The double-sized conclusion to the critically acclaimed saga of Daybreak! Plus, new backers can acquire the complete series.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Daybreak update!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Nov 21, 2024 at 10:30:55 AM
Howdy, Daymakers!
Don't worry, there's some Daybreak! goodness down below but first, I wanted to let all of you know that our latest campaign for P.U.N.C.H. #1 is down to its final 4 days or so. If you're interested in checking it out, the project is fully funded and we're trying to add some extra pin ups via the stretch goals. We're trying so hard, in fact, that Tom Nguyen just contributed one of his infamous NSFW variant covers for the project...
Along with Tom's cover (and original artwork), there are also covers by series' artist Rich Stahnke, myself, Richard Miller and Nikkol Jelenic. t-shirts and other kinds of cool rewards. If you'd like to check it out, you can click on the pic above or RIGHT HERE. We'd love for you to join us.
WHAT ABOUT DAYBREAK!?
Work is continuing on the collected edition. It's all designed and now the file is being built out by our designer and should be ready for a mid-late January KS campaign. I spoke to the crowdfunding platform ZOOP, as well as three comic book publishing companies, but couldn't agree on terms of a joint crowdfunding or co-publishing agreement so New Pain will handle it in house the way we did for The Switch: Electricia softcover.
While all that is going on, Stefan and I have been doing some light work on the new story to be included in the trade. If you don't mind an early look, I thought I'd share the first page with you all right now. Think of it as my way of saying thanks for reading through the P.U.N.C.H. section of this update.
While I wouldn't be surprised if the dialogue above is completely different by the time this story is published (I change dialogue relentlessly), the style and treatment of the balloons above is a good indication of how we've gone back and remastered the lettering of the entire series from start to finish. The lesson I learned is that less is more. When it comes to lettering, readability is more important than cool FX.
We've also remastered the art and dialogue a bit, all towards the effort of making this collected edition of Daybreak! the best possible version of the story for our readers.
The big question that remains? Hardcover or softcover.
More news coming soon!
Your bestie,
Keith Champagne
Daybreak update!
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Oct 22, 2024 at 07:42:34 AM
Daybreakers!
"What," you may ask yourself. "How can there be a Daybreak! update when Daybreak's story is finished?"
Valid question, thanks for asking!
We have begun working in earnest on the collected Daybreak! series. I can't show you much...yet...but here's a little taste of the end papers currently being designed.
We've been quietly working on remastering the art and lettering for the entire series, including the variant cover art, pin ups, Handbook pages and back up story. We've got one of the top designers in the industry creating a new look for the whole package and, best of all (to me at least), Stefan and I are working on a NEW Daybreak story to include. It's going to be a MONSTER of a book and currently, we're on track to unleash it on the world in January of next year, kicking off New Pain's 2025 with a bang!
Really excited to be working on Daybreak!, and with Stefan, again. The collaboration is what makes it fun.
And if you'd like to check out New Pain's final campaign of 2024, the prelaunch page for P.U.N.C.H. #1 is currently LIVE. The double-sized first issue will be launching a week from today. If you're a fan of the Ninja Turtles or X-Men, we made a comic just for you and hope you'll check it out.
More Daybreak! news soon!
Your bestie,
Keith Champagne
Do you miss Daybreak yet?
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Jul 23, 2024 at 06:22:14 AM
Daymakers!
I talked to several Daybreak! readers this past weekend at a comic con in Massachusetts that REALLY enjoyed the series all us created together. Several of you have left comments or sent emails expressing the same sentiment and I want to say thanks again for the kind reactions. There's a lot of creative second guessing and insecurity involved while making these books in a vacuum so it's really a relief to feel we haven't let you guys down.
Long story short (and I haven't really talked to Stefan about his schedule or interest yet), I've decided to do more. I really enjoy writing all the characters in the Daybreak! universe (The Custodian is my fave) and there's a lot more story to tell that isn't going to tell itself.
We've been working behind-the-scenes to plan out the remastered, possibly hardcover edition of the first series and that seems an ideal way to include some kind of new material, maybe a short story, to set the stage for the crazy sh*t that's gonna happen next.
