TINY UPDATE 5/12: Falling Into Place

“Tiny Update” is a monthly free newsletter that keeps you up to date on the latest news, comic book projects and merchandise offerings from James Tynion IV and Tiny Onion Studios

Hey Friends,

So, this one is pretty late, huh? I’m sorry about that. It’s been a busy couple of weeks. Here’s a quick snapshot of where I am at, exhaustion-wise.

I have admittedly been buried under deadlines all month. There’s a lot of stuff happening that I can’t talk to you about yet, but is very very exciting to me. But it also means I’ve been burning the candle at every possible end, and that’s been taking its toll. Next week I am taking an actual for-real vacation with a few of my friends and I’m so fucking excited about it. Honestly I need it.

Usually I’d dig into what I’ve been up to the last few weeks, but really it’s been a lot of the same, or it’s been top secret. The Midtown signing for the W0RLDTR33 launch was a blast. Vegas was a lot of fun. I’m signing down at Third Eye Comics tomorrow, and I’m excited to see a few of you all there.

I’m coming up on the one year anniversary of a pretty big life change on top of getting ready to cross a threshold with my body that I didn’t think was going to be in the cards quite so soon if ever. It’s made me a bit introspective of the changes I’ve made in my life these last twelve months. So much of it is incredibly good. I feel happier, and healthier in many concrete ways. I still work way the fuck too much, but if I’m honest with myself, I enjoy working way the fuck too much. But the biggest surprises, joys, and heartbreaks of the last year have come when I’ve pushed myself into new spheres outside of work. It’s been boxing. It’s been my social life. It’s been in that nebulous middle ground between my social life and my dating life.

I like the sensation of falling. Not literally, of course. But that feeling when you kind of surrender yourself to something else, when you give up control. Whether it’s to a story, or a hobby, or a passion, or a person. You just let yourself immerse in the idea of that other thing, and absorb everything you can and see what it transforms you into without knowing what that transformation will bring. I’ve letting myself fall more and more the last few months. Some days it brings immense joy, and some days it makes me want to rip my hair out. But I feel more alive than I have in a very long time.

I’m getting ready to enter a new phase of my life and my career. You’ll learn more about it as the year goes on, but that’s all I can really say for now. It’s going to be a lot of work, but the pressure is going to be much different now. I’m going to be able to take a deep breath and assess what I want to do and how I want to do it, and take a few more moments to breathe.

And more important than that, take a few more moments to live.

---

THE EMPIRE OF THE TINY ONION is supported by readers like you! Subscribe today to get early access to new merchandise, exclusive covers, digital-first comic book series, and in-depth behind-the-scenes commentary on your favorite comic books by James Tynion IV.

---

I suspended payments on Substack for the time being.

We need to build up a bit more of a backlog on the Blue Books and True Weirds. I also think that this summer might be a little light here on the newsletter. Ex-Onion Club members should take this time to check and see what their renewal status looks like, because if you haven’t turned it off, you’ll be charged $75 for a year of paid Substack. Which you’re welcome to do, but I think folks keep forgetting they need to manually turn that off, and I don’t have a way to turn it off myself.

I’ll try to be more regular with these Tiny Updates, starting in June, and we’ll keep the SKTCHDxTINYONION posts running, with the next one dropping next week. June should also have a proper Onion Drop. I’ll let you all know how we wanna do that with the suspended payments but right now I gotta sell you a book.

THE ODDLY PEDESTRIAN LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER CHAOS #1

W: James Tynion IV & Tate Brombal / A: Isaac Goodhart / C: Miquel Muerto / L: Aditya Bidikar / Covers & Character Design: Nick Robles / E: Greg Lockard & Daniel Chabon

The time is now! TOPLOCC is coming to print! The Final Order Cut-Off is on MONDAY, and I couldn’t be more fucking excited about this book.

Christopher Chaos means a lot to me. I’m immensely proud of the work Tate, Isaac, Miquel, Nick, and Aditya have done building it all out. You’ve seen early version of the work here on Substack (though we’ve made some changes to the print addition, namely bringing on Miquel Muerto as the new series colorist starting with Issue #1), but the most fun here has been talking about the world that surrounds Christopher, and Adam, and Jordi, and the Helwing Corps. We have lots of stories we want to tell, and your support will help make that happen.

