Dave Cook

Out now! A fresh print run of my beat ‘em up history book is available over at @bitmapbooks.com This sucker keeps selling out, so be sure to grab a copy during this wave! It features over 200 brawlers, I musing Streets of Rage, Final Fight, TMNT, Double Dragon and more.

Have to be honest here: Comic con tables are getting so expensive that I can see a point where indie creators are priced out of exhibiting. It simply won't be worth the cost / time. It's a worrying trajectory I don't see many discussing. If exhibitors can't afford to exhibit, there's no show 🤷‍♂️

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Cons do have value of course - and I know it's not always about the money, moreso getting your books out there. But to be honest, Kickstarter and digital stores are doing more for me on this front than conventions now. I have to ask myself why I need (most) conventions now. There are exceptions.

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But as time goes on, there are fewer and fewer exceptions to this. Thought Bubble is an obvious one, as I always do big guns there, along with a few others. But yeah, I just don't see much value in spending my weekends working at cons now. I wonder where it's all headed...

I've already scaled my convention calendar right back, because I don't see the value in many shows now. They're either small shows charging ludicrous prices for tables, with no chance of a return on investment - or they're larger shows that are barely about comics anymore. Am I alone in this?

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Work continues on the 2027 edition of my guidebook Crowdfunding Comics - a complete guide to planning, running, marketing and shipping a successful comic Kickstarter. There’s a new preview below, and you can still get the 2021 edition for FREE here: davecook.gumroad.com/l/crowdfundi... More soon!

Dave Cook reposted

Many thanks to all who ordered some comics over the weekend! My store sale is now on, with all digital editions just £1 for a limited time...

Dave Cook@davecook.bsky.social

My comic store sale is on now! All digital editions of Killtopia, BPM and my other titles are now just £1 for a limited time. Print copies and merch are also discounted. Get yourself a wee deal while you can! davecookcomics.bigcartel.com

Dave Cook reposted

KittyKatGirl😻🙏💞🐞

@mary1kathy.bsky.social

20h

21h

The heating is on today.

Many thanks to all who ordered some comics over the weekend! My store sale is now on, with all digital editions just £1 for a limited time...

Dave Cook@davecook.bsky.social

Japanese N5 practice is going well. I just passed my first mock exam, although I'm still sweating over the listening portion in the actual, live test come December. A passing grade is roughly 45% so there's still some work to be done before I can feel comfortable with it.

Dave Cook reposted

kotaku.comArkane Devs Say Blade Is Nearly Finished But If It Can't Find A Buyer Soon, The Studio Will Close - KotakuUnion reps say it'd be a 'monumental waste' for Blade to remain unfinished

Dave Cook reposted

Kotaku

@kotaku.com

Put Blade in the bag and nobody gets hurt! https://kotaku.com/arkane-devs-say-blade-is-nearly-finished-but-if-it-cant-find-a-buyer-soon-the-studio-will-close-2000749096

Killtopia: The Complete Collection spotted in the wild at the Topping and Co book shop in Leith, Edinburgh. The book is 260+ pages of award-winning, cyberpunk graphic novel carnage, available worldwide in your local comic / book store, Amazon etc. Check it out at Killtopia.co

Signal boost for all the graphic designers out there. Here’s a paid commission you might be interested in👇

Steve Horton 🎃 The Comic Book Story of Space Exploration@mst3k.fan

While you're helping Dave, I could really use about four designed pages for a Kickstarter front page + more work once it gets funded! Also a reference book.

Paid graphic design gig: I'm looking for a designer who has page-setting experience, who can help me format my new crowdfunding guidebook. If you're interested, please leave a comment below with samples, portfolio links, and contact details. Experienced designers only. Bots will be ignored.

Dave Cook reposted

The 2nd story arc of our award winning cyberpunk comic series Killtopia is called ‘Phantoms’ Phantoms issue 2 drops in March, along with this stunning art print of Bloody Mary by @superliyishan.bsky.social Missed our Kickstarter? Preorders will open at Killtopia.co soon. Stay tuned!

Moxxi.

youtu.beStreets Of Rage 2 Soundtrack - Stage 1-1 (Go Straight)YouTube video by Streak

Fun fact: the book takes its name from the song ‘Go Straight’ by composer Yuzo Koshiro - the stage 1 music from Streets of Rage 2. It’s my favourite game and arguably the most famous song in the entire genre 👀 youtu.be/KC-B3Q0cRrY?...

Street Fighter was no way near as bad as critics are saying. If you’re a fan of the games you can easily add some points onto their scores. The casting is superb, the animated sequences are great, and the fights are ridiculous in the best ways It’s not perfect, but it’s a big, brash fun time

Dave Cook reposted

A fresh new comic con banner for @thoughtbubbleuk.bsky.social next month Huge shout to designer @andriylukin.bsky.social for helping me get this ready, and to talented artists @clarkbintart.bsky.social for the artwork and @davidcousens.bsky.social for the logo Please follow / support their work!

This Killtopa fan art has put a much needed smile on my face today ❤️ Thank you @scoobtoobins.bsky.social

Scoobtoobins@scoobtoobins.bsky.social

Fan art of @killtopia.bsky.social by @davecook.bsky.social Looking forward to the next comic.

