Battle Brick Road Backup Story
Back in 2020, I had gotten to know a number of creators in the indie comics scene. One such creator was a popular letterer in that space named Eric Weathers. I say letterer only because that's what he's become most known for (and he's dang good at it), but he's also responsible for one of the slickest-looking comics to have come out in a long while: Battle Brick Road, a modern take on the classic tale of the Wizard of Oz. My description really doesn't do it justice; I suggest you look into it yourself and be amazed.
As his campaign was taking off, Eric reached out to me and asked if I'd be interested in illustrating an ashcan comic to accompany the book, which was a massive honor because up until that point, I was known for being the chibi-sticker guy, not a comic artist (despite my literal handle being Six AM "Comics"). I was nervous to accept because I didn't even know if I was good enough to take on something like that, but when opportunity knocks, you don't leave it hanging. So I accepted the offer and got to work with him and his writer, Zeb Hatfield.
It began as a 6-page story but ultimately changed to a 12-page story (as if I wasn't nervous enough already) about a younger version of the book's protagonist (Thea Gale, the Dorothy of this IP) on a mini-adventure with her robot companion, TOTO, as she journeys across a post-apocalyptic wasteland to St. Louis to meet up with her Uncle.
Here's a sample of my work on this project. If you're interested in reading it, pick up a copy of book 1, as it became a backup story included at the end of the book rather than an accompanying ashcan.
