This is a huge experiment at the moment and we’re testing to see what works and what doesn’t but we’re hoping this opens our work to a wider range of audience and hopefully giving our readers a choice in who they buy from and how they read our books. Though to be honest there are problems with both stores which I’ve highlighted on twitter with the below tweets and is something I’ll be coming back to in a few weeks to give a round-up of how it’s gone/going and what problems we as creators face in how to sell our digital comics .

The Kindle comics new release list is an absolute mess. Sparse on comix but plenty of erotica and Dad’s Army fanfic. amzn.to/WGw1ux

— Marc Ellerby (@marcellerby) February 8, 2013

iBooks is a bit better but suffers from that old comic shop cliche; good luck if you want to browse for anything other than supers/TV stuff.

— Marc Ellerby (@marcellerby) February 8, 2013

The most surprising thing of all was that Ellerbisms made it onto the front page of the iBooks store which made me squeal for a good hour. Though the effects of how this helped sales is yet to be seen, it’s nice that a comic made its way on there.

We’ll have Ellerbisms up on the Nook and Kobo stores in a few weeks, those using Comixology may have to wait a bit longer although we are definitely working on getting the full GB catalogue on their amazing system.

Have you bought a one of our digital comics? How’d you find it? Personally I don’t think it can replace the book itself but it’s a nice, cheap alternative to dropping money on something you’re either not familar with or unsure about.

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A bit later than planned (Christmas is always a bit of a headache for getting work done) Chloe Noonan Christmas Special. Brand new 8 page comic totally free to read.

If you’ve not experienced Chloe Noonan before then you have some homework which is right here and you can catch up on all the instalments in this DRM-free PDF for only £2.99.

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Guys, this weekend I’ll be exhibiting at Thought Bubble 2012 in that there Leeds. Thought Bubble is the best UK convention I’ve ever attended, no flipping lie. I’ve been to every TB, from the first time it was in some weird crypt, the show has changed and morphed into a mega convention. It went from the crypt to a one glorious day in one giant hall and now it’s in its second year as a two day mega show across two venues. All in 6 years.

What will I be doing at the show? Selling blooming comics and stuff that’s what! No panels or mucking about planned (apart from at the after party, natch) so if you want to find me at all this weekend, you should find me glued to my table. “Marc where is your table?!?” I hear you scream into your monitor/phone. Well I will tell you, Eager-Dude, I am at table 151 in New Dock Hall and you can find that mo-fo’ing table by looking at this handy map (I’ve highlighted the important information)

I’ll be bringing all the bits and pieces you’ll see in the photo at the top of the post, including the hot-off-the-Lithuanian-press  Ellerbisms! Also a variety of  Chloe Noonan comics and merch. I’ll also be bringing some original art including the last remaining pages of Chloe Noonan #1 and for the first time original Ellerbisms artwork. I will not be bringing the radiator with me, sadly.

I probably won’t be doing sketches as it’s just me selling books, though I will be happy to doodle in a book for a small fee. If you’re wondering how much this crap costs, you can check the prices on the store. Bring the exact money or I will stab you in the chest with a Loki-staff stolen from a cosplayer (hahah no it’s cool I have change, unlike some people)

I WILL SEE YOUR AWESOME FACES THERE! I WILL SEE YOU WITH MY EYES!!!

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To celebrate every one’s favourite holiday season that involves the undead and scaring the bejesus out of people (closely followed by Easter, obviously) I’ve drawn a 9 page Chloe Noonan Halloween Special which you can read for free right here!

If you’re unfamiliar with Chloe Noonan then where you been, dawg?! You can read some short strips right here and buy any of the digital or physical comics from our Great Beast store.

I loved making this comic and really hope I can squeeze in a Christmas special before the end of the year.

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At very long last my autobio graphic novel Ellerbisms is now available for pre-ordering.

5 years in the making, 268 pages, 200+ original strips (rescanned and retouched) 30+ brand new pages specially drawn for this collection, rounded corners (!!!!!) and endless drawings of my face.

I’m offering incentives for pre-orders like sketches, mini comics, buttons, original art work (for the first time I am parting with the art from the series and if you know me at all you know how hard that is) and more so why not check out some of the personalised offers available and fill your house with Ellerby paraphernalia. Below are the buttons and art work examples. I should note that as of the time of writing some of the incentives are at the half way sold mark, so don’t miss out.

If you don’t know what Ellerbisms is about, well, it deals with the small, sometimes funny sometimes sad moments of the day that might not be big or life changing in the big picture of life but are moments we all have and relate to. It’s also a relationship told in pictures. It’s a love story, one that you’ve probably gone through yourself or are currently going through. It was a webcomic, some people liked it. I’m very proud of it.

It will be out in time for Thought Bubble in Leeds and (hopefully) Comica in London next month. There’s a blog post about it on the Great Beast site if you want some more information. I totally 100% think you should buy a copy.

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New comic alert!

I’ve put together a collection of all my Hourly Comics in to a handsome little A5 mini comic. If you don’t know what an Hourly Comic is, you can get a glimpse of what they ‘re like right here. This mini is limited to 200 copies printed on uncoated recycled “off-white” paper and card. These will only be available through me at conventions or my online store, each copy will come numbered and signed and a “personalised version” is available for those who would like a drawing in the front.

Here, have some photos of the real life comic.

You’ll be able to pick up the comic from me this Saturday at the International Alternative Press Festival at Conway Hall, London and any other convention I’ll be attending this year. Or right this blooming second from my store!

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This Saturday (the 21st) Manchester will host its second MCM Expo at Manchester Central and I can’t wait to go. Last year was a mega blast and we’re all hoping it can repeat the success of last year, fingers crossed the stupid rain stays away. You’ll find myself and Adam Cadwell under the Great Beast Comics banner and I should hopefully have some new prints with me, which hey, you can have a butchers at below…

(These will be limited editions, though if I have any left over I’ll sell them online come the Tuesday after the show)

On the 4th of August I’ll be back in London for the International Alternative Press Festival at Conway Hall near Holburn. I’ll be sharing a table with Isabel Greenberg who is super talented and you should check her comics out. I might have a limited edition mini comic out for it collecting some older bits and bobs, so keep an eye out for that. (Although this is a weekend festival I’m just attending the Saturday).

The following week the Gosh! London reading group Comic Goship have chosen Chloe Noonan as their small press book of the month and will be discussing it alongside one of my favourite superhero graphic novels All Star Superman. So if you’ve read both and would like to discuss the books then come along, I’ll be giving away some posters and will happily sign in anything you might want signed (if that’s something I can do, I dunno?)

Hopefully see you there!

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