Greetings from DWJs FORBIDDEN LIBRARY!

Hopefully the First of Many!

To my dear readers, supporters, art lovers and art makers,

Hello! This is my very first official post for my email newsletter that I’ve been talking about doing for a long time. First of all, I want to thank everybody who has taken the time to subscribe or buy something from my shop, and then was patient enough to wait for an actual email from me. A big reason why I have not posted is that I want to make sure that everything that I send you all is something of quality and is really worth your time to read. I don’t want to spam anyone. I want you to feel like you have a tiny bit of gold in your inbox when you see an email from me, if that makes sense. That might be too big of a goal, but aim high, right?

To start, if I’m honest, I don’t feel that I’m too good a writer, which is why I don’t do this kind of thing often, or post much on the internet except for sharing my art. But with the way social media seems to be taking a nose dive, I felt it might be a good idea to just try this and see how it goes. I also really want a place where I can have direct access to the people that love my work and want to support it. Oftentimes I find that because of the dreaded algorithms, a lot of important information about my stuff gets lost in the shuffle, and those who might really want to be notified about things I do (like a signing or an exclusive cover) don’t even find out them about until it’s too late! I also want a place where I can show more work in progress pictures, maybe even some mild spoilers every once in a while. And speaking of:

There’s a little WIP of me penciling a panel for my upcoming series TRANSFORMERS, which comes out in comic book stores October 4th. Please consider checking it out if you’re stopping by a shop. I also inked these TF pencils during my Friday with DDubs livestream, which is up on YouTube now. I go live every friday afternoon/evening and just draw, mostly stuff that I’m behind on. Come visit live sometime!

Anyway. I thought that I would break things up into sections; like what kind of movies I’m watching, music I’m listening to, things that are getting me inspired, books that I’m reading, you get the idea. I’m not sure if anybody actually wants to hear this stuff, but I think it might be cool. A bit more long form than I’m used to, but it’s stuff that I get asked a lot. So we’ll do it this way:

What Am I Working On?

See my WIP above! Transformers has been taking up most of my time, and it’s been great. I’ve been having a really good time drawing it, and it’s a fun challenge to write. When I have more time, I’m planning to write more about the creative process of Transformers. Keep an eye on my YouTube channel for the TRANSFORMERS #1 DIRECTOR’S COMMENTARY, where I go live and go through the whole issue, from outline, to script, to thumbnails, to art! I’ve also been writing some new things that I can’t quite talk about yet. Maybe soon.

What’s Been Getting Me Inspired Lately?

Reading books! Ever since I started using my wife’s old kindle, I’ve been reading may more and it’s great(I always say I want to read more and have trouble finding the time to actually do so). My most recent read (I’m about 20 percent done so far), is SHOGUN. It’s historical fiction set in Japan during the 1500s. It was recommended to me by Riley Rossmo and Ryan Stegman(I name dropped and I’m not sorry), and I’ve been loving it. It’s absolutely epic in it scope, which is helping me conceptualize new, more “grander” style stories and worlds. More on that in a while.

Any Important News?

-YES! We recently updated my shop, with signed and remarked copies of my TRANSFORMERS 1 SDCC Ashcan!

There’s also a new sticker from one of my favorite panels in DO A POWERBOMB.

-ALSO! I’ll be doing a signing at CHALLENGERS COMICS in Chicago for the release of TRANSFORMERS Issue 1, October 4th, from 4-6 PM CT. I hope to see you there!

-I’m also going to be in New York City for some signings during NYCC! I won’t be at the show in an official capacity, but I have a Midtown Comics Times Square Signing on Friday, October 13th at 6 PM ET(200 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018), and will have a few signings at the Felix Comic Art booth during/at the show. We don’t have a schedule for the Felix signings yet, but if you’re attending NYCC, stop by our booth each day and we will have the times posted there as soon as the show starts.

That’s it! And to sign off, here’s A PANEL FROM THE FORBIDDEN LIBRARY:

TRANSFORMERS VS GI JOE, art by TOM SCIOLI, not sure which issue. But this is of one of my favorite Autobots, Blaster, and damn is it cool. The whole comic is just TF/GI Joe meets Jack Kirby vibes, and it was one of the first things that made me even think about wanting to do a TF comic someday. Such satisfying lines! Have you read this yet? It’s a trip! It’s so fun! See you next time!

-Daniel Warren Johnson