Zenith Comics Presents: Supervillains! Vol. 1 - Update!

AslanC · Post by **AslanC** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:54 pm

Hey all!

Just to let you know that the first volume is about 99% ready to go.

I am meeting with the artist Anthony Green Saturday night to really get a fire under his butt for the missing panel art we need to release.

Life has been crazy on this project, illness, school, new jobs, family emergencies have all taken their toll on us.

We have learned a lot from this first one and that should allow for the next volumes to come out much faster... should anyways

Now for the good news!

Given the nature of the industry and some other's pricing options, couple with the fact that Zenith Comics is about doing it, not making bunches and scads of money (like that ever happens in hobby publishing

) I have made the decision to release this first volume of Zenith Comics Presents for only .99$!

That's right, 10 awesome villains (11 actually) for less than a buck!

Should this prove to be a successful model (read everyone involved can afford a pint with the profits) I will continue to release products for that price

So cheers and thanks for all the patience, waiting and understanding.

The end is in sight

AslanC · Post by **AslanC** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:21 pm

Wel, seems due to thier costs with Paypal, RPGNow prefers prices not be lower than $1.99

Who knew?

So alas it seems that will be the price. My apologies, but I only just learned this.

Hope the new price won't scare folks away.

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:24 pm

No problem. I'll be buying. $1.99 is still super cheap. I can't wait to see it!

drkrash · Post by **drkrash** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:13 am

This is great news.

It seems that $2 for about 10 characters seems to be the unofficial model for BASH supplements these days.

I'm looking forward to this with great interest.

kevperrine · Post by **kevperrine** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 12:13 pm

drkrash wrote: It seems that $2 for about 10 characters seems to be the unofficial model for BASH supplements these days.

I does? Why is that?

On a sidebar note to that... if that's the case, it's sorta stinky compared to (what I feel is BASH! ultimate rival!) ICONS. I just had to buy their new "Hero Pack" ...

Oh.
My.
God.

It's packed with awesome. I love the style. I love the silver-agey awesome of the characters. I love the art. I love (*almost) everything about this supplement. It's incredible.
And... for all the 99 pages... you get dozens of characters for $2. The only better awesome, would be short bios on these characters.

*The only yuck of it is... the system. I'm not a fan. BASH! wins me with the system.

But... no offense (because I really dig BASH! and am wanting to help with the improving of BASH!'s look) but ICONS is 1000-times cooler to me in, what I feel, is a similar awesome-cool "animated" silver-age style superhero fun. It's just better in style. Period.
Conversely... BASH! is just a much better system, in my humble opinion. Period.

The Mighty Saguaro!!
and now, SPIDER FRIDGE?!!?!!! * YEAH!

Why can't (we) BASH! fans do THIS???? Why isn't BASH! supplements (and the iconic characters) this cool?!!

Since I'm an old-school Marvel fan over DC comics. I would say "MAKE MINE MARVEL". With that, I look at BASH! vs. ICONS as Marvel vs. DC.
And for all the love and want in the world... I want to yell:

"BRING ON BASH!"
or
"BASH! MY BRAINS IN"
as our catchphrase. But I think "we" need some super awesome like ICON's Hero Pack to be on that level of cool.

just my humble and honest opinion
with a grain of salt, in hopes/effort to make BASH! cooler
-kev-

drkrash · Post by **drkrash** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 1:41 pm

Well, there's a few reasons.

I said what I said because there have been those 3 Golden Age supplements that all came out in the past month or so, all about 10 guys, all $2 ea.

The Hero Pack for Icons is indeed awesome. But there's a bunch of things to keep in mind.

Adamant is a much bigger operation than BAG, which is one guy. Adamant has a few authors working for them who are bigger names in the indie business than BASHMAN, so they attract attention.

Plus, this seems like it was largely Houser's project, which meant that the art budget was essentially non-existent, and let me tell you, art is the biggest price inflator on indie games.

So I wouldn't expect anything of this scope for BASH for awhile.

