A New Beginning

Wow, last post on our blog (www.blackjackslair.blogspot.com) was in August. I really suck. I'll admit, I’m all spread out all over with Facebook, Twitter and now Patreon so that I don’t know which direction I’m headed sometimes.

It’s my and Josh's fault for not integrating things better, for having a stronger and more cohesive presence online. Well, not so much Josh, he keeps pushing me to stop being such a screw-up. And it's a shame, too, because one of the best things that have come out of the whole Blackjack experience has been getting to know some of the people that like the books. Whether in blogs, forums or chats, or at the couple of conventions we’ve gone to, talking to you guys and feeling your enthusiasm gives me an infusion of energy that carries me through.

But there’s good news in the horizon. We’re going to make a bigger effort keeping everything together and putting everything Blackjack (and all our other ideas) under one roof.

That’s Patreon.

We’re still unsure of how to brand it, whether it should be mainly a Blackjack site, or just a writing site, but one thing we’re certain of is that Blackjack’s coming to Patreon and in heavier doses. The books will still be available on Amazon, the website and blog will still be alive (and more active) as will we be on Facebook and Twitter more often. All those links/info will be made available very, very soon. For now, keep an eye out here or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ben.bequer).

So, what will it consist of? We’re still talking and debating (I’m undefeated in head-butt matches), but for now we’re certain that we want to bring all the Blackjack experience into one site. This includes the next book, Blackjack Messiah, and all other Blackjack stories and art. It also includes other properties we’ve been tooling with, including Interstellar Overdrive, Patriots and Tyrants and a couple of newcomers to the stable; Legend of Sunset Rollins and Trevor Kane and the Heaven Sword.

But wait, there’s more! Yeah, but without selling or bs’ing you, we want to give everyone the experience they want, without gouging an eye out. Those that just want to read some cool stuff about Blackjack, and maybe another additional story along the way, will have easy, cheap access. I emphasize cheap. I don’t think a fun story should cost an arm and a leg. That’s why the Blackjack books are 3 bucks on Amazon, and they will remain that price as long as Josh and I have something to say about it. Other writers and friends have chided Josh and I for the pricing, telling us to raise it to 10 bucks a pop, or at the very least $5. Well, no thanks, and the same will remain for the Patreon experience. The cheapest membership is one buck and, for that $1 you’re going to get a ton of stuff. We’re front-loading the initial “rewards” category so you don’t have to go deep into your purse/pockets to get what you want.

And if you want to, if you can, there’ll be more. More stories, audio read-throughs, text Q&As, Skype Q&As, podcasts, Twitch engagements (watching me rant and rage with our group playing Overwatch or PubG is silly, stupid fun), and so on. I’m also in the planning stages for a new Blackjack series that will ask a simple question: what if Blackjack never made the turn for good? Remember those few beginning chapters of Villain? Remember the feel and the tone? How about more of that? Yeah, he’ll never get recruited to Dr. Retcon’s team and he’ll never meet Apogee and them (or will he?) but there’s so much untapped potential for a TRUE Villain story there, that I can’t stop thinking about it. I don’t know about you guys, but I used to love Marvel’s What if? and DC’s Elseworlds series.

A quick aside about the podcasts: Josh tends to talk a lot. There’s nothing to be done about this. I’ve tried the rear-naked choke, I’ve tried drugs, we've tried counseling. His mouth is independent from all other bodily functions. It helps that he’s brilliant and funny as hell, but be warned, his ability to fill silence is legendary. I will try to drop a nugget here and there. All in all, I can’t wait to get those started.

There IS more, though. One thing we noticed in our Con experiences was that a lot of you are nascent writers. We sat down with some and hashed out their stories, and I gotta tell you, that was one of the coolest experiences ever. We plan to provide a sort of catered service, including Skype conferencing and a new video series, where we can guide you through the creation process. Sometimes a little help goes a long way. And yes, if you want to, we'll put some sample chapters on the site (for free) so alpha readers can give you feedback and everyone can get excited with your work.

All this stuff comes within the bounds of bringing you more Blackjack, more often, and more overall accessibility. I don’t know if you guys remember the Villain contest that ended up helping me develop Brutal (Dead or Alive’s main villain). Well, that’ll be how we develop the new story – with your help and participation. That’s part of the reason I’m eager for a semi-new beginning: we can blaze new trails.

Now, most of this is on a big whiteboard and none of it is final – except that we’re going hardcore on Blackjack and plan to bring it to you on a more regular basis.

As far as when? Well, the Patreon site is coming up soon with the first chapters of Messiah and of Patriots and Tyrants. I’m deep into the third act of B4, so it’s on Josh to see when he’s done editing the Point Nemo sequence that opens the new Blackjack book. You hear us, Josh? Snap to it, dude!

We'll update you soon. Keep up with this blog or the Facebook to stay in touch.

In case you’re curious, below’s a brief breakdown of the projects I mentioned above:

Blackjack Messiah – In the aftermath of the Brutal Incident, Blackjack has a real opportunity to finally move his life in a positive direction. He has friends, like Superdynamic and Apogee, who are helping him to rehabilitate himself and his image, but there’s also enemies – some new and some old – who will do anything to see Blackjack fail.

Patriots and Tyrants - Michael Grayson is a former Navy SEAL turned private military contractor who discovers that his partners are using his company to enact regime change in northeastern Nigeria utilizing an army of mercenaries and weapons of mass destruction, blaming him in the process. Together with Adrienne Simms of a newly formed Department of Justice taskforce investigating Michael and his nefarious partners, they must stop this effort in fear that it might spark outright war and genocide in Africa.

Trevor Kane and the Heaven Sword - Think Street Fighter meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets Harry Potter, Trevor Kane and the Heaven Sword is a story straight from the legends of Wuxia, steeped in Chinese mysticism and history, with high action and powerful abilities that will make the Earth tremble.

The Legend of Sunset Rollins – Sunset Rollins is like every other sixteen year old in her school, struggling with the transition from childhood to adulthood, but unlike everyone else, she’s given a unique opportunity – join an intergalactic combat sports team, represent humanity in the universal stage, and help change the course of history. Inspired by games such as Overwatch and Mass Effect, and movies like Death Race 2000 and The Last Starfighter, The Legend of Sunset Rollins will tell the story of someone who dreams for more – and gets a chance of a lifetime.

Blackjack New Beginnings – What if Blackjack never joined Dr. Retcon’s team, or met Apogee, what would have become of him? Written in a shorter, serialized fashion, we will see the villain Blackjack was and follow him into the monster he will soon become.

Interstellar Overdrive – Follow four intertwined stories from our distant future, where humanity has left our galaxy and moved into a brighter tomorrow. Then again, human nature can sometimes be our worst attribute…

MAJOR CAVEAT: Hey, we’re warning you. None of the above is set in stone. We’re still talking (and arguing) about what non-supervillain stories to bring alongside the Blackjack books. SO DON’T GET MAD IF STUFF CHANGES!