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Saltybird

Take it easy. But take it.
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What an amazing year it has been! Read about the complete year in review here on my blog: 

myimaginationshome.blogspot.sg…

I've been so blessed to work with so many talented people I can call friends.  It has been a pleasure and I know you will ALL been working on more and better projects in the coming year.  

I got "Convoy of Corpses" my stand alone Afghanistan war comic picked up by Rocketblast Comics (this book will soon be available in the Asian Market as well as the North American) 

Artist: vanchoran
Inker: IVAN MIRANDA 
Colorist: Amitabha Naskar 
Letters: ShawAboutNic
Cover: TomKellyART 

I am writing "C.L.A.W.S." a superhero comic for ROCKETBLAST COMICS 
Artist
Jose L. Mojica 
Inks: John Dixon 
C
olors: Lynn Kranz 
Letters micahmyers .

The first issue for this book premiers at
 Emerald City ComiCon

"STARBURN" a 4 issue sci-fi miniseries I created and write also got picked up by a publisher! Markosia Enterprises the first issue drops early 2015!
Art: LoadedAtama  
Inks: Docolomansky
Colors: spacerocketbunny  
Letters: Nic J Shaw

"SNARL" 
an original 40 page graphic novel I co-created with artist nkellynk28  also got picked up by a publisher this year!! It comes out Spring 2015 from Alterna Comics - Creator-Owned Graphic Novel Publisher 
Colors: JoshJ81 
Letters: Micah Myers 

I also Created & Wrote
 ‪#‎Aqueous‬ The first issue just got completed and we will be pitching it to publishers early 2015. Announcements hopefully coming soon...
Art MichyKahuya
I
nks by JeffGraham-Art 
Colors: SnakebitArtStudio  
Letters by Micah Myers. 

"DEATH-RATTLER" is a 6 issue miniseries I Write and Co-Created with artist RDOWN  . We are pitching to publishers early 2015.
Inks: Ivan Miranda
Colors:
 
Flats: Lynn Kranz
Letters: Micah Myers.

"YAKUZA 893" is a 4 issue miniseries I Write and Co-Created with artist REVOLVER-edakunsisDA . The first issue is almost complete and I'll be pitching it to publishers at Emerald City Comicon .
Inks: Ivan Miranda
Colors: Laura Lee
Letters Micah Myers.

"BLOOD IN. BLOOD OUT." is another comic I Co-Created and Write. It's an ongoing series Co-Creator and Artist NATHAN KELLY and I are pitching at EMERALD CITY COMIC CON in March.

Colors: Josh Jensen
Letters: Micah Myers
Covers Tom Kelly)

"MIDNIGHT SOCIETY" is a comic book I am writing for Artist CarloGarde & colorist pascal-verhoef , Letters by Micah Myers. We will be pitching this comic series Spring 2015.

What does 2015 have in store for me?

"TRIBAL LINES" (with Co-Creator & Artist NathanJordan  )

"LITTLE BLACK BOXES" (with Co-Creator & Artist STANLEY CHOU)

"THE DRIF T" (Co-Creator & Artist announcement coming soon...)

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I recently was at "STGCC" (Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Con) where my comic book "STARBURN" debuted and sold in the triple digits sales!

It was an amazing time and the buzz and fan response was amazing!

Here are some reviews of "STARBURN":

www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/o…

www.comiccrusaders.com/exclusi…

geekmom.com/2014/08/comic-book…

reddotdiva.blogspot.sg/2014/09…

www.herebegeeks.com/comics/com…

www.toys-etc.com/2014/09/stgcc…

One of the highlights of the Comic Con for me was taking part in a panel discussion on "creator owned comics" with HUMBERTO RAMOS, DAVID MACK & CAMERON STEWART!  

Such a great time and experience.

Next up for me is Komikon (Philippines) in November.
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"STARBURN" the comic book I created & wrote to be published by EMERALD STAR COMICS through diamond/previews Nov/Dec 2014. 

www.emeraldstarcomics.com/news…

Creative Team: 

Creator & Writer: Kelly Bender (me) 

T: twitter.com/KellyBender17
FB: www.facebook.com/kelly.bender.…
Blog: myimaginationshome.blogspot.sg…

Illustrator: Brian Balondo 

T: twitter.com/BrianBalondo
DA: loadedatama.deviantart.com/
FB: www.facebook.com/brian.balondo

Inks: Cristian Docolomansky 

T: twitter.com/DOCINKS
DA: docolomansky.deviantart.com/
FB: www.facebook.com/cristian.doco…

Colors: Laura Lee 

DA: spacerocketbunny.deviantart.co…
FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?i…

Letters: Nic J Shaw

T: twitter.com/ShawLettering
DA: shawaboutnic.deviantart.com/
website: shawlettering.com/

So proud of this team and what we were able to accomplish!  
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10 months ago I had an idea for what I thought would be a wicked comic book miniseries.  

I started writing down the  

I started this journey with a head full of ideas and no game plan on how to execute it. After talking to some local pros both online and in person, I started getting an understanding of what I have to do 

Step 1: 

Do some anthology stories. 

