Aspire #4 is now available!!! YAY! I know you are all kinds of excited. All copies of Aspire are available for purchase at ALL the Jacksonville, FL comic book shops and the goth-friendly shop Aphotic Crypt. 

Not in Jacksonville? Aspire can be purchased in Canada. That’s right, Strange Adventures http://www.strangeadventures.com/ is carrying Aspire. 

In other news, Ashley and I have a table at MegaCon this year in Artist Alley, Ashley is taking on commissions (hit her up on FB or her blog http://ashleylanni.blogspot.com/), and finally I’ve applied to CAKE- Chicago Alternative Comic Expo. Fingers crossed for an Aspire invasion of Illinois. 

See Aspire on page 33 of The 904 Magazine!!!!

At the begining of Nov. I did an interview with The 904 Magazine. They did a multi-page spread about people who have day jobs that moonlight their passions. I talked about, what else, comics!!!! I’m just glad that the interviewer was able to get something out of my hour of rambling. 

While I’m on here, don’t forget that issue #4 of Aspire will be available next Wednesday ( Dec 7th ). You can pick it up at the Jacksonville, FL local comic shops, at the Movement Magazine website, or email me at AspireComic@gmail.com

Daytona Comic Con

This Sunday, tomorrow, I'll be a guest at the Daytona Comic Con. Hooray! Going from fan, to merchant booth, to artist alley, now guest, is super exciting to say the least.  I will have copies of Aspire AND a preview of the Womanthology sketchbook.

Just a little F.Y.I. for you gals and guys.

-Rachel

ISSUE 3 IS FINALLY OUT!

Hey On The Towne newsies. Issue #3 of Aspire is FINALLY out. What can I say? Stuff happens, but it is out now and we are back on track! All of the Jacksonville, FL store have the new issue in stock and all are restocked with issues #1 and #2 too.

Ashley and  I will be at the Jacksonville artwalk from now on. Our table will be located in Hemming Plaza. Come buy original artwork of Ashley's and get the latest issue of Aspire!

Lots of interviews and mentions.

These last few months have been BUSY. I can't stay and blog long, gotta get these comics written, but here are some links to interviews and features about Aspire or me (Rachel). Ashley's mentioned in some too. ;)

Girls Read Comics Too

Robot 6: Talking Comics with Tim

StarBurst Magazine: Adventures on Alternate Earths <---column on indie comics. Aspire, Ashley, and I are mentioned about the third from the bottom paragraph. Read the whole article though, you might find some other indie creators you like as much as you like Ashley and me.

Brain Food

Womanthology

Robot 6 interview

ROBOT 6 INTERVIEWED ME (RACHEL)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go check it out as Tim and I talk about Aspire, Womanthology, and Swamp Thing.

Womanthology

Hey ladies and lads! I know this isn't Aspire related but my Meet the Creator video got put up on Womanthology's Blog. Check it out!
Wait, you don't KNOW with Womanthology is? Well dear sir, let me tell you. Womanthology is an all female (writers, artist, inkers, letterers) comic book anthology coming out via IDW this December. All proceeds (and I do mean ALL) are going to various charities. Cool right? So do yourself a favor and keep an eye out for Womanthology at your local comic shops or better yet, PRE-ORDER IT.

Aspire #3, YouTube review, and Tampa Comic Con

Hey everyone. I'm really, REALLY, sorry to say that Aspire #3 is going to be delayed. I will announce when it is available. Again, I am so very sorry.

Ok, the bad news is out of the way now it is time for some good news.
A YouTube channel, Brain Food , has reviewed Aspire #1. It's full of lovely said things that Ashley and I 100% agree with and you should too!

Another cool thing going on is that I (Rachel) will be running the Movement Magazine table at Tampa Comic Con on Sunday, August 7th. Come by, say hi, buy a copy of Aspire if you haven't yet, and talk nerdy to me.

Sorry for the delay BUT.....

Hey everyone. Sorry for the delay in the updates but Ashley and I have been super busy. Heroes Con in NC really opened out eyes and hearts to all the possibilities for future projects.
Everything with Aspire has been going great. In the last 3 weeks Aspire has become available at Strange Adventures in Canada and have traveled to readers in the UK. Hooray we're international!
Aspire #3 is scheduled to come out on July 27th so faithful readers keep an eye out both at shops and online.

If you have read Aspire and enjoyed it please share it with friends and family. Also share the link to this blog and the Facebook fan page.

