Dandelion Studios

Origins. We will be volunteering at Origins, June 28 through July 6. Rick will be working the Games Library and Gynn will be doing Registration. In addition, look for Gynn at the Flying Buffalo Inc. booth along with Tunnels & Trolls creator Ken St. Andre, where we will have a brand new Tunnels & Trolls minicomic from Dandelion Studios.

The Edge of Propinquity. There is a new issue of The Edge of Propinquity online, featuring brand new fiction by Jennifer Brozek, Ivan Ewert, Ryan P. Macklin, Cherie Priest, Stina Leicht, and Dandelion Studios' own Rick Silva. Go check it out!

6 March, 2006

Caravan #5. After a long delay, the new issue of Rick Silva's occasionally-produced zine is new available. Issue #5 of Caravan includes Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire and Snail's Pace cartoons, plus the Rick Silva/Gynn Stella comic strip The Hearth , which is available only in Caravan . Another Caravan exclusive is the serial verse epic The Tale of King Bran's Daughter . There are also comic reviews, a full page of covereage for each of the online roleplaying games mentioned above, and lots of other features. More information is available on the Caravan Page. You can purchase the latest issue or any of the back issues at our Online Store.

1 February, 2006

Dandelion Studios Livejournal Community. We're replacing our forums with a Livejournal Community that will be used for preview and announcements and for your feedback. Unlike the forums, no registration is required to post comments. We'd love to hear from you!

Aerhart Station. Character writeups are now being posted on the new Aerhart Station Characters Page. The comic itself debuts this Sunday.

Knifeclaw Company. While you're looking around, go check out the preview art for Gynn Stella's Knifeclaw Company.

It Takes All Kinds. The new zine from Brave Girl Studio is now available, and it contains a Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire cartoon, along with some reviews and poetry by Rick, and lots of great writing by other contributors. Information here.

16 January, 2006

The Edge of Propinquity. New original fiction by Rick has been posted in the debut issue of The Edge of Propinquity, a brand new e-zine published by our good friend Jennifer Brozek. Go check it out!

10 January, 2006

Convention Report. Had a good time at GraniteCon in Manchester NH in spite of a bit of snow. Rick may have some work in the gaming industry coming up in the near future. We'll announce it here when it's official. We also have plans in the works to be in Boston the weekend of February 17-19, attending Boskone on Saturday and then having a table at the Boston Comic Book Spectacular on Sunday. These plans are tentative at the moment, but we are expecting to at least attend both shows.

Ferstaal. Play has started in our online roleplaying game, and we've got a very creative and talented group of players. There's space for more, though. New players are welcome to join in. Details are here.

Aerhart Station. The new SF webcomic by Joe McGlone and Rick Silva is officially scheduled to debut on February 5, 2006. We plan on updating it weekly from there. It will be mirrored on Joe's site, Orphan Odyssey Productions, which also hosts his solo webcomic, Another Perspective.

CAG Anthology #4. Our good friends at Comic Artists Guild have published the fourth book in their anthology series, and it features two pages of Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire, along with loads of other great comic features. It was edited by our own Gynn Stella, and you can buy your copy from our online store here, or directly from CAG here.

Tunnels & Trolls. Gynn has been doing some writing and artwork for projects based on the Tunnels & Trolls roleplaying system. Take a look at her Tunnels & Trolls gaming page.

13 November, 2005

Convention Report. Another really enjoyable show. PBBZ ComicCon & Small Press Fest in Portsmouth NH was great, and we were excited to have Joe McGlone on hand with sample artwork for Aerhart Station. We made lots of great new friends and took home some cool loot. And we're just getting started on the New England con scene...

Upcoming Shows. We are tentatively scheduled for table space at GraniteCon on December 4, 2005 in Manchester NH. That's right: Three New Hampshire shows in a row! We're psyched to be coming back to the Granite State so soon.

Ferstaal. Play begins in Ferstaal on December 1st, although we may do some "preview" roleplaying before then. There's still time to join, so get your character writeup in!

31 October, 2005

Convention Report. We had a great time at The Comic Book Show in Nashua NH this past weekend. Made lots of new friends and sold our comics to what we hope will be a bunch of new fans.

Upcoming Shows. We are now confirmed for the PBBZ ComicCon & Small Press Fest in Portsmouth NH on November 13, 2005. Gynn and Rick will both be present, and we're working on getting Aerhart Station artist Joe McGlone there too, along with preview art for Aerhart Station. We are also in the process of making arrangements for a table at SPACE in Columbus Ohio on May 13, 2006. SPACE was a great show last year, and we encourage anyone who can make it out to Columbus to check it out.

