New print-only OOTS prequel?

[TheFirstStraw]

I'm going on record now saying that the Giant is cooking up another prequel (-1.5?) detailing the adventures of Tarquin's crew.

Of course, he's up to his great helm in stuff to do from kickstarter, so who knows when it might happen.

Thoughts?

P.S. Yes, do this. I love Malack so much

[Dr. Gamera]

Thoughts?

On February 14th, Rich said: "Certainly, I expect to put out at least one new book [this year]..."

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/599092525/the-order-of-the-stick-reprint-drive/comments

Will that book or those books be Book 5, Book -2, Book K, or something completely different? Based on past experience, we'll probably find out only when Rich announces pre-orders.

[Gift Jeraff]

Linear Guild

[Ted The Bug]

On February 14th, Rich said: "Certainly, I expect to put out at least one new book [this year]..."

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/599092525/the-order-of-the-stick-reprint-drive/comments

Will that book or those books be Book 5, Book -2, Book K, or something completely different? Based on past experience, we'll probably find out only when Rich announces pre-orders.

I think that was referring to books in general, not a book specifically this year.

[Dr. Gamera]

I think that was referring to books in general, not a book specifically this year.

On the contrary, I think it's very clear in context that Rich is referring to books this year. Additionally, why would Rich say "I expect to put out at least one new book before the heat-death of the universe"? Obviously he's going to keep putting out books.

[NerdyKris]

For starters, the "Book this year" would clearly be the anthology for the current arc, which has gone way over the length of any other bok and is drawing to a close.

But as to what could be a new prequel book, I'd say the Order of the Scribble is far more important to the plot than Tarquin and young Nale. A prequel book will most likely first be answering questions about the plot, not just saying "We need more Tarquin!". Unless something new comes up, Tarquin's connection to the over arching platline is temporary at best. His past is completely irrelevent to the motivations of the main characters and villains.

[Winter]

I do not think a prequel book will feature something about Tarquin. If he is in, then only as side-character to a LG book. But given that the LG had no business with the main-plot before they met the Order, I very much doubt we'll see them in/as book.

What is much more likely we'll see the Order of the Scribble *or* a book centered on one or two of the scribblers. A book about them could give us valuable insight into what is actually going on and as such would be relevant for the story.
A book about Nale/Tarquin would just be interesting, but pointless in regard to the actual plot.

I can also imagine two prequel books about the Scribblers, like each one centered on a different main character. Soon as central character comes to mind who seems to have assembled the group after finding the first rift and who seems to have been some sort of leader.

Another prequel book might even outline the story of the/some gods how they interacted with/around the rifts before Soon found it (maybe they tried their own way of protection/re-sealing/re-modeling the Snarl into a planet way before Soon stumbled over it (which would also explain why they abstain from it all for now -> they have their own plot going on for MUCH longer than the one we know about)).

[Gift Jeraff]

I don't think a Scribble prequel is that likely, given what Rich has said about the subject:

Jesse: Do you think you may do a prequel book about the Order of the Scribble someday, or is that not something you're sure about?

Rich: I wouldn't rule it out, but I don't currently have any plans to and I wouldn't know what I would do with it. I think the main thrust of their story needs to be included in the online strip. You need to know exactly what happened all that time ago that made them so angry at each other in order to understand the main story. So therefore I wouldn't want to shunt it to a side book. When it needs to be told, it needs to be front and center, and then once it's been told, it'll influence what people think about the characters after that.

So I wouldn't want it to be. . . I had told much of the story, much of the things that Redcloak revealed to Tsukiko in the recent strip about how he was tricking Xykon was already known by people who had read Start of Darkness. But it didn't sort of change what was going to happen next for them to have known it separately. But anything about the Order of the Scribble isn't really like that. It's important in a way that would change things, and therefore it can't be let out of the bag early. But by the same token, I wouldn't object to writing a story of them just fighting Baron Pineapple, or something like that. Certainly wouldn't have any problems with that, but I think the main conflict between them is gonna be in the main comic at some point.

