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If you're a webcomics person (and I'm sure at least someone here is), you may have heard of the Machine of Death: A collection of stories about people who know how they will die. Everyone else, you are missing out on a fantastic form of entertainment! But I'm here to talk about the book, so we'll set aside our differences, even though you're wrong.

To start off, the basic premise of this anthology was born here. [url=http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=675]Here?[/url] I think I'm going to submit this post now, I am a hyperlinking junkie and would break down if I ended up using the wrong code.

Oh my god that ended up being worse than I could ever imagine. Did I seriously not close the tag? THIS IS MY LIFE WITHOUT THE PREVIEW BUTTON.

Anyway, the concept proved to be a hit: eventually comic author Ryan North pulled together a couple of guys as co-editors, and they said "send in your death-machine stories, we'll try make a book out of it!" Then when that was done (they got six hundred and eighty one submissions), they decided to get FAMOUS INTERNET PEOPLE TO ILLUSTRATE IT. This is the list, and if you know your webcomics, that's a pretty all-star list.

But THAT'S NOT ALL! The guys couldn't get a publishing deal, because it's far too risky to back something that can't become a movie or tv series, right? So they decide to go independent, and ask their readers to buy it on the same day, so it can become a number 1 bestseller on amazon. Just for a day! And it happens.

I'm pretty certain I haven't conveyed how exciting that is. It is SO exciting! After that they got emails about PUTTING IT IN BOOKSTORES. Including TWO FROM BARNES AND FREAKIN' NOBLE! Minor newsblog coverage, too!! Basically, they've proved the power of teamwork, man. The entire book's history is this story of teamwork. As they put it, "it's the feel-good tale of the year" (maybe not the year, but you know).

If you're thinking, "Plastic Box/Happy, that was immensely inspiring and I want to get a piece of this action", the book can be bought here! You can even get several previews here, and I'm telling you, it's quality stuff. Check out the rest of that website, too, it's the making of the book and really interesting.

I'm not quite sure why I made this post! Thoughts, anyone? Opinions? I'm terrible at explaining things? I will do a better job next time, I'm sorry.