Wolf's Head Launches Today on Kindle

UPDATE! I have had to make the decision (reluctantly!) to pull the series off of the Kindle platform. Why? Well, the short answer is the changes that Amazon made to ComiXology, leading to the functional end of that platform and rolling digital comics into Kindle directly, created far more problems then I realized. The big problem was discovery; on ComiXology people could the series with little to no effort. Kindle was much, much worse. Even I had a hard time finding it when I used Amazon's search options. After doing everything I could think of to fix that, I realized it simply wasn't worth the effort.

Is that the end of the digital version of the series? Nope! I decided to go a completely different route and use the awesome tools at the Internet Archive to release the series for free to everyone! Please visit the Internet Archive or just use the handy links here: https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-landing-page.html.

I'll leave the Kindle announcement below for posterity's sake, but I'll probably remove this post entirely in the not-too-distant future.

The original announcement!

I'm very pleased to announced that the digital comic book version of WOLF’S HEAD has now launched on Kindle. The link to the first issue is at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089V1DVY7

I should add that Kindle has received and approved issues 2 through 10, so I expect that subsequent issues will be released regularly. The link to the series is at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MTGCS49

What's it about? WOLF’S HEAD is the story of Lauren Greene, a young woman who quits her job as a police officer in Detroit and consequently struggles to pick up the pieces and find her place in society. After her mom makes an astounding discovery at a research facility, Lauren must fight for their lives against forces that will stop at nothing to stop them. I think the series is a great deal of fun and also contains the best writing and comic book art I've ever created.

The print editions of WOLF’S HEAD have been making their way to bookstores and comic book shops (both online and off) for awhile now, but this is the first time that WOLF’S HEAD will be available in a digital version. For those who don't know, each volume of the print version contains two issues (making each volume approximately 60 pages in length). The digital version is a single issue and that means the page count for each digital issue is approximately 25 to 30 pages in length.

There's a dedicated website for the series at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/. This site includes previews, frequently asked questions, a complete media kit, links to the print editions, and more! https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/ will also be updated in the near future with Kindle links to each issue, too.

I think that covers it! I'm very pleased to have WOLF’S HEAD out in this format. It's going to be a great deal of fun to have the series roll out on Kindle. Come with me, won't you?

Wolf's Head launches on ComiXology April 22!

Big news, folks! I'm very pleased to announce that the first issue of WOLF'S HEAD will launch on ComiXology on April 22nd, 2020! While the specific ComiXology WOLF'S HEAD link is not live yet, you can certainly keep track by visiting the Von Allan Studio ComiXology page. And, of course, I'll update links when I have them.

You can also preview the first issue of the series at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-issue-1.html. A press kit for the series can be found at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/media-kit.html.

Cross-posted from https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/2020/04/Wolfs-Head-launches-on-ComiXology.html

Revised Sample Level from Underworld & Wilderness Adventures

As many know, in the original printed version of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS volume 3 (“The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures”) Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson presented a sample dungeon level. Accompanying that example was a graphic illustration that visually demonstrated a number of these concepts. In other words, it’s an example of a dungeon map!

As Zach Howard notes, there are actually two versions of this illustration. An original (and much clearer) version that was replaced in later printings with a new version that obscured (rather than clarify) much of the examples that Gygax and Arneson used.

Honestly, neither map is perfect, though given the restraints that Tactical Studies Rules faced in 1974, I suspect it was the best the company could do at the time. That said, I thought it would be fun to use the sample map as a springboard to create both a more modern version and also clarify points that the revised version hid.

My version, first in colour and then in black and white, is below. Grab your copy of OD&D volume 3, starting on page 4, and use that to refer to my versions.

Oh, a few points of clarification: each version of the original published map are exceptionally unclear regarding section 8. Specifically, the “evil man” reference looks (at least to my eye), to inhabit section “J” – but that section does not exist in Gygax and Arneson’s printed notes. Also, the original printed version appears (again to my eye) to include dungeon hallways leading away from section “I” and disappearing both to the east and to the south. The revised printed version of the map eliminates these hallways but I’m unsatisfied with that ‘correction.’ I added them back in my version.

Anyway! These were quite enjoyable to do and hopefully you like them, too. Besides, why should Dyson Logos have all the fun?!

Postscript: I primarily do comics! If you'd like to check out my current series, WOLF'S HEAD, please visit https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/2020/03/wolfs-head-previews-and-purchase-links.html

Other Links

• Overview of my Comics: http://www.vonallan.com/p/comics.html

• Wolf’s Head (My Ongoing Comic Book Series): https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/

• Von Allan Studio Shop Page: http://www.vonallan.com/p/von-allan-studio-shop.html

• RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Von_Allan_Homepage

• Mailing List Sign-Up: https://vonallan.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=f6d06612e90503db886a31a24&id=7642c19478

Peter Honeywell Mid-Career Artist Award Nomination

Ottawa, Ontario (April 3, 2020): Von Allan, an Ottawa-based artist and comics creator, is one of the three shortlisted artists for the Peter Honeywell Mid-Career Artist Award through the Ottawa Arts Council. The award was established to recognize and encourage the achievements of Ottawa artists of all disciplines who have evolved beyond the emerging stage in their career to become recognized professional working artists contributing to the community. His fellow nominees are AM Dumouchel and Rebecca Noelle.

“In general, I try to measure my artistic achievements against my own goals and dreams,” said Allan. “In the arts and, I think, in life, the only real competition is against yourself. To push yourself. To grow stronger. To always be learning. For a long time that has been a difficult struggle for me. My learning curve and development as an artist was long and slow, with a lot of frustrating and discouraging reversals along the way. The key, at least for me, was to always keep trying to grow into the artist I imagined I could be. From that point of view, art awards are not something an artist ‘wins’ or ‘loses,’ but rather a signpost or waypoint along the journey. And I’m very pleased with this signpost!”

