Pre-Order Your Tub of Happiness Today!
Posted September 20th, 2007 by Howard Tayler
At long last, the first five-hundred and seven days of Schlock Mercenary are coming to a dead-tree near you.
Pre-orders for Schlock Mercenary: The Tub of Happiness are now open. This 240-page volume features every strip and footnote from June 12th of 2000 through November 11th of 2001, and includes a never-before-published “prequel” bonus story covering Schlock’s last twenty-four hours before enlisting with Tagon’s Toughs.
These full-color pages also include over fifty pages’ worth of concept sketches, marker art, new commentary, and excellent guest art from the likes of Cas Allen, Jeff Darlington, Brad Guigar, David Kellett, Alina Pete, Tiffany Ross, Krishna Sadasivam, Paul Taylor, Kevin Wasden, and Jim Zubkavich (and those are just the artists with URLs!) There are deck-plans for the Kitesfear in there, photos of a 40mm-scale Sergeant Schlock miniature, and some very special commentary from the Cartoonist’s Wife.
For a limited time, you can order your Tub of Happiness as a Customer-Choice Numbered Sketch Edition. That’s right, for just $10 more, your book is not just signed on the front, but drawn in, and you get to pick which character Howard draws.
All customers will recieve immediate access to a page full of desktop backgrounds based on the cover art, and all pre-orders are automatically discounted $5.00 off the cover-price of $25.00.
The book is currently in production overseas. We anticipate shipping all orders by the end of November.
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September 20th, 2007 at 7:11 am
Well, I got mine ordered.
I eagerly await my Kevyn sketch! :-)
September 20th, 2007 at 7:12 am
finally a new desktop yes my desktop is almost always the cover art from the last schlock book i ordered
juenger1701
September 20th, 2007 at 7:12 am
Heh - mine’s ordered, and I asked for Kevyn as the sketch as well.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:13 am
Bragging rights for “I ordered first” go to William Cooper of Virginia. It was a close thing, though… during that first little bit we had one order coming in every ten seconds.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:13 am
Mine’s in!
Hey, I got Kevyn too!
Are we going to see stats on which sketches are most requested?
September 20th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Done - Petey for me.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:15 am
kit: We’ll provide stats at some point, yes. Right now I’m not sure how to dump them in a meaningful way.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:18 am
Nice smooth ordering process! Congratulations.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:20 am
Ah, I’ll break the fashion then, and say I asked for Nick. :D (It was a close call between him, Der Trihs and Shep — eventually, after MUCH indecision, the Enireth library came to mind and the decision was made).
September 20th, 2007 at 7:22 am
Oh, good. I like Nick.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:31 am
I’m going to gamble and chose authors choice :)
Even if it’s a character that I already have, it’s hand drawn so it will be different (and I like surprises).
btw. Howard, I sent an email to the schlock gmail address, is this the correct address ?
September 20th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Yahoo, 9:00 mst came, I clicked the button and nuttin, nuttin, nuttin, OPEN STORE!!!
Hit the saved info button, filled in the blanks and blammo, sale number 3100? WOWSERS! I hope that’s the number of books sold already, though I don’t know how 3099 folks got it done faster than I did.
I woulda paid 50 bucks Howard, but as long as your sellin em for 30, what the heck.
Clean
September 20th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Only 3 people were in front of you, Clean417. Orders began with #3097.
September 20th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Now we’re cooking!
Ordered one for my set…and a set of all three books for a Christmas present…introducing an unsuspecting person to the Schlockverse!
Congratulations on another book!
CUAgain!
September 20th, 2007 at 8:17 am
hmmm, orders begin with 3097… That makes my Petey edition order #215. I think you’re gonna have your sketching work cut out for ya. Especially since its only been a few hours into the 24 hour window so far.
September 20th, 2007 at 8:18 am
So approximately 300 Tubs thus far this morning, I estimate. Me, I considered Kevyn as well but decided that Ennesby was a better fit for this volume. Kevyn’ll just hafta wait.
Let’s hear it for strong, mercenary values. And thanks again, Howard, for providing not just Schlock, but top-quality, high-value Schlock!
September 20th, 2007 at 8:34 am
Hooray!
My #3335 drone sketch will probably be one of only a few … too bad Massey wasn’t an option - those early legal-subject strips are some of my favorite.
September 20th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Oh, yeah…
Blogged it!
http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/
September 20th, 2007 at 8:55 am
I’ve ordered!
