The Many Odd Origins of EVEN STEVEN

Busy, Busy, Busy…
6 months ago – Mon, Sep 15, 2025 at 08:20:58 AM

Sorry for the Delayed Update.

I kept meaning to update you, but things kept happening. Life, mostly— the family took a vacation together, the family shared covid together, that sort of thing. But school's back in session (YAAA!) and things have started to settle down.

Which doesn't mean I haven't been working on EVEN STEVEN…

This is one of the "EVEN STEVEN with 1 Weapon, Backer's Choice" Sketches, for a Backer who asked that the "weapon" be the powers of the FANTASTIC FOUR. Given my love for the FF, I couldn't say no! (Plus, I'm kinda legally obligated to draw what the Backer asks for, so there's that.) Even added in some greytones, although I wish I had a lighter grey marker for the flames…

Still a nice piece, that I hope you— and especially the Backer— will enjoy!

I also finished writing the New Pages for the book, and DAVID HAHN has drawn all but 6 of them. I'm currently inking David's pencils as fast as my brush will let me. (Some days it seems more interested in working properly than on others.) As I finish the inks, they go to RYAN CODY for his amazing colors.

I wrote most of this story in Full Script form, knowing that I will give the script a once-over after the pencils are done to make sure the words and pictures play well with each other. Once I'm satisfied they do, the pages will go off to COMICRAFT for lettering.

Considering that this book collects a number of stand-alone short stories, I'm very happy with how it's all pulled together as a graphic novel. Some great moments, some great reveals, some old questions answered, some new questions unanswered. I'd almost say it's some of David and my best work ever, except that sounds egotistic so I'd never say it. 

Somewhere in the past few weeks, the money from Kickstarter came though, making it much easier to pay David and Ryan and Comicraft (and the printer, when their time comes). This also means I can get the T-Shirts and Stickers and such made, so they're ready and waiting when the book comes back from the printer.

But I'm afraid there will NOT be an EVEN STEVEN Enamel Pin this time around. As you may remember, we were only a couple hundred short of unlocking the pin when the Kickstarter proper ended. With Late Pledges, we surged comfortably past the amount needed but— as I feared— there were more dropped pledges than usual, and I simply can't make the math work.

THIS time around. Something to aim for NEXT time.

BUT— kinda to make up for No Pin— I did add something else to the book. Something you're gonna love. Something I will tell you all about… next time!

WOW! Just… WOW!
7 months ago – Fri, Aug 08, 2025 at 10:41:35 AM

What a SPECTACULAR finish to a GREAT Kickstarter! I haven't had such an exciting/stressful last day in quite a while. There were some stomach-churning ups and downs, a few people dropping or decreasing their pledges (I get it, I really do; it's still hard to take) plus a lot of people coming forward to support the book!

THANK YOU!

As you can see up above, we ended at $144 short of $44,000— and unlocking the EVEN STEVEN ENAMEL PIN. So close— !

But now there's this thing called LATE PLEDGES, where people can pledge after a Kickstarter ends (items cost a little more; kind of a "late fee"). I've left that door open for 1 week— until August 14th— so if people are still interested in the book, or if they're just finding out about it today (which happens all the time!) they can still get it.

I mention this 1) In case you know anyone gnashing their teeth for missing the highly-coveted EVEN STEVEN book (no gnashing, please!); and 2) because Late Pledges will likely push us past $44,000.

Okay, okay— they already have!

So that means everyone gets an EVEN STEVEN ENAMEL PIN, right?

YES!

Maybe.

HERE'S THE THING: there are always a number of dropped pledges— credit cards that don't go through for one reason or another. And right now we're only a short stack over $44k. Unless there are a lot more Late Pledges, the end tally will likely be below the Fantastic 44 we're aiming for.

My concern is, given the world outside our windows right now, there could be far more dropped pledges than usual.

It takes Kickstarter a couple weeks to collect and distribute the funds. If a credit card doesn't go through, they give some time for that to be fixed, then try again.

I'd like to wait those few weeks, see where we end up, then decide if an Enamel Pin is do-able or not.

Nothing's ever easy, is it?

As soon as I know, you'll know.

IN THE MEANTIME…

David and I will dive into the New Story Pages, get those wrapped ASAP.

SURVEYS

Surveys are badly-named forms I send out NOT to ask intrusive questions about your habits, hobbies, or political beliefs, but where I collect your mailing address, postage (if applicable), and how you'd like your name listed on the THANK YOU page (if you want to be included).

Surveys will not be sent out for a while, so don't fret when nothing shows up. It'll probably be a number of months. I like to do it closer to when we go to press, so mailing addresses are as up-to-date as possible.

Until then, sit back, relax, end enjoy the rest of Summer…

Quick Note
7 months ago – Thu, Aug 07, 2025 at 05:38:30 PM

In an attempt to get us closer to $44,000 and unlocking the EVEN STEVEN ENAMEL PIN, I decided to do 3 more EVEN STEVEN "Secret Weapons" drawings.

The difference being: YOU get to choose the weapon, not me.

Another difference: I decided to announce these online first. Kinda give other people a chance, y'know? Which I did, so now it's yours!

