If you've been following along on our Discord server, you've seen the new pages drop as we've completed them, along with line art and an updated script. For everyone else, here's the latest news!
We're excited to share today that after taking a look at the upcoming script pages, we're increasing the length of Issue One from 24 to 32 pages. Pages are done through 26, so we only have a few more to go. We think that these extra pages will be a more satisfying arc for the first issue, fully setting up all of the adventures that are to come.
Additionally, in preparation for a public launch on Webtoons and Tapas later this year, we've begun adjusting the layout of existing pages for vertical mobile reading. This means that digital rewards will not only include a PDF of the print layout, but the larger vertical format for scrolling reading.
Here's an example of how vertical pages will work. We think that this will be a great way to focus on the incredible details that Natalie has added to every panel. Her background as an oil painter really comes through in these images!
Finally, we're continuing to monitor the political situation in the United States, for both story and practical reasons.
From a story perspective, since many of our teenage characters are immigrants (some of them undocumented) and some are also LGBTQ, some story elements that were stable a year ago have become more dangerous. For example, Alejandro is a Dreamer, and his safety is now at risk from increased ICE raids. The more that we reflect the America that people are living in today, the more we have to acknowledge that the danger for these characters has increased exponentially, especially once they attract the attention of various government and military authorities in Issue Two. Stories don't have to be real to be true, so even though our characters are imaginary, we believe it's important to reflect the truths that people like them are experiencing every day in America. As such, we'll continue to update upcoming pages to reflect the turbulent period of history that we've entered.
From a practical perspective, this project is small enough that we don't expect tariffs to have a significant impact on fulfillment. However, we'll keep you updated as we get closer to shipping, including contingency plans to print and ship from Canada if necessary, or even to split manufacturing/fulfillment to different countries.
In the meantime, please join us on Discord if you haven't already and thanks for supporting independent storytelling!