So if you miss Daybreak the same way I kinda do, hang in there. The gears are lurching into motion. And in the meantime, our girl pops up on the cover and inside The Official Handbook Of The New Pain Universe and will also have a cameo in the third issue of NPC JUMP, (if the campaign that just launched for the 2nd issue funds, knock on wood), to hold us over.
Thanks for the encouragement, Daymakers. We'll try not to let you down on the next one.
Your pal,
Keith Champagne .
The final digital reward links!
almost 2 years ago
– Tue, May 28, 2024 at 05:49:12 AM
Good morning, Daymakers! Hope everyone had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend.
We're very happy to send out the final digital rewards for the Daybreak! #4 campaign this morning, the ashcan preview editions of two upcoming New Pain projects: THE DEFENSE and TOMORROW. Here's a link to download:
We've also moved the Daybreak! #1 motion comic by the mad geniuses at Bewildered Biscuit Productions into that folder. If you missed it the first time around, who says life never gives you a second chance?
Aside from these digital ashcans, the remaining original art rewards have been sent out and tracking shows that all the jigsaw puzzles and mouse pads have shipped. Barring any backers that straggle their way in, that pretty much wraps up fulfillment for the final(?) issue of Daybreak's series. Kind of sad to see it end, not gonna lie. Maybe we'll have to make more sometime. There are definitely some deliberately-open ended plot threads left to explore...
But in the meantime, thanks again for supporting the series. It was a real gamble to release it on Kickstarter, not to mention roughly 63.3X the work but it's been an amazing experience to see the book find its loyal audience.
If you'd like to check out New Pain's newest project, our latest crowdfunding campaign for THE KEITH WILLIAMS SKETCHBOOK launched this morning. Aside from his legendary career as an inker for Marvel, Keith is an all around art machine and one of the nicest guys in comics (maybe THE nicest). It's been a lot of fun planning and designing (thanks, PHIL SMITH!) his first sketchbook. If it sounds like your cup of tea, take a spin over here and let the good times roll!
And later this summer will be another TWO-IN-ONE campaign featuring the 2nd issue of NPC JUMP and the first OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE NEW PAIN UNIVERSE. Talk about a lot of work putting something together, these handbooks are migraine inducing. What were we thinking?!
Thanks for everything, guys. Enjoy the ashcans!
Your bestie,
Keith Champagne
DAYBREAK! #1 motion comic download!
almost 2 years ago
– Thu, May 16, 2024 at 07:10:52 AM
Daymakers!
The big moment has arrived! The Bewildered Biscuiteers delivered the finalized version of the Daybreak! #1 motion comic to us last night. I watched it this morning (it's been really fun watching the development and different iterations along the way) and I don't know why these guys say they're bewildered. Clearly, they know exactly what they're doing!
If you'd like to learn more about Bewildered Biscuit, hit up their website bewilderedbiscuit.com and keep an eye out; they're a talented group.
GENERAL UPDATE
I had hoped to also send out the digital stretch goal today but am still waiting on a final page of color art. The colorist broke his ankle a few weeks ago which is an injury I can certainly empathize with. But as soon as it comes in, we'll get that download out to you too.
The jigsaw puzzles and mouse pads have been ordered and should be shipping out to applicable backers in the next few days so keep an eye out. And most of you should have gotten your Daybreak! #4 packages already. I imagine our international backers are still waiting for a bit but everything has been shipped out and several of you have given us a glowing review for the big finale. We hope the rest of you enjoy it; let us know what you think!
OUR NEXT PROJECT!
KEITH WILLIAMS is one of my favorite people in the comic book industry and also one of the nicest people I know (the Venn diagram on those two things is, like, one circle). He's seen it all and done it all in his 40-plus year career in comics, starting as a Romita Raider at Marvel, inking tons of titles and pencilers for the big 2 (love his work over John Byrne, personally) and penciling/inking/lettering his own projects, such as the legendary Phantom. All with a smile on his face.
We're really happy to be able to put out a collection of Keith's personal sketches and artwork in our first 64-page sketchbook edition!
cover not final
The campaign is being finalized this week and you'll hear more about it when we launch in 2-3 weeks. We're hoping for a successful campaign, not only because Keith deserves it but because we'd love to put out sketchbooks for many of our favorite artists. So...fingers crossed!
Thanks for everything, guys. Enjoy the motion comic. I sure as f*ck did!
