Footprints in USA Today

Yeah, you read that right. USA Today did a feature on Footprints that includes an exclusive sneak peek at Footprints #2 and a lengthy interview with me. Huge thanks to Brian Truitt and his continued support of independent comics. Please check out the feature and read the preview. I’ve put an excerpt below. Also, tell everyone you know.

As a comics journalist, Esposito knows a lot about the positives and negatives of the industry. He realizes that a black-and-white comic like Footprints is a hard sell, it might take more than one issue to sell people on it and they might unjustifiably compare it to other properties. Not to mention the fact that Diamonds Comics, the largest comic-book distributor in North America, will only carry Footprints trade paperbacks and not single issues.

“But it’s the comic I wanted to make, so I did,” Esposito says. “It’s all about the learning experience. I love Footprints and I’m proud of what we’re doing, but I can’t wait to take what I’ve learned about the medium and the industry and apply it to the next book.”

Check out the full interview, and don’t forget that we’re having an epic party for Footprints at Meltdown Comics this Saturday night at 7PM in LA!

Footprints Party at Meltdown Comics

If you live in the Los Angeles area, I’ve got some exciting news for you. Courtesy of the fine folks at Comikaze Expo and Meltdown Comics, there will be a FOOTPRINTS blowout on October 8 starting at 7PM. There will be fun, DJs, food trucks, and of course, comics. I’ll also be signing. It should be a ton of fun with a lot of very cool people. So please, if you’re able, come down and party.

Comikaze has been instrumental in promoting folks in independent comics like myself, and their actual show (which FOOTPRINTS will be at) is November 5-6 at the LA Convention Center. Better yet, tickets are only $12 and kids 12 and under are free.

Here’s the official announcement:

Hey, Comi-Comrades.

There’s nowhere you’ll want to be other than Meltdown Comics on October 8th at 7pm. Join the Comikaze Expo gang for a bitchin’ good time in support of indie creator, Joey Esposito, and the launch of his new work, Footprints. Thanks to the kind folks at Comikaze Expo, there’ll be an all-out bash with celebs, DJ’s, and random giveaways throughout the evening. Even better, it’s completely free!

Comikaze has a policy of supporting independent artists, and Joey couldn’t be happier to work with them for this party. There will be music, fun and a signing to boot. And of course, the Footprints and Meltdown/NerdMelt gang will be following up the party with a booth at Comikaze Expo from November 5-6 at the LA Convention Center. It’s only $12 a pop for tickets and kids 12 and under are absolutely FREE. When’s the last time you got into a kickass convention for that cheap?

Noir. Comics. Monsters. Adventure. Comedy. All things Footprints, and all things nerd. Join the Meltdown crew, Comikaze and Joey as they tear up the dance floor and celebrate the continued tradition of creator owned comics. If you’re not there, consider yourselves judged.

You can also RSVP for the event at our Facebook page! Hope to see you there.

Baltimore Comic-Con 2011

Hey all,

Just a quick note that I will be present at this year’s Baltimore Comic-Con from August 20-21! Jonathan Moore and I will be available all weekend at the 215 Ink tables (Artist Alley 219-220) debuting FOOTPRINTS under their banner, selling comics, signing, available for interview and of course chatting it up with everyone that stops by. If you’re attending the show, please do swing by and say hi. Alcohol beverages will also be accepted.

I’ve also recently posted a Schedule page to make finding me at conventions even easier!

Footprints to be Published by 215 Ink

Great news everyone! Comics publisher 215 Ink will be publishing Footprints. Jonathan and I are ecstatic to be working with these guys. Here’s the official press release:

FOOTPRINTS is a creator-owned comic book mini-series about Bigfoot and his team of cryptozoological deviants solving the murder of Bigfoot’s estranged brother Yeti. The tongue-in-cheek  crime/noir/mystery comic was fully funded as an independent comic book project on Kickstarter.com by creators Joey Esposito and Jonathan Moore, who also self-published the first issue to rave reviews across the web. Now, with the help of 215 Ink, FOOTPRINTS will be available for order nationwide through Diamond’s PREVIEWS catalog as well digitally.

“We’re very excited to bring FOOTPRINTS to 215 Ink,” said Esposito. “I’m a huge fan of their gutsy approach to creator-owned material and their commitment to the creator’s vision. FOOTPRINTS is a strange beast to be sure, but I’m 100% confident that 215 Ink will be the best home for it.”

“215 Ink is excited about this latest edition to our ever growing line up of quality titles,” added Andrew Del Quadro, President of 215 Ink. “FOOTPRINTS and the creative team behind it has shown passion, dedication and originality in creating this new series, and that’s something we look for when selecting new titles to publish.”

Footprints #1 will be released through 215 Ink later this year, with each issue following monthly.

Those of you who backed us on Kickstarter — don’t worry, everything is still the same! 215 Ink is an incredibly creator-friendly environment, and all of the incentives you pledged your hard earned money for are still fully in our control and will be handled with care. Expect all the same great stuff in relatively the same timeframe — except now it’ll have the nifty 215 Ink logo on it! Thank you all again, it wouldn’t be happening without you!

There’s a lot more info to come, so stay tuned!

Footprints #2 Early Look

Since our Kickstater was fully backed, thanks to all of you lovely people, Jonathan is now hard at work drawing issue #2 of Footprints. Earlier today, the first inked page of issue #2 arrived in my inbox (sans the graytones) and I can’t help but share it. It’s simply too awesome. Click to enlarge!

I said it was awesome, didn’t I? Anyone want to take a stab at what’s happening here? I think I’ve mentioned it in interviews…