HEY DON'T: A Suicide Prevention PSA Comic Book

(1/2/23) First 6 pages up:

https://patreon.com/user?u=4328581&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

About three years ago, I did a very foolish thing. I hadn't been in a good place mentally or physically for a very long time. It was my own fault, a perspective I lacked at the time. Perspective was a big motivator in wanting to get out of the “suit.”

Since, I've spent a ridiculous amount of time alone: reading, listening, and watching dead people tell me about life. And drawing. I'm not doing this to be a hermit. I'm building a new life, a castle. I want to help others by being a strong foundation, if they find it necessary.

I want to give people a shortcut around the bullshit, which is really just another crappy day in your life. How many of those have you already had? If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Or cutting. Or drinking. Or whatever your dumb thing is. Hopefully, this comic can be somebody's shortcut.

THE POINT

Thanksgiving came and went for a lot of people, and Christmas is about to do the same. People struggling rarely reach out. This isn't a fun subject to talk about. I used to love telling jokes about the various ways I'd check out. Eventually, no one's laughing and there's no crowd because you “hate people.”

You don't hate people. Your favorite person: People. I want to tell you stop talking like that, but the point I'm here to make is: you can do whatever you want. I'm just trying to offer some perspective.

I've written an eight-page comic mostly about what happened after. I don't want to spoil it, but it hasn't all been “great.” It has been the absolute best and hardest time of my life.

Of all the ways I can think to give back this year, I believe this will serve the greatest purpose. It's as honest a look into my thought process and the constant struggle to keep that pointed in a useful direction. Books end up all over the place. The books I've needed to read sought me out. The hope would be that this would end up in the right hands.

WHY I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP

This book has gone from not being a thought, to half-done in a few days. A few friends, people I see around, were making those dark jokes, or not even joking. Screaming at them didn't seem constructive. Within an hour, I was pulled over in a mall parking lot writing the script with a pencil in a graph book.

When I got home, I wrote and rewrote. I laid out pages. I rewrote. I drew and drew. I just kept going. I've used up all my free time and am now dipping into some shallow waters.

-I don't want to lose momentum to the ever-grinding wheel, aka Uber and gig hunting.

-I think this message is important.

-I want to release this digitally for free on Christmas.

-I want to do a small print run early next year, adding a cover, color, resource information

Completion-wise, the script has been through three drafts, the layouts two or three each. The first page is inked, 2-8 are mostly finished pencils. I estimate six more days without distraction, which probably means 8-10. Fingers crossed, just in time for Christmas, or your preferred generic/non-generic holiday tradition.

Very humbly and with great appreciation, I ask for your help in allowing me to achieve this goal. The project itself is new, but I have been writing and drawing comics in various stages of “done” for years... And this one flew out of me.

Your contribution will first and foremost go to my bills for the month of December and possibly into January. I would like to be able to go full time in making and then promoting this. Eventually, I would like to expand on this “journal” style comic, but more immediate plans would be to take a more polished crack at the art. The deadline aspect is exciting, though, no pun intended. For now, I'm focused on making sure this exists.

I plan to be as transparent and accountable as possible, with a full breakdown of how the funds and time were spent available on either my Patreon page, my Instagram page @historywithoutclass, or my personal website. If you're seeing this, chances are good we've met, and you can come get me.

For those who knew me from comedy, this will be a peek behind the dead eyes of the guy shouting about the specificity of Australian pornography and the dangers of chicken wings on a first date. For those I've met recently: I know I still do those things, but I used to do them on stages.

To the ones who've been around the whole time, there's like four of you: You're the most phenomenal people on the planet, and chances are good you didn't read this far.

I built a life around ideas doing stand up. It opened doors and carried me further than it should have in the state I was in. I didn't appreciate my place or the people around me as I should have at the time. I don't plan to repeat past mistakes, and I'll always be better for having done it.

I've spent the last few years trying to learn as much as I can. I've wanted to make comics since I was five. Most comics should and do take a lot of work. This one will as well, and I'm entirely here for it.

Thank you for being here.