Aerhart Station. The first bit of preview art is up for Aerhart Station, a science fiction webcomic by Rick Silva and Joe McGlone. He hope to start posting pages by the end of November.

Knifeclaw Company. And while we're mentioning science fiction comics. Gynn Stella's Knifeclaw Company is coming together. Look for preview art soon.

Ferstaal. Our online fantasy roleplaying campaign, Ferstaal is now officially accepting characters, and will continue to do so through November 30th. If intrigue, romance, diplomacy, and politics in a fantasy setting is your idea of a good time, we urge you to join in. It's totally free.

Reviews. Rick Silva's comic book review column, Panel Discussion, is undergoing a series of major rennovations, and we're looking to make it a major feature on the Dandelion Studios website. In the meantime, we just got a great review from Glenn Walker of Comic Widows. You can check out the review here.

Looking Way Ahead: Mark your calendar (we marked ours)! October 7, 2006 is the next 24 Hour Comics Day! Look for a new Dandelion Studios minicomic to be produced as part of this event.

24 October, 2005

First of all, our apologies for going so long between updates. Between Rick getting a new job and a summer spent moving between a variety of temporary quarters, it's been a bit hectic. We appreciate everyone who has stuck with us during our rather long period of silence.

New Address. We're now based out of Osterville MA. Our new mailing address is:

Dandelion Studios
PO Box 1214
Osterville MA 02655

Upcoming Shows. We will have a table at The Comic Book Show in Nashua NH on October 29-20, 2005. This event will be the debut of the new Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire mini-comic: Out of the Closet. We are also in the planning phases for a dealer table at the PBBZ ComicCon & Small Press Fest in Portsmouth NH on November 13, 2005. We are also in the process of inquiring about other shows in New England.

I Believe released as part of the 24 Hour Comics Day Highlights 2005 anthology. Gynn's tale of feline spirituality, I Believe, was one of only 24 comics selected from over 800 entries to be part of this year's 24-Hour Comics Day Highlights anthology. This is an incredible honor, and we're proud to offer I Believe in minicomic form in our Online Store. We also recommend readers check out the 24 Hour Comic Day Highlights anthology. You can purchase it from Amazon.com through this link:

Zephyr & Reginals: Minions for Hire Minicomic #2: Out of the Closet. The minions take time out of their busy schedule of blowing things up to appear on a daytime talk show. Where they proceed to blow things up. Our latest minicomic is now available for purchase in our Online Store!

Ferstaal: Seasons of Intrigue. Ferstaal is something new for Dandelion Studios: An online roleplaying game of courtly intrigue, romance, betrayal, and diplomacy set in a small fantasy kingdom called Ferstaal. Players take the roles of members of the nobility and their staff and attendants as they attempt to advance the cause of their own faction. Character selection for the first season of Ferstaal officially opens on 10/31/05. Play take place on the Ferstaal Community on Livejournal . Game information can be found on the Ferstaal Webpage. Ferstaal is open to new players, so come give it a try!

15 March, 2004

Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire #1 Goes to Press. We had to do quite a bit of rescheduling, but the debut full-length Dandelion Studios comic has gone to press. The book is Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire #1: The Untimely Demise of Cold Shoulder, and we're thrilled with how it has turned out. It will be printed by the good folks at Comixpress. Release date will be 4/19/05 with a special preview at the SPACE convention in Columbus OH on 4/16. Pre-orders are available now in our Online Store.

Schedule Announced for Upcoming Releases. Our next minicomic will be Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire in Out of the Closet, to be released on 5/21/05. This will be followed by another minicomic entitled Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire in Fighting With Girls, to be released on 6/25/05. And the second issue of the full-length Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire comic will be available on 9/30/05.

Convention travels. We just attended Ubercon, and had a very nice time there. As mentioned above, we will be attending and exhibiting at the SPACE convention in Columbus OH on 4/16. Other cons that we are tentatively looking at attending are Double Exposure Spring Gathering (4/30/05-5/2/05 in East Brunswick NJ), Gaylaxicon (7/1/05-7/4/05, Burlington MA), Readercon (7/8/05-7/10/05, Burlington MA), and Dexcon (7/13/05-7/17/05, East Brunswick NJ).

Caravan #4 Delayed. New release date is 3/25/05 due to the rush to get Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire #1 off to press. Release dates for future issues of Caravan are 6/11/05 and 8/13/05.

3 October, 2004

MiniComic Released on Schedule. Our first minicomic is now available. It's called Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire in The Perils of Alternative Energy Girl, and we're pretty proud of it. You can get it in our Online Store.

