Each day I receive messages...   From either contestants entered in the Small Press Idol 2009 contest, or from the Small Press Idol organizers.

Nah, I don't consider them spam messages... in fact I am quite interested in this, the second Small Press Idol, to tell you the truth!

There were 27 entries that have made it out of Round 1 and are now into Round 2.  Why does this matter and why am I blogging about it again?   Well, in Round 2 it is not only the 3 initial judges that are doing the voting... it is also registered persons, like YOU or me could be, that are voting in this round!

One of the early entries that caught my eyes was that of the 'Faction' comic book project.  The project members are Erik W Hendrix - Words (Writer and letters) of Oceanside, California and KT Gravatt - Pictures (pencils, inks, color, digital, etc)  of Chula Vista, CA.

The Small Press Idol 2009 has 4 rounds:

Round 1 is already over. It was to present the Basic Concept / Talent.

Round 2 ends on April 30th. It is more about showcasing the characters with illos and background text.

Round 3 goes from May 18th - June 7th.  It is on the 'sequential primers'.

Round 4 goes from July 15 - ??? It is the Origin or the #0 issue.

Below is the Basic Concept shown in Round 1 from the Faction Comic Book project:

The year is 2025. A burned, mutilated, shrapnel-filled, and left for dead Acker Kinney will awake in a hospital to find his life has changed forever.

The war on terror, in which he’s fought since the age of 18 as a medic in the Marines, has left this 43 year old man scarred and short both an arm and career after a roadside bomb took out his unit in the “Badlands” of the Middle East… but this is just the beginning.

Once, the concept of good and evil was as simple as which person was pointing the gun. When Acker is attacked by a demon’s minion in the hospital while recovering from his wounds, he is saved by a group of Knights from the Society of the Enlightened. Soon, he will find himself one of them, blessed with countless lifetimes of knowledge and rediscovered powers.

The Society, in an eternal conflict with the forces of Den Malignity, an assembly of powerful demons and their minions, must react when the participants on the battlefield grow.

Old factions, thought banished in the time of the dark ages, have risen again to claim their rightful place in the world. Which of these factions will side with the Society and which with the Den?

The answer will play out across the entire planet and shape its destiny. The schemes of gods, the desires of demons, the powers of nature, myth, and supernatural – all are setting forth to change a world long believed to be the sole dominion of man. This is the world the Society of the Enlightened and her Knights must protect. This is Faction.

Round 2 shows the characters from 'Faction'.  Sketches of the main character, Acker Kinney, are shown at the top of this blog post, along with a character outline.

For more on 'Faction' I invite you to check out their entry on the Small Idol Press web site.  After viewing their progress so far, and liking it, Erik and KT would appreciate your vote!  If you are not yet signed up to vote at the Small Press Idol 2009, feel free to do so!

If you have signed up to vote at Small Press Idol, you can vote for 'Faction' at:  http://www.dimestoreproductions.com/forum-t33806.html

To read more about the 'Faction' comic book project go to:    http://www.dimestoreproductions.com/content294.html