THE DUCK IS IN THE SKY...!

I feel like an expectant father who just so happened to birth a dead duck and a zombie chicken. Y'know, that old scenario.

I got a call from my publishers at Ape a couple days ago, and good news abounds. They've packaged up 200 copies of Dead Duck, and they're currently in transit to my humble digs here in Ann Arbor. And as the top paragraph suggests, I'm pacing around like an anxious daddy to be. Twenty years developing Dead Duck, five years developing Zombie Chick, three years working on the graphic novel, and two years working with Ape Entertainment, and it all boils down to five cardboard boxes filled with my creative brainchildren, to be delivered via Fed Ex stork to my doorstep on Tuesday, Nov. 24th.

I'd say it's been a difficult delivery, save that you all provided a hell of a sedative by pre-ordering the crap out of Dead Duck. My publisher tells me orders are almost to 900 copies pre-sold (including 300 ordered by a very big book seller) and have all but covered our printing costs, which means….gasp…I just might turn a profit on Dead Duck! Can you effing believe it?! They're even talking to me now about designing the first Dead Duck t-shirt, which I've been dreaming about since the beginning! So as I pace back and forth in the waiting room so see if it's a boy or a girl (who am I kidding--it's both!), I want to thank you for your assistance in the delivery. I barely felt a thing!

And in related news:
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MY FIRST DEAD DUCK BOOK SIGNING:

NOVEMBER 27TH, 2009 (Black Friday! How appropriate!):
Dead Duck book signing at Coy's Comics
301 S. Hamilton
Saginaw, MI 48602
12-2 pm
Call Coy's at (989) 790-1810 for more info
Click HERE for directions

Coy's is my hometown comic shop, the one where, at age ten, I first experienced the comics that would help shape my cartoon and writing style--Groo the Wanderer, Boris the Bear, 'Mazing Man, Flaming Carrot, Peter Porker, The Amazing Spider-Ham--where my friends and I got busted at age fifteen for riding our bikes on a comic buying pilgrimage (gasp) WITHOUT ASKING OUR FOLKS!! (P.S. My own parents were fine with it), and where I always said I would one day do a signing when I had my own comic book. That day has come, and I hope you can make it to experience it with me!

As I mentioned a few days back, anyone who pre-ordered Dead Duck through Coy's will be able to pick up their copy as of Nov. 27th. And anyone who didn't pre-order through Coy's but comes to my signing anyway will also be able to buy a copy from the stock I'll be bringing with me to sign. So now you have no excuse not to make it!
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PODCASTS:

To date, I've done three podcasts to promote Dead Duck---

The Idiothead .com podcast
Comicgeekspeak.com
And just this past week, Comicrelated.com's The related Recap

Each one has it's own flavor and discusses several aspects of Dead Duck. Plus you get to hear me nervously stammer through some very interesting questions! Click on each link to listen for yourself!
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ONLINE DEAD DUCK:

As foretold over a week ago, the final online Dead Duck comic was posted yesterday--meant to coincide with the release of Dead Duck next week. Of course, as I posted a few days back, Dead Duck's release has been delayed by a couple weeks (it should arrive before Christmas). But it's the final online comic nonetheless. You can click here to read the final sneak peek before the awesomeness of the graphic novel arrives and surpasses everything I've already shown you!
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YOU CAN STILL ORDER DEAD DUCK:

If you can't make any of my signings and you want to make sure Dead Duck gets in your hands, here's the low down of where you can order yourself some dark, cartoony greatness!

APE ENTERTAINMENT: Click here to order it directly through my publisher.

AMAZON.COM: Click here to order it through their site.

YOUR LOCAL COMIC SHOP: Give them the Dead Duck order code: SEPT090577. They should still be able to back order it for you.

YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE: Here is Dead Duck's ISBN number: ISBN-13: 9781934944721 I've checked, and Barnes and Noble and Borders do indeed carry Dead Duck, as should any bookstore you can imagine. They just require you to come in and order it!
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So that's it, my friends! If I don't hear from or see you before next week, happy Thanksgiving! I look forward to bringing Dead Duck to as many of you as I can, first hand, at Coy's and my other coming signings!

Much love,

--Jay