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MEDIA CONTACT: Matthew Corsey Cell: 404.435.1018 E-mail: mjcorsey@att.net

PEACHTREE CITY ILLUSTRATOR VIES FOR TOP SPOT IN ONLINE "AMERICAN IDOL" STYLE COMIC BOOK CONTEST

ATLANTA, GA (July 2007)—Ed McKeogh, freelance illustrator residing in Atlanta suburb Peachtree City, is one of six finalists in the last round of Dimestore Productions' online comic book contest, Small Press Idol 2007, which attracted 115 entries.

McKeogh's entry, titled Translucent, will be available as a 0 issue at Dimestore's online store starting July 9, 2007, as will the other five finalist books. After two weeks, based on sales figures, Dimestore will determine the winner of the contest's coveted grand prize package, contributed by the contest sponsors: complimentary publication of a four-issue limited series, a Flash-animated game based on the winning concept, and a comic book art supply kit.

"Breaking into the mainstream comic book industry can be difficult, and the self-publishing route is an expensive proposition," says McKeogh, 43, owner of Attn: 2-D Tale Studios. "Small Press Idol not only offers the opportunity to get published, but also provides incredible exposure not otherwise available to relatively unknown artists. Each round created an opportunity to learn more about the craft of making comics—both technically and artistically."

Like the hit television show, "American Idol," Small Press Idol contestant projects advance by public voting. Round 1 called for a series pitch and rough cover artwork, which were reviewed by a three-judge panel. Approved projects advanced to Round 2, which required a logo design and character portraits with accompanying biographies. Public voting at Dimestore's website determined which projects advanced to Round 3, which required three pages of sequential artwork. A combination of public votes and the judges' reassessment of each entry's potential determined the top six titles that advanced to Round 4.

McKeogh's entry Translucent follows an eclectic quartet of reluctant adventurers that protects the fictitious, brightly lit science-city, Luminopolis, from all manner of bizarre threats. The story is set in a retro/timeless era, vaguely reminiscent of post-Second World War America, but with plenty of anachronisms to keep things visually interesting. Unlike the other five contestant projects, which feature a team of creators working toward a common vision, Translucent is the product of a one-man operation—an impressive undertaking, given the numerous skills required. McKeogh writes, designs, pencils, inks, letters, colors and gray-scales his own comic.

"I grew up glued to a portable black-and-white television screen, when I wasn't reading comic books," admits McKeogh. "On weekend afternoons, I'd watch sci-fi and horror B-movie reruns from the '40s and '50s, with the occasional thriller and film noir thrown in for good measure. I wanted to capture some of that atmosphere in my work. I created Translucent specifically for Small Press Idol. I looked at my comic book collection and asked myself what kind of book I would want to read."

McKeogh's early influences were not lost on contest sponsor and Small Press Idol judge Roger Foucault, who commented, "Realistically, [_Translucent_] reads [more] powerfully as a pitch for a movie than that of a comic book."

The six finalist 0 issues will be pre-sold at dimestoreproductions.com on July 9, 2007. Each 0 issue, priced at $3.50, features a full-color cover, a 12-page story created specifically for the contest, all the contestant material produced for the first three rounds of the contest (including the judges' commentary), bonus pages featuring the issue's respective characters and, perhaps, some surprises. After two weeks, the sales will be tallied, the issues will begin shipment, and the winner will be determined, though all of the 0 issues will continue to be available at Dimestore after the contest ends.

McKeogh observes, "I entered the contest only hoping to receive professional feedback on my work. I never dreamt I'd make it to the final round and couldn't have predicted how much fun it would be for me and my whole family!"

Will Translucent beat out its competitors and become Dimestore Production's next limited series? McKeogh cryptically remarks, "Stay tooned."

Media inquires for Ed McKeogh should be directed to Matthew Corsey at 404.435.1018 or mjcorsey@att.net. Contact Ian Shires at ian@dimestoreproductions.com for more information about Small Press Idol 2007 and Dimestore Productions.