe a few characters) established in those short stories. A lonely old bridge builder sets out across a war-ravaged province to rebuild his life, and the land he helped settle, without the support of his friends and family lost in the war. The first part of the story can be read here, and the second part is out in March.

I'm drawing a crime noir novella which will be three short stories starring a washed-up old gumshoe, the second of which is in production right now. We should have a title for that shortly. I've just finished the first couple issues of a kung-fu story starring a leash-baby (aptly titled Leash Baby Kung-Fu) who just happens to be a martial arts prodigy. Finally, I'll be drawing Samurai Grandpa, which is about an old samurai coming out of retirement to avenge his son's murder. It's a 125+ page story, and it'll be out in a few months. Myself and the co-creator, Eastin DeVerna, completed a successful Kickstarter for the project late last year. The pages are painted with watercolours too, which is always fun.

What about the city inspires you? Or shapes your writing/art?

Shawn: Toronto has some of the busiest, loudest streets in Canada. But conversely, it's not hard to find a remote and silent trail just by following one of those streets. There's so much flora and fauna in this city, and I seem to discover more every month even after ten years of living here. From High Park in the west end, to the Taylor Creek Trail out in the east end, there are so many more pockets of nature spread across the city. It's easy to find inspiration in places like those, because all you need to do is look around you. I can't count how many hours I've spent walking down the Lower Don trail, finding little spots to write and listen to the river. Plus you get to hang out with squirrels and who doesn't like that?

What was the hardest thing about getting into comics?

Shawn: The biggest challenge was the schedule. I worked in the recording industry for close to seven years, so long days and long nights weren't the issue. It's more the little things -- remembering to eat (and eating well), getting proper rest, exercising and stretching, maintaining good back posture, and protecting your eyes. I have to schedule those things and even set alarms for some of them, or I might forget to do them. That's how engrossing the work can be. I don't think I did any of those things during my time in recording studios, so learning them was a challenge. It's the little things that sneak up on you. I guess I'm pretty fortunate that the hardest things about getting into comics were the little things!

Are there genres or themes that you’d like to see explored more in comics?

Shawn: Jeff Lemire and Gord Downie released Secret Path last year, and it was a perfect marriage of music and comics. I'd like to see that explored more. Music and comics are challenging mediums to combine, and rely heavily on the listener's / reader's internal pacing. It requires more vigilance from the consumer, but it's an experience unattainable through the respective independent mediums. So, more of that!

For more from Shawn, find him on Twitter, Instagram, or at his website.

If you enjoyed this interview, please consider supporting independent comic creators in the Toronto Comics Anthology: Yonge at Heart, on Kickstarter until March 30th.

[thecomicon]

Review: 'The Bridgebuilder's Creed' Is As Beautiful As It Is Poignant

Review: ‘The Bridgebuilder’s Creed’ Is As Beautiful As It Is Poignant

What do you do when the world changes around you and you’re not prepared? Yodel has spent his life building bridges. He uses his hands and heart to create these wondrous structures that literally bring people together. After losing his family and his fellow bridgebuilders, Yodel loses his career as some strange bugs show up, building a sturdy bridge in one day. He’s determined to find out what’s…

[shawn-daley]

Stretch Goal Three!

So we’re moving towards stretch goal three for The Bridgebuilder’s Creed, and if we can hit it, everyone gets bookmarks. Here’s the design! One random backer gets the original watercolour art, as well. You can check out the book right here if you’re interested in scooping up a copy.

[shawn-daley]

Pages, anyone?

Alright, just uploaded the final batch of Bridgebuilder's Creed pages that'll be available for purchase. Let me know if you'd like a link to the gallery! They're all on 11x17 watercolour board with ink and blue pencil.

[shawn-daley]

The Bridgebuilder’s Creed Kickstarter

Finally! This Friday, February 5th at 11am EST, I’m hitting the launch button on the Kickstarter campaign for The Bridgebuilder’s Creed. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time now, and I’m pumped to get the ball rolling. The pre-launch page is available right here.

It’s a 170+ page black and white graphic novel, and it follows the life of the last bridge builder in TerraQuill. Living in the shadow of war, he travels across the continent in an effort to rebuild not just the land, but his life, after losing everything.

Rewards include original pages, commissions, and even the brushes and pens I used to ink the book. Each page has been drawn and lettered, so I just need to fund the print cost, and I can send it right to the printer. There’s no wait time to complete the book, since it’s already done.

See you Friday at 11am EST!

[shawn-daley]

Toronto ComiCon 2022

I’ll be at P19 all weekend for Toronto ComiCon! I’ll have Bridgebuilder’s Creed books, and Better Place Writer Duane Murray will be popping by with Better Place books and hello’s. I’ve been posting more over on Patreon, so feel free to check out more behind the scenes posts and artwork over that way if you’re looking!

[shawn-daley]

The Bridgebuilder’s Creed is live on Kickstarter!

It’s up! It’s been less than a half hour and it’s already half funded. Just wild! You can back the campaign and scoop up a book right here. There are still a number of original art reward tiers available too. 

[shawn-daley]

My next graphic novel, The Bridgebuilder’s Creed, is hitting Kickstarter on February 5th! It’s a 170+ page black and white graphic novel, and it’s already drawn and complete. Hopefully we can crowdfund a printing of the book, as I’m super pumped to get this one into hands and on to shelves.

Here’s a Kickstarter pre-launch page, for anyone who wants to be notified on launch. It’ll be live at 12pm EST on February 5th.

Rewards will include commissions in ink and watercolour, as well as original pages from the book, and even some of the original brushes and materials that went into making the book.

[shawn-daley]

The next book, The Bridgebuilder’s Creed, is done! I’ll be Kickstarting the 170+ page graphic novel in February. More info soon!