Hugs to all of you have have supported Aspire!

Heroes Con Update

It's been a little over a week since Heroes Con in North Carolina and wow what a crazy experience. Ashley and I were given space at the Teenage Satan booth in the Indie Island section of Heroes. Friday we ended up  working the table most of the time and it was so great to see everyone so excited about Aspire. People like  Stephanie Gladden (Bongo Comics, Power Puff Girls + tons of other stuff!) and Jen Van Meter (Hopeless Savages) stopped by the table and picked up copies of Aspire! As someone who grew up watching the Power Puff Girls and who 10 years ago when reading one of the first Hopeless Savages comics decided I wanted to be a comic book writer, well I had some fan girl geek outs. Luckily I was able to keep my cool.....mostly.
Ashley also had minor fan girl geek outs when she realized she was talking to Billy Tucci on Friday (and again Saturday night) and when she realized the Teenage Satan booth was across from Beck Cloonan.  It was definitely a weekend of meeting people we've looked up to but it wasn't all playing around.
Besides working the table and talking up Aspire to everyone who stopped by we went to some panels. No time for the "fun" panels like the Green Lantern or Fables Q & A. No sir-y bob ma'am! SCAD had panels on how to improve skill of: writing, inking, coloring, cover design plus much more! Then there were the informative panels on: family friendly comics, historical comics, horror comics and again much much more. We highly suggest anyone and everyone that is interested in getting into the comic book industry to go to panels of these type when you're at any kind of comic con. They will help you go into the industry with eyes open.
Overall Ashley and I had a fantastic time at Heroes and will be there for now on every year.

Big thank yous:

Thank you Marsha Cooke for giving us the table space at Heroes and the chance to spread the word about Aspire outside of Florida. You are my own personal Wonder Woman sparkle lady.

Thank you to Darwyn Cooke and Steve Niles for taking the time to talk to us about the reality of the industry and for general hanging out.

Thank you to Shelton Drum for hosting Heroes and we look forward to attending the epic 30th year next year!

Fan Art and Heroes Con

This last week I received some fan art by an enthusiastic reader, Fred Neck. I cannot say how surreal and awesome it is to have someone doing fan art of a character I created. Four years ago I never would have dreamed that happening. Now when I go out for a pint I’m answering questions for people who LOVE Destiny in Aspire enough to make fan art of her! Keep it up guys and gals!

I know I’ve said this a bajillion times already but I’m saying it again: the artist of Aspire, Ashley Lanni, and I will be at Heroes Con in NC this week. Marsha Cooke has been kind enough to give us time at her table on Friday and Saturday so anyone who isn’t from FL who wants to check out Aspire here’s your chance to pick it up without bothering with a shipping fee. Look for us at the Teenage Satan booth on Friday from 12-1:30 and Saturday from 4-5:30!!!

NEW FAN SPACE

Filled with so much love for Aspire that you might explode? ME TOO! So here's more fan space for all things Aspire:
Destiny now has a twitter at @AspireComic
Facebook now has an Aspire fan page for you to "Like"
All fan mail can go to AspireComic@gmail.com

More exciting news; we got our first piece of fan art which we will be posting soon. If you have any fan art send it on over via the new email!

Aspire #2

 Well everyone it's been 2 crazy months of talking all of you  into buying the first issue of Aspire and guess what? All of you loved it so much that you shared it with others and we had to do THREE SEPARATE PRINTINGS of #1!!!! Thank you thank you thank you! I wish I could take you all out for ice cream but I have bills to pay so maybe another time! ;)

Last weekend if you went to the Cult Fiction Convention or the Comic Con Plus in Jacksonville, FL you had the chance to pick up issue #2 of Aspire early! Everyone who didn't don't worry, I'm writing this blog post on a Tuesday evening which means tomorrow is Wednesday = new comics. I'm asking everyone do me a big favor right now; if you like Aspire enough to continuously get it please put it on your pull list (or go ahead and get a pull list if you don't already) at your local comic shop! It will help the shops know how many books to order from me and it will let me know how many to print! If you do not live the Jacksonville area you can order from Movement Comics or have your local comic shop contact me directly at radeph@gmail.com to talk about getting Aspire into your area shops.

