Creating a Graphic Novel : Art – Food – Photography

2015 is the year that Sigmate Studio launched its first graphic novel, Tabby – Action, Romance and Cute Cats and the Tabby Sketchbook. It has been a roller coaster of a year (or 15 years if you are counting in cat years). It definitely was a whole year of firsts!

Dec 2014
Everything was set. Pages by P.R. Dedelis were inked and ready. So it was in December that Tabby was officially launched on Kickstarter and was also picked as a Staff Pick. As this was my first Kickstarter, I honestly didn’t know what to expect but it got off to a great start achieving the funding goal in approx. 3 days.

Jan 2015
During the Kickstarter campaign, I got written up by an Australian newspaper! Link to Newspaper article

Feb 2015
The Tabby Kickstarter finished up with exactly 100 backers! Although the artwork was finished, it was still a huge learning experience finishing up the rewards and getting the first print run completed.

Apr 2015
Tabby was printed! It was the craziest feeling to actually hold a completed copy of Tabby. After completing the Kickstarter rewards and sending Tabby all over the world, I had to figure out what was next for Tabby. With special thanks to Karen Dwarte, Tabby was added to Ashfield public library’s collection! (This was Tabby’s first public library.)

May 2015
Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) 2015 was my first public appearance with Tabby at Good Games – Town Hall! This was also the first month that Tabby appeared in a bookstore (Berkelouw Books Balgowlah – Thanks Ros!).

June 2015
Supanova Sydney 2015 was Tabby’s first appearance at a comic convention!

October 2015
Tabby Sketchbook’s first print run is completed. The amazing feeling doesn’t change with the second book! Tabby has also made it across to 15 New Zealand public libraries!

Dec 2015
So where is Tabby now? Tabby has now been purchased by over 80+ Australian and 15 New Zealand public libraries. The Tasmania public library system finally decides to add Tabby to its catalogue. Tabby is now in public libraries all across Australia (except for Northern Territory).

Tabby is also now stocked by several book stores, games stores (Good Games), comic stores (Quality Comics) through out Australia. It’s been a huge year for Tabby!

Thanks for everyone’s support on this project that otherwise would not be here. Through the course of this year, I made many new friends who have given great advice as well as reconnected with old friends who have come out to support me. Special thanks to P.R. Dedelis as the illustrator and Judy Teh for design & editing works! (And Eric Gravel for the prologue pages!)

What’s planned for 2016?
I’m still writing and have lots of stories to tell. There’ll definitely be more graphic novels published, just finalising the release schedule but first a break over the holiday period.

Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!