So I’ve started the process of putting together the CAD collection book. I’ve moved this project ahead of the comic book due to the nature of the work involved, and the massive demand for it.

The first step, which I’m working on now, is getting all of the old strips ready for print. So far, this involved taking my original high quality photoshop files, and rebuilding them from the ground up. Making sure all of the panels are the same size, and line up perfectly, making sure the artwork lines up where it’s supposed to, making sure there are no stray marks that need to be erased, etc.

The text also has to be completely redone. A lot of the earlier strips used a different font, and on top of that, it appears that I didn’t master the art of word balloon and dialogue placement for quite some time. So I’m taking what I know now and applying it to all of the old strips, to make the dialogue look better, visually, and also flow better.

It’s funny. I never thought I’d say this, but taking on this project has given me a level of sympathy for George Lucas. Taking your old work in for revisions is a difficult process. You know that the old stuff is classic, and dear to a lot of people, but you also know that you’ve grown as an artist, and can do so much better now. So where do you draw the line in what to change, and what not to change?

I’ve decided to take the minimalist approach. Changes I’ve made the the strips are tiny. Let me show you an example. Look at this comparison between the original first strip, and the remastered one.

As you can see, little changes can make a world of difference in the presentation of the strip, without even touching the original artwork. There isn’t going to be any of that ‘Greedo shot first’ bullshit here.

So on top of getting the best looking versions of the CAD strips available, what else can you expect from the book? Well, as I mentioned before, there is going to be space on each page for a running ‘director’s commentary’ type of stuff. This will include my notes about how the comic was drawn, where a particular idea came from, off-hand remarks about any number of things, etc. There may even be comments from the characters themselves, true to an actual DVD style commentary. And where there isn’t commentary, there will be sketches and more.

There will also be a handful of new comics that will only be available in the book. Most likely a storyline, the subject of which I’ll announce when we’re closer to release.

I may also try to do a behind the scenes feature, and possibly some bloopers and outtakes.

And yes, the book will be in color.

In the meantime, don’t forget to swing by the store and pick up one of the new shirt designs.

There are two new CAD designs. A CAD Logo shirt and a L337 University shirt. We are currently taking pre-orders for them. These may only be offered for a limited time, depending on sales, so if you want one, act soon.

The other design is from Konsekai: Swordwaltzer. It’s a very slick design, from an incredibly involved comic.

And in unrelated news, I started playing Star Wars: Galaxies yesterday. Don’t ask me why, I just woke up with the strongest craving for a MMORPG. It was either SWG, or going back to Everquest, and I decided that SWG deserved another shot after my beta experiences.

The verdict is still out… it’s fun, but I’m not sure if it’s fun enough for me to pay monthly to play. I’m going to enjoy my free month and decide at the end.