Email me here at kiadm@viopac.com.

Hi, on your web page you mentioned Mike Grell did some art in issue 6 (of Space Beavers?). Do you know how much of the art he did -- was it a cover, or a splash,
or did he draw the entire issue? I'd really like to get a scan of any Grell art in this issue -- any chance you could help me out? Any info is greatly appreciated!
-Stephen Legge

It was a sketch M. Grell more than likely drew for Darick at a convention, which was printed on the inside cover of the issue. I'm a bit surprised that it is NOT included in the trade paperback collection, as sketches from Sergio Aragones and Dave Sim are included in the 2nd collection. Yes, I'm calling books about beavers fighting pigs in space "collections." Darick nixed my idea for hardbound gold-plated editions with the fur from baby seals as the book wrapping. *sigh* anyway...

By the way, I'd love to help people find old issues of the 'Beave, but 1. with the reprint volumes now available from AiT Press and order-able from your local comic shop, there's no need to expend that kind of time and energy to find such a rare book. I say "rare" as in hard to find, and not expensive. That's where point 2 comes in; most comic stores that held massive amounts of back issues have probably gone out of business since the collector crash the comics industry experienced around 1993, 1994. New stores don't carry a lot of back issues, and will not waste what little space they have on boxes of 80's black & white comic books with no monetary value. That stuff is getting harder to find, basically. And with such a low sales (I'm guessing distributor-to-stores sales, not store-to-customer...) at the end of the 'Beave's run, well, that's not a lot to find. SB was at 2000 copies at issue 11. So they're REALLY hard to find nowadays. They don't cost more than a buck when you do find them, but still you're much better off finding the trade collections at your local comics shop or from AiT press directly.

From issue 1, where all letters were answered by Space Beaver himself:

Dear Beaver Breath,

Okay so b&w is hot, but beaver cleaver and his buddy would look a lot better in color. Just look at the cover...it's a winner. The story was alright. I'd like to see porky the pig fried though. You'll have to keep that rat around for awhile too, he's good in a pinch!

T.T. Turcotte, Skabrook, NH.

First of all, who are you callin' beaver breath? Also, despite what you think, we aren't black & white to make a quick buck, we're B&W because we can't afford color printing...yet! But we're working on it!

As for Pork, well...I'd like to see him fried too. And as far as I know, Rodent plans to hang around. Tog and I want him as part of the team, that's for sure!

Dear Darick,

Space Beaver is fabulous! Everything was perfect. But, probably the reason I like it the most is because the title is not "highly radioactive middle-age Space Beaver and friends."

My favorite character in the story is Tog. Hey, since you're only 17 don't you go to high school? About future stories you could have 'Beave (first name basis already) get killed and Tog take over...

Jeff Tienor, Schertz, TX

Thanks! Darick is 18 now, and graduated high school in June of '86. I'm glad you like Tog so much. I like him too. But sheesh! Do ya' have to put a death with on me? I mean we are on a first name basis!

(Okay, I have to interrupt. This is the best letter I've ever seen in any of the issues, especially the line "...you could have 'Beave (first name basis already) get killed...". Analyze the part where the author acknowledges that he and 'Beave are on a first name basis, already, and just how far down the line the author asks that 'Beave be killed. Sequential point by point:

1. Writer enjoys Tog character the most.
2. Writer wants to know why Darick isn't in high school.
3. Writer has an idea about a future story.
4. Writer and Space Beaver are on first name basis.
5. For that future story, Beave should be killed.
6. Writer wants Tog to have his own book.

Just blew my mind. Anyway...)