This is very exciting news indeed. I wish you and Mr. Kleid success and the best of luck with the new publication. I, for one, would be extremely interested in reading such a novel!

Sara

Sara: Thanks so much. Neil is an amazing talent. The story he has to tell is riveting and deeply moving. We're honored to help bring his vision to fruition.

Very cool. I can't wait to see it when it's done - or at various stages of production! Best of luck to you all in this venture.

Sarah: Good of you to write. We've got a long way to go, but we will display some pages along the way, and of course announce and sell the book when it's finished. As always, thanks for reading and commenting.

Thanks for the kind words, all. I hope you all like the book when it comes out!

Beautiful. I can't wait to read the finished work.

I'm looking forward to seeing pages for this work in progress, as well as to its release. What a great project.

What a wonderful story to bring into the world and in such a unique way. It is rare to find any quality literature dealing with this subject, let alone from an Orthodox Jewish perspective...much hatzlacha and bracha with the project...

When I wrote the my article about Seraphic Press/The Hebrew Kid/Ariel for the Canadian Jewish News and Aish.com early this year, I contacted Neil for a statement about "Migdal David". I incorporated that statement/brief description into the article when I was forecasting what other books Seraphic Press would be releasing. Unfortunately, the reference to this graphic novel was edited out of both articles. Had it been left in, it might've opened up a few eyes and a few minds. You'd think that something that's different WOULD be the thing to mention in an article!

Pearl: Look at it this way, you have the opportunity to write a whole new article.

This new endeavor of yours has helped to restore my faith in many things, both great and small. It will undoubtedly be one of your most successful projects! The world indeed needs books
like this!!!!!

TP: Nothing could make me happier.

Robert said: "Look at it this way, you have the opportunity to write a whole new article."

See... now that's the kind of thing I like to hear! I am ALWAYS available for an interview.

What a beautiful idea. I look forward to its release in 2007.

Wonderful! I think you will have a winner on your hands. It looks great so far.

To Neil and Robert,
It is not easy to to tell such a personal story, exposing yourself and your family. But it sounds like it will be an honest story...that is experienced by countless families. I have no doubt that it will be wonderful, and more people than you know, will be touched and helped by what you share in this book. And the fact that Seraphic Press is publishing it, says it will be a real quality piece.

How could I get this graphic novel from Spain?

Dear Toni Box: You will be able to order it directly from Seraphic Press or from our distributor, Jonathan David Publisher. Thanks so much for your interest.

You're wellcome. I'm a religious person as well - althought catholic - and I'm studying Theology right now. This year I have to study the Torah, in fact. I write in a Spanish blog about comic-books and graphic novels and I link MIgdal David the other day:
http://www.zonanegativa.com/?p=1308
I'm sympatethic with your as a result that another reason: A beloved friend of mine died this year at the age of twenty-five from pulmonary fibrosis. In fact, my first post in www.zonanegativa.com was a homage to him because He would want to be comic-book artist and I show some of his work there.
http://www.zonanegativa.com/?p=397

Best wishes for you. Shalom!

Those of you who have not had the pleasure to visit Robert at his home office should know that, from behind, he looks exactly like image number 5 (above)! From behind, anyway.

Jackie:

Oh my goodness, you're right!

Hi again, Robert!

I negelected visiting your blog site for so long that I didn't know about these sample pages until today. Better late than never.

Actually, I was mentioining the Migdal David GN earlier this week to Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, suggesting that he mention it on his website. Simcha prefers to show graphics for the GNs he's been promoting, so now I can tell him to use the cover scan on your blog.

Are you planning on attending Comicon this year?

Steven:

Can't make it to Comicon. Let me know how it goes. Thanks so much for asking.

Beautiful! I can't wait until the book comes out. I have a son with a rare genetic disorder and this is something that's really necessary in our community. There is a lot of info out there about Down's and Autism, but not enough about the "unexplained"..

Thank you! Wonderful work!

Deena

I'm sorry - I just read some more pages and would like to add a comment about the "Judaism compounding difficulties" part. My son's disorder is rare, and so the parents I discuss it with are not Jewish - I could hardly find any. Speaking from experience and after hearing their views, while it's true that there are "restrictions" we abide by, Judaism is what makes the disability bearable and more understandable. It is our communities that are most accepting, and it is our way of life that shows the beauty and importance of these precious souls. It is what proves to us that a person need not necessarily be "productive to society" in order to be important. S/he is important in his own right, even if s/he is unable to provide society with anything, simply because s/he was born with an image of G-d. I love the book (or at least, the pages I see so far..). Just my opinion that this may be offering a distorted picture...

Deena

Hi! Thanks for writing.

I would have to take issue with the word "distorted" and offer the word "personal" instead.

As with most autobiographic stories, MIGDAL DAVID is not a blanket, general statement about Orthodox Jewry at all. It is a personal memoir about the struggles my brother - and my family - faced during his growth over the years in our frum community. I agree - as a whole the Jewish community is accepting and welcoming to those less fortunate. No doubt. The community I grew up in - and Dovid still lives in - has offered no shortage of help to his needs... however that doesn't mean that it's all been peaches and cream.

I find it interesting - and I just said this to someone the other day - that as Jews, we're very quick to gloss over the faults of our community. How many times did I see, as an NCSY advisor, parents of children with substance abuse issues choose to ignore their childrens' problems or the level of shock and outcry from the Jewish community when one of our own is arrested for embezzlement, sexual misconduct or greater crimes... stunned that it could happen in OUR community, one that should know better and act better.

How many times did I watch my mother close to tears when local yeshivos turned Dovid down for acceptance due to being unable to handle his "mental retardation"? How often did I witness Dovid's distress when being poked fun of or get ostracized by his peers, from his friends in the jewish community - or worse, by adults! - due to his being different than they? How many times during an NCSY shabbaton did I see kids do everything they could to avoid being housed with Dovid or steer away from sitting at his table for lunch due to his being different to the point that he would sit with the staff or cooks because he did not want to eat alone?

Judiasm SHOULD make his condition bearable and more understandable. Our community, in a perfect world, should "show the beauty and importance of these precious souls." and say that they are "important in their own right, even if he/she is unable to provide society with anything, simply because s/he was born with an image of G-d." I do agree with you.

Sadly, this is less than a perfect world and often you'll find that though as Jews we're supposed to act in G-d's image, many times we act the way He created us - as humans, faults included. Again - for the most part our community has been very welcoming and extremely caring... but if I'm going to recreate the history of Dovid's growth and my adjacent failing, I need to tell it like it was - warts and all.

I thank you very much for taking a look and I can't wait to finish the book and hear your comments on the completed work!

Neil Kleid