Good afternoon, bird gang! Been a while.

I am here to tell you that production has started, post-CNY, on GOLDEN AGE PARROTS' pins. Unfortunately, I don't have photos yet, but I should sooner rather than later. Pins were paid back at the end of December, and machine vectors are finally set to go.

It's been a difficult few months for a lot of creators. There's been some extremely stupid, nonsensical shakeups in terms of imports and tariffs that affect most of us. GOLDEN AGE PARROTS is currently not expecting any hiccups from any of this.

With the new factory, I don't have an exact time estimate. These guys do good work, but they're not the fastest on the block: I'm guessing between 6 to 8 weeks till we're ready to ship. Just like photos, once I have a better timeframe, you'll be the first to hear.

Finally, If you are the last custom pin backer, please reach out to me - let's finish your guy up so he's ready to ship with the other birds.

Other than that, until these birds hit my doorstep, it's a new year and it's time for something new.

It's no secret GOLDEN AGE PARROTS didn't do the numbers I needed it to, and it's been a whole lot of lessons to learn at once. But, hard feelings or not, I have to move on and learn from it. This year absolutely destroyed me financially, emotionally and creatively, but the show must go on. According to extensive, welcome feedback from backers...

I'm launching CRITTER CRIMES on February 25th, once again here on BackerKit. Did you like BIRD CRIMES? This one's for you!

Most, if not all, of CRITTER CRIMES' unlock goals have been revealed - and there's more to achieve, including a back vote at $10k. There's a wide selection of critters, including a conniving raccoon, a fraudster deer, a genocidal feral cat, and all of their heinous little accomplices.

If you're getting this email, you've pledged to my projects before. Did you know you're eligible for free pins this time around?

Back any physical tier on CRITTER CRIMES to continue the BIRD CIRMES with a Barn Owl. And, if you're a pin collector, why not cash in your bulk buying tendencies for another free Sparkledog?

A whole lot of HUSTLE customers also voted for me to re-issue the PRIDE PARROTS pins from 2021. The numbers were close, and the timing works out: if things go well, I'll be fulfilling the CRIMES campaign in early summer. So, I'm bundling the two.

Grab any of these four designs (or, all of them for a discount), for a $2 donation to GMHC on each bird. Let's feed the frontlines of HIV crisis management this year - the government sure isn't doing it.

Good afternoon, bird gang!

So, I sent an email to the GAP factory about potentially doing the upcoming CRITTER CRIMES for me (are you following that campaign yet? you should be!) At the end of a load of detailed, mechanical, technical bullshit, I dropped a "hey, hope stuff is going well on Golden Age."

I didn't expect production photos of our pins! It looks like things are going pretty fast.

Here's some scandalous, half-naked enamel pins, mid production, for everyone to enjoy. Here's our Dutch gunbird and our lutino cockatiels - pre-cheeks!

Don't look quite right yet? You're right. These guys are missing some fills, screenprint, and their shiny gold plating. Don't worry - they'll get there!

I don't know about you, but, the practice of making enamels has always been super cool to me. I'm always shocked how few people, not to mention, creators, actually know how it works... and how they don't always design pins with the process, or the people making them, in mind. Even if they're made in batches, they're a hand-made product, and a damn awesome art form of their own.

Maybe one day I'll do a big comic, or a write-up, about how it works for you guys.

There are some other photos of the male cockatiel pins, some 1.5"s, and the face minis. It's super cool to see, and I am very happy with how well this factory's been communicating with me.

I can't provide an exact estimate of how long pins will take to be finished, and get to me. I am going to assume my 4 to 6 week timeline as posted in the last update, barring any new information loosening or tightening that timeframe.

I got a notification from my sticker guys last night that my Winter 2024 order, including all of GAP's sheets and 3" birdies, was packed up and sent out from their office yesterday. So...

With all that lining up nicely, I am comfortable saying we are going to start fulfillment prep.

Work schedules worked out pretty nicely, and other than taking a fellow protein junkie to Costco to load up on cheap calories, I have this entire weekend free. Skip the jargon of this next section if you aren't interested - but, if you are, this is what that's gonna look like.

I will probably have my hands clean of GAP's mess(es) by AC, so, unfortunately, I am not offering convention pickup. Maybe for CRITTER CRIMES, though!

If you're interested in picking up anything from the store and combining shipping, you can do that in the next 3-4 weeks and specify it in a note - I'll refund the $5 flat for you (or whatever your international fee is).

It feels good to give you guys a terrible wordy update again. I hope at least one of you found it interesting.

I'll hit you up with a sticker unboxing post when those come in. Stay good for the rest of this week, guys. Thanks for sticking around.

...and, yeah, one last time, go follow CRITTER CRIMES. We launch in less than a week. Do it for the gay birds, if you don't want the mugshots. 

Good evening, bird gang!

It's been 20 days since I came and disgraced your inbox, and I don't feel comfortable leaving you on radio silent for that long.

Unfortunately, there's not too much to report. Pin production is always going to be the slowest, most boring part of the process.

Vectors have been sent off to the factory, the first half of payment's gone with them, and we are rolling on production. I mentioned this on bluesky, but, our pin production costs are actually substantially lower than I expected.

I calculated my campaign funding based on a different factory's quotes, and was losing my shit that I'd need a line of credit to pay for everything. Turns out, we're within budget. Like... about $200 less, than our full funding amount. I'm not going to treat this like it's a huge victory, since it's still not great with everything happening, but, a break even is far, far better than a loss.

