Feralia.net blog. episode 87: Review – X-Men: Age of Apocalypse Prelude

Posted on April 8, 2020 by feraliabooks

AoA Prelude

So it’s been a while since I updated my X-Men Reading Project! This is because I’ve been adjusting to life with no cons due to the Coronavirus, focusing on work for Alicia’s Anime and writing, but also because I’ve been reading the Age of Apocalypse storyline, which is pretty long if you include everything collected.

I last reviewed the Phalanx Covenant, and next up chronologically is Age of Apocalypse Prelude, which includes the important storyline Legion Quest. I picked up the trade paperback for X-Men: Age of Apocalypse Prelude (ISBN 978-0-07851-5508-9), which collects X-Factor #108-109, Uncanny X-Men #319-321, X-Men #38-41, Cable #20, and X-Men: Age of Apocalypse Ashcan Edition.

You’ll have to forgive me for saying this, but I actually enjoyed the AoA Prelude more than AoA itself. These are some really great stories that I really, really liked. It spans a part of where I read growing up as a kid, but includes a lot that I missed as well. The quality of this tpb is really nice. The cover is high quality and glossy, with awesome artwork, but what also stood out to me was the matte finish of the pages, which made me feel as though I was holding those actual issues from the mid 90’s.

As usual, I won’t spoil anything, but it collects the events leading up to the mega event Age of Apocalypse. The art is nicely done and I thought the stories were great, especially Legion Quest. I would definitely recommend this one because it’s important to know how and why the AoA started. It also continues a long run of stories that I really liked. (See the previous entries in my X-Men Reading Order).

If you are an X-Men fan who missed this one, I think you’ll really enjoy it.

4/5

-Clint

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Feralia.net blog. episode 86: Featured Artist/Vendor: Pupcakes & Cupcats

Posted on April 8, 2020 by feraliabooks

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My next featured artist is another one we’ve worked with at a bunch of conventions and another with ridiculously cute, original products: Pupcakes & Cupcats. Anyone who’s into animals or anything cute owes it to themselves to check out their stuff.
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One of my family’s favorite Pupcake & Cupcats products are the Toebeans Coffee Cat Ear Reusable cups. So adorable! While writing this, I also noticed the Nyantendo Switch Case in the above collage. I hadn’t noticed that before. To quote Moana: “It calls me.” Now I really want things to go back to normal so cons can start back up and I can grab one of those in person. Thankfully I can get one from their online shop, because I may not be able to wait!

Find Pupcakes & Cupcats at:
https://pupcakescupcats.wordpress.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PupcakesCupcats/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Puppercakes/
Twitter: @pupcakescupcats    https://twitter.com/pupcakescupcats
Instagram: pupcakescupcats   https://www.instagram.com/pupcakescupcats/

-Clint

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Writing Update

Posted on March 31, 2020 by feraliabooks

Feralia Book 3 [title to be announced]

Chapter 16 finished

82 pages/41,644 words and counting.

🙂

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Feralia.net blog. episode 85: Featured Artist/Vendor: Moonkitty

Posted on March 24, 2020 by feraliabooks
moonkitty

©Moonkitty Art

My next featured artist is Moonkitty! Moonkitty is another fellow exhibitor that we work events with pretty often, and have collected quite a few awesome items from. They make high quality hand made stuff not only for cat lovers (and trust me, they have a ton of cat stuff!), but for fans of plush, small items and cute stuff in general! Below is a sample of just one of the many kinds items that continually draw us to their booth at shows.

moonkitty booth

©Moonkitty Art

Hopefully shows will get back to normal soon, where you’ll be able to find Moonkitty at a bunch of events, but you can also check them out here:

https://moonkittyplush.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoonkittyArt/
Twitter: @moonkittyart – https://twitter.com/moonkittyart
Instagram: moonkittyart – https://www.instagram.com/moonkittyart/

-Clint

 

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Feralia.net blog. episode 84: Featured Artist/Vendor: Shlii Kawaii Toys

Posted on March 23, 2020 by feraliabooks
shlii fb

©Shlii Kawaii Toys

Another con friend that I wanted to give a shout out to is Shlii Kawaii Toys, an indie toy business whose goal is to brighten the mood of their customers with “cute and goofy toy designs and accessories.” After not only working a ton of events with Shlii, but acquiring quite a few high-quality, hand made items for myself and my family, I’d say that’s a goal that is definitely achieved. They have a ton of original items as well as some that fans of video gaming will appreciate as well, all ridiculously adorable! Below is just a very small sample:

