I’ve gotten some nice comments and congrats on my starting Chapter 2 of Wander of Dicebox. Believe you me, no one is more thrilled than I.

In the decade (or so) that I’ve lived with Dicebox, (though not always under that name) I’ve written Chapter 1 five times, and now drawn it three times.

The first scripted and drawn version was a rough inked layout, done about nine years ago. I was trying things out, seeing what I thought about the story and approach. Apparently not much, since I put it down for a few years.

Dicebox was always vaguely with me and would bubble out once in awhile to result in new scripts, sketching and so forth. Things started to get really serious again for me about five years ago when I finally realized the name of the story was Dicebox and I began to plot and outline the four books.

Then, about three years ago, I drew Chapter 1 for the second time. It was pretty close the version that you can now read online. As I thought I was going to print it, Chapter 1 was edited down to fit printing concerns. And it was inked, badly. It was okay but flawed and cramped.

With going the route of the web, I was able to restore much of the chapter—this being the third time I drew Chapter 1. Going back to then original script and executing the art in a way that I had more mastery over has made Chapter 1: Pre-ramble much more satisfying for me.

So now that I’ve begun Chapter 2: Fair Weather, I feel like I’m making some real progress.

It’s become a different story over the years, though the characters remain the same. (okay , Molly’s name has changed a few times) Actually, I’m surprised by what has remained the same—many aspects of of Chapters 2 and 3, in fact.

But it all means something else. Especially now that more than just ten of my nearest and dearest are reading it. Many, many more. And that really helps, especially since some of you are “unforgiving” about my sporadic updates (really, you are all such gentle nags).