Quick side note: Ashely and I will be attending Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC in a little over a week. Marsha Cooke, one of the creators of Teenage Satan, has agreed to give us booth time at her personal booth for various times throughout the weekend. We do not have times set in stone yet but as soon as they are figured out I will post on here. We will be traveling with another Jacksonville artist EdBot5000 and the publisher of Movement Magazine Max Michaels (who also does beautiful dark art photography). It will be a party in my Kia on the drive up!

Double Duty for Aspire!!!

This evening was full of OMG for news regarding Aspire. As many of you know this Sunday is Jacksonville, FL's quarterly mini comic con Jax Comic Con Plus and both Ashley and I will have a booth there. We'll be selling copies of Aspire issues 1 AND 2! You read right, issue #2 will be out. The official release date is May 25th but we're doing a special release this weekend at Comic Con Plus AND at the Cult Fiction Convention in downtown Jacksonville. Again, you read that right. Movement Magazine ( a part of Movement Comics) will have a table at the first annual Cult Fiction Convention. I'm seriously thinking about running up to Pam Grier, Foxy Brown herself, and giving her copies of Aspire.

This is only the beginning of the comic booking adventures of Ashely and Rachel. In two weeks we'll be at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC. The talented Marsha Cooke (Teenage Satan, which will rock your socks off) has agreed to give us time at her booth throughout the weekend. 

Like I said, this evening was full of OMG. See you this weekend?

Yesterday rolls on.

As you all know yesterday was Free Comic Book Day. I hope everyone ventured out to their local shops and explored the shelves of the funny, and sometimes not so funny but very grown up themed, comic books. Ashley and I set up a table for Aspire at one of the six local comic shops in the Jacksonville, FL area: Universe of SuperHeroes. We had a stellar day! Not only did we sell and sign over 30 copies of Aspire to fans but Ashley sold a few pieces of her original art (yay!) and we made new friends ( Hi Edbot5000 !!!) and lots of new fans. It was overwhelming the amount of excitement people had over local talent  going into the comic business. People who haven't "been that into comics" bought copies of Aspire and grabbed up issues of the FCBD comics. I hope  that our book helps to open the doors of enjoyment to a new entertainment medium for those that decided to go on the the FCBD adventure.
If you missed out on grabbing a copy of Aspire at FCBD day please do not cry. If you're in the Jacksonville area on May 22nd stop by ComicConPlusJax at the Holiday Inn off Baymeadows and I95. Both Ashley and I will be there with copies of Aspire AND more original art from the talented Ashley Lanni.
See you then!

Jax Comic Con Plus!!!

Hey everyone, Rachel here, AGAIN. I need to make a trip across town and kick Ashley in her bum to make a post. Kicking Ashley in the bum is not the point of this post though.

Today is Wednesday. As everyone into comic books knows today is the day that new comics come out. While at my local comic shop that has my pull list is at I was informed that I will be having a table at Jacksonville's quarterly mini comic con Comic Con Plus !!!!! Turns out the great guys at Alter Egos Comics/ Comics Dojo believe in Aspire enough to get Ashley and myself our own table! What a couple of sweethearts! If we're lucky we might get some Ashley Lanni original art at the table too.

 If you live in Orange Park, FL do stop by Alter Egos/Comic Dojo and buy some comic books, HeroClix or statues will you? And don't forget to show up at Comic Con Plus on May 22nd in Jacksonville, FL!


Alter Egos/Comics Dojo  
400 Madison Ave
Orange Park, FL

Comic Con Plus on May 22nd from 10am - 4pm
@ the Holiday Inn on I-95 and Baymeadows Rd. in Jacksonville, FL                          

Surprise Surprise!

Part of getting into any industry is networking. I HATE networking. I hate the idea of getting to know someone because you WANT SOMETHING from them instead of wanting to get to know them. There are few things I truly hate, that is one of them. So when I go to cons, no matter how big or how small, I talk and try to get to know everyone and if I end up being buddies with someone that happens to have a hook up then so be it. If not well then at least I have a new friend that has simular interests as me.

Now I was planning on going to HeroesCon in Charlotte, NC this June as a fan to have fun and maybe hang out with some new buddies I met at MegaCon last month. I mentioned to a fellow comic creator newbie that Aspire would not have a table there, major downfall of being indie is the lack of money, and this talented creator offered a guest spot for Aspire at their booth for at least one of the days.

SURPRISE SURPRISE ASPIRE #1 and #2 WILL BE AT HEROESCON!!!

More details to come later!

