The Robert Heinlein – Life-Line Graphic Novel Kickstarter looks fun. Even if the story is so absolutely good-naturedly infuriating.
Why? Because ‘Life-Line’ was Heinlein’s first story. His first freaking story. And it sold. Instantly. And he got the money on time too, I bet. …It’s enough to make one start day-drinking.
Put down the bottle, Moe.
While it is RAHs first published story, and it might even be the first story he wrote with the intent of publishing it, he wasn’t some 14 year old wunderkind. He was a grown ass man with four years of Annapolis (and I’m like 99% certain creative writing wasn’t an elective at the Military Academies back then) and a Navy career behind him. He wasn’t dumb and he learned how to really write – communicate through words in order to clearly express a thought so other people could understand it. Militaries back then kinda self-selected for literate officers to, you know, give understandable orders, especially since the illiterate population of the nation was so high at the time.
“20 years to become an overnight success” is funny because of the grain of truth within it.
Also, Tinsel arrived today and presents very well, the colors pop in person.
Although if I were to critique a bit, the title font that works so well on the cover is…less than perfect on the spine? The varied sizes work on the cover because they are fitting around the artwork, absent that context it scans poorly.
I have very little control over that aspect, but I’ll mention it to my cover layout dude going forward. 🙂
Also: enjoy the book!