I don't know if we are within schedule estimates yet. It's a lot of files for my rep to finalize, and admittedly, I am using a new factory which is more known for above-average quality than their speed of fulfillment. You know how it goes, you can pick fast, cheap, or good. I picked good and cheap.

I'll give more updates on the pins as they come. Expect sample photos at some point!

Our vinyl sticker order is also placed and paid, and expected within a month or two. My manufacturer is still just five guys in a garage in Maryland and they are still so, so brave for taking on my 1,000 sticker orders. These clowns usually just make ten anime stickers at a time on an average order. Please clap for them.

Just like BIRD CRIMES, I'll probably pre-pack all freebies and order stickers long before pins arrive at my office.

As for personal stuff: my truck is home, and after a graciously-low bill, is up and running again. For a complete electrical FUBAR, $3k in work out of pocket ain't bad. Sentimental shit aside, this is good news for a lot of reasons.

The store stock and mailing supplies that were inside during the theft will probably be salvageable with some ionizer treatment. That's a few hundred bucks I can save, and spend on finally seeing why I can't stand up for more than twenty minutes without getting lightheaded!

Jokes aside, unfortunately, I am dealing with some health shit. It's nothing I didn't know about before, but it's something I thought I nipped with a good diet and better schedule. I don't want to go into a lot of detail, but, I have been lethargic and unfocused since November. There's a few nights I've had to debate going to the ER from work, and let coworkers know to call an ambulance if I didn't come out of the bathroom after feeling "off." It's clear this is affecting my art and business.

You guys have already been unbelievably patient with me thru all of this. I'm not asking for anything else, I just want to disclose why things have been even slower than usual. I just want you to know there is a cause other than "damn, Ken is fucked up this year," and that cause may have a solution.

I have abused the magical power of nepotism to finally get this dealt with, and I'm hoping 2025 is what gets rid of it for real.

Thank you for your patience thus far, and I hope we can finish GAP off with a good final inning.

That being said... I am moving on, and I am aiming to launch a smaller-scale project in February.

You guys gave me ample, fair feedback on GAP and its failures, and based on that, we're going to be doing CRITTER CRIMES.

CRITTER CRIMES launches February 25th, only on BackerKit.

CRITTER CRIMES is a sequel series to the jesus-christ-why-was-this-so-successful BIRD CRIMES. Instead of our avian offenders, this time, we're taking aim at some of America's most scorned wildlife - whether they're rightfully reviled, or not reviled enough.

We're launching with the raccoon, whitetail deer, and domestic cat. But you're special, so, I can show you a few sneak peeks of our other criminals...

Who do you think's responsible for these crimes?

"Ken, this is stupid! Why should I back another CRIMES project? I'm here for the birds!" Well, my friend, I'm glad you asked! I'm offering a FREE BIRD to all returning backers.

Any backer from either BIRD CRIMES or GOLDEN AGE PARROTS will get a free barn owl pin.

I'm also opening up some first-ever orders for our exclusive blue jay pin thru this campaign. Plus, considering our fulfillment timeline, there'll be some proud, bright-colored parrots available for preorder...

Give CRITTER CRIMES a follow, and join the email list for updates.

Good evening, bird gang!

This is going to be late at night for all of you, sorry about the Sunday red eye email ping. I've been trying to catch up on sleep between finally, for real, sitting down and getting GAP's vectors set.

All our 2" pins got finalized yesterday. The 1", 1.5", 2" custom, and GUNBIRD pins are having their turn tonight, after my four Korean coffees brewed in Red Bull set in.

Returning BIRD CRIMES backers might remember this step, where we have to assign pantones to every color of every pin before sending them off to the factory. BIRD CRIMES backers might also remember, this was an absolute clusterfuck, and it's what held us up for three months.

This time, hopefully, we are on point, because I am cannibalizing pantones from some other bird artists. I know these work, or, at least, there's a little bit more wiggle room.

(thanks, Doreen, Rachel and Iggi!)

There is one more custom pin that needs a revision, and if that's you, I have sent you a preliminary followup email - your artwork is fine, but, it's not up to my standard currently and I'd like to give it a second pass before we send your army of little guys off to the factory.

The deadline to substitute cut designs has passed, and orders have been re-locked. I will be charging credit cards on the 31st.

Please go in your Pledges and Surveys and make sure you've got the right one on file.

Until I get production updates: it's time to move on.

It's no secret that 2024 wasn't a great year, and GOLDEN AGE PARROTS didn't meet my expectations. In typical stubborn fashion - not resilient, stubborn, and spiteful - I am looking ahead. I can't sit and marinate in misery that my project I took unnecessary risks on didn't do the best.

Due to personal circumstances and professional conflicts, I pulled out of Pintopia 2025, so you won't be seeing me there. However, to stay on track, I do need to run a project in February 2025.

My weighted cockatiel plush are still a little bit underbaked, so we aren't going to see them for a little while. However, I have a few other ideas.

I know it's, like, the third one I'm sending you guys at this point, but I have to ask you to fill out a backer survey for me. This is the last one, and it's asking about two things: how to improve from GOLDEN AGE PARROTS, and where to go next.

It's anonymous, and you can fill it out whenever: it's not going to affect much until mid January.

I have a few ideas on the chopping block right now. You can tell me how much you hate them by clicking that link up there.

That's all for now. Thanks for being here this year, backers.