©Shlii Kawaii Toys
©Shlii Kawaii Toys
©Shlii Kawaii Toys

You can find Shlii Kawaii toys at:

https://www.shlii.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shlii.kawaii/
Twitter: @shlii – https://twitter.com/shlii
Instagram: shliikawaii – https://www.instagram.com/shliikawaii/

-Clint

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Feralia.net blog. episode 83: Featured Artist/Vendor: Cuddle Up For A Cause

Posted on March 20, 2020 by feraliabooks

Cuddle Up logo

Next up in my ongoing feature of awesome creators and vendors I’ve had the opportunity to meet is Cuddle Up For A Cause. Created by a wonderful family, they sell high quality hand made items to offset the costs a family member with Autism, while some of the proceeds are also is given back to the Austism community!

Check them out at:
https://www.cuddleupforacause.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CuddleUpForACause/
Twitter: @CuddleUp4aCause – https://twitter.com/CuddleUp4aCause
Instagram: cuddleupforacause – https://www.instagram.com/cuddleupforacause/

-Clint

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Feralia.net blog. episode 82: Featured Artist: Afterimages of Ghostfire

Posted on March 19, 2020 by feraliabooks

Next up is an artist that I’ve been meaning to feature for a long time: Julia Lichty and Afterimages of Ghostfire. I remember meeting Julia for the first time nearly 15 years ago at one of the early Zenkaikon conventions. I was drawn to her style then, so much so that years later I asked Julia to do the cover art for Feralia: Requiem of Mist, which turned out amazing! Julia is a regular at conventions in ths US and if you’ve been to a con in the northeast, you may already be familiar with her work without even realizing it – she’s done program cover and badge art for cons like Otakon and Zenkaikon just to name a couple. Here are a couple examples of her work, including the book cover 🙂

thetwomadeone

©Afterimages of Ghostfire

Feralia Requiem of Mist ebook front cover

©Afterimages of Ghostfire/Clint Cassa

Be sure to check out Afterimages of Ghostfire at:

https://www.ghostfire.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ghostfireart/
Twitter: @theghostfire – https://twitter.com/theghostfire
Instagram: theghostfire – https://www.instagram.com/theghostfire/

-Clint

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Feralia.net blog. episode 81: Featured Artist: Miniature Inspirations

Posted on March 18, 2020 by feraliabooks
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©Miniature Inspirations

One of the best things about both writing and vending as a small business is the amount of cool and talented people I get to meet at cons. Today I wanted to feature Miniature Inspirations, who makes adorable felt sculptures. I have several of them in my house and I can confirm that they are ridiculously cute.

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©Miniature Inspirations

Miniature Inspirations are fellow Marylanders like myself and are regulars at a bunch of area conventions and festivals. (We’ve spent many a weekend in the same halls over the years!) They hand make a ton of cool stuff, and on top of that they are super nice people!

Check them out!

Miniature Inspirations can be found at:
https://www.miniatureinspirations.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MiniatureInspirations/
Twitter: @MaggieMeiLewis – https://twitter.com/maggiemeilewis
Instagram: miniatureinspirations – https://www.instagram.com/miniatureinspirations/

-Clint

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Supporting artists, writers and small business as conventions cancel

Posted on March 18, 2020 by feraliabooks

If you’re into anime, gaming or comic cons, you’ve likely heard by now about the massive amount of cancellations that are being forced to happen across the country due to the coronavirus outbreak. While most would agree that it’s in the best interests of everyone’s health, it has made it extremely difficult for the creators and vendors whose biggest source of income is conventions. We’ve been feeling it at Alicia’s Anime, as we’ve had 7 cancellations and one show rescheduled. Personally it’s also rough because cons are a great outlet for my books as well.

So what I’ve decided to do is get back into featuring artists, writers, other creators and small businesses that I’ve been lucky to meet over the nearly 16 years I’ve been doing events. I’ve been meaning to do it regularly for a while now, and this is the perfect opportunity, as many of them are struggling right now.

I’ve already featured a few: PLB Comics, Jason Powell, S.O. Thomas, & C Jakes Draw, but I have many more to add! I’d like to do at least one per day.

Lots of awesome folks to come!

-Clint

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Convention Update

Posted on March 15, 2020 by feraliabooks

Just a quick update on my con schedule with Alicia’s Anime. Sadly, some of the events we work with have been forced to cancel or postpone due to the coronavirus. We look forward to supporting all of these conventions at their future events and hope that all you out there stay safe and healthy! Check out our Convention Schedule HERE, which we’ll keep up to date. I hope to see you at an event near you soon!

-Clint

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