Convention Travels. We just got back from the Small Press Expo in Bethesda MD, where we met bunches of fellow comic book creators and generally had a great time. At the beginning of the month, Rick also attended the 62nd World Science Fiction Convention in Boston MA. On October 9th, Rick will be running our first dealers' table at the Mid Atlantic Spoken Word Festival. Other events we'll be attending include UberCon in mid-October, and Dreamation in January.

New Caravan. Caravan #3 has also just been released. You can purchase it in our Online Store.

Kinships is back. Our good friend Katrina Joyner, artist of Exiles and co-editor of the original run of Kinships, proudly announces the return of the Magazine For People Who Exist Anyway. Two new issues have been produced so far, and more are on the way. Full information is available here.

Website Updates. We've been adding new links and calendar entries over the past few weeks, and we will continue to do so as we look through the massive piles of stuff we brought home from WorldCon and SPX. We've also updated Left-Handed Engineers from MARZ. Look for updates to our columns, plus the remaining Exiles reprints, and preliminary artwork for Aerhart Station soon.

1 September, 2004

Comic Release Dates. We're proud to announce the tentative release dates for our first print comic book projects. Zephry & Reginald: Minions for Hire #1 will go on sale on 11/21/04. The second issue will be released on 5/31/05. We also have a mini-comic in the works called Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire: Perils of Alternative Energy Girl. We're hoping to have it out on 10/1/04 in time for the Small Press Expo. These comics will be available in our Online Store.

Get Your Minions T-Shirts. Dandelion Studios apparel is now available on our Zazzle Store! Give it a look and see what the stylish nerd is wearing this season.

Caravan is Back. Rick's zine, Caravan, is back in production. Caravan is loaded with features, including new Left-Handed Engineers from MARZ stories, and a new exclusive comic, The Hearth, by Rick & Gynn. There have been two new issues produced in the last few months and more are on the way. Our Caravan Page is up and running with more details and you can buy Caravan (cheap!) in our Online Store. We're even offering a free issue!

Aerhart Station. This new SF comic features Rick's writing along with the artwork of Joe McGlone. It's in the works, and you can expect to see some preview artwork soon!

Catch Us on the Web. Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire is now a regular feature at Hinge, the online magazine of the Philadelphia-area arts community. Rick is also now a columnist at Comic Widows, where you can find new installments of Panel Discussion (his comic reviews) and On the Road (his longstanding travel column: Check it out on our Columns Page).

Website Updates. Lots of recent additions to the Calendar Page and the Links Pages. We've also given the Online Store an overhaul, and as we mentioned, the Caravan Page is now up and running.

22 February, 2003

Comic Art Show. The Comic Art Show at Networking Cafe in Bayonne NJ opened last night! The artwork will be on display for the next 8 weeks, so check it out if you're in the area. You'll get to see some great artwork from the upcoming debut issue of Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire. The artwork featured in the show is also available in the form of limited edition prints, now on sale in our Online Store.

Also participating in the art show is comic artist John Higgins, whose credits include Judge Dredd, Batman, Hellblazer, Scarlet Witch, and more. A more complete bio for John can be found here.

New Products. We're proud to announce the release of Comic Artists Guild Anthology #3, featuring a new Exiles story by Rick Silva and Katrina Joyner, plus a one-page Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire cartoon by Rick Silva and Gynn Stella. It's available now in our Online Store, along with the new limited edition prints.

Website. New material has been added to the Links and Calendar pages.

9 February, 2003

Loads to report!

Comic art show at Networking Cafe, Broadway, Bayonne, NJ 07002. Gynn's Zephyr & Reginald: Minions For Hire drawings will be on display alongside the work of Marvel Comics illustrator John Higgins at the Cafe. Opening night is Saturday, February 21st, 2004. Gynn and John will be available for autographs that night, and there will be artwork available for sale from both artists. The artwork will remain on display through the end of March.

Product News:

Brew Ha Ha, the fourth volume of Networking Cafe's Poetry Anthology, is now available. It has poems by both Rick and Gynn, along with three Zephyr & Reginald: Minions For Hire cartoons, and lots of other great stuff.

We should have Comic Artists Guild Anthology #3 here in the next two weeks. It features a 2-page Exiles story by Rick and Katrina, plus a 1-page Zephyr & Reginald: Minions For Hire story by Rick and Gynn. CAG Anthology #2 and #3 will be available in our online store soon.

Currently in production is From Inspiration to Clarity, a poetry anthology from J*A*M Pie Press, that will feature three of Rick's poems. Look for it in the next few weeks.