#3372, in case my order-from-one-country-ship-to-another schtick needs any special mojo. Man, this Christmas is going to be great… time with my beloved AND a brand-new defaced Schlock book waiting for me when I get to her place.
For the record, I asked for Kevyn. Us bearded types should stick together :)
September 20th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Done… mine requested Tagon…. it was a tough choice, though. The only reason I didn’t pick Kevyn for this one is that Tagon is a little more photogenic. :-p (aka, less of a beer gut… lol!) If I could be guaranteed that Kevyn would be appearing with some of his “not safe to have all these signs on the same door” signs, he’d be the winner, hands-down. :)
Guessing from the list, female characters must be harder to draw… cause Breya is the only female option. Too bad. It would have been fun to request Leelagaleenileeleenoleela (”Legs”), Dr. Edward Bunnigus, Elf, Chelle, or Elizabeth. Or some of the more interesting-looking characters like Flib Shv’uu. :) Too bad there wasn’t a write-in option!
(Up to order 3361 now, anyway….) Doing the math… 3361-3097=264 Tubs of Happiness ordered (assuming one per customer, which isn’t a good assumption, of course!)
September 20th, 2007 at 9:09 am
order #3382 (Petey) placed after forgetting old account info and making a new one….now i´m just hoping it can find it´s way properly even with our swedish finnagled special characters changed to o´s. (worked properly last time tho so….)
September 20th, 2007 at 9:14 am
forgot….is there any way to get access to the old “bought a book”-wallpappers now that i´ve forgotten my old account info?
September 20th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Not sure what I’m gonna do with my bragging rights, but WOW that was a nice surprise! The office isn’t the right place for a happy dance, but…
I guess I bucked the trend — I asked for Schlock. Petey was a close second, but call me a traditionalist.
September 20th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Woo! Sketch orderd for me. Author’s choice. I didn’t feel right about picking. Order #3407.
September 20th, 2007 at 9:52 am
order number 3403 here, would have been much earlier but had to order from work, stupid flaky net connection. If i’m number 406 overall though I’m thinking howard is going to have his work cut out for him.
I ordered kevyn for the record, I would have ordered an attorney drone but there was no comment for the order so there was no way I could ask for one in the process of being vaporized >:)
September 20th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Sketch ordered. Keyvn as I’m a mad scientist :)
September 20th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I’m already order #3413. I would have been sooner, but I was up with my week old daughter. Only a few things come before Schlock.
September 20th, 2007 at 10:27 am
i got mine! i got mine! (#3326)
Went with Schlock ’cause you can’t go wrong with a morphing blob of green goo, right? ;)
*poings*
September 20th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Bummer, was ready to hit the order form at opening time, and just a little before that a few things started to happen that kept me from this important task.
OK, one thing was to pick up my wee girl from daycare, so I guess it is alright, she is more important than a sketch. Even one from Tayler himself. Or two, actually, asked for one Schlock and one Drone.
But the order is in, no. 358 or thereabout, 3½ hours after opening.
September 20th, 2007 at 10:59 am
jj42: Speaking as someone who has kids, yes, yours are more important than pretty much anything else, my ego notwithstanding.
September 20th, 2007 at 11:34 am
LeiraHoward: Howard has nothing against drawing female characters, but we tried to focus primarily on characters who appear in this book.
September 20th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Coylec yours won’t be the only Drone on this world.
Would also like Massey Perhaps next book?
Did the contract on the Attorney Drones finish, or are they still fair game, as it would be nice to see one appear from time to time, might be able to get one or to in the current story.
September 20th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
As of 12:34 PM on September 20th, there are 3547 (including mine!) orders for this book… Err… if I’m interpreting the receipt data correctly. Woot! Go Howard!
September 20th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
…and after reading the notes, I would also suggest that we set up an emergency fund for the writer’s (sketcher’s?) cramp Howard is sure to get… Maybe we can enough together for a case of ‘Bud-Light’ and some chicken soup?
September 20th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
One ordered… well all 3 books actually
with an ensby…
hope they will be winging thier way to the uk for christmass
though could you tailor the order form a bit… for those of us not in the states a thing saying “state/province” allways leaves me going er……
September 20th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
I went for a Tagon. It seemed appropriate, for some reason. Besides, I like the design of the character. Order 3102, but I wasn’t aiming for first this time (that would have been cool, but I took my time picking a character).
And now I can sit and count out the days as I wait for it. I’m looking forward to it, especially now that I’ve worked out a system with my mailman, and he’ll bring it to the door instead of folding it to fit the mailbox (apparently, he thought the Starslip Crisis book was just a magazine… how big are magazines these days, anyways?)