This helped me hammer out my writing style, learn how to work with a team of people and get published for the first time. 

My Anthology Stories: 

1) "What once was yours is mine" (myimaginationshome.blogspot.ca…) which was brilliantly illustrated by Adrian "Crisuadi" Crasmaru crisuadi.deviantart.com/ and published by "EVIL MOOSE" (evilmoosecomics.com/)

2) "Rule Number 001" (myimaginationshome.blogspot.ca…) with awesome art and letters by Aga Marlon agamarlon.deviantart.com/ and published and handed out at SAN DIEGO COMIC CON by "EMERALD STAR COMICSwww.emeraldstarcomics.com/

3) "Swords of Honor" (myimaginationshome.blogspot.ca…) with gorgeous illustrations by Bryant Christopher Yini bryanty08.deviantart.com/ Inks (pages 4-6) Ken Perry kenperry.deviantart.com/ Cover Colors: Jake Tafuri tafuri42.deviantart.com/ Letters and Logo: Nic J Shaw shawaboutnic.deviantart.com/ and also published and handed out at SAN DIEGO COMIC CON by "EMERALD STAR COMICSwww.emeraldstarcomics.com/

Step 2: 

Do some one-shot stories and get them picked up and published. 

I keep hearing over and over again from all these amazingly friendly and nice industry pro's that bigger comic book companies want to see two things. 1) That you can CREATE a comic book and 2) That you can SELL comic books. (if you do both of these two things successfully the bigger publishers will find you!) 

So that's where my one-shot stories come in. 

1) "Hang Low Aim High" myimaginationshome.blogspot.ca… is a western one-shot comic book with stunning art and water colors by Adrian "Crisuadi" Crasmaru crisuadi.deviantart.com/ letters and cover logo: Nic J Shaw shawaboutnic.deviantart.com/&n… a wicked cover by: Tom Kelly tomkellyart.deviantart.com/.  

This book will be self published by me through DRIVETHRU COMICS, COMIXOLOGY and INDYPLANET. 

2) "Convoy of Corpses" myimaginationshome.blogspot.ca… is an Afghanistan war story about the worlds most dangerous highway and a US Military Convoy which is escorting a BBC News crew from Kandahar to Naw Abad. Illustrations by Van Choran vanchoran.deviantart.com/, inks: Ivan Miranda colors: Amitabha Naskar letters and cover logo: Nic J Shaw shawaboutnic.deviantart.com/ and another wicked cover by: Tom Kelly tomkellyart.deviantart.com/

This book is available now through DRIVETHRU COMICS (comics.drivethrustuff.com/prod…

Step 3: 

Network and Get noticed.  

I did step three via Deviantart, Facebook, LinkedIn and local comic cons. (Twitter, 

From this networking I got my first paid pro writing gig. 

I am writing issues 2-6 of TITANIUM COMICS (titanium-comics.deviantart.com…www.facebook.com/Ti.Comics & www.titaniumcomics.com/ & www.facebook.com/Ti.Comics.AOD) awesome apocalyptic comic book "AGE OF DARKNESS". 

I am also getting 6 of my stories ready for pitching to publishers at NYC COMIC CON. 

Step 4: 

Keep creating. 
 


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In January I started on this journey to become a professional comic book writer and creator. 

Since January I have written 3 anthologies stories which have been picked up and published (Through "Emerald Star Comics" & "Evil Moose"), I have pitched two one-shot stories which have been picked up and being published through ROBB COMICS (www.robbent.com/) "Hang Low Aim High" & "Convoy of Corpses".  



I applied for my "Pro Pass" for NYC Comic Con and got it.  I am using this trip to try and book one on one time with all the Major publishers which accept submissions: IMAGE, BOOM!, Dark Horse, Dynamite, IDW & ONI Press. 

I am turning the following books into "mini comics" (Ashcan's I guess) to give to publishers for their considerations. 


2) "Blood In. Blood Out." myimaginationshome.blogspot.ca…

3) "Celestial Corps" myimaginationshome.blogspot.ca…


5) "Blood Red Lipstick" myimaginationshome.blogspot.ca…



I am also going because my publisher ROBB COMICS will be there and hopefully one of my comics "Hang Low Aim High" or "Convoy of Corpses" will be published by then. 

Also some of my comic buddies which I have created these comics with will be there also. 

Ken Perry kenperry.deviantart.com/ My awesome artist on "False Dawn" 
Nic J Shaw shawaboutnic.deviantart.com/ My trustful letterer (on all my books) and all around wicked dude. 
Cristian Docolomansky docolomansky.deviantart.com/ cool person who is inker on "Celestial Corps" 
Josh Jenson joshj81.deviantart.com/ super talented colorist on "Blood In. Blood Out." 

Can't wait to see these amazingly talented people in person and share a laugh and a pint with them. 
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Featured

Kelly Bender Comic Writing Year in Review by Saltybird, journal

STARBURN debuts at STGCC by Saltybird, journal

STARBURN to be published by EMERALD STAR COMICS by Saltybird, journal

My path to becoming a PRO comic book writer by Saltybird, journal

NYC Comic Con Pro Pass?!? by Saltybird, journal