To coincide with our art show, we will be releasing a series of matted, signed, limited edition prints from Zephyr & Reginald: Minions For Hire. These are scheduled to go on sale on February 21st. They will be available while supplies last.

Coming soon: the first print issue of Zephyr & Reginald: Minions For Hire, as well as some mini-comics and other merchandise. All of our products are available for purchase at our online store.

Website news:

We're adding a new online comic feature in the near future. Keep an eye out for Aerhart Station, by Rick Silva and Joe McGlone, coming soon!

In the meantime, we've just finished up a truckload of website updates. There's a new issue of Exiles and a new Zephyr & Reginald: Minions For Hire single panel cartoon (our first in way too long!). We've added the intro cartoon from our second roleplaying module, Dead or Canadian, new installments of Left-Handed Engineers from MARZ and a new column: Rick's Confessions of a Small Press Submissions Editor contains advice for freelance writers.

We've made our plans for Spring convention visits (see you at UberCon, A Gazebo of Games, and Anime Boston, among others); details on the calendar page. Rick's bio is up, and we've got some Sim City fanart.

23 November, 2003

The date for the Brew Ha Ha release party is confirmed for December 13, 2003 at Networking Cafe in Bayonne, starting at 7:00 PM. Rick and Gynn will be there performing works from the book that include two Minions for Hire poems. The books also features three Minions cartoons and lots of other fun stuff. We will soon be offering Brew Ha Ha and the rest of the Networking Cafe Poetry Anthology series for sale on this website. Keep checking the Online Store for this, plus some special offers on Kinships back issues.

The second installment of Exiles is up, and we have done a major update to the Calendar Page with lots of upcoming shows and conventions added. We've also added a bunch of gaming related links to the General Links Page, and updated Left Handed Engineers from MARZ.

7 October, 2003

The first episode of Exiles is up. This is a reprint from Kinships magazine. Eventually, the entire Exiles series, written by Rick and drawn by Katrina Joyner, will be reprinted here. We've also got new Exiles stories in the works. The first will appear in the next CAG Anthology.

Speaking of the CAG Anthology, our contributions have been sent in. Look for at least one, possibly two Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire cartoons when the book is released (hopefully toward the end of November). Look for updates on the CAG Website.

Also scheduled in time for Christmas is Brew Ha Ha, the fourth volume of Networking Cafe Poetry Anthology. In addition to some great humorous poetry including some new work by Rick, the book will also feature three more Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire cartoons.

We're pleased to announce that our second roleplaying event will take place at Lollagazabo, on November 7, 2003 in Edison NJ. Here's the event description:

D20 Superheroes: "Minions for Hire in... Dead or Canadian?"
Weird happenings are afoot in Northern Alberta. A call goes out for Canada's greatest champions: The Maple Leaf Guard. There's just one problem. There is no Maple Leaf Guard. It was all just a clever cover story thought up by a group of evil minions to keep themselves out of trouble. Now it's up to the minions to solve the mystery before somebody ends up dead. Or Canadian. D20 superhero silliness loosely based on the Silver Age Sentinels rules from the creators of Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire. One lucky player will get the game's funniest moment immortalized in a custom cartoon!

Check out Wild Gazebo Productions for all the details on the con.

And finally, some other new items on our website:

Our Calendar page is now up and running. Not much on it yet, but keep checking back to find out where Dandelion Studios will be appearing and when we'll be releasing new products.

Look for some new links on the links page, plus more episodes of Gynn's ongoing text fiction piece, Left Handed Engineers From MARZ.

10 August, 2003

Added a new edition of On the Road to the Columns page, detailing Rick's adventures at GenCon. Also expanded the Links Page with some additional Friends of Dandelion Studios, and the beginnings of our general links page.

7 August, 2003

We've got links! We've started off the Dandelion Studios Links Page with some of our creative and talented friends. Check 'em out and tell 'em Dandelion Studios sent ya!

6 August, 2003

Updated four new episodes into Left-Handed Engineers From MARZ.

31 July, 2003

I finally put a much overdue reference to our tech consultant on the index page. He's not our webmaster, per se, but he did a lot to help me get this thing operational. He really knows his stuff and does accept commissions, so if you're looking for a capable webmaster, he's your boi.

I put contact info up on the contact page. I also wrote a preliminary introduction to the comic book Zephyr and Reginald: Minions For Hire on its in-print publications page.

28 July, 2003

The third issue of Comic Artists' Guild Anthology will be out sometime in November and will contain segments from Zephyr and Reginald: Minions For Hire and quite possibly a short story from The Curious and Strange Adventures of Servant-Boy Tyler as well. Check this page or the CAG website for updates and availability.