We're on a diplomatic mission.

Chapter 39: Do go chasing waterfalls?

Jun 01, 2022

I went to Buffalo and I didn’t even get any wings!
WTFPFH? #6 is in stores now!
Our exclusive covers are for sale right…. NOW!
We’re doing a signing!
Stuff I didn’t write!
Stuff worth supporting!
The Mixtape!

Look at this. Two in two weeks. This must be your lucky… two weeks. (This is what you get when you value quantity over quality.)

So last week I mentioned not going over Niagara Falls, which is admittedly a weird thing to say for a few reasons. 1) Almost everyone is in a constant state of NOT going over a waterfall. It’s not usually worth mentioning. 2) I live in New York City, so my chances of going over the falls are actually very slim usually. Emphasis on usually. It turns out a few weeks ago now I actually hopped in a car, drove up to Ithaca (had to go to Shortstop for a sandwich) and then continued up to Buffalo, New York to visit my partner in crime Tyler, his partner in marriage Courtney, and their dog/our editor Olive a.k.a. Elsie Krack (K in the front and the back) a.k.a. Iris Bump a.k.a. The CheeseHound. While I was there I ate some stuff, played with and bothered a dog, bought some comics from the wonderful GutterPop, got enthusiastically shown a sculpted horse dong, and went to Niagara Falls. I was going to talk about that in last week’s newsletter but then I didn’t for a few reasons. And since I write these in a sort of sleep deprived fugue state that is my Straight Edge equivalent of being drunk, sometimes I will reference stuff that won’t make sense. Good on you eagle-eyed readers for spotting the non-sequitur gibberish. Shame on the rest of you for missing it.

I went to Niagara Falls a couple times when I was a kid and was always sort of in love with it. Anything on that scale just reminds me how tiny I am, and I guess I’ve always had a kink for that? That’s why I like the ocean and space so much. Every so often a reminder of cosmic insignificance is good for the soul. But it turns out since last time I was there I have more than doubled in size and falls have stayed about the same size. But you know what? Still impressive. I still get nervous around the falls, and some of that is the anxiety from this scene, which might be the most affecting superhero moment of my entire childhood-

Never noticed until now that some lady off camera says “Of course he’s Jewish” when Superman grabs the kid. Old superhero movies are fucking wild.

But the thing that really overwhelmed me about the falls again was not all the awful parenting*, but how much I want to go over them in a barrel. I’ve always loved that people used to do that. It fascinates me and terrifies me. I both can’t understand why anyone would want to do that and then when I’m there it’s all that I can think about. I don’t even know where I’d get a barrel.

*There was some awful parenting though as we saw two kids try to catch a skunk. It didn’t end the way I wanted it to, but everyone else seemed relieved.

Our editor at the Falls telling me to look online for great deals on barrels.

Besides all the water stuff, Tyler and I spent a bunch of days outlining in great detail what the next year of WHAT’S THE FURTHEST PLACE FROM HERE? looks like. To say that we’re both excited about what is coming is an understatement. And also, we’re so wildly appreciative of the support you all give us that allows us to tell this story. So thank you.

Speaking of, WHAT’S THE FURTHEST PLACE FROM HERE? #6 is in comic shops right now! It’s the end of our first arc, we made it double-sized because we like to go out with a bang, and it’s got some big moments for our intrepid gang. If you’re looking for a place to grab a copy you can use Comic Shop Locator.

Want a preview?

You can read it here.

Feels like it’s going to turn out great.

And remember, you can still ask your local comic shop, bookshop, or giant megacorporation to get you a copy of volume 1, containing issues 1-6.

We also, as always, have a couple of limited edition exclusive covers over at FurthestPlace.com.

A nice shiny foil cover limited to 100-

And the last (or is it) in our connecting covers limited to 500.-

And we still have some of the other 5 covers in this series left if you still want.

Speaking of all that nonsense, we’re doing a signing! Maybe my only one of the year.

Our dear friends at THIRD EYE COMICS are opening a brand new store (actually they are taking over an old store that I loved) in College Park, MD on July 2nd! To celebrate they’re having a big sale all day, and Tyler, myself, and Josh Hixson (who is drawing issue #7) will be there. It’s the week WTFPFH? vol. 1 and issue #7 come out, so come get them signed. We’ll be outside for those of you who don’t want to go into crowded spots right now. Come hang out!

And if you come to the signing and use the secret code words we might even give you some cool free stuff! The secret code words are: “You said in your newsletter you’d give me free stuff.”*

*Secret codewords have to be said in that order or I will just stare at you.

If you didn’t sign up for friend of the room Tini Howard’s excellent newsletter The Scorpio Room before you were missing out insights from one of my favorite current comic writers and people to chat with. If you aren’t signed up for it now you are missing out on a brand new comic series by Tini and the enigmatic Phil Sevy called PHENOMENOCITY, which is not only fun to say, it’s fun to read. The new series is exactly what you’d expect from Tini in that it’s thought provoking, cool, and strange enough as to defy all expectations. But it’s fun sci-fi stuff and well worth your time.

You can subscribe and read it for free, but the book exists entirely on the support of readers. So there is no reason to not check it out and if you enjoy it, which you will, you can subscribe at a higher price point and support the work of these excellent creators.

On a much more somber note, right after I left Buffalo a few weeks ago 10 people were murdered in the Tops Market just a couple of miles from where I slept and worked on our book. Obviously this country is still reeling from this unimaginable tragedy, along with those in Texas and elsewhere. And other people far better suited than I have been giving voice to our nation’s pain and outrage. But on a personal level Buffalo is my creative partner Tyler’s hometown. It is a place that very much has leant its spirit, inspiration, shelter, and warmth to everything he makes and everything we create together. So if you’ve enjoyed anything we’ve made over the years, please consider giving back to the people of Buffalo most affected by this tragedy. You can find good places to donate here.

And if you’re in the Buffalo area and feel like supporting the community, there are lots of things you can do. But one very helpful option is donating or regularly contributing to the Community Fridge. The Tops market exists in a food desert so this attack on them has affected a whole community in even more complex ways than just the violence and death caused. The Community Fridge is a way to donate food to members of the community that anyone can access for free, no questions asked.

buffalocommunityfridge

A post shared by Buffalo Community Fridge (@buffalocommunityfridge)

If you’re not familiar with community fridges they are a great resource and way to support your neighbors and foster a real sense of community, and there are more and more popping up all over the country. Check out your area to see if there is one near you.

I watched Crock of Gold, Julien Temple’s documentary about Shane MacGowan of The Pogues the other day. A good film about one of the great modern poets. Sent me back to revisit their whole catalogue. It’s rare that a band can have such urgency and still be so timeless.