So, right now, I want you to call up your local comic shop and tell them to reserve you a copy right now. We’ve got a whole BUNCH of covers. We just revealed this amazing Phil Jimenez cover this week…

On top of that we’ve got a killer Isaac Goodhart cover, and a Glow-In-The-Dark David Talaski cover! We’ve got a BUNCH of goodies for you, I promise.

Now go forth and order your copies while you still can!

May 3rd

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH: THE COMPLETE CONSPIRACY VOL. 1 Deluxe HC

W: James Tynion IV / A: Martin Simmonds + various / L: Aditya Bidikar / Cover: Martin Simmonds / E: Steve Foxe / P: Image Comics

Cole Turner has studied conspiracy theories all his life, but he isn’t prepared for what happens when he discovers that all of them are true: the JFK Assassination, Flat Earth Theory, Bigfoot, Mothman, and so much worse. One organization has been covering them up for generations, controlling the narrative for what they claim is the greater good. What is the deep, dark secret behind the Department of Truth—and will learning it destroy Cole’s life from the inside out? The first three arcs of the critically acclaimed series by Eisner Award-winning writer JAMES TYNION IV (Something is Killing the Children, The Nice House on the Lake) and superstar artist MARTIN SIMMONDS (Dying is Easy) are collected here for the first time in deluxe hardcover format. Experience…THE COMPLETE CONSPIRACY. Collects THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #1-17

May 9th

THE SANDMAN UNIVERSE: NIGHTMARE COUNTRY - THE GLASS HOUSE #2

W: James Tynion IV / A + C: Patricio Delpeche / L: Simon Bowland / Main Cover: Reiko Murakami / E: Andrea Shea & Chris Conroy

The Corinthian and Dream have a deal: the toothy-eyed nightmare can continue walking the waking world in search of answers about the Smiling Man, but he’s bound to the will of Madison Flynn—who refuses to let him hurt or kill anyone she finds undeserving. But as the Corinthian finds himself drawn into the labyrinthian demon club of the King of Pain, he’s about to get a taste of just how tight his leash really is…

May 17th

HOUSE OF SLAUGHTER #15

W: James Tynion IV & Tate Brombal / A: Werther Dell‘Edera & Antonio Fuso / C: Miquel Muerto / L: AndWorld Design / E: Eric Harburn & Ramiro Portnoy

In the final issue of the third story arc, Jace will have to make a difficult choice between vengeance and rescuing Sunny from the White Masks!

But just as Sunny has to deal with the monster within, Jace unleashes his rage in a more terrifying way than the children have ever witnessed...

May 24th

BLUE BOOK #4

W: James Tynion IV / A: Michael Avon Oeming / L: Aditya Bidikar / E: Greg Lockard, Daniel Chabon / P: Dark Horse

Madness and paranoia continue to take a toll on the sanity of Betty and Barney Hill as they search for help in determining whether their nightmares may have been missing memories of their alien encounter.  

Also includes True Weird: The Cinder Woman by Steve Foxe, John McCrea, and Aditya Bidikar.

May 31st

W0RLDTR33 #2

W: James Tynion IV / A: Fernando Blanco / C: Jordie Bellaire / L: Aditya Bidikar / E: Steve Foxe / P: Image Comics

NEW SERIES!

"A new world is coming. And I helped build it." That's what Ellison Lane's teenage brother told him after murdering 60 people. Something called the Undernet is influencing terrible acts of violence...and it may already be too late to stop it from spreading.

The next major horror outing from multiple Eisner Award-winning writer JAMES TYNION IV and FERNANDO BLANCO, along with Eisner-winning colorist JORDIE BELLAIRE and Eisner-nominated letterer ADITYA BIDIKAR, continues!

My THIRD EYE COMICS signing is Tomorrow, SATURDAY, MAY 13TH!

And after THAT, I’ll be at FAN EXPO DALLAS from June 9-11!

I hope I see a bunch of you in each of these spots! I will be at San Diego Comic-Con this year in a way where people can actually get stuff signed, but still in a limited capacity.

Okay. That’s all for now.

I’ll be back to ramble some more in a few more weeks.

Be good out there!

James Tynion IV
Brooklyn, NY
5.12.23