Its a somewhat sad, albeit common problem; in that its mostly all done, it has all the art I ordered for it done (literally years ago at this point) - but it just needs that bit more extra polish and I'm no longer in a circumstance where I can actually and actively pour myself into it.
When I was really going whole hog on Issue 2 I was working a pretty terrible factory gig that paid well enough but was destroying my knees and my sanity; and then we got hit with the pandemic -- which in turn allowed me to have a safety net for a bit, as nobody needed quasi-legal waterbeds during said pandemic. Factory shuttered, PUA allowed me to finally get a computer that didn't murder itself when I was running photoshop -- and for a time, I was really banging on all cylinders with Rakehell 2.
But things changed, lost some roommates, still marooned in NYC despite the state of all things, ended up doing work for others/books for others which I enjoyed and stand by, but which were ultimately just there to pay the rent. Then I also turned 30, lost a good portion of my peer group overnight due to a good many of them leaning into some horrible things they decided to be okay with, and the existentialism hit me for a bit.
That was two years ago at this point, as I'm 32 now. Its rough goings, more often than not, but I've begun rebuilding, and I've begun focusing again on aspects of the craft that I personally love - and I do want to get Rakehell 2 out at some point -- I spent a lot of money on art, token pieces and a cover by some artists I've been friends with for almost over a decade each at this point.
But the rent still needs paying, and times are tough all over. Its on my list of things to do when I've got a moment to breathe, a moment to not be held in the cage of month to month anxieties of making said rent. Which is all more complicated now having gotten covid (literally back in March, never stopped masking, up to date on my shots, but it happened) and having been dealing with compounding fatigue issues ever since.
I'd love to get back into it. It does bring me joy as a setting, to pour in all my woebegone eruditic malaise into some purple prose by way of a poisoned pen - but alas, its an issue of 'maybe someday' rather than anything I can give a proper time table to.
Glad you like it, and I appreciate the kind words.
All the best,
- Brian
Have some art, just to know that it still lives though it languishes on my hard drive. Some of the main NPC tokens, some player tokens, and the cover. Perhaps not the stylistic choice some would desire, but they're done by Peter Violini, my current roomie and a guy I made comics with for six years. Cover by Tish Doolin, who is also a comic friend from way back when.
