Mike Norton's First Newsletter Is HERE!
You like newsletters, right?
My friend Marty Willson-Piper writes a daily blog. Like, He does it EVERY DAY and it’s actually interesting. Of course, I’m not a world-famous rockstar, but it takes a lot of work to do something like that on top of your regular day-to-day. I’ve tried in the past, and always crap out.
I think that’s what initially attracted me to social media. The fact that we can all be in the same forum and read each others thoughts and not have to write a novel is a powerful thing… For better AND worse. Mostly worse these days, in my opinion. So, I’m scaling back and deciding to go direct to those of you who’ve chosen to participate (Thank you for that, btw)
I had a Patreon page in the past when I ran Battlepug as a webcomic (You can still read the first volume in its entirety here. And if you feel like actually purchasing a physical copy, I won’t fight ya!), but I didn’t feel right charging money when I had no content to share, so I’m going to use this substack. Now that could change if I decide to start publishing online again, but seeing as this is a newsletter, you will be the first to know.
Now that I’ve explained the why’s let’s get to what’s been going on at Miketron2000, Inc.
THE ROCK GODS OF JACKSON, TENNESSEE
For the past two years, I’ve been drawing a fictional autobiography of my high school band. Written by long-time co-creator Rafer Roberts and backed up by my Battlepug team, Allen and Crank!, THE ROCK GODS OF JACKSON, TENNESSEE makes its debut this June from Dark Horse Comics. Please ask your local retailer to get you a copy or any bookstore, for that matter. It really helps and we’d appreciate it.
SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS: Shazamily Matters
I had a short story in this recent movie tie-in from DC. Written by Kenny Porter and Adam Brody (Freddy Freeman in the film) and art by me and my Battlepug partner, Allen Passalaqua. It was really fun and you get to see Captain Marvel Jr. make out with a dog. Sorry about that.
ARCHIE CHILLING ADVENTURSE PRESENTS: CAMP PICKENS
Believe it or not, I’m drawing a horror story with REVIVAL co-creator, Tim Seeley for Archie Comics about Veronica and spooky camp slasher. Pretty against type for Tim, I know. That comes out June 21st!
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000
I’ve been working as Lead Concept Designer for MST3K’s 13th season, and work is beginning on season 14. I’ll be sharing more as we get further in, but until then here’s an invention exchange design I did for the finale CHRISTMAS DRAGON episode. You can catch all of the episodes on GIZMOPLEX.COM or PLUTO.TV
UPCOMING APPEARANCES
My wife and I were fortunate enough to get to attend FACTS Convention in Ghent, Belgium this past week. It was a great time and I really loved talking to all the readers there. This Free Comic Book Day (May 6), I will be in Memphis, Tennessee for the MEMPHIS LIBRARIES COMIC CON with comics legend, John Ostrander. I’ll be signing and sketching and all that good stuff, so if you’re in the area, please drop by.
I HAVE A STORE
Did you know you can get merch for a lot of the comics I make? Well, you do now. Got put some of my art on your body! Do it!
THANK YOU
That’s it for now, but I’ll be back. Lots of stuff happening this year. New BATTLEPUG is cooking and I may just be working on another movie tie-comic soon. I’ll keep you posted! In the meantime, tell people you know about the newsletter. I’d love to grow this out some more so I have the same audience I did on twitter (back when it was a place I didn’t mind going.)
SEEYA!
-Mike