A new printing of my beat ‘em up history is now available! Get yours before it sells out again👇

Bitmap Books@bitmapbooks.com

Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat-’Em-Ups An exhaustive chronicle of games covering nearly 40 years of bare knuckle, street fighting action. Out now: www.bitmapbooks.com/collections/... #bitmapbooks #booksky #gaming #beatemup #retrogaming @davecook.bsky.social

Heaven is a place on Earth.

Dave Cook reposted

This fresh uncoloured page snippet from Killtopia: Phantoms issue 2, Neo Tokyo’s former bloodsport star Bloody Mary reflects on her past. She visits her PR agency to explore new career options, now that the Killtopia bloodsport is dead. With… unexpected results. More: www.Killtopia.co

Spotted in my home town… a laundromat that offers you whisky while you wait 🤔 The AI logo suggests this entire concept was suggested by ChatGPT.

I was just about to break 10k followers on Twitter, and it felt like a huge step back to abandon it. I still have my account but I’m far happier not using it since the ultra divorcee took over.

Jacob T. Levy@jacobtlevy.bsky.social

I am way too online for my own good, and I had an unreasonably large twitter following, and I really *enjoyed* twitter for a lot of years, and yet leaving there and never looking back was maybe the easiest what-felt-like-a-big-ethical decision I've ever made.

Lyndon White MCM London AA A-05

I haven’t fully shaved my face in the best part of a decade 😅thankfully, I don’t totally hate it. I think?

Dave Cook reposted

@lyndondraws.bsky.social

"Fantasy with a touch of horror" feels like my current brand. 📖 144-page Graphic Novel 💀 Horror / Fantasy 🔥Sleepy Hollow meets Studio Ghibli All the artwork is complete and we are 36% funded on Kickstarter! Shares & likes are appreciated. Check it out here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/lyn...

Dave Cook reposted

Here’s a wee snippet of new Killtopia: Phantoms #2 inks by @clarkbintart.bsky.social showing Mary battling her inner critic. She’s also an MF DOOM fan. If you know, you know 👍 More soon!

Here’s a wee snippet of new Killtopia: Phantoms #2 inks by @clarkbintart.bsky.social showing Mary battling her inner critic. She’s also an MF DOOM fan. If you know, you know 👍 More soon!

Happy Friday pals 👋 The world may be in a rough spot right now, but try to focus on yourself and your own happiness. It’s never selfish to do this. Whatever you need to get through the day; embrace it, enjoy it, and have fun while you still can And as always, fuck AI (Just wanted to add that 😅)

Saw the Resident Evil hat online. Couldn’t resist 😅

kickstarter.comEmbers - A fantasy graphic novel full of monsters & magicA travelling wizard returns to his home town, to save it from a fire demon and the people who banished him as a child.

Check out the awesome graphic novel, Embers, by the supremely talented @lyndondraws.bsky.social It's funding right now on Kickstarter, and is well worth your attention. Don't miss out on this one!

Lyndon White MCM London AA A-05@lyndondraws.bsky.social

A fire demon threatens the town of Wispmire and it's going to take more than a wizard to stop it. Please check out my new fantasy graphic novel, Embers. Now funding on Kickstarter. www.kickstarter.com/projects/lyn...

A wee snippet of the 2027 edition of Crowdfunding Comics - my complete guidebook to planning, running, marketing and fulfilling your comic campaign. What areas of crowdfunding would you like to see me tackle in this edition? Let me know :)

Also: this edition will be fully illustrated for the first time. Stay tuned for an artist reveal in the new year!

I've become so bad at not responding to messages lately, even from friends and family. On top of work, writing etc. I don't have the energy for my inboxes or extra screen time. It's hard to opt out of this without isolating yourself, losing relationships or falling off radars. But...

I'm just so fatigued by even the thought of getting my phone out to respond to a message lately. It's definitely put me out of touch with people more and more, the longer I avoid it. But it's all so tiring, living in your phone like this everyday. Is it just me, or are others feeling this way?

Dave Cook reposted

youtu.beOH!CON 2026 - Self publishing your comic TalkYouTube video by OH!CON

On Saturday at Oh!Con I gave a panel talk on how to self-publish your own comic - from initial concept to funding, printing, pitching and distribution. Here’s a recording if you’d like to check it out👇 youtu.be/bP-tCeZmxNg

I always reply to my Japanese tutor’s emails in Japanese. It can take a while, but it’s a great way to keep practicing between exercises😳 I think I’ve made a few mistakes near the end, but getting more confident with it 😅

youtu.beOH!CON 2026 - Self publishing your comic TalkYouTube video by OH!CON

Preorders for the new printing of my beat ‘em up history book are open now! Hit up the @bitmapbooks.com site to get yours before this print run sells out!

Bitmap Books@bitmapbooks.com

Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat-’Em-Ups Featuring every major game in the genre, beautifully presented and expertly critiqued.  Pre-orders open now: www.bitmapbooks.com/collections/... #bitmapbooks #books #gaming #beatemup #retrogaming @davecook.bsky.social