You'll notice another difference: the price is $200. That's because I won't be drawing what I want to draw, I'll be drawing what YOU want me to draw.

These are ADD-ONS, so you know the drill: click on MANAGE YOUR PLEDGE, click through the menus (re-choosing your original pledge) until you get to the ADD-ONS page. Scroll allllllllll the way to the bottom. Claim a drawing.

I will contact you after the Kickstarter ends to find out which weapon you'd like our Black-and-White Warrior to wield.

That's it. I won't bother you again until this party's over.

KK

THE FINAL FEW HOURS!
7 months ago – Thu, Aug 07, 2025 at 10:59:29 AM

KICKSTARTERS ARE A LOT LIKE ROLLER COASTERS. There's that Big Rush at the start that gets your heart racing, followed by a lot of smaller ups-and-downs. Unlike Roller Coasters, however, Kickstarters can also have a surprisingly Big Finish. 

A lot of people like to wait to support a project until near it's end, or put it it off until they need to support it before it goes away. (I understand that completely; so much of my life is triage— what needs to be done right now?)

And so we find ourselves on the last day of the EVEN STEVEN Kickstarter.

THANK YOU for being here. Without YOU, I certainly wouldn't be here! (Insert funny/not funny comment about otherwise working at Burger King.) This Kickstarter's been a little different— reflecting the world around us, I'm sure— but also a lot of fun.

I especially enjoyed drawing the EVEN STEVEN "Secret Weapons" series— and you seemed to enjoy it, too. But I barely scratched the surface! So many wonderful possibilities! Next time…

As you probably know, we reached $40,000— meaning the DAVID AJA Pin-Up will be in the book! But because I like you, I'll give you (and just you!) a look at the entire piece right now…

So simple, yet so striking.

And David's a great guy, too.

NOW… we're going for one, last, BIG STRETCH…

I LOVE ENAMEL PINS! And I've been chomping to get one of EVEN STEVEN!

But Enamel Pins ain't cheap. So we have to raise some serious money to give one to every (physical) Backer.

All in about 8 HOURS, as I write this.

This isn't going to be easy. But it isn't impossible. Not with YOUR help.

Here's What You Can Do…

INCREASE YOUR PLEDGE. Upgrade from a PDF to the physical book, or from the book to the Impossible Gospel (with all the IMPOSSIBLE JONES books). Or Add-On an EVEN STEVEN T-SHIRT. I want to stress: only do this if you can afford to. We all need to put food on the table and keep a roof over our head first. Seriously.

SHARE, SHARE, AND SHARE AGAIN! The only way new people can get the book (and read and enjoy it!) is if they know it exists! So we have to let them know. Trouble is, I only know so many people. Now, YOU— you know people I don't. People who like the same things you do. People who will THANK YOU for letting them know about EVEN STEVEN.

So if there's a post (or two, or three) about EVEN STEVEN in the next few hours that grabs your attention or tickles your fancy— please SHARE it! And when you do, please add the link EvenStevenComic.com so people can find the book easily.

I cannot overstate how important this is.

Okay. Clock's ticking. Let's go.

The Last "Secret Weapons" Drawings!
7 months ago – Tue, Aug 05, 2025 at 04:01:12 PM

These are available right now as ADD-ONS, $150 each, 8.5x11 inches in size, penciled and inked by ME…

These Will be the Last "SECRET WEAPONS" Drawings!

 I really enjoyed doing these, but there's no way I could do more before the EVEN STEVEN Kickstarter ENDS on Thursday, August 7, 7 PM PDT.

So when they're gone… that's all he wrote. Or drew. Or whatever.

You Know How to Add-on an ADD-ON, right?

• FIRST: I'm told you may not be able to access Add-Ons on your phone. It seems you need a Tablet, Laptop, or Desktop computer.
• Click CONFIGURE YOUR PLEDGE.
• Click through the prompts, re-choosing your original pledge.
• When you get to the ADD-ONS page, scroll down until you see the EVEN STEVEN drawings.
• If you see one you want and it's still available— GRAB IT! In the past, these have disappeared in MINUTES.

Speaking of the EVEN STEVEN Kickstarter Ending…

The fact that you are here now, reading this, is amazing. You are the reason I do these comics, and you are the reason I can do these comics. Without you and your support, I'd be working at Burger King. That's no joke. That's a prophesy I try to put off every single day by attempting to make comics that people enjoy reading.

I won't lie— this time around has been rough. Across the board, Kickstarters have raised less than usual, and EVEN STEVEN is no exception. Unless there's a Last Day Miracle, EVEN STEVEN will end with fewer Backers than any Kickstarter I've ever run.

So if you could do ANYTHING to get the word out by Thursday, August 7, 7 PM PDT, I'd greatly appreciate it. Share one of my multiple posts from Facebook or Bluesky. If you use other social media, please cut-and-past something I've posted and put it up over there. If you can't share, please "Like." Or comment— it's always great to hear from you, and more comments help us climb that seemingly arbitrary algorithm ladder.

I'm not looking to get rich here. But I am looking to pay my bills. And the people I work with. And the printer.

Of course, there's always Burger King.

(Serious/Not serious.)

Onward to the finish!