The postal carrier left a hot mess at my front door, and it was definitely more welcome than a flaming bag of dog poop.

Hot & Messy: The Art of Amanda Conner with Certificate of Authenticity
Signed by the artist
The extra goodies that came with it

That I would back this campaign was a given, but if I hadn’t already been sold, this aspect is the part that would have done the job.

When I first learned that there was a complete but unpublished Bettie Page story illustrated by Amanda Conner, I was overcome by many emotions, briefly settling on rage against the cruel fate that was preventing me from seeing it, but then ultimately deciding to live in hope that I might get to see it someday.

So obviously I was thrilled when I learned that it would be published in this volume and I’m especially thrilled that someday has finally arrived.

In the mid-90s, circumstances led me to stop buying comics on a regular basis. This hiatus ended up lasting over ten years. In that time, a lot of creators emerged who soon became new favorites once I picked up the four-color habit. While Amanda Conner had been working in comics before I dropped the comic habit, I didn’t become familiar with her work until after my hiatus ended, and, like those others, she soon became a new favorite.

In any case, I’m glad my copy finally arrived and that I can stop being envious of the other backers who had already gotten theirs.


Born and raised in the sparsely populated Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Jon Maki developed an enduring love for comics at an early age.


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