Cinder Byrnes returns!
Wednesday warriors, this week Workshop member and course alumnus Rich Douek‘s Gutter Magic hit the shelves (whether physical or digital, depending on your location) once more courtesy of our partners at Source Point Press. Rich, artist Brett Barkley, and colorist (and fellow Comics Experience alumnus) Nic Shaw are now joined by our own coloring instructor Chris Sotomayor for recolors!
The trade paperback collects the original four issues of the steampunk fantasy series, set in an alternative New York City where war is waged with wizards instead of Panzers, sorcerers instead of shock troops. Protagonist Cinder Byrnes unlocks a spell that will advance his career in magic… the problem is, he’s actually pretty terrible at magic.
Oops.
“This collected edition will be the first time Source Point Press fans can read the entire original series in one place! With a stunning new cover by Ugis Berzins, it’s great for anyone looking to catch up on the story before we launch the next volume in April,” Rich says.
“That one’s going to be called Gutter Magic: Smoke and Mirrors, and will pick up with our gang about 6 months after this story concludes.”
Smoke and Mirrors will join Kickstarter success story and anthology Gutter Magic: Tales from the Gutter as a deeper exploration of the thoughtful, textured world Rich and his team created.
Rich says, “Gutter Magic was the first comic I made, and I spent years and years thinking about the world and developing it. If I had the means, I could tell stories in that world for years to come. I hope people like Smoke and Mirrors, because if they do, I’m fully prepared to keep going with more of Cinder’s story. I’d also love to do more shorts in the vein of Tales from the Gutter, either on my own or by opening the setting up to different creators, like we did with a couple of stories in that collection. We’ll see!”
Our publishing partners and friends at Source Point Press have given Rich and his collaborators plenty of reasons to be excited. This trade paperback rerelease will no doubt generate enthusiasm among established fans and new friends of Cinder’s alike, getting them ready for the new adventures ahead.
“Working with Source Point Press has been great. They’ve gotten the book into comic shops, and are selling it at way more conventions than I could ever make it to on my own. If I ever have any questions, Travis, the publisher, is just an email away. I think it’s great that they’re working with Comics Experience books, because I know from experience getting that first book out there is extremely hard,” says Rich.
“It’s nice to know that, while there are no guarantees they will accept your pitch, they’re definitely going to give it attention, and are open to publishing work from new creators who don’t already have work out in the marketplace.”
The Gutter Magic trade paperback from Source Point Press is available as of March 25! Order online through your local comic book store today, or get curbside service if your area allows for it right now!