I agree that Icons is a weaker system. By far. And, no offense to you or especially Mr. Houser, but I really strongly dislike his art. Really.

Anyway. I was just making a passing comment. In no way do I want to take away from Zenith Comic's thunder, which is what this thread is about and for which I am genuinely excited.

Samuraidad · Post by **Samuraidad** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 2:49 pm

This great news in deed!

Btw, just downloaded Hero Pack. Yeah it's for ICONS but it's all kinds of awesome!! Definitely lots of source material there!!! I can see some of these characters showing up in the BASH campaign that my friends and I have just started.

urbwar · Post by **urbwar** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:30 pm

drkrash wrote: Plus, this seems like it was largely Houser's project, which meant that the art budget was essentially non-existent, and let me tell you, art is the biggest price inflator on indie games.

Dan was actually paid for the art for all the fan characters. Originally, it was a limited thing (ie limited to those whose characters were going to be in it), but then Adamant decided to release it, and they added the characters whose images appear in the core rules. Those whose characters appear in it are going to get an adventure featuring some of the villains in the book, but I don't think it will be available for anyone else.

So yeah, art is the biggest thing for a small press publisher, but in this one case, Dan was compensated well for all the art that appeared in it.

But to go back on topic: Aslan, since RPGNow/Drivethru offers a printing option, will this also be available in print? Or will you go elsewhere for PoD options? I know BASHMAN has said color printing from RPGNow is expensive, so I was curious if the print version will be B&W like the original BASH UE book, or if you will go all out for a color print version.

AslanC · Post by **AslanC** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:32 pm

urbwar wrote:Aslan, since RPGNow/Drivethru offers a printing option, will this also be available in print? Or will you go elsewhere for PoD options? I know BASHMAN has said color printing from RPGNow is expensive, so I was curious if the print version will be B&W like the original BASH UE book, or if you will go all out for a color print version.

I am of two minds on this one;

1] Set it up right away as a pod

2] Wait until a few more volumes are out on PDF and then bundle them as a Special Edition POD only file.

Not sure.

drkrash · Post by **drkrash** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:38 pm

I'd prefer the second option if the individual PDFs are going to be short.

[And just a note on Hero Pack - I stand corrected on the artist's compensation. I was making (incorrect) presumptions. Still - at this time, I don't think BASH fans can hope for a 90 page color illustrated $2 PDF full of characters. Even though that would be awesome. But I actually like Fabrica art much more than Houser's art.]

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:04 am

Yeah, I'd definately go for a larger, bundled print product. Throw in a couple of bonus villians not available in the pdfs and you've just added extra incentive.

Jason_Sunday · Post by **Jason_Sunday** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:11 am

kevperrine wrote:Why can't (we) BASH! fans do THIS???? Why isn't BASH! supplements (and the iconic characters) this cool?!!

We could if we had an artist who had the time. One of my character's are in the Hero Pack. Check out Nightstrike.

Jason_Sunday · Post by **Jason_Sunday** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:19 am

kevperrine wrote:Why can't (we) BASH! fans do THIS???? Why isn't BASH! supplements (and the iconic characters) this cool?!!

We could if we had an artist who had the time. One of my character's are in the Hero Pack. Check out Nightstrike.

Jason_Sunday · Post by **Jason_Sunday** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:28 am

kevperrine wrote:Why can't (we) BASH! fans do THIS???? Why isn't BASH! supplements (and the iconic characters) this cool?!!

We could if we had an artist who had the time. One of my character's are in the Hero Pack. Check out Nightstrike.

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:11 am

Jason_Sunday wrote:
kevperrine wrote:Why can't (we) BASH! fans do THIS???? Why isn't BASH! supplements (and the iconic characters) this cool?!!
We could if we had an artist who had the time. One of my character's are in the Hero Pack. Check out Nightstrike.

Cool. I'll be sure to pick up both Zenith Comics Presents and Hero Pack in one fell swoop!