Updates?

Well, apparently it's happened.  Heavy Metal #1 (again) has hit comic stores, so I hear.  I didn't get mine yet.  I joined the Kickstarter, and those are shipping separately.

This makes some people cranky.  There is much ranting on the HM Discord by those who felt entitled to see the magazine before it was generally available.  More elsewhere in the social media maelstrom I imagine.

Such ranting that the HM Kickstarter is posting apologies and has even promised free #2 variant issues and super secret perks to disgruntled KS backers. 

My summary misses the whinery and scrambling that's happened the last few days.  It's somewhat comical.  The HM KS responses went for edgy mea culpas and big promises, and requests for understanding how big and challenging the Kickstarter got.  The KS comments go on and on.  People can sound pretty selfish on the internet, though I can imagine quite a few backers ordered lots of stuff and really want something for all that money already.  Not everyone is cranky and some are suggesting we should be understanding and patient.

Myself, I wasn't too broken up about it, though I've been annoyed that a tracking number appeared in my USPS informed delivery, showing a label created waiting for item status, that I expect is it, a week and a half ago, and it's just sitting there.  

My opinion is that they did it to themselves, with all the variants and add-ons available, creating a serious logistical nightmare fulfilling all the various ordered combinations.  When the Kickstarter beat its goal in minutes, and exceeded it by well over 100X by the end, should have been the first clues that asses needed to be getting in gear.  And I was interested to see recently Mr Marshall Lees, who penned the bilious blather in early 2023 as the new CEO and I have not come across since, had signed one of the recent apology updates.  (I would really like to know more about the story of how and who and why Heavy Metal Magazine was brought back into existence this time, and I'd sure like to feel more confident that they can keep it going long term.)

And I just ordered the one issue, the Hildebrandt cover, since I wanted to support the Kickstarter effort, a little bit anyway, and I figured it was the surest way to get my copy.  Fooled me again.  I really hope they don't make a habit of failing to achieve self-imposed commitments.  It would be too similar to the odious Medney era.  RM Rhodes has said this whole mess is very on-brand, and I would tend to agree considering recent history.  But I'd much rather feel confident that Heavy Metal is back and on solid footing, and I've got a ways to go for that.  More to come I'm sure.