September 20th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
LeiraHoward, if Legs was in this book, there would be no contest as to who I would choose. :D
(Unless, maybe Andy was in the list… then it would have been a tad harder).
September 20th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Order # 3467, sketch and a regular for my buddy.
I chose Petey fir the sketch, because who doesn’t love a megalomaniac teddybear? :D
- r
September 20th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Order#3624 shipping to Indonesia! Over 500 copies and its not even half day yet? I didn’t order a sketch version since I’m afraid Howard’s hand might fall off based on all the requests above.
September 20th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Would it be cheating if you started sketching now and glued the sketches in the books after they arrive?
Personally, I wouldn’t mind and it would certainly mitigate the abuse on your arm; that EVER-so-precious arm. . .
Or am I being absurd?
September 20th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Order 3749 at about the 12-hour mark unless I’ve flubbed the time zone again… Schlock, of course. I need an ommminous hummm to go with my THOOM!
September 20th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Heh. When you get to #3438, give your hand a rest. That one’s mine.
September 20th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Hey yo.
Noting my Kevyn edition for NZ, order #3874 (777 orders since opening. Nice).
Many, Many thanks Boss.
September 20th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
All: Please stop worrying about my hand. I can bang out about 200 of these in a six hour work-day, taking lots of breaks. Go ahead and order 2000 sketch editions. That’s a 40-hour work-week in which I would make about 6 months salary.
My wallet will be happy, and my hand will get to feel like he’s really contributing.
September 20th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
I will *not* be deterred from getting Kevyn just because so many people have picked him that it seems like a cliché. I’m planning to get Breya in the next one…
I’ve set my wallpaper to the Tub of Happiness one, but I’d really prefer “Serial Peacemaker in Combat”… Could you do it in 1280×800 please?
September 21st, 2007 at 12:21 am
hmmm, Sam’s got an interesting idea Howard. You ever thought about redoing some of the more popular scenes in various ratios and running them through as backgrounds? Maybe have someone work up a ‘best of Schlock’ screensaver? I know I’d be interested.
September 21st, 2007 at 12:22 am
Oh, and I know it sounded like a joke at A-Kon when I asked about it, but I do still want to see a Schlock plushie someday.
September 21st, 2007 at 2:22 am
I’m still waiting for the day we can get a Schlock beanbag, featuring a giant open mouth on the seat.
September 21st, 2007 at 6:49 am
I’m referring to the desktop background mentioned here. Looking at the secret page for that background, there appears to have been some attempt to add 1280×800, but it doesn’t seem to have worked. Specifically, there’s an error in the HTML coding, and when I try to download the file that it seems to be trying to link to, I get a 404 error.
If you want a screensaver, Windows and MacOS already come with screensavers that’ll show all the files you put in a chosen directory. (And I’d be surprised if there wasn’t something similar for Linux.) So all you need is some Schlock pictures with high-enough resolution to look good filling the whole screen. I know Howard has high-resolution versions of the whole series ’cos he’s using them to print books.
September 21st, 2007 at 6:50 am
Decisions.. Decisions… Ended up with Artist’s Choice.
Now I wonder if I should just save you some $$ and pick it up at Dragon’s Keep. Of course they open the same time I am supposed to be at work in Lindon…@#@#
But now that I ordered a sketch edition for this. I might have to have you do sketches for the other books. Just to keep it consistent.
I wonder who got order #666 for this book. They should get a schloctoberfest drawing!
September 21st, 2007 at 7:26 am
Number 4037 (Ennesby), so it looks like you just broke 1000 in 24 hours, happy drawing! About the only thing that could get me alert and awake at 7am (half-asleep thought process: “What did I forget yesterday…. something… oh holy %$$##@ orders are open for 24 hours I got 3 minutes left, run!). Better energy boost than a quadruple grande.
September 21st, 2007 at 7:53 am
Sam: The background is in place, and the page has been fixed. In related news, never hand-code HTML before having breakfast.
September 21st, 2007 at 8:20 am
I love the desktop, but I would love it even more if there was a version with the text at the top (hint, hint). As it is, the text at the bottom is half-hidden by the Windows taskbar.
Oh, and I made it in with order 3104. Woot for being #8!
September 21st, 2007 at 10:49 am
Thank you thank you thank you!
September 21st, 2007 at 1:59 pm
MORE DEAD LAWYERS!
Because you can kill enough, but you can never kill too many.