Part Ten: Conclusion

So there you have it. The Last Abraxan every step of the way. I have always been a huge fan of behind the scenes documentaries, DVD commentaries and the like. Since this project originally grew out of my desire to create some sort of process blog, detailing every step of making a comic, I figured I could still carry some of that over into this project. With so much of the work made digitally, it was easy (and sensible) to create separate digital files for every page showing each step in the process. When I looked back over all the material, it seemed like a good idea to make that material available as rewards for the Kickstarter. I could do versions of the comic that were entirely pencils, inks, and color guides. As I was assembling those I figured I could just combine them all into a pdf to make available to all backers and then do the individual pieces as physical rewards for some tiers. Once I started assembling the pdf, I realized I had a good deal of other material that I could add to make it its own stand alone behind the scenes book, with text pieces explaining the process and inspirations for the comic. I decided to do a physical version for the Kickstarter, if for no other reason than to see it in print myself.

This project was literally years in the making. It began during a slow spot as a freelance graphic artist, then shelved when I needed to find full time work. It (like many projects) was resurrected during Covid, only to be shelved again once work started up (my job was deemed “essential” so I was back to work fairly soon) Over the next several years I would work on it in fits and spurts during down time. Job changes, eye issues (and surgery) and growing disillusionment with the comics market, would cause delays. Eventually, I finished it. The purpose of the comic was to see if I could actually do it, to write, pencil, ink, letter, design and publish a comic book all by myself. If you look at the “credits” of the comic, they are all me (except the “editors” I decided to use alternate universe versions of Al Milgrom and Jim Shooter, who could have been editors if it was published by Marvel in 1978/79). I used my own name for Story & Pencils. Inker Mick Heyn comes from John Byrne’s FF run. When John Byrne inked the first issue, he used the pen name “Bjorn Heyn” (an anagram of his name) I figured old Bjorn had a brother who also inked, and his name was Mick (I was occasionally called Mick or Mickey) Letterer Tim Rozkie was an anagram of my name. Colorist Tony Vizelli was a fake name I used back in high school. I also appear in a couple of ads.

All of them are me. I made a comic book.

Thank you for reading it.

Mike Ortiz/Mick Heyn/Tim Rozkie/Tony Vizelli/Count Virgil/Smiling Guy May 2025

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