[Cuthalion]

Another prequel book might even outline the story of the/some gods how they interacted with/around the rifts before Soon found it (maybe they tried their own way of protection/re-sealing/re-modeling the Snarl into a planet way before Soon stumbled over it (which would also explain why they abstain from it all for now -> they have their own plot going on for MUCH longer than the one we know about)).

That would be a very short book. :smallsmile:

[Armaius]

Linear Guild
I'd love to see a Linear Guild prequel. I want to see Nale's first meeting with Sabine and Thog and I'd love to see more details of that war between Tarquin and Nale about the fight they had over who should be King.

I'd also like to know how he knew about the Order in advance to assemble his team of evil opposites before heading into Dorukan's Dungeon.

[Dr. Gamera]

A combination Linear Guild/Tarquin and Co-Conspirators prequel is always possible too.

[mawexzon]

Yeah, Linear Guild/Tarquin's Adventures would be pretty cool.

[NerdyKris]

I don't think a Scribble prequel is that likely, given what Rich has said about the subject:

Where is that quote from? Link to the source, maybe? I've never seen it before.

[oball]

Podcast interview that Rich did for Geekademia (http://non-productive.com/geekademia) during the Kickstarter campaign, a complete transcript can be found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12094927&postcount=2).

[Dr. Gamera]

Based on past experience, we'll probably find out only when Rich announces pre-orders.

It has occurred to me that, while Rich may still very well take pre-orders, the situation post-Kickstarter is a little different. Rich has the option of getting the book back from the printers before taking orders, thereby ensuring that any unexpected printing delays will occur before anyone knows there's a book.

By way of contrast, another post-Kickstarter change is that there are many more readers of OOTS books than there used to be. Thus, Rich may still prefer taking pre-orders, so as to better judge the size of the initial print run.

However it works out, I'm quite certain that Rich knows his business much better than I do.

[NerdyKris]

Podcast interview that Rich did for Geekademia (http://non-productive.com/geekademia) during the Kickstarter campaign, a complete transcript can be found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12094927&postcount=2).

Wow, I must have missed that. That's a lot of great information I never knew. Thanks for the link, and to ThePhantasm for transcribing it.

[Ted The Bug]

On the contrary, I think it's very clear in context that Rich is referring to books this year. Additionally, why would Rich say "I expect to put out at least one new book before the heat-death of the universe"? Obviously he's going to keep putting out books.

I read the "at least" as a sign that he means in general. I don't think he'd put out two or more books in just a year. I think Rich was referring to how he wasn't planning on using Kickstarter for books at all. Besides, with all the KS bonus stuff, the actual comic, and the whole thumb situation, I doubt he'd have time to make one yet.

[Douglas]

It has occurred to me that, while Rich may still very well take pre-orders, the situation post-Kickstarter is a little different. Rich has the option of getting the book back from the printers before taking orders, thereby ensuring that any unexpected printing delays will occur before anyone knows there's a book.
The only really major unexpected printing delay I am aware of was the result of a catch 22 with the preorder money. The credit company wouldn't give him the money people had paid in preorders until he'd shipped what they'd paid for, but he couldn't pay the printer (and get the product to be able to ship it) without getting that money first. If he has significant money left over from Kickstarter, that shouldn't be a problem again.

[Procyonpi]

I'd like to point out that Prequel books don't have to be particularly plot relevant to do well, look at SSaDT, that wasn't even canon. In fact, plot centrality can be an issue, since Rich wants to avoid major spoilers.

What they do have to be is interesting and funny, which to me points to a Linear Guild / Tarquin and Co. book, with Taquin as the main character since he has such a big fanbase.

[Haleth]

I'm torn between whether I want an Order of the Scribble or a Tarquin's Adventures book...both sound great.

