blackkeyincubus
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Comic Update 037 - 2/13/2023 (November-February)
🕑 Added 2023-02-14 03:01:16 +0000 UTCHi π₯Ίπ
As much as I hate writing another "sorry for being MIA for a few months" message, here goes.
I wanted to be honest and transparent about a few things that have happened in my life since my last update post on here. This is very difficult for me to write, but I want to be visible about my experience. I want to be visible because I have felt scared to talk about what happened to me, and I'm tired of feeling like I have to be silent just to be safe.
After touring at comic cons, I experienced a lot of burnout and took a break from social media stuff/writing to rest and recharge. During this break, however, I experienced increasingly anti-lgbtq/homophobic harm from conservative and homophobic relatives. It was extremely traumatizing and left me numb and raw with very little joy or will/drive to work on new content for this page.
In the wake of that exhausting, harmful, and traumatic experience, I made the decision to temporarily step away from a lot of things (BKI included) to prioritize my mental health; to focus on healing, recovery, and, more importantly, protecting my peace and safety.
I now find myself in a better space. I'm still healing, but I feel strong enough to return to working on this amazing and beautiful story.
I love this work. This comic brings my life purpose and joy, and I want this story to be a space I can feel safe and confident in myself again. I want to continue Norman and Cal's story, and I can't wait to show you more of it.
I appreciate all of your patience and support for this comic. To those of you that stuck with me through the period of my absence, your support means the world to me and honestly helped me survive.
All that being said, here's your comic update for February 2023 (as well as an update as to what I was up to this past winter):
1) KICKSTARTER #2 is ALMOST DONE
This Kickstarter was exceptionally challenging for me because I ran into shipping delays and production delays and delays in every other damn thing. Needless to say, I have been working diligently on this the past few months and am nearing the end. I have about 100 books left to ship, and then I'm officially DONE, finally.
Feel free to hmu with any questions you have. My DMs are open π
2) CHAPTER 8 UPDATE
Daryl and I are OFFICIALLY WORKING ON CHAPTER 8!!
Production is slated for an End of April completion, so we should have new content to post sometime early May :)
I am finalizing the edits to the Chapter 7 pages he and I worked on and will be posting those this week!
Check out this sick sneak peek at the cover art:
That's it for this comic update y'all!
Also,
You are loved. You are enough. πβ€οΈ Sometimes I say this because part of me needs to hear it myself. But I want you to know the good vibes I send to you are from the bottom of my heart. Thanks again for reading and supporting my work.
And thank you for reading this update post. I appreciate you witnessing my pain and vulnerability.
-J
Comments
jericho
You are amazing!!!!!! Don't forget it!!! My family is pretty great about it, out of nine children having three gay ones is both a statistical improbability and an eye opener. But I think we all have had experiences where we have people close to us treat us badly because of a part of who we are. there are definitely some people in my extended family that I will never tell. Whenever I have negative experiences I work to remember that they don't define my value or have control over my happiness. Sorry for the short rant, hope you do better!!!!
Nathaniel OBrien
Sorry you had to deal with that. Big hugs!! We're here for you.
Carlos Melero
From gay guy with homophobic relatives to gay guy with homophobic relatives, it may not seem like it, but it gets better. Keep on going! You are loved, you are enough and you are safe!