“Being shortlisted for the Peter Honeywell Mid-Career Artist Award is a significant step in my art career and a huge honour,” added Allan. “I’ve been aware of this award for awhile but it has always seemed out of reach. To be here now, nominated with two other amazing artists, is humbling. It’s also wonderful to be here as a comics creator. I am deeply grateful to the judges for their consideration.”

Von Allan was nominated in part for his ongoing comics project ‘Wolf’s Head.’ The story follows a newly created artificial intelligence (AI) on the run from its creators with the unexpected help of a janitor, her ex-police officer daughter, and their dog. ‘Wolf’s Head’ features Lauren Greene, a young woman who quits her job as a police officer after becoming frustrated with growing police violence. At the same time as Lauren is quitting, a secretive corporation across town has managed to create a seemingly perfect AI for war and profit; however, before the corporation can use the AI, Lauren’s mother, Patty, a janitor at the corporation, finds it. Patty is literally the kindest person the new lifeform has ever met and, as a result, it bonds to her, rejects its purpose and creators, and orchestrates a huge accident to cover an escape. Patty, overwhelmed, asks her daughter Lauren for help. Despite being broke and a bit lost herself, Lauren agrees to help, setting the stage for the story that follows: two humans, an AI, and a dog versus a warmongering corporation.

About Von Allan: Von Allan was born red-headed and freckled in Arnprior, Ontario, just in time for “Star Wars: A New Hope.” The single child of two loving but troubled parents, Von split most of his childhood between their two homes. Additional information about Von Allan can be found at https://www.vonallan.com/.

Von was featured in the documentary film “I Am Still Your Child” (http://iamstillyourchild.com/) and was the recipient of the Corel Endowment Fund for the Arts Award in 2014 and the CBCTrailblazer Award in 2019.

About The Peter Honeywell Mid-Career Artist Award: The Peter Honeywell Mid-Career Artist Award, which was renamed in 2019 to honour the legacy of the long-time Council Executive Director. This award is sponsored by GGFL, Chartered Accountants, and Mann Lawyers LLP. The recipient will receive a $5,000 award; two other finalists will receive $1,000 awards. More information about the award can be found at https://ottawaartscouncil.ca/en/council-news/peter-honeywell-mid-career-artist-award.

The Ottawa Arts Council will announce the Peter Honeywell Mid-Career Artist Award recipient at 11 am on April 8, 2020.

About the Ottawa Arts Council: The Ottawa Arts Council is an arts umbrella organization founded in 1982, following a recommendation by the City of Ottawa Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Arts. For over thirty years, the Council has represented the interests of Ottawa artists and collaborates with numerous partners to strengthen the Ottawa arts community.

The Ottawa Arts Council is recognized as a respected, trusted and representative organization. The Ottawa Arts Council's partners include various levels of government and their agencies, businesses, patrons, donors, arts organizations and individual artists. More information about the Ottawa Arts Council can be found at https://ottawaartscouncil.ca/en.

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Share the Love

As everyone knows, these are difficult times. COVID-19 has spread like wildfire and, here in North America, we're most likely only in the initial stages. The death toll has been shocking; coming to grips with that is not easy to do. And, of course, the knock on effects throughout all of our lives has been shocking (not to shocking if you happen to have lived in the global south, something that writers like Vijay Prashad have articulated so well).

The economic effects will also take some time to sort out. In the short term, COVID-19 has led to layoffs and unemployment insurance claims in the United States we have never seen (as Doug Henwood details here). A similar situation exists here in Canada.

Comic books have not been spared. Not only are comic shops and book stores closed in much of North America, but Diamond Comic Distributors stopped shipping comics and graphic novels to retailers. Worse (as Calvin Reid reported in Publishers Weekly), Diamond has also halted payments to publishers. This might (I stress might) be catastrophic both for publishers and the creators they employ.

I have had a difficult relationship with Diamond over the past few years. Without going into details, this is partially why WOLF'S HEAD has appeared in so few comic book shops. The good news for both me and Von Allan Studio is that it means that we're not affected by Diamond's recent moves. The bad news is that we've seen the same shrinkage in sales that many others in comics have been seeing.

For the immediate future, I'm scrambling to get WOLF'S HEAD into ComiXology as fast as the process allows. Hopefully there will be good news on this front in the not too distant future. I'm also considering serializing WOLF'S HEAD as a free webcomic (and if you happen to have any thoughts on that, please do let me know). In the meantime, physical copies of WOLF'S HEAD are still available in the usual places throughout the world (Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Chapters/Indigo | Waterstones | Abebooks | and so on). If you are in a position to support the series financially, please consider buying some copies (either for you or for you and for folks you think will like it). If you aren't, please consider "boosting the signal" on social media (here are Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook links).

Please do take care of both yourself, your loved ones, and (maybe especially) strangers in your community.

Lastly, I tend to default to reading through difficult times. Especially poetry, but usually poetry that is usually at least one thousand years old. I find comfort in the fact that these poets, my fellow human beings who died hundreds of years before I was born, shared so many of the same joys and sorrows that I do. That you do.

I'll end this post with one poem that I love:

WINTER NIGHT FAREWELL
by Chia Tao (779-843), translated by Mike O'Connor

At first light, you ride
swiftly over the village bridge;

Plum blossoms fall
on the stream and unmelted snow.

With the days short and the weather cold,
it's sad to see a guest depart;

The Ch'u Mountains are boundless,
and the road, remote.

(from THE CLOUDS SHOULD KNOW ME BY NOW, edited by Red Pine and Mike O'Connor, published by Wisdom Publications).

Crossposted to https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/