[Winter]

That would be a very short book. :smallsmile:

Or maybe not. We do not know what else is going on. The enduring silence of the gods strongly indicates there is something else going on, though. And that can have a preceding story.
Point is: We don't know. ;)

[Dr. Gamera]

The only really major unexpected printing delay I am aware of was the result of a catch 22 with the preorder money. The credit company wouldn't give him the money people had paid in preorders until he'd shipped what they'd paid for, but he couldn't pay the printer (and get the product to be able to ship it) without getting that money first.

Off the top of my head, there was also the time that some insufficiently-attentive-to-detail printing company produced Start of Darkness all in black and white, despite Rich having carefully checked that the appropriate proofs were in color.

[NerdyKris]

The only really major unexpected printing delay I am aware of was the result of a catch 22 with the preorder money. The credit company wouldn't give him the money people had paid in preorders until he'd shipped what they'd paid for, but he couldn't pay the printer (and get the product to be able to ship it) without getting that money first. If he has significant money left over from Kickstarter, that shouldn't be a problem again.

No, the book was also delayed first by the printer not printing it at all. The details were vague and "lawyers are involved".

Here, I found it linked on the news page, thankfully. No google search required:

Hey.

First, I'd like to apologize for not checking this thread earlier. If I had known people were starting to get worried, I could have easily put everyone's mind at ease with a few words. So that part is my fault, no doubt.

Second, obviously we're running behind on the book printing. Well, no, that's not technically true. It's not the printing that's the problem. The files for the book are sitting here next to me, and have yet to be sent to the printer due to a problem with one of our other vendors. A vendor that we have used for almost every book we have printed in the past but now need to replace. Considering it will almost certainly lead to litigation between Ookoodook and them, I'm going to err on the side of caution and not spell out exactly what happened. Suffice to say, we have already located a new company to work with and are just in the process of finalizing a deal. I'm hoping for the end of next week to actually get the book in the printer's hands.

The good news is that our printer is here in USA, and we're going to pay extra for rush processing of proofs and such, so once that happens, printing should go fairly briskly. We are probably looking at a ship date in the second week of June at this point, though, unless something goes unexpectedly well.

Of special note: I know a lot of students are leaving their school and heading home for the summer. If you ordered a book with an address that you will not be at as of May 30th, you should contact Kevin at [email protected] and he will see to it that your order gets to where its going.
__________________
Rich Burlew
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[Douglas]

That is exactly the incident I was referring to. The printer didn't print it because the printer hadn't been paid. The printer hadn't been paid because Rich didn't have the money. Rich didn't have the money because the credit company wouldn't give it to him until after he shipped everything.

After it was all resolved, Rich mentioned somewhere that the unspecified vendor in "a problem with one of our other vendors" was the credit company. He did not reveal such details earlier out of concern that it might cause additional legal problems.

[NerdyKris]

Oh, you're right. Now I remember. For some reason, I thought the credit hold statement was before the printer statement and was seperate.

[ThePhantasm]

Wow, I must have missed that. That's a lot of great information I never knew. Thanks for the link, and to ThePhantasm for transcribing it.

While I did reformat the transcript and give it section titles, the actual transcript work was done by Xapi and B.Dandelion and yeah, they did an awesome job.

[Cuthalion]

Or maybe not. We do not know what else is going on. The enduring silence of the gods strongly indicates there is something else going on, though. And that can have a preceding story.
Point is: We don't know. ;)

I was just thinking, there can only be so much interaction with the gods, and there doesn't seem like there's much to talk about if there were.

[NerdyKris]

I was just thinking, there can only be so much interaction with the gods, and there doesn't seem like there's much to talk about if there were.

True, but at a few points a well placed miracle could have turned the tide of a battle with nobody the wiser, but they haven't done so, despite Thor altering the effects of Control Weather to allow Durkon to win a minor fight. A well placed earthquake could have saved Azure City. A warning to the head cleric could have alerted them to Xykon's attack sooner. Also, there's the question of why they aren't actively defending the gates with celestial beings, but I feel that's more of a security through obscurity thing.

Thor, despite helping Durkon when not dealing directly with the gates, hasn't given Durkon any insight into the location of the gates or Serini. It's a pretty telling silence.