-Rachel

FCBD

Saturday May 7th is Free Comic Book Day yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For you FCBD virgins I'll explain. The first Saturday in May, every single year, comic book publishers send comic book shops dozens of comics to give to the people for FREE. It's gotten to a point where many comic shops throw an all day party, many will even have author/artist signings.
Speaking of signings, Ashley and I will be at Universe of Superheroes in Jacksonville, FL doing our 1st official signing of Aspire on FCBD. Afterwards at Cafe 331 in downtown Jacksonville there will be a Heroes and Villains party and there will be a costume contest!
If you're in the Jax area comic shop hopping on FCBD stop by Universe of Superheroes and say hi to Ashley and I and talk fangirl/fanboy with us!

-Rachel

Going to the BoarderLands..........

Hey there everyone! Just a heads up that I will be dropping off copies of Aspire #1 to BoarderLands Comics and Games off Atlantic Blvd. in Jax and Gotham City Limits sold out last week so I will be stopping by there this afternoon to drop off more copies of Aspire!

Ashley and I have been getting lots of positive feedback from everyone who has read Aspire but I MUST say this; we will not tell you the ending. Our husbands don't even know the ending! Guess you boogers are going to just have to pick up the comic, comes out every other month, to find out what happens! Don't worry, the next issue will be out before you know it!

Karaoke has never been so dangerous.

Last night's Jacksonville artwalk was a blast. Lots of people stopped by and said "hi" to have Ashley Lanni and myself sign copies of Aspire. Then karaoke started at Cafe 331. There were the standard not so good singers drunk and trying to sign but overall most people's inner rock star came out. Including some fans promoting Aspire before singing Tenacious D. Highly inappropriate but the good willed sentiment was there and is appreciated. If you didn't make it to artwalk for Ashley or I to sign your book no worries, we will both be at Universe of Superheroes off Park St in Jacksonville, FL for Free Comic Book Day on May 7th!
Until then, keep aspiring towards your dreams. (Yeah that was hokey, don't care. : p)

Jacksonville Artwalk!

Ashley Lanni and myself will be at Cafe 331 in downtown Jacksonville selling and signing copies of Aspire around 7pm-ish.  Cafe 331 is at 331 Forsyth St. We'll see you crazy kids tonight!

1st Testimonial on Aspire!!

I've gotten lots of verbal feedback about Aspire #1 from people but today I received some in writing. From a fan of Aspire who tagged me on his Facebook page:

"It's really effing good and it leaves you wanting that effin 2nd ish to come out... RACHEL! MAKE IT COME OUT NOW! MAKE IT HAPPEN!" -J. Vargas

Well Mr. Vargas, and anyone else jonesing for the next issue, I'm sorry to say you have to wait until May. Since Ashley Lanni (the artist) and myself have those pesky day jobs we are working as fast as we can to make Aspire come out and for right now the best we can promise is that it will come out every other month. Such is life in the indie aisle unfortunately. But thank you again for the excitement and the feedback! Keep a lookout for Aspire #2 towards the end of May!

 

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!

Seriously good news. I know when The Professor on Futurama says that it's NEVER really good news. This, however is super good news (well for ME it is). It looks like Aspire, the very first venture into publishing for Rachel Pandich (me) and Ashley Lanni, is going to have to go into a second printing. SECOND PRINTING?!?!?! If you've ever been in publishing, or the art scene, you know how amazing it is that an independent comic by first timers has to go into a second printing after only a week. Thanks again to everyone that picked up a copy at MegaCon, online, and at the local shops around the Jacksonville area. If it wasn't for you this couldn't have happened. <3

Aspire at Gotham City?!?!

Misleading title. Sorry. Destiny will not be fighting side by side with the cape crusader anytime soon. However people in Jacksonville, FL will be able to pick up a copy of Aspire at Gotham City Limits off of Southside Blvd. after 3pm today.

Where to get Aspire #1

If you're looking at this then yay!!!! You've found my blog! What is all this you say? Well, CityTowne Gazette is the newspaper in the home town of Destiny Phelps; an average pre-teen that wears Converse, loves eating tacos and is doing everything she can to become a heroine while tracking down her father's murderer. Aspire #1 is available in most of the comic shops in Jacksonville, FL or online order at http://movementmagazine.com/MOVEMENTcomics/index.htm   OR have your local comic shop contact me on this via this blog for ordering information.

Aspire #1

Extra extra! Aspire #1 is out now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!